Melbourne is a truly beautiful place, a mix of old and new and Kettle Black captures this perfectly in their premises. Their building is quintessential Melbourne, a beautiful terrace in gorgeous whites, nestled under modern office structures.

The cafe seems perpetually busy and getting a table was difficult. It’s not surprising given multiple people have recommended Kettle Black, but the staff were efficient which made the wait more bearable. They also were quick to move us when a better table became available which we were grateful for.

The inside of the cafe was comfortable, light and airy, exactly as its exterior suggested. The menu was full of delicious and interesting dishes and it was hard to choose between them.

We started with lattes. Out coffee was smooth and creamy but not overly strong, it was served at a good drinking temperature for dine-in coffee.

Our first meal was the aerated eggs benedict, or as we call it, the eggs Cumberbatch. We’re not sure if anyone else calls it that, but we are certain it would make menus more interested. The eggs came with an aerated hollandaise, beautiful and tender pork shoulder as well as poached eggs. Aside from the separate plating which doesn’t really add anything to the look and makes the dish more inconvenient this was a good dish.

Our next dish was one we have been seeing a lot of on social media, the ricotta hot cakes! The serving was pretty as a picture and a huge serving. We’ve had bad experiences with hot cakes like this previously but these were perfection, served hot to the table and with delectable pops of blueberry. The maple glaze was sinking into the cake, seeds added a wonderful crunch and the cream was perfect to smear across the hot cake. This was a stunning dish, executed perfectly and it’s no wonder Melbourne has fallen in love wth it. 

Kettle Black is a fantastic cafe and well worth a visit to Melbournes South! 

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