Hearth & Soul

The Verdict

Putting down its roots on King Street, Hearth & Soul is the bricks and mortar venture for conscious cook Rachel Jelley—so you can expect all feeds to be locally sourced and organic, with pasture-raised produce at the helm.

The fit-out is worthy of any plant-lovers dream, with suspended ferns dangling over long communal feasting tables and an open courtyard featuring a full herb garden and fairy lights. There’s also a custom-designed kitchen and a cosy lounge room complete with a collection of vintage sofas, fresh flowers, candles and all sorts of trinkets.

On the menu side of things, Jelley works very closely with local suppliers and farmers, basing the changing menu on in-season ingredients only. At times, this looks like smoky, spiced heart with labne and herbs, slow-braised lamb and barley and one hell of a good gnocchi spread loaded with bean shoots, pea tendrils and garlic cream sauce.

For drinks, brace yourselves for boozy concoctions like a crimson snow apple and wild orange mimosas. There’s also a specially curated collection of wines and beers to get around too.

Along with this, Jelley also hosts in-house conscious cooking classes, where she combines meditation and mindfulness with a bunch of practical cooking skills so you can flex your kitchen muscles back at home and whip up your own nourishing feeds.

Image credit: Supplied.