Hawk and Hunter is now closed. Read about the new cafe at that location – Turning Point.
Hawk and Hunter is bold, bright and beautiful. Occupying a double fronted unit on Glen Eira Avenue it does it’s best to stand out, but is probably missed by some as it is off the main stretch of Glen Eira road.
Inside, the brightly accented walls and light furniture keep the venue looking crisp and modern. There’s a mix of communal seating and smaller tables and it attracts trendy groups of young friends and older couples alike. Staff are very friendly and happy to help, but just need to be a little more vigilant when it’s busy, as particularly on the communal tables where we were sat, people were overlooked until they actually flagged down a waiter or waitress.
The coffee is light and smooth, it’s too easy to drink and you’ll find yourself quickly ordering a second. The menu offers refined brunch meals, with a great range of vegetarian options. We’ve visited several times. The first time I opted for a sweet breakfast, choosing the French Toast. The gianduja sauce was divine, and the real hero of the dish. The portion of french toast was generous and well cooked. I’m pleased to see they have now changed the menu to remove the pumpkin puree from this dish, replacing it (I think) with a marmalade curd. The pumpkin brought nothing to the dish and was completely drowned out by that glorious chocolate sauce.
This time I chose a savoury breakfast, the eggplant rollatini. My friend chose the avocado mash. Both were gorgeous, the ingredients balanced well, and flavours were delicious. I initially felt my potion was a little small, but the ricotta stuffing made it incredibly filling, and I ended up being unable to finish it! The dukkah on the avocado mash was a fab addition and really added another element to the dish. Hawk and Hunter definitely do savoury better than sweet!
Overall a great brunch venue. I find the restaurants and cafes around this area tend to lift their game, trying to be a little “fancy” – possibly as a result of nearby Attica, but its nice to see that in the several months we’ve been visiting, Hawk and Hunter are finding their niche; smoothing down the edge on the fancy, to leave well flavoured brunch with a twist.