Category Archives: breakfast

HOT: Agathé Pâtisserie, Stalls 63 and 64, South Melbourne Market, cnr Coventry and Cecil Streets, South Melbourne

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Agathe Patisserie 6 1024x811 HOT: Agathé Pâtisserie, Stalls 63 and 64, South Melbourne Market, cnr Coventry and Cecil Streets, South MelbourneIf you walked into South Melbourne Market last week your nose will have detected the new aroma of fresh, buttery pastry in the aisles. That’s because Agathé Pâtisserie, a Parisian-inspired patisserie and croissanterie, has just opened a permanent kitchen and retail store in South Melbourne Market.

Agathé Kerr’s pastries have gained a cult following since she started a little Saturday market stall in Prahran Market last year. The Parisian gained her professional pastry chef qualification at the prestigious Ecole de Boulangerie et Patisserie de Paris and had been making all her wares in a pop up store/lab in Windsor.

The new double-sized stall is clean and white, with the exposed kitchen baking fresh items daily behind the tempting pastry counter.

Agathe Patisserie 8 1024x676 HOT: Agathé Pâtisserie, Stalls 63 and 64, South Melbourne Market, cnr Coventry and Cecil Streets, South Melbourne

I ordered a classic pain au chocolat (with two luxurious sticks of chocolate inside), a brightly striped infused raspberry croissant, a classic escargot and almond croissant.

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All excellent quality, with a buttery crumb, subtle flavours and airy layers of pastry.

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There is one must-eat item on the menu. Agathé Pâtisserie’s famous cruffins ($7) are now piped to order with vanilla creme patisserie and topped with your choice of filling – on my visit, Nutella, salted caramel or peanut butter caramel.

Agathe Patisserie 1 1024x781 HOT: Agathé Pâtisserie, Stalls 63 and 64, South Melbourne Market, cnr Coventry and Cecil Streets, South Melbourne

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For now Agathé Pâtisserie is focusing on their new premises and retail offering so there’s no wholesale orders to cafes. That means the only place to try these amazing pastries is at South Melbourne Market. Warning – on the first day of opening at South Melbourne EVERYTHING was sold out in 1 hour (9am!). So if you want to sample some of Melbourne’s best pastries you’ll have to set your alarm clock and get in early.

 

Agathé Pâtisserie, Stalls 63 and 64, South Melbourne Market, corner of Coventry and Cecil Streets, South Melbourne

Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday 8am-4pm or until sold out.

HOT: The Green at St Columbs, 5 St Columbs St, Hawthorn

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DSC06743 1024x680 HOT: The Green at St Columbs, 5 St Columbs St, Hawthorn

 is a social enterprise cafe set amongst the unique church grounds and a stone church hall of St Columbs Anglican Church in Hawthorn.

The cafe is a project of Jesuit Social Services’ Ignite program. The program provides training, support and employment pathways to long term unemployed, young or old, through teaching them hospitality skills. The social enterprise also run small operations (without a full kitchen) at Hawthorn Library and Camberwell Library. On each table there is a bottle with a small scroll revealing the positive stories of some of the participants in the program.

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A lot of thought has gone into the operation, including in the sourcing of produce. Many ingredients are sourced from The Yard, Jesuit Social Services’ garden project nearby and raised garden beds on site also overflow with herbs and vegetables. To the extent possible items are made or grown on site, from the house baked ciabatta to the jams filling the doughnuts. Anything else has been sourced from local farmers and producers. They are committed to operating a closed loop system to manage their resources and to work towards a zero-waste operation.

DSC06751 1024x680 HOT: The Green at St Columbs, 5 St Columbs St, Hawthorn

The charming two-room fitout has been designed by Brunswick’s ZWEI Interiors (of Code Black Coffee Brunswick, Code Black Howard St and Wide Open Road fame) and the coffee beans similarly come from Code Black. A small gas fireplace and overhead heaters warm the high ceilings during winter and seating is in the form of long communal tables and smaller two-person tables.

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A stunning chandelier overlooks the coffee station.

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The seasonal menu has all day breakfast options – a roll call of bread, grains and eggs – and larger meals which are also available all day. So if you want you can have Nonna’s Lasagne for breakfast!

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I order ‘Morock the Kasbah’ a wholesome warm salad with generous chunks of slow cooked Moroccan lamb shoulder tossed with a mass of greenery, quinoa, lentils, chickpeas and hummus ($16.80). It is so substantial that I almost bypass the cake cabinet…but it is so enticing.

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I decide on a fig and almond tart as the fig jam is made on premises. The tart is crumbly and moist, with a smear of not-to-sweet jam filling in the middle.

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The mission of Jesuit Social Services is to help work towards a just society.  is one way they aim to achieve that goal. The cafe is a welcoming place for people to come together and they’re welcoming of families, they source and use their produce in a way that cares for the natural environment and the training program enables people to realise their potential and to contribute to the community.

Visit  to enjoy great food, good coffee and a warm fuzzy feeling that you’re helping others.

, 5 St Columbs St, Hawthorn, 9819 0890

Tue-Sun 8-3pm

HOT: The Green at St Columbs, 5 St Columbs St, Hawthorn

HOT: Two Birds One Stone, 12 Claremont St, South Yarra

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Two Birds One Stone6 1024x689 HOT: Two Birds One Stone, 12 Claremont St, South Yarra

Two Birds One Stone is an award-winning cafe underneath an apartment block in South Yarra. It mirrors the same winning formula as the owners’ other establishments Top Paddock and , with slick design and a creative menu presented with Instagram-worthy panache.

The lofty space is split into two – maybe the reason for the cafe’s name?  The coffee station serves Five Senses coffee includes a neat takeaway area and a stunning flower lit panelled wall.

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The other side is divided by high upholstered banquettes, though you can also choose between window-facing stools, a high communal table and the coveted partitioned round table booths which can be booked for tables of 4+ people on weekdays. The palette is blonde oak, grey concrete and greenery with distinctive stick lighting by the owners’ regular collaborator Christopher Boots.

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Both breakfast and lunch are served all day which means there’s no real reason to divide the menu – so for breakfast I try the rare yellow fin tuna with potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, aioli and crispy poached egg ($20). It’s a play on a classic Nicoise salad, with a trail of vibrant vegetables topped with generous slices of melting tuna and a lightly coated egg that’s still gooey inside. It’s healthy without being sanctimonious and head-turning pretty.

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In the breakfast menu there are a couple of sweet dishes which makes it hard to choose, but I’m intrigued by the passionfruit and yoghurt pannacotta – dessert as breakfast, why not? I’m expecting the usual upturned ramekin sized number but in fact the whole bowl is one big wobbly pannacotta, making it a bargain for $13.

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It reminds me of a giant sweet chawanmushi (steamed Japanese custard) and the silken texture is flawless underneath the lemongrass and saffron scented pineapple, fresh passionfruit and nut granola. I’m just sad that I’m so full that I can’t finish the dish.

There’s a reason that Two Birds One Stone is full constantly – the sophisticated menu and friendly service means that it’s a place worth travelling for.

Two Birds One Stone, 12 Claremont Street, South Yarra

Mon to Fri 7:00 am – 3:30 pm

Sat to Sun 8:00 am – 3:30 pm

HOT: Two Birds One Stone, 12 Claremont St, South Yarra

HOT: Giddyup Mule, 177 Stephen St, Yarraville

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DSC07076 1024x690 HOT: Giddyup Mule, 177 Stephen St, Yarraville

Giddyup Mule is Yarraville’s latest cafe opening. It’s part of the growing trend in serving healthy, raw, organic, paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free food that’s permeating through Melbourne’s cafe scene -perhaps as a reaction to the opposing trend of burgers, fried chicken and doughnuts!

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Giddyup Mule takes over the space that used to be a more simple coffee bar at Art of Cycling, an indoor spin training studio. It’s a little hard to find as the doorway and signage is hidden behind a street umbrella, so just look out for the Art of Cycling sign.

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The two young owners and westie locals Magarethe and Jodie have built a new kitchen, store room and brought their own spin (pun intended) on the space, with a roaring wood heater, a paint job and a kicking (pun intended again) menu of interesting dishes.

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The drinks list includes Axil coffee, Mofo hot chocolate, silky Chai Walli chai made with milk (or soy) and honey, a range from Tea Tonic, juices, smoothies and kombucha on tap by Grateful Harvest.

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The kombucha is freshly brewed in Melbourne and the ginger and tumeric is tangy and fresh ($5). I’m told the orange is sweeter if you’re not familiar with the fermented taste of kombucha.

DSC07058 698x1024 HOT: Giddyup Mule, 177 Stephen St, Yarraville

I try the pulled pork cigars with apple and walnut salad and smoky sauce ($18.50). It’s a decadent dish with melting strips of pork rolled up in a fried parcel – can’t really go wrong! The crunchy apples and nuts provide a textural and flavour contrast to the meat.

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The bircher muesli is a wild palette of colourful elements and totally delicious, especially the coconut yoghurt which they infuse with acai and berries. It’s good value for money at $12 as you won’t be able to fit in much else afterwards.

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You can’t go past a cafe menu these days without seeing smashed avo and this version comes with house-marinated feta and smoked cherry tomatoes ($16.50). It’s a generous tumble of vibrant freshness and the kombucha vinaigrette adds an interesting tangy twist to an otherwise ubiquitous menu item.

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For dessert there is a selection of organic raw desserts by . I am in love with raw desserts at the moment as it seems like a healthier way to indulge my sweet tooth. The salted caramel joy bar ($7.50) contains ‘Aztec superfoods’ but all you need to know is that it’s decadent and rich.

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Giddyup Mule is a fun, friendly and healthy addition to the inner west cafe scene. If you’re a bike rider / gym-goer it’s even more convenient, with Art of Cycling spin classes, DCPT personal training and group fitness and Western Velo Works bike repairs in the same building.

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Plus if you need an early caffeine hit they’re open 6:30am on weekdays!

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Giddyup Mule 177 Stephen St, Yarraville

Mon – Fri 6.30am to 4om

Sat 7- 4pm

Sun 8-4pm

HOT: Giddyup Mule, 177 Stephen St, Yarraville
 

HOT: Saluministi, 8 Atkins St, North Melbourne

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Saluministi 8 Atkins St North Melbourne HOT: Saluministi, 8 Atkins St, North Melbourne

Saluminsti is an Italian-style warehouse cafe in North Melbourne, hidden at the intersection of two cobblestone laneways.

Saluministi 8 Atkins St North Melbourne 1 HOT: Saluministi, 8 Atkins St, North Melbourne

Saluminsti is a labour of love for Frank, one of the co-owners, despite being a pop up for only 12 months (at this stage) as it sits at the back of the building that’s slated to be turned into apartments.

Saluministi 8 Atkins St North Melbourne 10 HOT: Saluministi, 8 Atkins St, North Melbourne

Frank fitted out the warehouse kitchen, storage and dining space all himself and he’s passionate about the food at Saluminsti. It has an authentic honesty about it and it turns out that all of the recipes on the simple menu are from Frank’s family. He wanted to bring to diners the sort of food that he grew up with and he’s taken these traditional dishes and given them a modern twist. My Italian companion remarked on how many of the dishes she also remembered from her childhood.

Saluministi 8 Atkins St North Melbourne 3 HOT: Saluministi, 8 Atkins St, North Melbourne

Currently the menu has three ciabatta options – a melt-in-the-mouth free range porchetta stuffed with artichoke paste, rocket and shaved pecorino ($12), a cotoletta just like nonna’s with a vincotto mayo, Italian coleslaw and provolone ($12) and a slightly spicy pork and fennel sausage with roasted peperonata and pecorino ($11).

Saluministi 8 Atkins St North Melbourne 5 HOT: Saluministi, 8 Atkins St, North Melbourne

The ciabatta is quite remarkable – pillowy and soft and not so crusty it hurts your mouth. Frank wouldn’t divulge his secret supplier but did wax lyrical about the 36 hour proven dough and stone-baked bread.

Saluministi 8 Atkins St North Melbourne 6 HOT: Saluministi, 8 Atkins St, North Melbourne

The smallgoods hanging in the fridge are currently for show only – until they’re cooked they can’t be sold. It’s worth ordering the Salsiccia ciabatta just so you can try the pork and fennel sausage. Later the plan is to retail and wholesale the salumi and to run sausage-making and salami-making classes.

Saluministi 8 Atkins St North Melbourne 4 HOT: Saluministi, 8 Atkins St, North Melbourne

We accompanied our sandwiches with a cup of patate fritte, crispy chips zhuzhed up with fresh herbs and reggiano ($5).

Saluministi 8 Atkins St North Melbourne 2 HOT: Saluministi, 8 Atkins St, North Melbourne

The coffee is made with Italy’s favourite Lavazza and the cafetiere is a bargain – a traditional Neapolitan-style 2 cup with a syrupy crema on the bottom could easily satisfy 3 or 4 people and it comes with some sweet biscotti on the side for only $5.

Saluministi 8 Atkins St North Melbourne 9 HOT: Saluministi, 8 Atkins St, North Melbourne

Finally, try the sugar encrusted bomboloni, made fresh every day on site. These are Italian-style doughnuts so a bit denser than the standard American-style doughnut, but still very light.

Saluministi 8 Atkins St North Melbourne 7 HOT: Saluministi, 8 Atkins St, North Melbourne

Both the Nutella and slightly citrus crema paticcera are delicious.

Saluministi 8 Atkins St North Melbourne 8 HOT: Saluministi, 8 Atkins St, North Melbourne

Saluminsti is a small Italian gem hidden in North Melbourne, a place brimming with enthusiasm and passion while serving up some authentic, old school Italian goodness. Buon appetito!

Saluminsti, 8 Atkins St, North Melbourne

Tue-Sun 7:30am-4pm

HOT: Saluministi, 8 Atkins St, North Melbourne

HOT: Lygon Food Store, 263 Lygon Street, Carlton

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Lygon Food Store 263 Lygon Street Carlton 1 HOT: Lygon Food Store, 263 Lygon Street, Carlton

Lygon Food Store was a pioneer in Melbourne in the 1950s. This iconic Carlton cafe and food store opened 63 years ago as one of the first suppliers of imported products from Italy and it was the first shop in Lygon Street to serve Lavazza coffee.

Lygon Food Store 263 Lygon Street Carlton 7 HOT: Lygon Food Store, 263 Lygon Street, Carlton

This unpretentious establishment has long been a favourite with uni students and academics for a casual breakfast or a hearty lunch.

Lygon Food Store 263 Lygon Street Carlton 4 HOT: Lygon Food Store, 263 Lygon Street, Carlton

Their huge ciabattas and baguettes are excellent value (all under $10) and the glass cabinet holds a rotating mouth-watering selection of Italian meals, soups and salads.

Lygon Food Store 263 Lygon Street Carlton 9 HOT: Lygon Food Store, 263 Lygon Street, Carlton

The cartoccio, an oval mass of pizza dough, squidgy mozzarella and laden to overflowing with antipasti and charcuterie, is one of their specialities. It’s big enough to share between two or three, making it an economical lunch for $14.50.

Lygon Food Store 263 Lygon Street Carlton 3 HOT: Lygon Food Store, 263 Lygon Street, Carlton

About a month ago Lygon Food Store opened its doors for dinner on Thursday to Sunday evenings.

I was invited to sample some of the dinner menu, which has an emphasis on Southern Italian cuisine mainly from Puglia, the region that owner Pasquale Coco knows best. Some of the recipes are from his family, some have been devised by Pasquale who is also the chef.

Lygon Food Store 263 Lygon Street Carlton 2 HOT: Lygon Food Store, 263 Lygon Street, Carlton

The highlight of the preview was the serves of pasta and the risotto Milanese, all cooked al dente and adorned with the simplest of sauces to highlight the freshness of the ingredients. All the pastas and stone fired pizzas are under $20.

Lygon Food Store 263 Lygon Street Carlton 6 HOT: Lygon Food Store, 263 Lygon Street, Carlton

There are just four main dishes to choose from – a veal osso bucco, rockling fillet, crunchy eggplant polpetta with spicy caponata and couscous and in a nod to on-trend ingredients, a light quinoa salad. Again, each of the mains was very reasonably priced under $30.

Lygon Food Store 263 Lygon Street Carlton 5 HOT: Lygon Food Store, 263 Lygon Street, Carlton

While bright new eateries ensure that Lygon Street is ever-evolving it’s always nice to revisit old favourites. Lygon Food Store is a Melbourne institution for a reason and now you can enjoy their wares (and do your deli shopping) morning, noon and night.

Lygon Food Store, 263 Lygon Street, Carlton

Monday – Wednesday, 7am – 6pm
Thursday – Sunday, 7am – 10pm

HOT: Lygon Food Store, 263 Lygon Street, Carlton

HOT: Small French Bar, Shop 3, 154 Barkly St, Footscray

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Small French Bar Shop 3 154 Barkly St Footscray 10 HOT: Small French Bar, Shop 3, 154 Barkly St, Footscray

The layers of immigration that make Footscray such a fascinating place have now placed , a French fromagerie, charcuterie and cafe (and later wine bar) on the main street.

Small French Bar Shop 3 154 Barkly St Footscray 6 HOT: Small French Bar, Shop 3, 154 Barkly St, Footscray

It’s a small storefront set incongruously amongst the pho joints, wig shops and money exchange offices and you’ll just be able to spot it with the help of a little snail over the door.

Small French Bar Shop 3 154 Barkly St Footscray 4 HOT: Small French Bar, Shop 3, 154 Barkly St, Footscray

Stephane Armentano is a new Footscray local and comes to Melbourne via a successful tapas bar in Fremantle. The space inside the Royal Hotel redevelopment has been completely rebuilt by Stephane and his family and transformed into what he hopes will become a little community bar like those in most French villages.

Small French Bar Shop 3 154 Barkly St Footscray 5 HOT: Small French Bar, Shop 3, 154 Barkly St, Footscray

The sweetly humble space is a Gallic haven. French music plays gently in the background and the small menu is available throughout the day, every day.

Small French Bar Shop 3 154 Barkly St Footscray 7 HOT: Small French Bar, Shop 3, 154 Barkly St, Footscray

Start your day with a bargain $5 croissant and coffee or French hot chocolate.

Small French Bar Shop 3 154 Barkly St Footscray 1 HOT: Small French Bar, Shop 3, 154 Barkly St, Footscray

The croissants and pain au chocolat are wafer crisp on the outside and so very airy on the inside – and it turns out that they have been made with French butter and other French ingredients and come direct from France (par-baked), along with the baguettes.

Small French Bar Shop 3 154 Barkly St Footscray 3 HOT: Small French Bar, Shop 3, 154 Barkly St, Footscray

Stephane simply couldn’t find the consistency in quality in any products here so for the moment you can enjoy these treats as if you were in the streets of Paris.

Small French Bar Shop 3 154 Barkly St Footscray 2 HOT: Small French Bar, Shop 3, 154 Barkly St, Footscray

For a main meal try the home made duck confit ($18), a moist maryland of duck with meat that falls off the bone and served with creamy potatoes dauphinois and steamed green beans. It’s an authentic brasserie meal which will warm your cockles in winter. You may see confit duck legs for sale in the near future, along with the  existing selection of French cheeses and charcuterie.

Small French Bar Shop 3 154 Barkly St Footscray 8 HOT: Small French Bar, Shop 3, 154 Barkly St, Footscray

To end don’t miss the house made chocolate fondant. The weight of the vanilla ice cream helps the melting chocolate centre flow out from the shell and it’s a luxurious treat for only $8.

Small French Bar Shop 3 154 Barkly St Footscray 9 HOT: Small French Bar, Shop 3, 154 Barkly St, Footscray

At the moment opening hours are still in testing mode as  is a one-man operation. Generally you can expect the cafe to be open from 10-4pm every day, sometimes opening earlier, sometimes closing later. The liquor license will hopefully come through in a few months so there will be an authentic wine bar in Footscray!

 is a lovely neighbourhood addition and Stephane has obviously put his heart and soul into this venture so go support him!

Starting next Tuesday there will also be a regular French conversation class. From June 2 meet at   7pm till 9pm for charcuterie, cheese plate and a tete-a-tete. Limited tickets available, ring Stefan 0402952078.

, Shop 3, 154 Barkly St, Footscray 0402952078

Open 7 days 10am-5pm

HOT: Small French Bar, Shop 3, 154 Barkly St, Footscray

HOT: The Vertue of the Coffee Drink, 8 Raffa Place, Carlton

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The Vertue of the Coffee Drink 8 Raffa Place Carlton 2 HOT: The Vertue of the Coffee Drink, 8 Raffa Place, Carlton

The Vertue of the Coffee Drink is a handsome cafe hidden in a laneway – behind a laneway – next to a servo in Carlton.

The Vertue of the Coffee Drink 8 Raffa Place Carlton 3 HOT: The Vertue of the Coffee Drink, 8 Raffa Place, Carlton

While the entrance to the former horse stables is small (and positively teeny tiny when they only open the bolthole in wet weather) once you get inside it’s like the Tardis.

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The Vertue of the Coffee Drink 8 Raffa Place Carlton 8 HOT: The Vertue of the Coffee Drink, 8 Raffa Place, Carlton

 A busy coffee bar greets you, then you walk back a bit further and the ceilings suddenly rise, cathedral-like.

The Vertue of the Coffee Drink 8 Raffa Place Carlton 4 HOT: The Vertue of the Coffee Drink, 8 Raffa Place, Carlton

The lofty space is so amazingly bright that it’s hard to believe that there are no windows. The skylights that form the ceiling diffuse the light so beautifully across the wood and copper decor that even on a gloomy rainy winter’s day inside the cafe it feels like a spring day.

The Vertue of the Coffee Drink 8 Raffa Place Carlton 5 HOT: The Vertue of the Coffee Drink, 8 Raffa Place, Carlton

 I take a seat at the banquette and I’m immediately enamoured of the greenery frothing over the custom-made metal wall planters. They were designed by Glasshaus in Richmond and are irrigated using a narrow pipe and drip system harnessing water from the roof.

The Vertue of the Coffee Drink 8 Raffa Place Carlton 1 HOT: The Vertue of the Coffee Drink, 8 Raffa Place, Carlton

As the name suggest The Vertue of the Coffee Drink is a shrine to coffee. The unusual name comes from a promotional handbill from 1652 s advertising the first coffee house in London and the benefits of the brew.

The Vertue of the Coffee Drink 8 Raffa Place Carlton 10 HOT: The Vertue of the Coffee Drink, 8 Raffa Place, Carlton

There’s a glossy roaster on site, a temperature controlled glass cabinet displaying various beans and coffee paraphernalia lined up along the wooden stairwell that leads up to nowhere.

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But if you’re a non-coffee drinker (like me) then there’s still a tea by Chamellia ($4.50), Mork Hot Chocolate ($4-5) and the Mad as a Hatter Chai with soy ($6) which comes in a hand beaten copper vessel.  They’re also licensed.

The Vertue of the Coffee Drink 8 Raffa Place Carlton 6 HOT: The Vertue of the Coffee Drink, 8 Raffa Place, Carlton

And then there’s the food. Oh my. A series of all -day breakfast dishes that you’re unlikely to find on every second menu around town – plus I like the fact that their lunch menu starts at 10:30am!

The Vertue of the Coffee Drink 8 Raffa Place Carlton 7 HOT: The Vertue of the Coffee Drink, 8 Raffa Place, Carlton

After some dithering between the scotch egg and chickpea chips I decide on the latter ($18). It’s an artistic array of charred zucchini, preserved pops of cherry tomatoes, shaved parmesan and two poached eggs, plus some unexpectedly fluffy sticks of deep-fried mashed chickpea. Even if you’re not vegetarian this is a dish worth trying.

The Vertue of the Coffee Drink 8 Raffa Place Carlton 9 HOT: The Vertue of the Coffee Drink, 8 Raffa Place, Carlton

From the ‘something sweet’ section I try the warmed spiced fruit loaf ($14). It’s a hearty serve of almost cake-like fruit bread toasted into wedges and served with a hemisphere of poached peach, vanilla gelato and an amaretti crumble.

I feel like I want to keep The Vertue of the Coffee Drink a secret hideout just for me . But this oasis from bustling Lygon Street is so fabulous in every way – decor, service, food, drinks – that I just have to share. Enjoy!

The Vertue of the Coffee Drink, 8 Raffa Place, Carlton  

Mon-Fri 7am-4pm

Sat-SuN 7.30am-4pm

HOT: The Vertue of the Coffee Drink, 8 Raffa Place, Carlton

HOT: Proper & Son, Shop 13-14 South Melbourne Market, 322 Coventry Street, South Melbourne

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Proper Son Shop 13 14 South Melbourne Market 322 Coventry Street South Melbourne 7 HOT: Proper & Son, Shop 13 14 South Melbourne Market, 322 Coventry Street, South Melbourne

Proper & Son is a handsome new market deli and cafe within South Melbourne Market.

The space brings a bit of the country to the city, with modern white subway tiles offset by a provincial-style patterned wallpaper cleverly disguising chickens, pigs and cows.

Proper Son Shop 13 14 South Melbourne Market 322 Coventry Street South Melbourne 8 HOT: Proper & Son, Shop 13 14 South Melbourne Market, 322 Coventry Street, South Melbourne

The stylish cafe seats around 35 people max and at around 10am on Sunday there was a short lineup before a table become available. Once we sat down everything was brought us promptly.

All the food is made on site (breakfast until 11:30am, lunch from 11:30am) and the owner Eugene Lavery is also behind the stove. A owner-chef tends to bode well for the quality of an eatery, as he/she will really care about what comes out of the kitchen and how the service is managed.

Given Proper & Son’s location it has the privilege of being able to change the menu weekly depending on what’s in season and what’s available within the market. So you can be assured that all the produce is as fresh as fresh can be.

As we were visiting on Mother’s Day we tried their special ‘Proper High Tea’ menu where we received a hot beverage and a selection of sweet and savoury treats for $20.

Proper Son Shop 13 14 South Melbourne Market 322 Coventry Street South Melbourne 3 HOT: Proper & Son, Shop 13 14 South Melbourne Market, 322 Coventry Street, South Melbourne

Half the fun was discovering what was presented on the wooden platters – a fat brioche bun with smoked salmon and dill, a slice of  creamy pumpkin frittata, a rosy coconut cupcake and some sort of fudgy chocolate brownie. The only disappointment was the flat disc of a scone, though it was served with some delicious house made preserves and cream.

Proper Son Shop 13 14 South Melbourne Market 322 Coventry Street South Melbourne 2 HOT: Proper & Son, Shop 13 14 South Melbourne Market, 322 Coventry Street, South Melbourne

The creamy coffee was made with Toby’s Estate beans and my hot chocolate was by Mork Chocolate.

In addition we ordered the buttermilk hotcakes, a substantial dish of three fluffy pancake rounds heaped with fresh fruit, pecans and a huge ball of lemon curd ($13.50). A peek at our neighbours indicated that serving sizes seemed to be in on the generous side overall.

Proper Son Shop 13 14 South Melbourne Market 322 Coventry Street South Melbourne 5 HOT: Proper & Son, Shop 13 14 South Melbourne Market, 322 Coventry Street, South Melbourne

For lunch Proper & Son turns into a carvery, with roast meat rolls made to order and a selection of four fresh salads. I’ve heard lots of raves about their ‘Market Roast Roll’ made with free range roast chicken with a sage, onion and cranberry stuffing or corned wagyu brisket with pickles, cabbage and mustard.

Proper & Son is an exciting addition to an otherwise lacklustre food court in South Melbourne Market and you could visit it weekly without eating the same thing twice. It’s a great place to stop with before or after your shopping.

Proper & Son, Shop 13-14 South Melbourne Market, 322 Coventry Street, South Melbourne, 9699 7057

Wed, Sat-Sun 7:30am to 4pm

Fri 7:30am to 5pm

minilink HOT: Proper & Son, Shop 13 14 South Melbourne Market, 322 Coventry Street, South Melbourne

HOT: Est. 1906, 81 Charles St, Seddon

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Est. 1906 81 Charles St Seddon 5 HOT: Est. 1906, 81 Charles St, Seddon

Seddon Village is ever-changing from sleepy suburban strip to hip hangout. This week we said goodbye Seddon video store, hello industrial chic cafe .

The large space has been transformed into a funky daytime venue (liquor licence and night trading coming later) which also happens to be one of the most family-friendly spaces I’ve visited in a while.

Est. 1906 81 Charles St Seddon 6 HOT: Est. 1906, 81 Charles St, Seddon

The front dining room is huge, with white exposed brick, a black pressed metal ceiling and pops of yellow in the furniture and the crockery. For those who want some privacy there’s a glass-in room facing Charles Street which is separated by a sliding door. If you don’t have kids this is a great place to hide away!

Around the right where there’s another room with more tables and one side that looks out onto the courtyard. This is the least appealing of all the dining areas but it does ok with an awkward space.

Est. 1906 81 Charles St Seddon HOT: Est. 1906, 81 Charles St, Seddon

The courtyard is where really comes into its own. It’s spacious and sunny, with sea blue beanbags upon lush fake grass plus child-friendly elements such as a sandpit and toys.

On Monday to Friday the breakfast menu starts at 7am-11:30am, with a rather inconvenient 30 minute gap before the lunch menu starts at 12pm. On weekends the breakfast menu is available all day until 4pm.

The breakfast menu is a fairly run-of-the-mill list of cafe standards and in fact the lunch menu looks much more exciting with items such as barramundi and confit duck featuring.

Est. 1906 81 Charles St Seddon 4 HOT: Est. 1906, 81 Charles St, Seddon

As far as smashed avo goes ‘The Avo’ is pretty good, with generous lashings of avocado with cherry tomatoes, marinated feta, slices of cold smoked salmon and two perfectly poached eggs. It’s comforting and pretty without being thrilling – and probably a few dollars more than I’d expect to pay at $20.

Est. 1906 81 Charles St Seddon 3 HOT: Est. 1906, 81 Charles St, Seddon

The banana bread is a hunk of gently spiced cake with segments of poached pear, a passionfruit half and a dousing of overly sweet honey cinnamon yoghurt. The banana bread is delicious without all the accoutrements and I think solid value at $12.

On our weekend visit  was full by 10am so I recommend an early trip. The space is large but there are not enough wait staff when the place is at capacity so the timing can be a bit off – our food came before our coffees and as the place got busier the wait got longer. Our dirty plates were not cleared for a long time. Hopefully these small blips will be ironed out once they settle into their new digs a bit more.

, 81 Charles St Seddon

Monday to Friday 7am – 4pm

Saturday & Sunday 8am – 4pm

minilink HOT: Est. 1906, 81 Charles St, Seddon