The Overview…
With muted colours and a homely feel, Fledgling brings you a total chilled out experience a stones throw from the CBD.
Meal:
Brunch
Food: Lemon Curd Pancakes, Sweet Potato Halloumi Stack
Ratings:
Food: 4.5/5
Atmosphere: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Value: 4/5
The details…
Fledgling was a much more simple, quaint cafe than I expected – far more akin to the likes of Prahran’s Isit or Brunswick’s Rogue District than the industrial interior I anticipated. Set in what was originally a cottage it reminded me a lot of my first house in terms of the layout with two separate rooms of seating and an adorable, leafy back courtyard. The courtyard is quiet and idyllic, and given the cafe’s location on a fairly busy road I was surprised just how peaceful it felt as a whole.
The menu has many of the old familiars but with a lot of new and creative twists. There’s a really healthy vibe to it; I liked the number of salad bowl available and variety of light snacks. We opted for the Lemon Curd Pancakes and the Sweet Potato Halloumi Stack. The pancakes are a great dish, just simple, classic flavours. The pancakes are delicate and the lemon and fruit keep the dish light and fresh. The Sweet Potato Halloumi Stack was a unique dish. The two key ingredients worked so well together, the soft sweet potato balanced perfectly with the salty halloumi. I enjoyed the cumin yoghurt dressing however would have liked a little less as it did overwhelm the first few mouthfuls. Other than this, the flavours worked well and I really enjoyed trying something I’ve never had before and I’d definitely opt for this again.
While there’s everything you’d want from a Melbourne Cafe – great menu, beautiful plating and a pleasant atmosphere – everything just seems a little softer. The muted tones used in the interior, the simple plates and the homely vibe make it an endearing cafe. You want to see them succeed, and more importantly – you want to go back. Staff worked hard to build good rapport with their varied clientele and if this cafe can continue to appeal to all ages this will be a real selling point for them! Looking forward to watching you spread your wings Fledgling, thanks for having us!
Everything else…
Website: https://www.instagram.com/fledglingespresso/
Visual menu: https://www.mryum.com/fledgling
Address: 412 Rathdowne Street, Carlton
Opening Times:
Mon 7am to 4pm
Tue 7am to 4pm
Wed 7am to 4pm
Thu 7am to 4pm
Fri 7am to 4pm
Sat 8am to 4pm
Sun 8am to 4pm
Parking: Parking is a little limited but there was street parking available on Rathdowne Street and nearby streets.
Getting here on PT: We walked from the CBD (this took about 40 minutes so I wouldn’t recommend it, but I have to work off all this food somehow). You can alight the 1 or 6 tram from the CBD at Fenwick Street and it’s about a 5 minute walk.
Disclaimer: We dined as guests of Fledgling. Reviews are honest and based on our own personal experiences. We cannot guarantee things at a restaurant won’t change (including, but not limited to, menu items and opening hours, so please confirm any details with the venue before visiting)