Upsy Daisy

The Verict

If you’re gonna build an over $10m park in Glen Huntly, you need a good Saturday brunch spot nearby. The two go hand in hand. You can’t have kids screaming on flying foxes and climbing ropes without a double-shot latte clutched in your white-knuckled hand.

Presenting Melbourne’s new kid-friendly brunch bar, Upsy Daisy. It’s popped up on a corner spot, just opposite the new Booran Reserve (a Glen Eira Council initiative to get kids away from screens at home...and let them stream Netflix in a tranquil, wilderness setting).

This is pretty much a no-brainer. Every weekend families tumble into Booran Reserve, and there aren’t too many eateries nearby that cater to Mum, Dad and the kids all at once. The guys behind Mr Brightside (just down the road) and Malvern's Neon Tiger, looked at this spot and went, “Yep, this’ll work.”

You’ll spot Upsy Daisy from two blocks away. The interiors are a lurid turquoise, there’s a friendly coffee window on the street, plus a balloon mural from Melbourne-based street artist Marcos Diaz.

The food focus is takeaway coffees (in fact, you get takeaway cups even when you dine-in), healthy dishes that don't skimp on flavour and (the kids will love this) frozen yogurt up front.

Hungry? Try the Take It Easy Jaffle, stuffed with slow-cooked beef brisket, creamy mac n’ cheese and dusted with Reggiano (okay, so this one isn't fully in line with their healthy-food focus, but everyone needs a cheat day). The Miso Hungry bowl, ladled with falafel, housemade hummus and a massive wallop of av’ is pretty good too. If nothing tickles your fancy, you can build your own Upsy Bowl by picking a base (rice, noodles or quinoa) and loaded up on toppings.

This is what Melbourne’s cafe scene is all about—the right space in the right place. Upsy Daisy knows its audience, and delivers in (buckets and) spades. 

Image credit: Jenna Fahey-White