Abacus All Day

The Verdict

If you’re a resident of Ringwood, you’d be pretty happy with the foodie developments taking place at Town Square in Eastland. First came burger pros Huxtaburger, then 400 Gradi, slinging cocktails and those epic pizzas into the wee hours.

Now you’ve got Abacus All Day, the new twin to South Yarra’s buzzing all-day eatery.

In nearly all respects, Abacus All Day will be a photocopy of Abacus on Chapel St. It’ll be open all day (duh) serving contemporary Australian breakfast, lunch and dinner. The interior has a similar luxe-industrial vibe, with big vaulted ceilings and the sort of fittings you see in penthouse apartment billboards. The only difference here might be a slight tropical touch, courtesy of the guys at ST | YLE, the design firm that handled Axil’s Chadstone store.  

Head chef, Irishman Thomas O’Sullivan (ex-Scotts of Mayfair and Rockpool Group), will be running the pass, and the menu will be pretty much exactly what you get in South Yarra (not that that’s a bad thing—there’s a reason Abacus packs out from dawn till dusk).  

For brekky, it’s got to be the chilli folded saffron eggs with salted ricotta and red capsicum jam, one of the old cafe’s staples. If you’re looking for something a bit different though, try the ham knuckle empanadas, toasted to a crisp and served with maple chilli jam, pancetta shards and a poached egg.

Drinks-wise you’ve got the usual assortment of teas and coffees (Abacus has actually teamed up with St Ali to produce their own signature brew—Nitro). For summer, keep an eye out for the Mimosas, stacked with watermelon, pineapple, mint and sparkling wine. Those babies are gonna be popular. 

Image credit: Michelle Jarni