Juno Eatery

The Verdict

Inspired by the farming landscape, with the intention to serve slow, whole foods alongside perfectly brewed coffee comes Juno. It’s the latest project from the team behind Prior, and they’re ready to bring a fresh, progressive approach to hospitality in the bayside suburb of McKinnon. 

The menu was designed by Nick Korceba (former head chef of Shane Delia’s Maha) and features locally-sourced, ethical ingredients that change seasonally. Named after the Roman goddess, Juno, a symbol of rejuvenation, the cafe is hoping to inspire the local community with innovative, nourishing food. 

The menu features crowd-pleasers reimagined to be enjoyed by the whole family. There are Moreton bay bug rolls, with a green mango jam, miso mayo and fried shallots, and a panko chicken schnitzel served with a kale and red cabbage slaw and dill and yuzu mayo. Korceba also included options for the sweet tooths out there, with a baked rocky road comprised of milk chocolate, nuts, whipped marshmallow and brown butter ice cream. 

For owner, Ahmed Mekawy, serving the local community of McKinnon was the most important part of creating Juno. “The vision was to create an environment that embodies the features of the area highlighted by the bayside suburb’s love for premium hospitality, breakfast, lunch foods and above all, a really good coffee".

For the design, the team enlisted the help of architects RITZ&GHOUGASSIAN, who wanted to bring elements from farming to Melbourne’s South East. Timber framing, stainless steel equipment and fibreglass sheds all served as inspiration for the cafe’s creation.

Image credit: Pete Dillon