My Top 5 Fave South Melbourne Haunts

1. Chez Dre

(Rear of) 285-287 Coventry St South Melbourne (03) 9690 2688

Tucked in an alley off Coventry St South Melbourne is a cosy french-themed patisserie – Chez Dre.  Open daily from 7.30am to 4.30pm, make sure you get in early to relish both savoury and sweet treats freshly baked by the busy but meticulous chefs.  Some of their generously-portioned popular dishes from their all day breakkie menu include their Moroccan baked eggs with spicy herb lamb sausages, minted yoghurt and baguette and Mexican-inspired corn and jalepeno brioche with black-eyed beans, tomato salsa, and guacamole topped with a fried egg. Or how about a more “french-inspired” croque madame with thick crust toast, smoked ham, melted gruyere cheese, rich béchamel sauce and a crispy fried egg on top! It’s easy to spend a few hours here as you will find the aroma of freshly roasted coffee and delicately baked cakes collaborating to tantalize your senses, undoubtedly teasing you for more. Indulge in the variety of flavoured macaroons from pistachio to strawberry or dig into their opulent chocolate tart sprinkled with gold leaves. 

2. Dead Man Espresso

35 Market St  South Melbourne VIC 3205 (03) 9686 2255

I fell in love with this unpretentious, welcoming joint the moment we were seated overlooking their intimate fresh outdoor setting with high chairs on a bar top bench peeking into the tranquil market st neighborhood. We ordered their infamous coffee and real spicy chai latte – where you could still see the cloves, cinnamon and spices atop the frothy goodness. Their wholesome and mouthwatering selection of weekend all day breakkie includes the creamy avocado on toast and star attractions like the juicy pork belly sanga and crispy potato rosti. The avocado on toast was a real winner with depths of flavour from a surprising crunch of pistachio amidst creamy avocado, citrusy fetta, followed by a burst of orange and then the freshness of herby basil. With its exceptional food, great service with constant water refills, it’s easy to see why this is one of my favourite South Melbourne haunts.

3. St Ali

12-18 Yarra Place  South Melbourne VIC 3205 (03)9686 2990

Voted by many a coffee afficianado as one of Melbourne’s best coffee joints, St Ali brings a quirky but likeable personality into the South Melbourne neighbourhood. Featuring interesting menu items such as “My Mexican Cousin” – a “secret recipe of corn fritters, fresh baby spinach, haloumi, kasundi with poached or fried eggs” and  “magic mushroom” – a flat omelette of field mushrooms, cherry tomato, oregano and pine nuts, occasionally you might get lucky and be served shots of new coffee flavours of the day to go along with your breakkie. 

4. Cafe Sweethearts

263 Coventry St South Melbourne (03) 9690 6752

If none of the above cafes will accommodate you, Café Sweethearts will. With its massive breakfast portions, it will surely hit a spot for you. My personal fave? The lumberjack – with a triple stack pancake, doused with maple syrup, topped with salty bacon and a soft-centred fried egg. The mix of salty and sweet seem odd at the get-go but the ingenious combo actually works. For a true protein kick, make sure you try the Spanish eggs with whole egg whites beaten and scrambled with tomatoes, onions, corn, and jalepeno on sourdough toast served with a side of tomato relish. Once you’ve looked after the tummy rumbles, sit back and watch the busy South Melbournites go about their Sunday shopping as you sip on your coffee or selection of teas.

 

5. G.A.S.

253 Coventry St South Melbourne (03) 9690 0217

G.a.s. (short for gastronomy) is a truly a celebration of top-notch gourmet cookery.  The casual dining atmosphere with the bustling crowds sitting side by side on high chairs by long tables brings you back to a market feel whilst the serves of food on heavy wooden chopping blocks add a touch of classic food styling. Make sure you try the scrumptious, saucy Middle Eastern Eggs “served in an iron pan with spiced stewed tomato sauce, grilled haloumi cheese and paprika accompanied with toasted Turkish bread”.  Or be tempted by the vast array of  grazing platters including the crispy savoury gozleme (Turkish filled pizzas), lamb kofta balls and their version of spicy jalepeno cheese fritters. Or be wowed by their simple yet effective filler of a breakkie – Croque Monsieur with ham, cheese and béchamel sauce.

Top 5 brunches in Melbourne

According to Wikipedia, brunch is a combination of breakfast and lunch, typically after a morning event or before an afternoon one. It is also my favourite time of day for a good feed. ;) Melbourne has some fabulous all day breakkie joints - there's nothing quite like sleeping in on a Sunday and then cruising off to enjoy a lazy Sunday fry-up with eggs, eggs, & more eggs!

TOP 5 BRUNCHES IN MELBOURNE

1. Mart 130
Old tram station opp Gunn Island Hotel
107A Canterbury Rd Middle Park (03) 9690 8831

Did you know that Mart is Tram spelt backwards? And how apt a name as Mart 130 is located at an old tram station master's office on tram stop 130. It's all about the spectacular breakkie they serve here, as a long line forms on weekends particularly from 11am onwards. However, there is an excellent waiting system at this quaint little joint. Head into the cafe, leave your name & number of people with the wait staff and sit outside alongside the tram line as your order of coffee is served. In no time, you will be comfortably seated within the enclosed deck overlooking the Albert Park tennis courts tucking into some darn good breakkie.

Using only free range eggs, the rustic home-style fry up include ham hocked home cooked bake beans, slivers of chorizo sausages, crispy bacon strips, & perfectly poached eggs on thick sour dough organic toast. Try their signature crunchy oven-roasted corn fritters made with fresh corn & served with tomatoes, bacon & a coriander garnish. Afterwards, don't fret as the tram is just a hop & skip away.

2. Auction Rooms
103-107 Errol St North Melbourne (03) 9326 7749

Previously the WB Ellis Auction House, this beautifully presented cafe offers a simple yet interesting menu that's bound to surprise you with the options available. Work your way through names of dishes like "Opening Bid", "Counter Bid", "No big deal", "Silent bid", "Real deal" & the like. Featuring free range "green" eggs, have it any way you like, steamed, baked, fried, scrambled or poached. If you're feeling adenturous, you might like to try the hazelnut crumbed lamb brains on bacon & spinach with onion jam. The decor is stylish with high ceilings, classy long wooden dining tables, hanging lamps and a very rustic torn-paint-on-brick look. I had the "Shady deal" - spicy chorizo with thinly sliced hash brown, morrocan-spiced carrots, baked eggs with lemon & parsley on a soft wrap. The Morrocan spice provided an excellent surprise ZING! The flavoursome fresh baked eggs were packed with flavour. I'm SOLD!
Tip: Come with a small group of 2 -4 people or you might expect a long wait particularly during rush hour 11am-12pm.

3. Replete Providore
302 Barkers Road Hawthorn 03 9818 4448

We were meant to check out Porgie & Mrs Jones but due to Mother's Day bookings, we had to leave Porgie's and thank God for that as we concurred that comparatively, Replete was heaps better, largely due to the shameless lack of service at Porgie's. Replete's breakfast menu is simple but moorish. For instance, at $17.80, the Replete breakfast consists of perfectly poached eggs, spanish sausage, Istra bacon, hash brown, roasted tomato & field mushroom with toasted sourdough bread. Or you can order the classic egg benedict or florentine and add extras such as field Mushrooms, spinach, hash brown, roasted tomato, avocado, hollandaise at $3.80 ea or house baked beans, spanish sausage, Istra bacon, fruit Compote, marinated fetta, King Island Yoghurt at $4.80 ea or Smoked Salmon at $5.00. WOW. Replete is indeed a treat for the breakfast junkie.

4. Cafe Sweethearts
263 Coventry St South Melbourne (03) 9690 6752

Tucked away in a corner in South Melbourne (near the South Melbourne Markets) is the lovely Cafe Sweethearts. No doubt you will find crowds gathering every weekend at this charming joint. The pancakes are to die for and guess what? You can find both sweet AND savoury choices. A fried egg & grilled bacon on pancakes? Yes, they are gorgeous and served in speedy fashion as well. The eggs bene, is a crowd favourite served in perfectly prepared hollandaise, ham & topped with chives.

5. Gingerlee
117 Lygon St Brunswick East (03) 9380 4430

This Middle-Eastern inspired cosy cafe serves breakfast from 7am - 3pm. Be greeted by slightly grunghy but friendly wait staff, as you gleam past the array of sweets through to the open kitchen before getting seated onto dark wooden chairs & round tables. The intimate setting & reasonably priced quality food make for a good brunch venue. Tagine-style beans on toast were a draw at $10.50, what about the Shakshouka - baked eggs with Israeli tomato casserole at $11? If you're very hungry, go for the Gingerlee BIG breakfast at $18. All eggs are served with sourdough toast. Specials are updated daily on the board. The home made condiments - tomato jam, plum jam, quince jam & apple chutney are a must try. Tapas range from $5 - $9. Portions are good and not overly massive. My friend had the lunch menu spagetti puttenesca served with green olives, shaved parmesan in a good sized bowl for $14.50. Delish!