Start the week on the right note at Monday Cafe, the new inner-city eatery from the Hey Mr crew
When Hey Mr opened to the public in 2022, it helped reignite New Farmās cafe scene. Could Monday Cafe do the same thing for the inner-city? Ask Jay Seo and heāll demur, but with a menu filled from top to bottom with a proven range of bang-on brunch dishes, a hot-to-trot Melbourne specialty coffee roaster supplying the beans and an on-site pastry kitchen pumping out sweet and savoury selections, Monday Cafe has all the makings of a winner.
Monday Cafeās Adelaide Street home might be familiar to long-time city residents. Taking over theĀ site previously home to Motorwagen, Monday Cafe makes use of the venueāsĀ modern-industrial bones (originally shaped byĀ KP ArchitectsĀ andĀ UNITA), with the only major structural change being a retooling of the marble-topped coffee bar (a separate pastry display has also been added). The original gleaming metal has been replaced by aĀ chicĀ ridged front. Jay has retained the venueās existing red-leather banquettes and timber furnishings, as well as the pre-existing 32-seat private-dining space atĀ the rear.
As anyone that has jostled for a table at Hey Mr on a Saturday morning can attest, the cafe is making some of the finest brunch dishes going. Monday Cafe plucks a bunch of Hey Mrās greatest hits for its own menu, while adding extra items for its lunchtime offering. Though familiar in form, JayāsĀ brunch menu is infused with a few tasty Asian-inspired tweaks.
āI wanted to bring some Hey Mr styleĀ food to The City,ā says Jay, whoĀ operated King Arthur Cafe on James Street for a stretch before opening Hey Mr. āWeāre using more Asian ingredients than other cafes ā we try to twistĀ Australian food as much as we can.ā
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Stand-out selections include the karaage chicken croffle with sriracha aioli, lightly torched mozzarella cheese and cabbage with sesame dressing, halloumi and corn fritters with rocket, avocado, tomato relish, ricotta salata and poached eggs, nourish bowls with crispy eggplant, pickled cabbage, crispy chickpeas, avocado and soy glaze, and nasi goreng topped with a fried egg. With a fully equipped pastry kitchen, Monday Cafe is also serving its own range of house-baked goods āĀ matcha croissants, sweet and savoury danishes, lemon cakes and mixed-berry muffins are available to nibble on site or take away.
On theĀ caffeineĀ front,Ā Monday Cafe has teamed up with Melbourne-basedĀ Dukes Coffee Roasters, serving the balanced Dukes Blend and Highwire Blend alongside single-origin filter coffees, tea fromĀ Tour de TeaĀ in New Farm, sticky chai, smoothies and juices. Mondays Cafe is also licensed, with a small selection of boozy beverages available for lunchtime visits.
Speaking of lunch, from 11:00 am, Monday Cafeās menu expands to offer a number of pasta dishes and snacks. Serves of spaghetti bolognese with Japanese-style chicken katsu and gnocchi burrata is available alongside crispy eggplant bites with Asian-style caponata, corn ribs coated in Mexican-style spiced sour cream and fetta cheese, and fried Korean-style chicken wings.
Monday Cafe is now open to the public ā check out theĀ Stumble GuideĀ for operating hours and other important details.
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