Zephir Thomas and Sol Lee met on a pear farm on the outskirts of Melbourne, where they both fell for the city's coffee culture and decided to open their own roastery. They set up in Brighton's North Laine in 2014 and are credited as one of the catalysts for the city's now thriving specialty scene. Pelicano hand roasts in house and operates four café locations across Brighton. Sourcing is direct and ethical, and the brand's visual identity is distinctive: each roast is represented by an illustrated character. The Smokey Bird house espresso blends Colombian, Guatemalan, and Ethiopian beans into notes of dark chocolate, strawberry, and smoky vanilla.