Review: Mr. Burch Cafe, McKinnon

We’re back to brunching

Well, it’s been a while folks, but we’re finally back to brunching and lunching around Melbourne and we’re starting out by visiting some local gems we found within our 5km, our absolute faves all across the city, and some of our regular cafe stops that we’ve just not got around to reviewing before. Our first stop was Mr. Burch, which ticks all three boxes on our visit list.

A McKinnon gem

Tucked away in McKinnon, Mr. Burch enjoy a healthy trade from locals. Pass by almost any Saturday morning and this tiny cafe is always bustling (Covid-safely at the moment of course). On the menu you’ll find a wide range of breakfast dishes, from pikelets to toasties and there’s something to suit both the traditional and more adventurous brunchers. There’s always tasty specials to try too, and hearty lunch dishes if you’re eating a little later or fancy something more substantial.

The decor is English tearoom, but the vibe is Aussie brunch spot, so while you’ll enjoy spotting something new adorning the walls or shelves or eagerly anticipating which tea cosy you’ll get today (the cat one is my favourite) you won’t be worrying about which fork to use or if you’re sticking your pinkie finger out correctly.

Coffee and cake*

*Coffee and cake became our new way of supporting venues while in lockdown. It meant we could hit up more places in our 5km, even those too far to get hot food from, and still offer our support. You might not want to ask about my iso weight gain, but I do think I’d like to make this a permanent feature of our reviews. Also, I will cover drinks other than coffee in this bit too.

The coffee at Mr Burch comes from Supreme Blend. I love this strong, slightly bitter coffee and it works particularly well with non-dairy milk. I also adore their (pre-Covid) proactive approach to keep cups. While I like the coffee, I have to say, if it’s your first visit you have to order a tea for the cuteness factor (see aforementioned and pictured tea cosy).

The cakes at Mr Burch are largely made in house and while there are regulars, there’s always something new or different on offer. Their slices in particular are delicious and it’s (almost) impossible to pick a favourite. I said almost, my favourite is the Wagon Wheel Slice. They’re big, so great to share after a brunch, or take one, (two, three) home for later.

Savoury Brunch

Being highly excited for my first brunch back I actually shunned my Mr. Burch regular orders of either the build your own breakfast or the egg and bacon toastie (this is excellent – you may remember my failed recreation over lockdown), opting for a new (to me) dish, the halloumi and chorizo eggs.

Now halloumi and chorizo are two of my favourite things, and I loved that the dish came with poached eggs. There’s a lot going on here, with a base of avocado on white sourdough, but even with the spicy hit from the chorizo, nothing dominates the plate. The avo is a great little touch, providing a creaminess and soft flavour to balance out the spice and salt from those two hero items.

Sweet Brunch

So as most of you know MB (or MLB – Mr Less Boring – these days), loves anything vaguely resembling a pancake and he’s officially annoyed Mr. Burch so much that they have now CHANGED the menu, I believe to specifically accommodate his requests for maple syrup, regardless of his pikelet toppings.

While I can’t go past the indulgent orange, chocolate and maple, he prefers the simple “lemon and sugar” with extra maple syrup on the side. I think it’s a testament to the quality of these pikelets that they live up to our expectations, every time, despite us both upholding very different opinions on what a sweet dish should look like. The variety of options mean you can go for simple yet sweet, fresh and fruity, or drizzled in chocolatey goodness. Either way, the soft, melt-in-your-mouth pikelets (a pikelet is a mini pancake by the way) are sure to put a smile on your face.

But Suzie, Should I visit?

Absolutely! Mr Burch is teeny tiny though, so if you’re going to travel I’d recommend you book first particularly on the weekend. While I’ve focused on the brunch here, both brunch and lunch are available all day, and the pot pie would come top of my “must tries” if you’re feeling lunchy (And hungry).

Everything else

Website: https://www.mrburch.com.au/

Address: 129 McKinnon Road, McKinnon 3204

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:  Parking on the main road does have time limits so just make sure you note these. If you’re planning a long say there’s always spaces on nearby side streets (most of which are not timed, but again please check).

Getting here on PT:  It’s about 5 minutes walk from McKinnon station on the Frankston line.

Disclaimer: Reviews are honest and based on our own personal experiences. We did not receive anything from Mr. Burch in exchange for this review. We cannot guarantee things at a cafe won’t change including, but not limited to, menu items and opening hours, so please confirm any details with the venue before visiting.