Thanks a Brunch – Try These 6 Venues to Appease Weekend Cravings

Brunch – that lazy weekend meal where catching up over the week’s news is obligatory along with delicious dishes and perhaps even a glass of bubbles.

Once a week we all scramble to find our brunch location, how many of us can make it and what time we are eating. As is the case with many culinary traditions, brunch’s origins are a bit hazy. 

Many consider it a byproduct of England’s hunt breakfasts where a smorgasbord of goodies was laid out for hungry huntsmen after the chase, while others consider it comes from the practice of Catholics to fast before mass and then sit down to a huge midday meal.

Here are six spots sure to appease brunch cravings this weekend:

For your morning caffeine fix, pay a visit to breezy riverside café, Double Shot New Farm on Oxlade Drive. Meet friends for coffee while sitting outside in balmy weather to soak up the vibrant energy as locals come and go and bike riders make their morning pit-stop for refreshing drinks and a bite to eat.

 

Be tempted by a mouth-watering array of goods inside the front cabinet, along with breaky plates such as caramelised spicy mushrooms with poached eggs on toasted organic sourdough; or smashed avocado, lemon, feta and rocket, served on toasted pane.

Explore a delightful blend of flavours at Double Pour Restaurant & Café on Tucker Road in Bentleigh, where gluten-free options meet culinary creativity. A black and white subway-tiled façade opens to reveal a warm and inviting vibe of polished concrete floors, vibrant and eclectic artwork on the walls and trailing greenery, ideal for lingering over a brew and a bite. 

 

Start your day the right way with beetroot and potato croquettes, kale pesto, Parmesan crisp and poached eggs; or devour 12-hour braised pork shoulder Benedict, with poached eggs, crispy shallots and creamy Hollandaise sauce.

Locally-loved Café Boker on River Street is the place to head in Ballina for the tantalising taste of Middle Eastern fare with flair. Located in the CBD with an inviting alfresco area streetside for people-watching while enjoying a coffee catch-up with friends, this rustic café exudes a warm and welcoming vibe ideal for lingering over a lazy brunch.

 

Expect beautifully plated dishes which taste as good as they look, think housemade Turkish pastries filled with spinach and feta, served with a soft-boiled egg and harissa; or avocado, mint and Danish feta smash, with za’atar, egg, roasted tomatoes and sourdough.

Discover Parkville’s hidden ‘little treasure’ dining destination, Café Tesorina on Morrah Street. Step beyond the pink façade to find a warm and inviting vibe of bright blue subway tiles, exposed well-worn brick and potted greenery to join a lively buzz of conversation as friends gather over a bite and a brew.

 

On balmy days, sit alfresco under market umbrellas and peruse an all-day menu sure to tempt all tastes; perhaps devour specials like a club sandwich with herb-roasted chicken breast, maple bacon, avocado, tomato, cos lettuce and aioli, on sourdough.

High-quality, imaginative, health-conscious modern Asian cuisine is what you’ll find at L.Law Hyde Park on King William Road in Hyde Park. A stylish vibe awaits at this dining destination with a marble bar, orange leather chairs and shelves groaning with wine and spirits sure to tempt all tastes; settle into a cosy table under fun and funky Art Deco artwork to peruse a menu of creative brunch and lunch options.

 

Stop in early for whipped ricotta hotcakes with seasonal fruit, poached pear, pistachio crumble and housemade Sarawak pepper ice cream; while those with a savoury bent choose stewed beef cheek bao buns with slaw, coriander, mint, chilli and nahm jim sauce.

An Italian place with real classic recipes that you would expect to find on your lunch break in Florence or Milan is what awaits at Oltre Alimentari e Cucina on Commercial Road in South Yarra. This charming café blends white subway tiles with hanging bulbs of garlic, recycled timber and potted greenery to set the scene for inspired dining and deli delights to take home for later.

 

 

Discover breaky tempters such as baked free-range eggs, spinach, peas, heirloom tomatoes, San Daniele prosciutto and sourdough toast; or nduja, poached eggs, pickled fennel, apple, onion, jam, lemon ricotta mousse and toasted ciabatta.