Feature / Food & Drink
40 Brunswick dishes to tantalise your tastebuds
Sydney Road food venues nominate their customer favourites
Brunswick Voice
IF you were to sum up Brunswick in a single food dish, what would it be?
An A1 Bakery cheese pie, a perennial crowd favourite? The legendary Henry’s Beans at A Minor Place (is that still on the menu?)? A chicken parma from any one of the area’s pubs (we’d plump for The Retreat)? Or for something more upmarket, the slow roasted lamb shoulder at Rumi?
Given the plethora of food outlets and diversity of cuisines available in such a small part of Melbourne, this is a debate that could go on until … well … past dinner time.
Brunswick is an indisputed culinary melting pot for locals and visitors alike, drawing on the legacy of the area’s migrant past, which has brought us cuisines from southern Europe, the Middle East, and, more recently, the Sub-Continent and Africa.
What is your favourite Brunswick dish?
Now it’s over to you. Tell us about your favourite dish, where you get it and why you can’t get enough of it.
As a new business in Brunswick which is firmly entrenched in the dining industry, hospitality equipment supplier and financier Flexikitch (which opened its Tinning Street premises on October 21) interviewed 40 Sydney Road venue owners and managers to discover their most popular menu item – the one dish their customers keep coming back for.
Some of the answers are predictable, others may surprise. Bear in mind, this is just a snapshot of Brunswick’s dining scene, and does not include the restaurant strip on Lygon Street in Brunswick East or cafes, bars and restaurants hidden down back streets.
Most popular dishes: Cafes
Bagels & Co
627 Sydney Road
Crumbed Chicken Bagel
Generously coated house crumbed chicken, lettuce, tomato, red onion and house made mayo – owner Tom tell us their simple classic schnitzel bagel is a lunchtime hit.
Green Refectory
115 Sydney Road
Vanilla Slice
Locally renowned for delicious homemade cakes, Green Refectory and owner Sandy cater perfectly to the sweet tooths among us. Sandy’s spin on this classic Australian dessert is not to be missed.
Lobbs Café
589-591 Sydney Road
Green Chilli Scrambled
Alex, Lobbs Cafe venue manager tells us the Green Chilli Scrambled is not for those with a low tolerance for spice!
Northern Perk Cafe
710 Sydney Road
Breakfast Tower
A monster brekky share platter with multiple hash browns, eggs, more breakfast staples and layers of pancakes with ice cream on top … something for everyone both sweet and savoury.
O’KAHVE (OK POP UP)
633 Sydney Road
Turkish Lentil Soup + Izmir Kumru (Turkish Toastie)
Honor, owner of this trendy pop-up says in chilly Melbourne, you can’t go past her warming Turkish burnt lentil soup accompanied by a salami, cheese and mayo Kumru Toastie.
Ratio Cocoa Roasters
186 Sydney Road
House Blend Dark Chocolate 63%
A local chocolate emporium, Ratio Cocoa Roasters creates the perfect blend of bitter and sweet. Chocolatier Liam says his customers can’t get enough of the 63% house blend.
Savour Café and Juice Bar
41 Sydney Road
Pakistani Falooda
The authentic Pakistani flavour of sweet dessert Falooda is beautifully blended at Savour café by Owner Sayada and her dedicated team.
Small Axe Deli
1/625 Sydney Road
House Made Lasagna
Small Axe Deli’s Lasagna is uniquely authentic because according to owner Kirsten, it is made in small batches by hand with locally sourced free range meat. Deliciously Italiano.
Sorrento Cafe
801 Sydney Road
Smashed Avo
Sorrento Café’s smashed avo is infused with lemon and mint, Spanish onion and the classic accompaniment of eggs and sourdough.
Three Hands Café
446 Sydney Road
Gourmet Toasties
Owner Vince loved telling us about his gourmet toasties, a huge range of 5+ flavours to choose from, Salami, to Triple Cheese, Pulled Beef and of course classic Reuben.
Most popular dishes: bakeries
A1 Bakery
643-645 Sydney Road
Cheese Pie
A1 Bakery is well known and loved in Brunswick. But did you know their most popular dish? Manager Eden tells us the Cheese Pie is the hottest item on the menu of this iconic Lebanese bakery.
Alasya Bakery
555 Sydney Road
Doner Kebab
Alasya Bakery creates hand-made Turkish breads and wraps, which, according to their team makes their unique Doner Kebab as popular as can be.
Balha’s Pastry
761-763 Sydney Road
Knafeh Cheese
Baked layers of semolina, sweet cheese, syrup and pistachio – enhanced with clotted cream makes this classic Lebanese sweet a best-seller.
Choukette
318 Sydney Road
French Croissants
Sometimes you can’t go past a classic. Anika, manager of Choukette tells us their Plain French Croissant leaves customers dreaming of the City of Love.
Pantheon Continental Cakes
483 Sydney Road
Galaktoboureko
Pantheon’s take on this classic Greek dessert is a huge hit according to manager Michael. The syrup-soaked filo pastry in particular is a customer favourite.
Tabet’s Bakery
607 Sydney Road
Halloumi Cheese Pie
The first Lebanese bakery in Melbourne, Tabet’s is famous for their Halloumi Cheese Pie – a dish owner Charbel tells us customers flock back for daily.
Wild-Life Superette
365 Sydney Road
Portuguese Tarts
Huw from Wild-Life Superette reckons his customers say that the popular traditional Portuguese Tarts are the tastiest in the area – high praise!
Most popular dishes: takeaway
Billy Van Creamy
146 Sydney Road
Honeycomb Ice Cream
Billy Van Creamy’s Honeycomb Ice Cream regularly sells out according to the team. With honeycomb chunks made in-house from organic raw honey that create a delicious gooey swirl, and creamy fior di latte ice cream – it’s not hard to see why.
Kevabs
89 Sydney Road
Vegan Lamb Steak
Australia’s first all vegan kebab shop, Kevabs Vegan Lamb Steak Kebab is a massive hit with the locals, according to owner Angie.
King Tut
647 Sydney Road
Koshary
Ahmed, owner of Egyptian eatery King Tut tells us his vegan-friendly Koshary dish with rice, pasta, lentils, chickpeas and 3 different sauces is a huge seller.
Souvlaki Story
452 Sydney Road
Lamb Souvlaki
Their timeless Hellenic lamb souvlaki is the unbeatable best seller according to owner Teresa, who claims Souvlaki Story as the #1 takeaway in town.
Pokero Roll and Bowl
90-106 Sydney Road
Grilled Poke Bowl
With various fast bites across the wide-ranging Japanese cuisine, Pokero Roll and Bowl’s #1 for lunch is the Grilled Poke Bowl, according to owner Bing.
Semosh Mum’s Kitchen
451 Sydney Road
Mousaaka
Semosh Mum’s Kitchen makes a beautifully authentic mediterranean Moussaka which owner Gabby tells us is their most popular dish – just like mum makes.
Dock’s Fish and Chips
669 Sydney Road
Burger (Lot) with Brisket Patty
Owner Con tells us his Burger with the Lot is a unique take on the Fish and Chip shop classic – with a melt in your mouth beef brisket patty, it is a hit with locals.
Most popular dishes: restaurants and pubs
Adanali Turkish Restaurant
835 Sydney Road
Full Mixed Grill
The mixed grill is a Turkish staple and Adanali does traditional Turkish food like no other. Turan tells us that his regular customers can’t get enough.
Aghadeer Restaurant
874-876 Sydney Road
Marinated Lamb Kebab
Located in the heart of Brunswick, Aghadeer Restaurant serves a delicious, flavourful marinated lamb kebab straight from the spit. Ahmad tells us the boneless lamb is always tender, bringing customers back everytime.
Alasya Restaurant
555 Sydney Road
Mixed Grill Banquet
Famous for old school Turkish food, Helen the chef at Alasya tells us her lovingly crafted Mixed Grill Banquet is always flying out of the kitchen for groups of hungry locals.
Barkly’s Kitchen
63 Sydney Road
Creamy Kitchen Fettucine
Modern Italian with an authentic feel, Barkly’s serves a deliciously creamy marinated chicken fettucine which can also be served in their famous cheesy cob.
Desi Cuisine
850 Sydney Road
Goat Butt Karahi
Cooked in Desi Ghee, black pepper and special spices, this authentic Pakistani dish is loved by locals and visitors alike according to manager Abdul.
Green Field Restaurant
376-278 Sydney Road
Stir-fried Lemongrass Beef
Green Field Manager Tran tells us her fresh Vietnamese staple stir-fried lemongrass beef has all of the flavour and unpretentious quality of the street food found in Ho Chi Minh City.
Hunger Den
306 Sydney Road
Chicken Chutney Wrap
Lip-smacking street food is how Asad from Hunger Den describes his most popular dish – marinated overnight in tandoori species with puffy bread, it’s a hot-seller.
Lui Boss Brunswick
173 Sydney Road
Soy Garlic Korean Fried Chicken
Korean Fried Chicken just gets bigger and bigger in Australia, and Lui Boss authentic Soy Garlic Fried Chicken packs in all the delicious flavour and crunch to be expected, and more.
Mazi Brunswick
317 Sydney Road
Beef Moussaka
Brunswick’s Mazi mediterranean cuisine and bar offers classic Hellenic-style dishes, the most popular of which, David tells us is their scrumptious Beef Moussaka.
Mokum
359 Sydney Road
Bitterballen Dutch Croquettes
Mokum is a Dutch café and bar in the heart of Brunswick. Albert tells us his kitchen is constantly pumping out a traditional dutch entrée – Bitterballen croquettes.
Momo Central
600 Sydney Road
Buffalo Chicken Momo Dumplings
Subash from Momo Central tells us the restaurant’s namesake dish filled with a modern twist – Buffalo Chicken keeps customers walking in and out of Momo Central with a smile.
Old Durbar
671 Sydney Road
Panfried Kothey Momo Dumplings
Serving authentic Nepalese cuisine, Old Durbar again specialises in Momo. Sabrina tells us the panfried kothey is incredibly popular with locals.
Savour Eats
43 Sydney Road
Chicken Pulao
Sayada, owner of Indian and Pakistani restaurant Savour Eats, raves about the popularity of their signature Chicken Pulao.
The Hall at Welcome to Brunswick
400 Sydney Road
Bottomless Dimmies and Dumplings Special
For the extra hungry amongst us – The Hall offers a bottomless feast of dim sum and dumplings every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Tuck in.
Duke of Edinburgh Hotel
430 Sydney Road
Parma & Pot Deal
Page and Amy from Brunswick’s Duke offer a parma and pot deal for those after a classic, delicious pub meal.
Cornish Arms
163A Sydney Road
Vegan Souvlaki
Catering to the local palate, Ben and Tom from the Cornish Arms offer both vegan and nonvegan options – but have found their Vegan Souvlaki to be super popular amongst locals.
Now it’s over to you: what’s your favourite Brunswick meal? Tell us here.