Cafe Sweethearts
263 Coventry Street
South Melbourne
Sometimes I think South Melbourne must have the highest number of cafes per capita in the greater urban area of Melbourne. Is this sustainable?! Of course, there are heaps of apartments around here. Maybe it’s fine to have this number of cafes. Whew – got myself worried there.
Later this year, when the journey to work data from the 2011 Census gets released from the ABS, I may well investigate this idea further. I could come up with a list of the top 10 locations for cafe workers across Melbourne. Wow – how nerdy of me.
Anyway the cafe capital certainly suits me, anyway – there are concentrations of deliciousness, particularly the stretch of Coventry Street near South Melbourne Market. I’ve nommed my way through nearly all the cafes around here but had left Cafe Sweethearts out – a mistake rectified now!
The menu is eggstensive, comprising a myriad of egg dishes and other choices. Notwithstanding this, or maybe because of the extensive menu (choice paralysis!) I went for a special. The prosciutto and asparagus special comes with a poached egg, delicious green batons of asparagus criss-crossed over some chewy sourdough toast and a tangle of prosciutto and balsamic glaze. I don’t regret going for the special for a moment.
Clearly the best dish of the day, even without having seen the others…
The friend we’re having brunch with is essentially vegan, for religious reasons. She orders a toasted avocado sandwich with a side of baked beans. I’m a bit wary of warmed up avocado, and for this reason wouldn’t put it in a sandwich and grill it, but she likes her brunch.
Toasted sanga
Side o’ beans
Mr B gets a burger (naturally). It comes with a pile of what looks like home-made french fries, bacon and copious amounts of relish/chutney. The home-made fries were oily, a pity. The burger looked juicy and satisfying, however.
Hearty amounts of relish on the burger.
All in all a pleasant brunch and the dishes were well-priced. The menu is so extensive that I will certainly be coming back to check out more of it, on a weekend market-shopping trip.
Fresh Bread 