everyone loves having “a local”. be it a bar for a cheerful beer after work, a good pub for a parma on that tuesday night when you just don’t feel like cooking, or for that laid-back late saturday breakfast. and “a local” is exactly why i love melbourne so much. my husband + i often talk about how pretty much every suburb of melbourne could be self-sufficient towns in themselves, each complete with their own pub and local cafe.

my trip to glen huntly, in melbourne’s south-east proved exactly that. easy access to public transport + a bustling main street complete with hairdresser, grocers, pub and the ever-important “local” for breakfast. my brunch this morning was at st. zita’s, a cozy and homely cafe which opened in august of last year.

the drinks menu is extensive and offers a range of teas, freshly squeezed oj, cold pressed juice, smoothies + milkshakes. we opted for the mangozita smoothie (mango, banana, milk + vanilla yoghurt) which was creamy + refreshing. my flat white was made with strada coffee maestro blend – full-bodied + smooth, sourced from south america but roasted in melbourne and “possessing tones of dark chocolate + hazelnut”.

 

bircher soaked rolled oats with crushed almonds, fresh apple, coconut, berries + organic yoghurt.
this had a good balance of sweet, crunchy + crisp. there was a strong taste of vanilla in the bircher which was lovely against the slivers of almonds. the fresh apple was delighful. i would’ve loved a bit more yoghurt on top, but it had a lovely taste + overall this was a great way to finish our meal.

 

poached eggs + bacon. exactly what you want for “your local”. eggs were perfectly poached with a generous serving of bacon. delicious.

 

st. zita’s fritters corn, herb + zucchini fritters served with avocado + tomato salsa, creme fraiche + rocket (with an added serve of bacon + a poached egg). it seems i’m on a bit of a fritters roll of late, but they seem to be sucking me in every time. absolutely loved the inclusion of corn in these fritters + the creaminess of the creme fraiche which just brought everything together. needless to say, there wasn’t much left on the plate once i finished with this one! yummy!

i have to say, this was one of the most calm and laid back brunches i’ve had in a long time. the chairs are large and comfy – urging me to take 10, enjoy that sip of coffee in relative quietness and relax after a busy week. i would’ve loved to see a couple more sweet options on the menu – maybe a porridge, french toast or pancakes… but it is clear that the chef takes great pride in their work – the ingredients are all fresh + vibrant. and a shoutout to jay – thanks for the great service + for being friendly + chatty.

verdict: i’d be pretty happy to call this my local!
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(note: inlovewithbrunch was invited by st. zita’s to dine here, however all remarks and reviews are honest and genuine)