on a lazy morning a couple of weeks ago i headed to brunswick for some quality ‘me’ time. laptop, book and oodles of time in hand; my destination was lucy lockett on barkly street. the new-ish café, with a huge renovation undertaken about 18 weeks ago to incorporate a large open feel with communal tables, bench seats and a huge patio/courtyard area out front, was a perfect place to have some time out. busy but not too noisy or packed – which allowed for a leisurely morning.

i started with coffee. my flat white was beautifully made using an artisan espresso north melbourne roaster that i hadn’t heard of before… bailey. delicious. the rest of the drinks menu is pretty extensive too (hooray!) with a good mix of hot/cold beverages including juices, tea + ice drinks for the non-coffee lovers.

coconut chia pudding with strawberries, mint sorbet + candied chilli seeds

without a doubt, this is the best chia pudding i’ve tried (and quite possibly also the prettiest!). i majorly struggle to make chia pudding at home (too much coconut milk, not enough coconut milk, too long resting, not enough time resting) so i love having one when out for breakfast. and this one was scrumptious! the extra dose of coconut milk on top helped to make this really creamy, and the chia itself had a lovely and fresh coconut flavour which really lifted it. the fresh strawberries added a fruity crisp element along with the crunchy chilli seeds, which were similar to small chunks of muesli/granola. by far my favourite element of the dish was the mint sorbet, almost like a granita, which just lifted the dish to a whole other level! i could’ve easily devoured two of these!

i also couldn’t resist a house made chai tea with soy milk – spicy and packed with plenty of cinnamon… this was one of the nicest chai tea’s i’ve had in a while. and the homemade raspberry and white choc brownie was the perfect morning tea snack (devoured before i had time to think about a photo!).

overall, a memorable experience with personalised and friendly service, in a casual and laid-back environment. i would definitely go back, especially for that chia pudding!

verdict: my new favourite chia pudding in melbourne!
find: http://lucylockett.com.au/