Kinfolk is a place that makes you feel good about eating out. That’s because the café is a social enterprise run mostly by volunteers and all profits go towards four Australian and international development projects. Customers can even choose where their money goes by popping a coffee bean into one of the project jars.
The space is small but lovingly decorated with books, bric-a-brac, blooms and an ecletic mix of furniture. Tradesmen, artists and designers all volunteered their time to fit out the café with donated and found materials and the atmosphere that’s created is one of arty charm and cosiness.
In line with this ethos to care for the community and the environment, most of the food at Kinfolk is locally sourced, often organic, bio-dynamic and/or fair trade and mostly vegetarian.
The handwritten menu of wholesomeness changes daily and we tried a warming bean and lentil bake with aromatic curry flavours with a small (though sizeable) side salad of barley, brown rice, cranberries and watercress, and an open sandwich of kale, rocket, haloumi and walnuts which was a bit dry and on the small side.
The sweets were provided by Little Bertha, including a highly recommended gluten-free pistachio and raspberry almond meal cake topped with a swirl of white chocolate cream cheese icing, and if you order tea or chai it comes in a deliciously oversized vintage teapot.
The service was a bit haphazard and there were lots of blank looks and ‘I don’t knows’ but it was easily forgiven when you know they are volunteers. Kinfolk is a warm and busy hub of students and office workers, all looking for a great feed for a good cause.
If you’re wanting to experience Kinfolk in the evening, they are launching ‘Speak As You Eat’, a series of not-for-profit dinners between April – July curated by Kinfolk’s chef Paolo Arlotta. Your hosts include a jazz singer, a life coach, a sustainability consultant, an architect, a filmmaker and an actress and each guest speaker will host the event while you enjoy a five-course, vegetarian, fine-dining meal with 20 strangers prepared by Paolo and a guest chef. As expected, all guest chefs, speakers, kitchen and floor staff will be volunteers and all profits from the dinners will support local and overseas charities.
- Dinner 1: May 6 – Speaker: Michael Lutman, Melbourne filmmaker, Guest Chef: Travis Goodlet (head chef The Courthouse Hotel, ex Papa Goose)
- Dinner 2: June 3 – Zvi Belling (Architect and jazz musician), Guest Chef: Stefano Rosi (head chef Hawthorn Common, ex Vue de Monde)
- Dinner 3: July – Speaker: Cece Ojany, accredited life coach and founder of The Main Protagonist, Guest Chef: Clinton McIver (head chef Champions Grill Bistro at Clayton Bowling Club, ex Vue de Monde Head Chef)
- Dinner 4: July – Speaker: Miguel Angel Oyarbide (Sustainability Consultant), Guest Chef: Christy Tania (Head Chef at Om Nom with expertise in the French art of pastry)
- Dinner 5: Tariro Mavondo (actress, performer). Guest Chef: Francesco Castellana (Date TBC)
Kinfolk, 673 Bourke St, Melbourne
Open 7am-3pm, Monday – Friday
Located next to the Southern Cross rail station and staffed by volunteers, this café draws the locals. I felt like I was “making the scene” as I enjoyed coffee and a lunch at this cute, casual space. The staff of volunteers are very friendly and the food is super. Open for breakfast and lunch.