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Opening hours:
Mon – Fri: 7am – 5pm
Sat – Sun: 8am – 5pm
Address:
48 Glen Eira Road
Ripponlea, Vic 3185
Coffee: AllPress Espresso
*No bookings on weekend
Mr LB:
“I always find it fascinating when it comes to local cafes. They are essential the social fabric that makes little villages and suburbs buzz with life; the meeting place for brunch or convenience of picking up a take-away coffee. Such cafes don’t necessarily strive to achieve the status of most popular cafe in Melbourne or have a massive Instagram following, rather relying on their loyal customer base and community as their core values. I’m not one for being loyal to a certain cafe, but I can see the appeal as we ventured to Spout Cafe in Ripponlea for brunch.
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Spout Cafe is a small cafe operation on Glen Eira Road that has a particular charm and cosiness about it. While seating is obtainable in both an indoor and outdoor setting, the warming wooden and brick interior had a greater appeal. The lack of space on a busy Saturday morning may feel a little cramp, but the simple touches of lowered suspended lights, dark wood furnishing and friendly staff makes for a relaxing and no fuss environment.
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Coffee is served by AllPress Espresso and delivered a strong tasting long black [$3.50]. As with most AllPress coffees I have tasted, the flavour profile develops as the coffee cools. The flavour profile on this occasion leans towards more nutty hints. It’s not going to be the best coffee around but on a consistency level it is a good all-rounder.
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Shakshuka two eggs poached in spicy tomato sauce topped with haloumi and chilli dukkah plus beef chorizo
The menu at Spout Cafe is designed towards the classic brunch items like BBQ breakfast rolls, smashed avo and sauteed mushrooms, with a hint of Middle Eastern additions. For example, the smashed avo is seasoned with a chilli dukkah and the beans (ful-meddamas) are prepared in a traditional Egyptian stew. In the spirit of Middle Eastern flavours, I landed on an old favourite, Shakshuka two eggs poached in spicy tomato sauce topped with haloumi and chilli dukkah [$17] plus beef chorizo [$3].
Coming out at the perfect warm temperature, the combination of the rich tomato sauce and haloumi made for a great combination. Adding the chorizo was a wise decision, creating a deeper and more complete flavour with the eggs. Mixing the chilli dukkah with the tomato sauce was a delight, and whilst being a little watery, this didn’t faze me as I thoroughly enjoyed mopping up the remaining sauce with the Turkish bread. Delightful and authentic!
Spout Cafe welcoming environment with cheerful locals and sparked a feeling that we may have just unearthed Ripponlea’s local secret. Convenient and good food is a strong commodity, and having it at peoples door steps is a major bonus. Spout Cafe is one of the local heroes to the area of Ripponlea.”
Miss SL:
“Now here’s the thing. I love brunch. I love brunch so, so hard. Sometimes for brunch I can wait up to 40 minutes to get into a venue. Other times, I just want to be seated straight away. It was another cold Winter’s morning when we arrived at Ripponlea establishment Spout and I was in the mood for the latter. Luckily, we were seated straight away on the corner of communal table.
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What I loved about this place was how warm and cosy it felt. The yellow exposed lighting against the red brick really made this place feel comfortable.
I ordered a double espresso and the Salmon Pastrami Benedict – Two poached eggs on Five and Dime Bagel with Hollandaise Sauce, sprinkled with chilli dukkah for my morning meal. When my coffee came out I noticed there was a bit more of a head to it than normal, and when sipped, it was bitter. Breaking through the top level coating, however, revealed a very gentle coffee blend that was mild and welcoming.
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As we sat and waited for our meals, I couldn’t help but notice how small the venue was, despite appearances from the outside. The clientele seemed like locals rather than hard core brunchers.
My breakfast was served rather simply and almost looked too small to fill me up. What I forgot about was that my eggs Benedict were served on bagels, which are typically heavier. This served true with my Five & Dime bagel, which was dense but tasty and had a beautiful sprinkle of salt throughout the dough. It was a little annoying at how hard it was to cut, despite the steak knife. The salmon was delicious and eggs perfectly cooked though, and I really loved the chilli dukkah sprinkled on top. It was a small addition that provided a little hat tip to the middle east. The hollandaise sauce was classically nice with no obvious twists to modernise the dish.
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Salmon Pastrami Benedict – Two poached eggs on Five and Dime Bagel with Hollandaise Sauce, sprinkled with chilli dukkah
Overall I found Spout an easy going cafe experience – it was fast to get a seat and the menu was simple. Since the ownership transfer (and subsequent downfall of quality and service) of my ex-go-to brunch establishment Hawk and Hunter, there’s been a gap of quality, which I feel the discovery of Spout kind of fills. It’s a great place to come to if you’re on the south side and looking for somewhere easy.”
Final thought: “The local hero of Ripponlea”
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