Grand Lafayette

The Verdict

The team that brought you Port Melbourne’s Café Lafayette (RIP) just dropped a new venue. It's bigger, more ambitious, and it's about to take Prahran by storm. Welcome Grand Lafayette.

Bringing together the best of east and west, Grand Lafayette’s menu blends everyone’s favourite brunch dishes with Asian flavours, ingredients and combos. Definitely a trend right now, with cafes like Hibiki and ima changing up Melbourne's breakfast palette. 

Housed over two shop fronts, Grand Lafayette seats 100+ punters and offers two distinct services: catering for the brunch/coffee crowd during the day,  then transforming into a Japanese all-you-can-eat restaurant during the evening...for only $32.80. Yep, all the Japanese you can fit in your gob, and you'll get change from a 50. 

Owners Solar Liang and Monique Wu, saw a big opportunity in closing the Port Melbourne establishment, Café Lafayette, and reopening in Prahran with the much grander concept.  

Don’t worry though, the new menu still includes some Café Lafayette favourites, along with some new additions. A highlight—their famous raindrop cakes, only available during breakfast and lunch, with flavours like Tokyo Express (brown sugar), Angle Kiss (rose), Macha Lover (Japanese Green Tea) and Tiffany Blue (mint). 

The Japanese all-you-can-eat menu boasts some pretty impressive options, too. We’re talking, Chicken Karaage, Baked Scallops and Miso Grilled Salmon. Bao’s are also back on the menu and Freakshii—some seriously Instagram-friendly sushi. 

Owner Monique Wu said, “We wanted to implement a concept that appeals to people wanting a really great experience throughout the day. The customers that come in for morning coffee can come back in the evening for Miso and Udon and we have a completely different Chef team that will switch between services. I think this a really unique and interesting offer.”

Unique, interesting, and guaranteed to send your pants button catapulting across the room. 

Image credit: Griffin Simm