Smug Relish

The Overview…

Food: Za’atar Baked Eggs, Blueberry hotcakes

The details…

From the moment you step inside, you can tell Smug Relish is a Brunswick Cafe, the bright, open space; the quirky decor; the random musical instruments dotted about the place; the abstract photography; everything about the environment gives it a trendy, arty vibe. Service was friendly and attentive, eager to come over to chat with us and explain all about the hand made furniture and the art on the walls.

The cafe is separated into three areas, each one serving a slightly different purpose. You have the main counter area, a small and cosy room with a comfy sofa and a couple of tables, the perfect place to stop for a quick coffee or wait for your takeaway. Through the doorway is the main eating area. With a mix of white and exposed brick walls, bright white high ceilings and huge windows looking out onto Lygon Street, the room is incredibly spacious and well lit.

With a  mix of dining table for 2 to 4 people and some larger tables by the windows for larger groups, they make good use of the space. There is a final seating area at the back. Surprisingly large, it’s bordered on one side by the kitchen and the other by large communal tables and the aforementioned piano. This is the perfect space to just chill out with a drink and catch up with friends. Though the place can feel a little chilly on a cold day, you will soon warm up once you get stuck into one of the many tasty dishes on their menu.

There’s a good amount of options on offer and we eventually settled on a mix of sweet and savoury, opting for the Blueberries Hot cake, and the Za’atar Baked Eggs. The hot cakes looked great. We loved how they took up all the space in the bowl and the generous spread of fresh berries gave the dish a nice little splash of colour. They had a lovely light and fluffy texture and were infused with just the right amount of blueberries. Some places have a habit of going a bit overboard with this so we appreciated the restraint shown here. Topped off with maple syrup and whipped cream, these were some tasty hot cakes.

The Za’atar baked eggs were a perfect choice for the cold day. Served in a small, metal bowl on a wooden platter, it was a very appealing looking dish. The food itself had a nice spicy kick that was very pleasant and warmed us up well. With a generous amount of beans and chickpeas, this was a good sized portion. Full of flavour and texture and with a side of cheesy bread to help balance the overall dish, this was a good, well presented and filling meal.

Mid way through the meal we were treated to glasses of their non alcoholic Mulled Wine. All i can say is wow. This tasted wonderful, with such rich flavours and a little spice, we made sure to grab another cup each to take out into the cool Melbourne morning. It’s one of the many little details that emphasise the uniqueness of what Smug Relish are doing and why you should pop in for a deliciously different brunch experience.

Everything else…

Website: https://www.instagram.com/smug_relish_cafe/

Address: 510-512 Lygon Street, Brunswick

Opening Times: 

Mon        8am to 4pm
Tue         8am to 4pm
Wed        8am to 4pm
Thu         8am to 4pm
Fri           8am to 4pm
Sat           8am to 4pm
Sun          8am to 4pm

Parking: There’s only really street parking around but we didn’t have any trouble finding a parking spot.

Getting here on PT: You can jump on a 1 or 6 route tram and alight at Albion Street or alight a 503 bus at Lygon Street.

Disclaimer: We dined as guests of Smug Relish, Brunswick. 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