Located on the corner of a busy intersection, Rustica is a popular choice for Hawthorn locals. Internally, it’s surprisingly light and has a modern yet homely feel, with light woods and clean edges. The floor to ceiling windows help to add to the bright atmosphere, and you definitely feel a million miles away from the busy street on the other side of that glass.
To mark the launch of their new menu, they invited us down to give it a try! What struck me most about the menu was the freshness of the options available. The majority of dishes had a real healthy feel to them, and mine definitely left me feeling good afterwards. The waffles were a popular choice, they looked amazing, with some great toppings (including crumbled pretzels), and judging by the clean plates around the table I can only assume they tasted pretty good too!
I opted for the porridge, a dish I’d never normally choose but the toppings were just too tempting. Made with almond milk, I found it had a lot of flavour and was a much lighter dish than I expected – I often find porridge a bit stodgy. I adored the addition of the citrus fruits on top, and the zesty kick from these balanced perfectly with the soft, creamy porridge. The yogurt topping also continued the light and healthy theme. I’m definitely a porridge covert now, and I wouldn’t hesitate to order this again.
In addition to all our great meals, we were lucky enough to sample some of their famous pastries – all of which were amazing, although if I had to pick a favourite, the banana cronut would win for me because of its strong flavour in every mouthful, and great texture. The raspberry and rosewater croissant came in a close second (because it looked beautiful and I like the creativity of the flavour). However, all of them were enjoyable, and if you’re too full from your meal I’d definitely grab one to take home for later.
When I initially arrived, I was surprised how busy Rustica still was at a reasonably late hour for brunchers. However, after sampling their menu, I can see why. They offer great options not just for breakfast, but for a healthy lunch, or cheeky afternoon coffee and sweet treat too! Very enjoyable, thanks for having us Rustica!