Perry's (Peregrine Social Club) is Melbourne's all-day cafe in an old quarry - Eat Out

Mar 21, 2024

Perry's is off to a flying start.

Peregrine falcons can reach speeds of up to 320 kilometres per hour, build their nests on sheer cliff faces, and are a big deal in the Niddrie community in Melbourne’s north-west. Which is why Peregrine Social Club, located inside Niddrie Quarry, is the perfect place for locals to do a spot of bird watching.

Peregrine Social Club AKA Perry’s is also the perfect spot for Melburnians to grab a coffee, some breakfast classics, or a crisp beer in a unique and beautiful location.

Situated on a man-made lake at the bottom of a former quarry, it’s a dramatic view that’s hard to beat, despite its past life as a garbage tip before the council moved in to transform it.

Now Perry’s is the local – well, only – cafe catering to the model home estate of Valley Lake, Keilor, and much to the crew’s surprise, residents have been waiting more than a decade for them to open.

The council estate of Valley Lake sold its properties with the promise of a resident cafe 15 years ago. So expectations were high when Peregrine Social Club made its debut, courtesy of the team behind Moonee Ponds pub, Holmes Hall. It’s a lot of pressure.

“Everyone’s been waiting for it for a really long time,” co-owner Lachlan Taylor told delicious.

“It’s quite secluded down here at the bottom of the quarry. The nearest food and beverage venue is at least a 10 minute drive away so the community has been so excited. In the lead up to opening people would stop by to ask us about the menu, about the space, what we’re going to be doing.”

The cafe game is a new one for The Lot Group – who also run Holmes Hall and previously The Ascot Lot. But they’ve worked smart, bringing both their Holmes Hall head chef James Curby and a few of his signature dishes over to Perry’s.

Regulars of Holmes Hall will recognise the lobster and prawn roll, the guac bowl, and the chicken or eggplant parmigiana (among others) that feature on the all-day Perry’s menu.

Co-owner David Bartl explained, “We wanted our venues to feel consistent, not isolated from each other. So when we designed our breakfast menu we wanted to do all the classics, like eggs Benedict, grilled mushrooms, smashed avo, but for our lunch menu we wanted to serve our own classics.”

As with any new venture, the team is still finding its groove – good luck finding a seat on weekends – but the hospitality veterans are accustomed to flying by the seat of their pants.

Menus may change intermittently, and high Sunday brunch demand may nix the ‘quick brekky’ plan, but what you can count on is a stunning, surreal location, service by a team who are genuinely happy to see you, and if you’re lucky – maybe a fledgling falcon or two.

Peregrine Social Club is located at 45 Valley Lake Blvd, Keilor East; www.perrys.club.