Forget eggs on toast – delicious. unearths Melbourne’s most exciting brunches to start your day right with. From bacon and egg gnocchi to grilled fish and mushrooms, and S’mores waffles, these are the most interesting brunches in Melbourne right now. This guide has been brought to you in partnership with American Express and the Shop Small campaign. To learn about American Express and the Shop Small campaign, click here
A supermarket carpark is the unlikely home of this ethical plant-based gem, famed for its no-holds-barred attitude to breakfast and brunch fare: think towers of banana pancakes laced with dulce de leche, ice cream and banana chips, and an umami-rich mushroom medley teamed with goat’s cheese and polenta bread. 202 Carlisle Street, Balaclava
Challenging the brunch norms, this Little Bourke Street cafe favours nduja on toast with salted ricotta, or braised wagyu with black garlic and a fried egg, over traditional sunrise staples. There’s even a grilled swordfish with foraged mushrooms and nori butter on offer to awaken the appetite. But it all works a treat and the Soho House-meets-Ace Hotel vibes seal the deal. 650 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne
Run by the Ambient Food Group, this bronzed shrine to the bean is housed in the foyer of the Olderfleet building. Settle into one of their luxe custom-made ottomans or banquettes with a butter-soft bacon and egg brioche roll or house-baked treat and one of their robust pours. Ground Floor, 477 Collins St, Melbourne
A throwback to the days when buildings in the area warehoused grain coming off the Yarra, Grain Store offers seasonal produce cooked with rustic European farmhouse sensibilities. With arguably one of the best all-day menus in town, it’s hard to go wrong here, but we can’t look past the lobster Florentine: corn and coriander blini, avo, poached eggs and lobster seaweed hollandaise. 517 Flinders Ln, Melbourne
Powering some of the best cafes around town and with locations throughout Melbourne, Axil Coffee goes a step further when sourcing their beans by working directly with the farms. The food side of things is equally exciting, with S’mores chocolate waffles, prawn toast shokupan with fried eggs, and a nutty wattleseed granola, just some of the drawcards. Various locations
This bright white restaurant-cum-cafe wants you to “expect the unexpected”, so don’t be surprised when that tiramisu croffle (a croissant-waffle hybrid) finished with billows of tiramisu cream, espresso syrup, cocoa nibs and raspberries – or a bulgogi brisket Benedict – land before you. 50 Albert Rd, South Melbourne
If panino or focaccia for breakfast sound like a good idea to you, make for this Lygon Street favourite and reap the carby benefits. DOC also runs a pizza and mozzarella bar, so you can bet on their bread being worth its weight in yeast. Do things right and order an espresso or a glass of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo alongside. 326 Lygon Street Carlton
The Melbourne branches of this groundbreaking French-skewed cafe (they have since opened outposts in Barcelona and Paris) redefined breakfast and brunch when they launched in a CBD laneway in 2009. The walk-ins-only venue still has snaking queues lining up for their twice-baked souffle, fried brioche and boozy teas. 10 Katherine Place, Melbourne and 123 Hardware Street, Melbourne
Ever woken up with a mad hankering for pasta? Local Folk’s brekkie gnocchi can help, with its crisp bacon bits, buttery mushrooms, fried egg and shower of pecorino. The all-day menu features more traditional plates too, including burgers and salads – all served up with a smile in al fresco surrounds. 43 Epsom Road, Kensington
A love story to the Jewish bakeries of 17th century Poland and founder Jeremy Marmur’s grandfather, Schmucks’ specialty – as the name suggests – is the bready rings, but with brunchtime flavour twists. We love the bacon and egg, tonkatsu and iceberg on sesame, or the apple strudel, creamy cream cheese and buckwheat crumb on blueberry – with a Dukes espresso or Prana chai to round things out. Guests Lane, Melbourne and 567 Collins Street, Melbourne
A community hub founded by two brothers with a goal to bring excellent coffee (ST Ali) and easy eats to the masses, Bearded Brothers Espresso quickly struck a chord with locals. Their toasties are Insta-famous, but it’s their expertly poured single origin and house blend coffees that keep regulars coming back. 342 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, Victoria This article was made possible by American Express.
