Brunch in Melbourne, whilst delicious and one of the most important weekend meals, can get a tiny bit repetitive. If you’re tired of your tomato baked eggs, french toast and eggs benedict, maybe it’s time to take a little trip to Collingwood and be transported to the middle-east.
Bayte means ‘home’ in Arabic, which reflects the home-style Lebanese cooking you will find in this cosy spot along Johnson Road.
Surrounded by ornate lamps, and a giant jar of pink radishes pickling, you may struggle to make a decision with the rather extensive menu. If you arrive at lunch time you have the option both lunch dishes or something from their all-day breakfast menu?
Their chai is made with authentic tea leaves and spices, brewed to perfection resulting in a warming and spicy drink. A hot tip is to request a shot of espresso to add to the mix, it balances out the sweetness nicely, giving a rounded flavour.
No toast is to be found on the menu, instead fluffy and lightly charred flatbread served with house made baba ganoush or hummus should be your carb of choice. Your eggs will always be spiced, perhaps with sumac or zaatar, and served with something you’ve probably have never tried before. And if you’re vegetarian, you can’t go past the poached eggs with pumpkin and chickpea kibbeh, with rustic hummus.
If it’s all too overwhelming to decide, you could just opt for the breakfast mezzo, which gives you the best of everything, fried eggs, flat bread, dips, crudites and grilled lamb skewers, amongst other things.
One last tip… don’t leave without a bite of one of their house-made ice-creams. Your choices are halva and pistachio or coffee and cardamon. And after sneaking peeks at these scoops, it wasn’t much of a choice.
BAYTE
56 Johnson St, Collingwood
Mon – Fri: 7am to 4pm
Sat – Sun: 8am to 4pm
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