Uh oh, you found my bio page! Well I guess that probably means you want to learn a bit about me...

I love learning about and through food. I find all the science that goes into food production incredibly fascinating, and love trying to understand the forces that shape our experience of food. Whether those factors are environmental, socio-cultural, or historical, I'm constantly intrigued and always wanting to know more. 

Brunswick is such a rich area for exploring these different facets, with its varied history, evolving demographics and sheer size. It's a mosaic of different times and places, all coalescing in a single walkable spot.

While out, you'll probably find me sipping on black coffee or a sour beer. I'm dangerously close to being diagnosed a chickpea addict, which apparently is a common comorbidity for gelato obsession. 

Timocles

Caroline is here for a good time, not a long time. Her preferred coffee is a flat white and she loves a good steak, ideally served with a larger. 

Caroline

Welcome to Brunchwick! We are Caroline and Timocles, two foodies living in the Brunswick area, just north of Melbourne CBD. We love trying out new restaurants and cafes in our neighborhood and sharing our experiences with others. On our blog, you'll find reviews of the local dining scene, including our thoughts on the ambiance, service, and, most importantly, the food and drink. Whether you're a Brunswick local or just passing through, we hope our reviews will help you find your next favourite spot to eat and drink. Thanks for stopping by!

Recently opened The Baker's Block is cute little bakery in a not-so-standard place. Outside of the main shopping centre, down a driveway and around a corner, you'll find the small store window filled with all kinds of gluten-laden goods.

You're spoiled for choice with plenty different items spanning savoury to sweet and snack to share sizes. The loaves come in all manner of sizes and are whimsically stacked on a large pegboard. The pie options sit cosily in a warmer while the sweet pastries parade a rainbow of colours and flavours to match. 

How could you ever pick just one? Sorry blood sugar, you're going to have to take one for the team here. 

Lamb and Rosemary pie

If you need extra incentive to get your grocery shopping done, here's your excuse. 

Shopper's treat

Homely and authentic. This salty, carby pocket is filled with flavour. 

Sydney Road is no stranger to a collection of great ethnic bakeries. For Tabet's to compete with the overwhelmingly famous Lebanese A1 Bakery just a few doors away, it really is a testament to the quality of their savoury pastries.

Featuring a large, wood-fired oven in the corner of an open kitchen, all the pizzas and pies are pre-baked and heated to order. The menu has a range of different topping and filling combinations - mixing different cheeses, sausage, vegetables and spices. There's vegan and vegetarian options too, showcasing za'atar, olive oil and garlic. 

You can take away if you're in a rush, or hang out in a modest, relaxed setting. 

Sausage, vegetable and cheese pizza

Chicken and Mushroom pie

Halloumi pie

Dough time

Cookie Culture celebrates all aspects of the cookie experience. Whether it's baking dough into new forms and shapes, exploring interesting flavour combinations inspired by other desserts, or surrounding you in cookie quotes and fan-art, they're not shy about pledging their love to the baked treat. 

While you're visiting, you can wash down your cookie with a milkshake. There's also a chocolate fondue fountain if you haven't had enough sugar for the day.

Reece's Pieces

Or at least that's your intention walking in. Eat the whole thing because who has the self control to eat half a cookie? 

Save some for later

Venture north up Sydney Road until the intersection with Moreland Road, and you'll find Donny's Deli. Relatively new, this sandwich and coffee shop has a simple menu, serving wheat-based delicacies of many forms. Croissants and pastries, sandwiches and bagels, there's something to satiate the sweet tooth as well as savoury. Their main draw cards are four simple sandwiches: cheese, tuna, mushroom and a reuben. 

Donny's has a small, condensed layout with a few stools facing back towards Moreland. It's best to get takeaway and eat in one of the nearby parks, because you might be waiting a little while for a seat. 

Serving Allpress coffee, expect your brew to be consistent, dark and chocolatey. 

Even the grill marks on the bread are a thing of beauty. 

Mushroom Toastie

Rueben Sandwich

For when you don't feel like anything fancy, but that doesn't mean you have to compromise on taste. 

Sunday Lunch

After walking through the door, there's immediately a sense of fun. The first detail to catch your eye is a resin floor which encases hundreds of rainbow sour straps. A simple brick retaining wall serves as a counter, with chest freezers for storing the gelato instead of a traditional pozzetti or cold bain maries. Instead of bollards guiding the line of patrons, a threaded, vertical metal rod stands with a loose nut on top, waiting to be fidgeted with. A coffee table made of wood and glass supports a mounted bowling ball, adorned with printed labels inviting customers to 'Please sit'. Metal trash cans have cups, scrunched up napkins and spoons stuck to the lid like Oscar the Grouch collided with a pre-school art project. 

The ridiculously long list of flavours pridefully lacks anything resembling normalcy. While some are combinations are classic dessert ingredients you typically find in gelato, others combine enough savoury ingredients you can claim the meal is dessert and dinner all in one. Don't be afraid to try different flavours and be adventurous! The staff here are very friendly and have also tackled waste reduction in an intelligent way. Sample spoons are metal, and reusable. After a teaser, spoons go into a chute and make a satisfying clink. 

Vegemite and white chocolate

Roasted star anise, roasted cardamom, roasted cinnamon, roasted chilli

Smoked cherryripe

5 minutes before closing time

Google, what are some synonyms for THICC?

If you long for a time before wagyu beef patties, when options for sauce were limited to tomato, and fries was cut only one way, you're going to feel right at home here. Danny's Burgers is an institution in Fitzroy and has stood the test of time.

Styled as a vintage, American-style diner, the washes of shiny, red, plastic counter-tops and washed-out vintage Coca-Cola posters are the time machine that takes you back. However, a large flatscreen TV airing almost exclusively cricket and Aussie-rules football will bring you back to this continent. 

The menu only has a few items but can be a bit complicated to read at first. There's burgers that come with your selection of toppings, or you can choose from one of the signature combinations. Add fries and turn it into a combo, or opt for the very Danny's experience of having a side of dim sims with your burger.

Double Burger with cheese combo

After a big run or session at the gym, sometimes you just need to replace that energy

Calories please

Cut into triangles, the best way to slice a sandwich.

The Bearded Jaffle Milk Bar is a unique fusion of a corner store milk bar and a toastie cafe, offering a delightful twist on classic favorites. Step inside, and you'll be greeted by the friendly atmosphere, complemented by retro posters and memorabilia that evoke a sense of nostalgia. The simple yet modern furniture and sleek silver La Marzocco coffee machine bring you back to the present century.

There's classics like the pastrami and cheese reuben, alongside the more unexpected Dorito-crumbed chicken parma. The crimped edges of a jaffle make it just a little bit easier to eat than a normal toastie, and a healthy serving of potato gems doesn't go astray. 

 Don't forget to pair your food with their very decent coffee, made from beans sourced from Sunny Boy Coffee.

Parma Rama

Long Black

Potato Gems

At $15 for a jaffle, side and drink, you're losing money if you don't buy it. 

Weekday lunch deal

Rebel Union has breathed new life into a previously empty convenience store. The interior is now brightly lit, thanks to two glass walls that allow ample natural light to fill the space. This stark contrast to the previous moody and darker atmosphere showcases the transformation. Showcasing some of the relics from the previous tenancy, you'll see a ice cream display freezer, bright signage and retail shelving - all adapted now for the cafe. 

The menu is centred on standard cafe fare, and the Star Wars references don't go much further than a few little decorations. The coffee beans are from Grid Lock and have a typical dark chocolate profile. If you're after sweet treats, the caramel slice and monstrously sized cookies will easily satiate. 

Rueben sandwich

If the weather permits, make sure to take advantage of the outdoor seating on this quiet street, situated away from the hustle and bustle of Grantham.

Weekend Lunch

Tucked at the far end of a large car park behind the public library, Howler is an establishment with large dining area for a classic pub experience, but also extends through to a large theatre that hosts regular shows. On Tuesdays, you can also participate in a rowdy trivia competition in hope of winning free jugs, voucher prizes or an LED illuminated portrait of Jesus. 

The space is a beautiful environment to sit and relax. Mostly covered overhead, the alfresco seating has modern-looking concrete booths with strong lines but differing angles. It hints at an adult version of a Dr Seuss illustration, in a much more muted colour palette. The integration of different materials with a plants of differing sizes, coupled with a myriad of geometric architectural lighting makes it a fun place to sit and stare.

At the bar, you'll find a wide range of local beers, and the menu is populated with  pub classics including parmas and burgers. 

There's two kinds of people in this world - those that put their sauce directly on fries, and those that cannot. 

Chicken Parma

Chicken Burger

And also burger night. As Sia said, we love cheap thrills. 

Trivia Tuesdays

With an interior that blends large-scale kebab shop / bakery with 70s chalet, the vintage tables are a testament to the long-standing nature of Alasya. This institution has been serving Turkish and mediterranean food to the people of Brunswick for over 40 years.

With the size of the floor area and relaxed nature, Alasya is the perfect place to bring a large group of family to sit, catch-up and importantly - eat. A quick glance around will tip you off to omni-present regulars who'll be sipping a drink in their third space.

A great place for a casual cheap eat, or if you're feeling a bit homesick removed from your big, meat-centered, ethnic family gatherings. Χριστός ἀνέστη! 

Mixed Grill

Babaganush

Cheese Borek

Biber Dolma

An unfortunate mix-up in the kitchen meant our mains only came out after prompting, but the speed and friendliness of the staff in response couldn't be faulted.

Later weeknight dinner

Such a beautiful balance of elements making a pie graph of portion sizes. 

Sirloin steak

Steak Night

Off the main drag of Lygon street, nestled in-between a petrol station and an Italian restaurant, sits Heart of Carlton. The focus of this cafe is keeping people fed. 

The menu is tight and consists of a collection of dishes that probably have fewer than five ingredients. There's a pesto pasta, chicken curry minestrone soup as well as small little cakes for dessert. Almost everything is $5 or less too. 

The space is decorated to feel homely and welcoming, with seating indoors and out. Wood in the furniture, wood in the walls, wood in the decorations, it all creates a homely and welcoming atmosphere. It's a space for old men to sit, sip coffee and shoot the breeze or students to meet and study. 

Salami Baguette

Long black

In the Melbourne version, it's bolognese in bowls but still very cloudy.

Cloudy with a chance of meatballs

Here's the deal. $20 gets you a large, nondescript white plate. It's completely uninteresting and benign on first glance. However, consider this your passport to an alternative universe where your stomach is four times larger and subsequently stuffed with homely Sri Lankan food. Less imaginative than Everything, Everywhere, all at one, but still a universe I want to be privy to.


The rotating combination of food spans from the standard curry fare that many are familiar with, to unnamed more homestyle dishes. There's always vegetarian and vegan options, and don't be afraid if you can't handle spice - there's plenty of mild options too. 

A lot of food

Sunday refuel

Serving fries in a basket might be a little naf given how long ago it was a food trend, but you can't deny it keeps them from getting soggy. 

Time to play Alice in Wonderland. You're going down the rabbit hole in search of adventure. Follow the alleyway off the main street, past the petrol station carpark and beyond the sign that says "Coffee this way". Find the narrow walkway lined with parasols, tables and stools. Enter the building at the end where you'll emerge on the other side of an under-stair cupboard to be greeted with high ceilings, bright lighting, Vertue's signature blue and some friendly baristas. 

Crispy Chicken Burger

When do you start calling your partner's mother your mother-in-law if you never intend to marry? 

Sunday lunch with Mum

At the beginning of Sydney road, before no right turn signs and the backlog of op shops, is Green Phoenix. Priding itself on beautiful, bright presentation and coffee to match, this is a well placed spot for the start of a day of exploring. 

There's something so pleasing about the simple line drawings on this paper wrapping. 

Coffee and sandwich deal

Friday breakfast

Off the beaten path between Lygon and Nicholson, head to Gale for a set of sessionable beers in a lovely setting. Urban decay at the hands of nature is the theme, with broken concrete planters breaking up the space.

A tasting flight is a great way to move through the variety of beers on offer, and still be able to remember the experience.  

Who thought to make the coaster holders so cool?

From the outside, this pub gives off the impression of being a real working-class bar. Once you venture inside, you're teleported back to a time when mullets and moustaches first came to prominence. There's bright red plastic chains on black and white checkerboard lanolin floors, there's sports memorabilia from decades gone by, there's pinball machines and pool tables, there's vintage posters plastering the wall.

It's a lively, welcoming affair with a wide intersection of different patrons, creating a welcoming feel. The beer garden out back is a lovely place to sit and relax while observing humans and canines of all kinds. 

A slab of chicken, covered in red sauce, draped in melted cheese. Isn't it beautiful? 

Parma

Thursdays have a lively crowd, plus chicken and hops at a discount together. 

Pot and Parma night

Here's your opportunity to feel like a geo-guessing pro.

Meatball salad roll

When you just want salad sanga with a bit of protein

Weekday lunch

This is a cafe with some very wholesome vibes. Smiley staff, comforting food and great coffee. It has everything you need for a relaxing meal.

It's a sunny summer's day and a great time to sit in the shade and sip. 

Sunday afternoon coffee

A little further abroad, this market is aptly called a "playground for foodies". You'll also find families, food philistines, first dates, flipping loud music and freakishly diverse representations of cuisine. 

Imagine being a tooth biting into this. It's all soft and pillowy to start with, then your day is flipped inside out and upside down when you hit crunchy fried chicken. 

Crispy Chicken Bao

Empanada

Matcha soufle pancakes

Sample Saturday

Rob's order of roasted eggplant salad preparing to be felled. 

Small Axe has a lot of things going for it, so let's break it down:

Coffee - Code Black beans and they know how to use them.

Pastries - A big selection of sweeties that partly feels like a clearance sale because of the cute little gingerbread people and fruit mince pies

Menu - some really interesting takes on different dishes, especially for your brunch e.g Breakfast Carbonara

Branding - This is such a small thing that makes no sense to mention, but I love the colours of the sleeves that encase the menus. 

Hot Sauce - Most cafe will have some level of shelf space dedicated to retail, be it coffee beans or brewing apparatuses. You'll find the addition of locally made hot sauces to the countertop, and with an aesthetic array of different peppers. 

Ham and cheese croissant

Even if you can't actually stomach much food and opt for a pastry instead. 

Recovering calories after running

Surely these are arranged to move from "country bakery" to "artisian patisserie"

Immediately be offered a taster falafel while you decide what vehicle will transport more falafel into your body.

Old mate's keenness to share with you, the experience of eating the namesake of his business, really shows how passionate he is for making the best falafel. 

It's honestly all so good and so filling, it's impossible to misstep (except I guess if you don't order any falafel). 

Golden hour isn't just for photographing people...

Falafel plate

Take falafel from previously mentioned concrete slab to park across the road for a lovely little picnic. 

Sunset eats

1. Vietnamese Pork Roll

Probably not your typical way to start the day.

Weekday breakfast

Yiayia's spanikopita

Once again, we can't get away from carbs after a climb. 

Saturday climb feeds

The smiles weren't for the camera, the beer was that good. 

We don't go to breweries more than once very often, but it's hard to pass up taking new friends to Foreigner. 

It's a pretty simple place. They have a few standard beers with three or four limited releases at a time. There's no kitchen but you'll get some pretzels if you ask nicely. You're surrounded by pallets, shelving, vats and all the brewing equipment. There's even an outdoor section in the carpark with a mish-mash of different salvaged furniture for enjoying the summer evening sunshine. 

The place is often buzzing with regulars, some accompanied by their canines, others with personalised glasses. 

Old mate behind the bar is incredibly friendly and will help you find a beer that you're going to enjoy. 

The Portly Barrel

Kabaret Kirsche

Sitting at a wine barrel, sipping beers in the sunshine, with a cool breeze sweeping through.

Friday evening drinks

This has instantly become my favourite place for both soup and noodles of any format in Brunswick. 

To start, we were a little annoying and arrived fifteen minutes before the kitchen closed. There was not a whimper of frustration or dismay, only smiles and accommodation. 

The dimly lit tables, open kitchen and funky utensils are all typical of a trendy restaurant, but the humble vibes ooze from every pore of the place. 

Finally, the food! It's a departure from an incredibly traditional ramen that you'd find at Mr Ramen San or Ikkoryu Fukuoka, but it's an wholistic experience in itself. It's not the ill conceived cursed mashup you find on Soundcloud, it's the Triple J Like a Version that becomes more popular than the original.

It was also very modestly priced to round it out. 

PS: There's also vegan and vego options too.

The egg looks so comfy, cradled by all this warm soup on some cushy noodles. 

Ebi Tonkatsu Ramen

Showing a friend from out of town the best of nighttime Brunswick.

Delayed flight dinner

One of a few Brunetti locations around Melbourne, this dessert bar has an ecstatic energy. There's always so many people with plenty of energy and movement. It has the feeling of a shopping centre food court in the middle of lunch, except everyone is there for dessert. The layout and displays are a little haute but visually all the sweets look stunning. 

Great for sharing a cannelloni with the kids, or a first date where the awkward silence can be filled with ogling the surrounds. 

Berry pavlova on the top and red velvet hidden below

Berry pavlova

Red velvet cheesecake

Popping off on a Monday night

10. Brisket pastrami

Going goblin mode after a long climb at Northside Boulders, this is just a short walk away. 

Post-climb feeds

Mixed Kebab

Chips

Lovely lady behind the counter has that warm ethnic grandmother vibe. She shouted us some free chippies too after realising we were dining in too. 

Lunch

Walking in, you're immediately greeted by pink neon signs, pozzetti and Italians flags. You'll find a few specials on the menu board, but the regular flavours are incredible. They're exactly what you'd expect to find in any place worth its salt in Bologna, Italy - gelato capital of the world.

Just a heads up that this place is closed during the winter, so make hay while the sun is shining and daylight savings is still in swing. 

Gingerbread (special)

Mint choc-chip

Pistachio

It's $5.5 for one scoop, $7.5 for two, $9 for three.

Scoops!

Bacon and Egg roll

Chicken and Avo Sandwich

Breakfast time

Nothing food has made me more contemplative of the immigrant experience, systemic and implicit racism, and the treatment of First Nationals people than eating a roll from Bao Ngoc. 

Their instagram is a great follow, and will make you think a lot more deeply about your own values and potentially some of the cognitive dissonances in your blind spots. 

On top of running a community fridge, the food is also incredible.

Roast Pork Roll

Pork Banh Mi

Lunch time treats

This place is a local institution. On moving to Brunswick, it feels like every second person mentioned this is a must go. 

There is a ridiculously large range of foods. There's plenty to grab and eat on the go, take away and save for later, or a massive range for dining in. 

Open late for the commute home, stop in and grab a cheeky pie or sausage roll for the walk from the tram stop. 

Eggs atlantic (salmon benedict)

Beef, cheese, bacon pie

Fresh out of COVID isolation, it's time to feast. 

About us