Now open! New businesses ready to serve at La Trobe

With the start of the semester only a few days away, students and staff at La Trobe University will be greeted with two new businesses located at the Agora. One will cater to your daily needs and the other will help you further delight into caffeinated goodness.

Mr Ditto

(Mon – Fri 8am to 2pm)

Walking towards the café, you’ll be greeted with a familiar sight. That’s because Mr Ditto is located next to Mamak Rice & Noodle along the Agora Food court where the infamous Baked N’ Bean coffee shop once stood. This time however, a fresh new ambiance welcomes you with delightful pastries and the lingering smell of freshly roasted coffee.

There’s a selection of baked goods available ranging from danish, croissants, donuts, bagels, escargot and protein balls. If you prefer a savoury pallet of flavours, there are also many options to choose from such as a pesto salami & sundried tomato toast or a tandoori chicken pie. You’ll also find that all the items on their menu are reasonably priced at less than $10 per item.

I had the chance to indulge on an almond croissant together with my go-to large mocha. And let me tell you, a bite of that croissant allows you to feel the crunchy outer layer coated with almonds and glazed sugar. Biting in further, you reach the inner soft layer of the croissant packed with a touch of sweet filling. While it may not be Lune quality pastry, for the price and size, you can be sure to not go wrong with your purchase.

Now the coffee. There’s a lot of competition on campus already with everyone having their preferred café's that serves their ideal cuppa. With Mr Ditto, there’s guarantee that you’ll be served with rich, quality coffee.

My large mocha was hot to the touch, but not too hot to burn your hands. Just enough to keep your cuppa staying warm during the winter weather. In terms of flavour, my mocha was sweet to the tongue. It wasn’t overwhelmingly sweet and had a good balance of richness in the coffee. To put it into perspective, I’d place it in between Grafali’s Coffee Roasters and House of Cards.

So, as you’re walking to the Agora and deciding where to grab a cuppa, I encourage you to visit Mr Ditto and experience for yourself a delightful range of pastries and maybe your new one stop shop for coffee.

The next establishment will save you from walking all the way to Polaris to visit Woolies if you need to replenish any of your everyday items with convenience.

IGA Xpress

(Mon – Fri 8am to 6pm; Sat – Sun 11am to 4pm)

Some of you may have caught sight of the IGA Xpress when it officially opened its doors to students and staff at the end of the first semester. Unfortunately, a few days into the business it was forced to close its doors for deep cleaning after being discovered to be an exposure site.

Luckily, it didn’t take long for the establishment to once again open and welcome customers who are curious to see what this IGA Xpress has to offer.

The store is located just adjacent to library in the Agora near the Donald Whitehead business building. Once inside, you’re greeted with a selection of fresh fruits and freezers packed with an array of frozen goods to your right. In front of you are shelves packed with every day necessary items that you might be needing in short notice.

From a selection of cheese, yogurt, eggs, and milk anything that you might need to re-stock your fridge or pantry is now just a walk away. This is especially helpful for anyone living on campus. IGA also sells you a small variety of basic items such as notebooks, pens, rulers and even extension plugs if you need them.

And of course, there’s your selection of international items that can be found in the aisle nearest to the check-out counter. If you’ve seen the movie Zombieland, then you’ll be greeted with the sight of Twinkies available for purchase. Finally, for those of you who enjoy your alcoholic beverages, there’s a whole section of the store dedicated your needs. You can choose from wines, local and international beers, and spirits. And as always, please remember to drink responsibly.

So, as you’re walking onto campus next week be sure to check out Mr Ditto if you’re keen to try out a new cuppa and IGA Xpress for any items that you might be missing in your pantry. With two new additions to the popular businesses at the Agora, you can be sure to now have an endless amount of options to choose from when deciding where to grab a bite to eat.