Brunch: Hawk and Hunter, Ripponlea

by - Saturday, August 22, 2015

Hawk and Hunter, Ripponlea.
If you frequently brunch, you will know that any cafe that offers a good spread of brunch options will often come with a hefty line of costumers waiting their turn to get a seat. Brunch has quickly become the favourite meal of the day for many Melbourne residents and the discovery of the next favourite local brunch spot can turn into an obsession and at times, expensive weekend hobby.

I have walked passed the bustling Hawk and Hunter several times on my way to line up at other brunch spots along Glen Eira Road and wondered when would be a good time to visit when it is less busy. Situated on Glen Eira Avenue, Hawk and Hunter is in a prime position to attract all hungry Melbournians as they step off the platform at Ripponlea station.

Turns out Sunday mornings before 9am is the perfect time to visit Hawk and Hunter as there is a low hum of weekend breakfast goers who are also here here to take advantage of the less busy cafe atmosphere, ordering their second cup of coffee or tea or just casually reading a book or a newspaper.  I found myself there at 8.30am catching up with an old film buddy visiting from WA.

This beautiful bustling cafe is filled with light thanks the the wonderful floor to ceiling windows at the front and is the perfect spot for any breakfast or brunch goer from the small families to the larger groups who brunch together. The interior is bright and is a mix of on-trend industrial and cosy decor. The result is a bright and spacious space where the waiters can bustle about without knocking people or chairs over and plenty of space to ensure that  everyone feels like they have just the right amount of privacy whilst they tucked into their meals. My favourite feature of the cafe is undoubtedly the communal table which boasts an beautiful wall feature which draws your eye right to the end of the cafe. This is a beautiful space for the larger gatherings and on the day of my visit, it hosted a group of young teens celebrating a birthday (super adorable!)

I was pleased to see that the menu offered a variety of options, complete with dietary notes for those who have allergies or food intolerances as well as catering for vegetarians. I opted for the curious but delicious sounding Green Eggs special which had all my favourite ingredients, scrambled eggs with pesto, tomatoes and crispy prosciutto whilst my friend, Hodge ordered the Eggs in Purgatory a.k.a Shakshuka; a lovely dish of two baked eggs hanging out with tasty chorizo, lamb and rosemary sausage and capsicum. What a hearty breakfast! We did the obligatory Melbourne thing and ordered coffees plus an impressive smoothie of the week topped with blueberries for Hodge. (damn my blueberry allergy!)

Green Eggs special | Hawk and Hunter
Eggs in Purgatory | Hawk and Hunter
Smoothie of the week | Hawk and Hunter
Although the Royal Crumpets would have easily been a winner on any other day, I thoroughly enjoyed my breakfast. The eggs were cooked perfectly and that pesto offered a lovely fresh flavour of herbs and sweetness which perfectly complemented the tomatoes and them crispy salty prosciutto. Hodge really enjoyed his baked eggs and even he commented that whilst it looked small-ish, a lot was packed into that breakfast dish.

Our breakfast lasted exactly 1 hour and by then the crowds had started to stream in and the noise levels were no longer a low hum but rather one reminiscent of most cafes on a sunny weekend. We took the noise levels as a cue to pay for our delicious breakfast, as we headed out, I took note of the menu one last time and told myself to follow these guys on Instagram and to gather more friends so I can utilise that amazing communal table and order as many dishes as we can physically eat.

For a first visit, Hawk and Hunter has won me over and I will most certainly be returning for breakfast and lunch.

CAFE NOTES:
GF, Vegetarian friendly
Price: $25+ per person
Online menu
Bookings accepted for tables 4 or more


Hawk and Hunter

http://hawkandhunter.com.au
8-10 Glen Eira Avenue Ripponlea 3185
03 9528 2719
instagram | @hawkandhuntercafe

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