Manchester Press! Last cafe of my entire five-month wandering journey in Melbourne.
The other one that got away was Hardware Societe that has a perpetual, permanent queue. But Manchester Press has a queue that is quite hard to beat as well, you put your name in the list and basically you stand around this alley and wait for your name to be called.

how late to the game were we to be subjected to a tattered menu like this

Have no idea what Manchester Press had before entering, all I knew was this is one of the 'cafes that I should have visited if I have been to Melbourne'. Damn, click farm listicles! Typical. Manchester Press comes across like a dungeon, really dark and huge and cavernous, it's unique. After all it's really hidden in a backalley.

Closed or open bagels for you? At Manchester Press, you're the king - you get to choose if you want poppy seeds, wholegrain, sesame seed, plain or gluten free bagels. Ohh that's too many choices for real. We got the texas bbq pulled pork bagel - slow roasted for 14 hours, and topped with home-made slaw and pickles - the popular choice around here and the Ny Lox open bagel - mountain of smoked salmon and baby capers, served on top of a fresh dill cream cheese!