Very old, very French, and very dead chef Auguste Escoffier invented some of the world’s greatest sauces. The man behind hollandaise, tomato sauce and gravy, he was the original king of brunch and didn’t even know it, playing an instrumental part in elevating that mid-morning meal to the version we know and love today.
There was a time when brunch was one of those things only rich people did. You could expect a softly strangulated/smothered egg and toast point just about anywhere the air's that little bit thinner. You can still have those experiences in places like The Wolseley in London; JoJo by Jean-Georges on Manhattan’s Upper East Side and the Mandarin Oriental’s Clipper Lounge in Hong Kong. But it no longer takes a trust fund and a four-step moisturising routine to take part.
Image credit: The Wolseley | Facebook
In fact, these days, it’s one of the more affordable options in terms of going out and meeting friends for a meal. Chris Theodosi, co-owner of perpetually busy Haberfield cafe Happyfield (heavyweight contenders for best pancakes in Sydney) believes it’s more of a ritual than other meals. “It's a bit more inclusive. It's probably the kind of meal or cuisine you can have the most fun with; it's almost sometimes a borderline dessert. And it's more spontaneous.”
Want to try dessert for breakfast? Adelaide cafe Bloom is the place for a blood orange and yoghurt pannacotta, while Morning After in Brisbane is offering warm rice pudding with rhubarb. They also do a breakfast carbonara (arguably the best time to eat that much pork jowl and pasta) for the true believers.
Image credit: Morning After | Instagram
Brunch has become quite a beautiful thing, too. Less about inhaling bacon and hashbrowns and waiting for the hangover hell to be over, and more about saluting the evening before and carrying on. Dishes are composed, thoughtful.
“I think we've had too much of breakfast culture,” says Scott Huggins. The executive chef of Adelaide’s Penfolds Magill Estate Kitchen is offering a more grown-up, New York-style brunch experience. Steak frites, house-smoked ocean trout, perhaps a 10am burger or Champagne with caviar and oysters.
“We want people to feel confident to come and have a glass of wine at 11 o'clock and not be frowned at,” he says. “How do we get people through the door at 10 o'clock for a Bloody Mary and something a little bit more refined than just a fried egg on toast?”
Image credit: Superfreak | Phillip Huynh
It's not all indulgence, though. Where brunch can bring luxury, there's also a thread of balance. At Marrickville cafe Superfreak, Michaela Johansson’s menu straddles wholesome Scandi-style (dark breads, cheeses, boiled eggs and salads) with dopamine hits such as house-baked crumpets with chantilly cream and meatball sarnies.
“When we decided to do Superfreak, we wanted to lean down a bit of a healthier route,” says co-owner Michael Ico. “But funnily enough, the menu veered when Michaela started. It kind of shifted from us trying to do something crazy-healthy to something a bit more nourishing.”
And that’s probably the crux of it, right? No matter your flavour, a nourishing experience is what it’s all about.
Now check out
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- Melbourne's spot for midday galettes and martinis
- The Gold Coast's Euro bakery and pasta bar
- Sydney's best bottomless brunches
- 50 of the best cafes in Perth
- Brisbane's viral hotcake cafe
Main image credit: Morning After | Instagram