Cafe Arrival Lounge
For too long coffee lovers in Melbourne have struggled to find a perfect brunch option that is both halal and chic; often halal options are canteen-style, while a stylish brunch comes awash with lashings of bacon and chorizo. And it doesn’t have to be that way, especially when you consider that there are lots of great breakfast alternatives (including meat).
Cafe Arrival Lounge in St Kilda serves up rashers of delicious beef bacon as part of a big breakfast, and on eggs benedict! (The first time I could order my old favourite eggs benedict since I was in Malaysia in 2011!). Sujuk, a type of Turkish sausage, also features in the big breakfast, and it’s the star in the the baked eggs along with crumbled feta.
Eggs Benedict with beef bacon on the side! at Cafe Arrival Lounge
Chicken also features, such as in the signature ‘Cheeky Chicken’ savoury-sweet waffles. Think crispy chicken atop fresh waffles with maple-mustard sauce and a flourish of colourful garnishes. Grilled Tasmanian salmon, Bangladeshi khichuri (buttery lentil rice) and ocean zucchini fritters are all as delicious as they sound.
Cheeky Chicken Waffles at Cafe Arrival Lounge
A sweet breakfast is also on offer – the sweet, dulce de leche waffles comes with chopped strawberries and banana and a good dollop of the creamy, comforting sweet ointment that is dulce de leche. The fluffy pancakes are like eating clouds – light, soft and sweet, balanced with berry compote and marscapone.
Dulce de Leche waffles at Cafe Arrival Lounge
Dulce de Leche waffles at Cafe Arrival Lounge
And the coffee is just perfect – strong and perfectly poured. There really is nothing more to add – I have found a new favourite in Melbourne! The decor is typically relaxed, with fun references to the theme, with cute model planes soaring above the pastry cabinet, and interesting suitcases emerging from the walls. The service is friendly yet understated.
The location of Cafe Arrival Lounge is its only potential issue, tucked away from the street front keeps it secluded and peaceful, but also insulates it from the type of street pedestrian traffic that is so important for a new cafe in Melbourne’s hyperactive coffee scene.
Chicken Burger at Cafe Arrival Lounge
In sum, Cafe Arrival Lounge is a cool new easygoing spot that doesn’t force you to choose between halal and class. Its high quality dishes, friendly service and halal-friendly status mean that it deserves to do well, serving the increasing numbers of discerning (and especially Muslim) cafe-goers in Australia’s coffee capital.
Details
Food: 9/10
Ambience: 9/10
Service: 9/10
Cost: Brunch $6 – $21
11a/60 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda
(03) 9041 3284
Tuesday – Friday: 8am – 4pm
Saturday and Sunday: 8am – 5pm
was in Melbourne Airport picking up the wife this morning. Cant say it’s a great arrivals section. Departures not to bad but the arrivals section is small and not full of much information
True 🙁 Thankfully, this St Kilda cafe is rather lovely!! 😀
These meals look absolutely delicious, Tim! I can just imagine Cez ordering these eggs Benedict with beef bacon on the side at Cafe Arrival Lounge :). He would love it!
They are soooooo good Agness!! And they have a couple of vegetarian/vegan options too 🙂
Oh Tim, another foodporn? Oh no! Everything looks so delicious, especially Dulce de Leche waffles at Cafe Arrival Lounge. What was your favourite meal/snack/sweet treat?
Yesssssss! Food porn forever!! The dulce de leche waffles were good…. but the cheeky chicken waffles were probably the best because they were quite different – maple mustard sauce was so good! For me, I really go excited about the eggs benedict with beef bacon – I hadn’t had eggs benedict for years! 😀