Twenty & Six Espresso, North Melbourne

North Melbourne is lousy with places to eat all-day breakfast. But only a handful bring the love, and Twenty & Six Espresso* is one of these. It’s a designer’s café, in that it’s hip, with fancy light-fittings and beautiful tables and chairs and crates and drawings of deer on the wall, and a small thoughtful menu. Beyond that, however, the food is excellent, and portions are really, really generous.

I’ve eaten “The Traveller” (pictured) twice this week, and it’s definitely competition for the “Shady Deal”** Moroccan baked eggs around the corner at Auction Rooms. “The Hunter” is an epic plate of perfectly-cooked mushrooms with slightly sweet and smoky chorizo and a cloud of parmesan. Eggs are free-range (damn straight) and most brunch options cost between $15 and $18. The coffee is unimpeachable, they have a house blend from Proud Mary and a rotating guest blend as well as all the filter/pour over options for coffee fanboys and girls. The courtyard is lovely and on weekends you will probably have to wait for a table, as with everywhere that’s good in this part of Melbourne, although turning up before ten a.m. may help. My only gripe is that the flat bread served with “The Traveller” is tortilla, probably Mission brand, and I’d love it if they had a house-made flat bread. But that’s petty, when you think of how much love clearly goes into the food and coffee at Twenty & Six.

*My housemate asked about the name “Twenty & Six” and was told it was because there are twenty six letters in the alphabet… and they probably wanted an ampersand in the name. Like I said, designer’s café. Ugh.

** Is it just me, or is that name a little bit racist?

Twenty & Six Espresso
594 Queensberry Street
North Melbourne
Open everyday but Wednesday
8am till 4pm
ph: 9329 0298