Finn Cafe - St Kilda

Run by husband and wife team Marcus Wilson and Laura Winter, Finn Cafe is a cute little addition to Carlisle street in St Kilda. 

The simplistic layout of the cafe and some of its menu items are inspired by Winter's Scandinavian background which is also why the cafe is named Finn. 

When I visited Finn, it was a sunny afternoon which warmed and lit up the cafe beautifully. They have an all day breakfast menu so I had their open mushroom omelette with taleggio and rye - a vibrant and delicious omelette that was plated very elegantly. I added bacon to my omelette and I liked how they incorporated it into the plating of the omelette as opposed to just placing it on the side. 

The rest of the menu consists of your usual brunch items with a few unique dishes; such as smoked salmon on sourdough with smashed peas and poached eggs or a plentiful breakfast board with granola, hummus, salmon, duck rilletes, boiled eggs, cheese and a baguette. There's also a gorgeous cakes cabinet located up front filled with lots of irresistible sweets and treats. 

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For me, the staff are always a huge reason for returning to any establishment and I found that the staff at Finn are very lovely and genuine people. There was a slight mix up with one of our orders so as an apology we weren't charged for any of our add-ons, which was a very generous and kind thing to do especially because we weren't too bothered in the first place. It's this type of hospitality that left a lovely impression on me. 

124 Carlisle Street, St Kilda
Ph: 0481 394 403

Hours

Monday - Friday 7:30am-4:00pm

Saturday - Sunday 8:00am-4:00pm

Kettle Black - South Melbourne

The boys that brought us Top Paddock, Three Bags Full and Two birds one stone have done it again. This time, gracing the people of South Melbourne with their fine food and coffee.

The food is similar to  Top paddock - creative, fresh and sourced as locally as possible but this time Chef Jesse McTavish is taking things up a notch. Popular items on the menu are the crayfish burger with yuzu mayonnaise, cured ocean trout with raw kale and seaweed salad and chilli scrambled eggs with air dried Flinders island wallaby and feta.

Whilst the food is enough temptation to pay a visit, the cafe itself is a stunning piece of architecture that is worthy of admiration. The place combines the traditional and contemporary with one half of the cafe being a traditional Victorian terrace house whilst the other the modern foyer of an apartment building featuring lots of windows for natural light. As with all their cafes, the place is also well decorated with beautiful flowers and gorgeous light fixtures.

My chilli scrambled eggs were cooked well and the feta added extra creaminess. 

The ocean trout was also very good, the only fault being that the ocean trout was a bit on the small side.

The steak sandwich was unfortunately a bit of a let down. The Kettle Black bun was certainly interesting and the flavours were excellent but the beef was an absolute chore to chew. Which is a shame because it tasted really good, but the skirt steak just didn't break down. If you have to use a knife and fork to eat a sandwich, is it still really a sandwich?

Aside from that, the Kettle Black is an outstanding Cafe. Its staff are wonderful and dealt with the masses of people extremely well and I look forward to my next visit.

50 Albert Road, South Melbourne

(03) 9088 0721

www.kettleblack.com.au

Little Man Cafe - Seddon

Little Man Cafe is one of the latest additions to Seddon's popular brunch spots. Unlike its neighbours, Common Galaxia and Seddon Deadly Sins, which prefer an earthier style of wood finishings and black details, Little Man Cafe is a delightful new fit out of white walls and blue tiles that adds a splash of colour and brightness to the neighbourhood.

What it lacks in space, it makes up for in friendly service and atmosphere. The food is what you would hope for in a typical brunch menu, a good place for your usual fix of poached eggs, bacon or smashed avocado.

The lunch menu is also quite good, with their Little Man Burger a popular choice amongst patrons. The chips with the burger were seasoned with thyme and were surprisingly tasty.

The whole cafe has a friendly and relaxed vibe, which makes it the perfect place to bring the family on weekends or to catch up with friends for brunch.

158 Victoria Street, Seddon 

(03) 9687 8881

littlemancafe.com

Urban Provedore - South Yarra

Recently opened in May this year, Urban Provedore is a stylish new cafe conveniently located near South Yarra station. Head Chef, Andy Ledson has combined his culinary skills and his love for regional produce to create delicious seasonal menus for us to enjoy. 

Ledson's goal is simple; to ensure us city folk don't miss out on the joys of gorgeous regional produce.

The interior is spacious with lots of natural light and light wood furnishings. 

The walls are lined with shelves and shelves of regional Victorian products, which are also available for purchase.

For breakfast, I ordered Ham hock fritters, potato hash, creamed corn, braised red cabbage, black crumb pudding with the addition of poached eggs. I was really surprised by this dish, I wasn't exactly expecting ham hock and braised cabbage to be a particularly refined dish but it was quite a pretty dish. The cabbage was sweet, which went well with the saltiness of ham hock and the the black pudding crumb added texture.

The UP breakfast is a good feed for those with larger appetites. It's a wholesome breakfast of poached eggs, pork and fennel sausages, buttered thyme mushrooms, sauteed kipflers on sourdough with your choice of either a tomato chutney or bearnaise sauce.

Their Australian Sencha was interesting, a much more grassy and young tea than what I'm used to but the second steeping was quite nice. For those too busy for a sit down breakfast/lunch Urban Provedore also has a gourmet takeaway menu as well as a gorgeous sandwich bar. My only disappointment was the lack of sweets, there was your usual croissant and muffins but nothing to satiate my sweet tooth. 

Nonetheless, Urban Provedore is a beautiful space with lovely food.

231 Toorak Rd, South Yarra

(03) 9820 3500

www.urbanprovedore.com.au

Operator 25 - West Melbourne

Operator 25 is a lovely brunch spot located on the edges of the CBD. Set inside an unassuming heritage listed building is a stylish and minimalist interior. The sleek and simple furniture contrast nicely with the rustic exposed brick on the inside.

The place's name and the murals inside both pay homage to the building's history of being the first telephone exchange in Melbourne. Whilst on the other hand, the menu is modern and vibrant with all day breakfast, some hearty lunch options and even something for the kids.

I liked the food, I thought their menu was rather impressive for just a cafe but perhaps a bit more than they can handle. My braised beef cheeks were good, the sweet onions went nicely with the rich beef but the squid ink risotto although tasty was tepid at best. The flavours and texture were good but getting a lukewarm risotto on a cold winter's day was a huge let down.

Having said that, I enjoyed the laid back and cool ambience of Operator 25, so I'll most likely be returning to try their breakfast menu. Hopefully next time everything will come out nice and hot.

Alice Nivens Cafe - Port Phillip Arcade

Take a step into wonderland and join Alice Nivens for afternoon tea.

Janet Wong's alter ego has manifested itself into the hidden gem that is her cafe. Tucked away in Port Phillip Arcade, Alice Nivens bakes delicious new treats everyday that are served alongside lovingly made coffee and tea (from Storm in a Teacup). 

The cupcakes, muffins and cakes change on a daily basis so there's always an excuse to come back and try something new.

If the sweets aren't enough to lure you in, simply popping by to chat with owner, Janet is as good a pick me up than any coffee will ever be. Her energy and passion is simply remarkable.

Open Monday to Friday, it's perfect for your early morning coffee or for a bit of afternoon tea.

Top Paddock - Richmond

After walking past the construction site 3 times a week for about 9 months now, Top Paddock has finally arrived. Proudly brought to you by the same masterminds behind Three Bags Full and Two Birds One stone, Top Paddock is their new baby located in Richmond (and fortunately next door to my work)

My first visit was unfortunately after 3 o'clock so their kitchen was already closed but I was able to order from their tapas menu. I went for White Anchovies on Toast.

An extremely simple dish that packs a punch. The anchovies were delicate and flavorsome and just a dash of oil gave it a real zing!

Soon after, the cakes cabinet beckoned my name and before I knew it a gorgeous Vanilla and Lemon curd cupcake was placed before me. The fluffy vanilla and lemon curd center was the perfect treat with the addition of an incredibly light and creamy frosting on top.

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For my second visit I made sure I came before 3 o'clock, with a few girlfriends and starving! 

We had such an pleasant time sitting outside and enjoying the sunshine all whilst having a fantastic lunch.

I decided to try their Soft Shell QLD Mud Crab with dill, fennel and lime mayonnaise on Brioche. I've heard a lot of good things about this dish and thankfully it did not disappoint. A very unique but tasty burger made with brioche from MoVida Bakery that is to die for. A fluffy and buttery heaven!

Photo courtesy of  Carmen

My sister ordered Gin and lime cured trout, poached eggs, potato galette with a feta and beetroot relish. I got a serious case of food envy when this was brought out. I of course stole a bite and it was divine, such simple and clean flavours. A very refreshing and suitable lunch for such a hot and sunny day.

Photo Courtesy of  Ngoc

My friend had their signature Top Paddock breakfast. It looked so beautiful, I'm definitely getting one ALL to myself next time. 

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After some gossip and drinks, we decided it was dessert time.

I chose their Chocolate Ganache tart with Raspberries. A gorgeous and rich tart with the bonus of being gluten free for the celiacs reading this blog! 

Photo Courtesy of Ngoc

My friend had this revelation of a Chocolate cheesecake brownie! It was highly recommended by all the staff and our waiter couldn't help but mention it was "life changing" as he placed it down and boy, was he right!

I had a small bite and it was absolutely mind blowing. It's as rich and chocolatey as a cheesecake but somehow is so light and creamy it melts in your mouth before you can even feel guilty! My only fault is that I did not order this myself. 

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 With a spacious design and floor to ceiling windows that let in the summer breeze, Top Paddock is the ideal cafe for any typical Melburnian looking to sloth it out in comfort and style in this summer heat. 

Chef Jesse McTavish ensures that all the ingredients used are of the highest quality, so you know you'll be eating nothing but the best as you're trying to decide which coffee to try from their huge selection.

I'm most definitely going to become a regular, so keep an eye out for me! 

Top Paddock
658 Church st, Richmond 3121
Ph: 03 9429 4332

Cobb Lane Bakery & Cafe - Yarraville

Matt Forbes, an enthusiast pastry chef from the UK who is quickly dominating the Melbourne sweets and pastry scene. Having been trained by Culinary royalty such as Raymond Blanc and Michel Roux, it wasn't a surprise that Vue de Monde, Maze and Mr Hive all wanted him in their kitchens.

Finally in 2013 Forbes opened up Cobb Lane bakery which has been delighting Melbourne with his freshly baked bread and heavenly sweets.

A quaint little cafe in Yarraville adorned with gorgeous blue tiling, it is the best place to finally enjoy Forbes' treats made fresh.

With lots of unique and extraordinary flavours such as Earl grey, passion fruit and chocolate or Ginger and Toffee there's a little something for everyone. You can also come in early for a delicious savoury weekend brekky.

If you can't make it to Yarraville, Forbes' products are stocked in 16 different cafes all around Melbourne so there's no excuse not to get your hands on his cookies, cakes or doughnuts.

Mr Ed Cafe - Flemington

Flemington has changed a lot over the years. In recent times we've seen an explosion of laksa joints, Japanese restaurants and dumpling houses squeezed in between kebab joints and fish and chip places; now Flemington can add a trendy new brunch place to its list.

Mr Ed Cafe, located on racecourse road is the latest addition to the Western suburbs growing brunch scene. It's a relatively large space decorated with Dom Sowersby artwork but the large display case is equally beautiful in comparison with lots of pies, cakes and other treats to choose from.

I ordered Braised pulled pork with a potato and feta hash cake and a fried duck egg whilst my friend had the bubble & squeak from their breakfast menu. I was really impressed by their bubble & squeak, it's a lighter, more attractive take on your traditional fry up. My only complaint is that there was a lot of pork on my plate for such a small hash cake, a piece of toast would've been great.

A sweet treat from their cabinet is of course hard to resist. I'm still so intrigued by their Cranberry, hazelnut, meringue cupcake. The outside is crispy and sweet like a meringue but fluffy on the inside, it's not really like anything I've had before.

285 Racecourse Road, Kensington, Victoria, 3031

Phone - (03)9376 6444

Trading hours: Mon-Fri 7am-4:30pm Sat-Sun 8-4pm