The Best Brunch in Melbourne!

Stop your search. Look no further. I declare that I have found The Best Bunch in Melbourne.
If you live in Melbourne or even if you're just visiting, I implore you to pop into the city for your weekend brunch, to allow yourself the greatest mid-morning indulgence Melbourne has to offer: 

The Grain Store.

I had come across the restaurant midweek, after a quick google produced several articles all proclaiming to include the 'Top 3! (or 5! or 10! or 30!) Brunches in Melbourne'. After some lengthy research, I settled upon The Grain Store purely based on their eccentric menu which set them apart from the hordes of 'eggs and bacon' offered on virtually every other brunch menu in the world. 

According to the restaurants website, the menu is inspired by head Chef Ingo Meissners sheer passion for broadening his own understanding towards food, in turn he hopes to change certain misconceptions about foods. His intent is oh-so-evident in every one of his dishes, largely to the surprising pairing of ingredients. Chef Meissner also has a desire to not only use fresh produce but to reduce food miles; Rooftop apple mint is named just so because it is actually grown on the rooftop of the building that houses The Grain Store. Incredible. 

To our understanding this place was relatively unknown (my foodie Aunt who has lived in central Melbourne for almost 40 years had never heard of it), but to our surprise when we arrived at around 11am; every table in the joint was dressed in full on brunch attire, with a line to the door and a 20 minute wait for a table for two! 

We offered to sit outside on one of their street tables with a coffee while we waited. While enjoying our (GREAT by the way) coffees, the wind dropped right down and it became surprisingly pleasant for Autumn! We ended up asking the waitress if we couldn't just order our food to the table on the street, and that was absolutely fine so she brought us some menus to peruse...

After much Umming and Ahhing - particularly for me between sweet or savoury - (who could say no to candied walnuts?!) I agreed to settle on a sweet dish with a savoury side to satisfy my sub-conscious - who wanted a fair deal. 

I went with the Quinoa & Coconut Porridge with grilled pineapple, passionfruit, lime, agave nectar and flaxseed dukkah (aud$15) with a side of the Gruyere Potato Rösti (aud$5), and my Aunt got the Cotechino Sausage & Pumpkin Halloumi Blini with poached eggs, vanilla parsnip, rooftop apple mint and pea salsa (aud$18).

Quinoa & Coconut Porridge with grilled pineapple and passionfruit syrup!

Cotechino Sausage & Pumpkin Halloumi Blini with poached eggs, bacon and pea salsa!

Laughing into my spoon..

My lovely Aunt enjoying her meal!

A perfect autumnal Saturday morning 

The restaurants roaring success is all down to Chef Meissner, the palate wizard, and his innate desire to change the way we think about food.
I implore you to come here, if not for the taste explosion and the instagram worthy ingredient list, then at the least to be challenged in a way your tastebuds will find totally satisfactory!
The Grain Store tries to be different, and succeeds.

See you here again soon!