i was flying solo for brunch on cup-day weekend as my musician husband is currently rehearsing for a show… so decided to head into trendy brunswick street for a try of stagger lee’s latest menu. these guys are synonymous with good food + coffee in inner-melbourne – having also brought us proud mary – and this is not my first visit. but memories of a delicious coco-pops french toast had me craving something sweet for breakfast (a regular occurrence) and i remember seeing a few enticing looking items from their new menu popping up on my instagram feed recently.

queue dr marty’s crumpets with lemon curd, fresh strawberries, raspberry sauce, pistachio crumb + sweet basil

the generous serve of lemon curd was simply lip-smackingly yummy; and i really liked the mixture of the sweet fresh strawberries with the tartness of the raspberry sauce + crunch of the pistachios. i would have expected perhaps a mint, but the addition of basil was a lovely but pleasant surprise. head chef, chris hamburger has produced a vibrant spring menu full of seasonal ingredients and full-flavoured comfort food; and if the crumpets are any indication, the other dishes would be equally as delectable. this was a light and summery dish and i could definitely go back for more!

as you would expect, the coffee is exceptional! surprisingly, stagger lee’s only serve single origin espresso and filter coffee; with a desire to deliver the best extractions and coffee in town. and i think they’ve got it pretty spot-on! (i’m also in love with their coffee cups)

and just as i experienced on my first visit, staff were super friendly – even coming up to me on the way out to ask how i liked the crumpets. and the atmosphere, even when dining alone, has a great vibe and buzz. a memorable and enjoyable brunch – keep the great food and coffee coming guys!

verdict: staggeringly good, as always!
find: http://staggerlees.com.au/