Paddock On Crown

The Verdict

For wholesome eats and courtyard hangs, add Paddock On Crown to your brunching hitlist. You'll find it just behind the split between Devonshire and Crown Street, marked by a green and pink neon sign. Here, it's all about good modern Australian fare for breakfast, brunch, and lunch every day of the week. 

If you don’t have the time to lap up the leafy vibes in Paddock’s open-air and dog-friendly courtyard—you can't go past without picking up the cafe's summer-friendly watermelon frappe. This fresh beauty gets served up in an actual half-watermelon bowl filled with watermelon juice, frozen watermelon balls, and topped with a dollop of yoghurt, a sprinkling of chia seeds, and a handful of flowers just because. And before you ask, yes, it’s the only way you should be starting your day.

Otherwise, burn some time in the courtyard sipping said frozen watermelon goodness and tuck into a classic toast spread or Paddock’s famed “Cocobowl” packed with rice puffs, bilo bilo (sticky rice balls in coconut milk), mango, and coconut ice-cream. The signature fluffy pancake stack is also a serious best breakfast contender topped with vanilla mascarpone, raspberry coulis, whipped maple butter, and you can even get creative and treat yourself to add-ons like ube (purple yam), green tea, coconut, or vanilla ice-cream.

However, at Paddock On Crown, the drinks menu is this cafe’s bonafide expertise, which naturally makes it a winning place to catch up with mates for a quick lunch break. As well as a watermelon bowl, there’s a yummy line-up of dirty chai, matcha, and turmeric lattes, iced green tea and rose ice tea, cold brew, freshly squeezed juices (go the “Pink Mojito”), fruit smoothies, housemade lemonades, and, the piece de resistance if you ask us—cocktail jugs from 10am every damn day. You can cop pitchers of Aperol Spritz, berry mojitos, and a boozy elderflower concoction or opt for a single serving of classics like the Bloody Mary, Espresso Martini, and Mimosa.

Image credit: Paddock On Crown