a couple of saturdays ago a few of us foodies were invited to check out ‘son of a pizzaiolo’ on high street in melbourne. with an 11.30am start, and a name like that, i was expecting an early lunch of pizzas and pastas… and as my husband had kindly also been extended an invitation i had pre-warned him to eat a light (and early) breakfast so that he could bring an appetite!

to my pleasant surprise, we arrived and were presented with a comprehensive and enticing brunch menu… definitely not a bad thing when you’re inlovewithbrunch! i will always go for brunch over lunch! 😉

as a group, we all very diplomatically sorted out our orders so that there were no double ups and feasted on the following dishes:

on the savoury front:

breakfast board including eggs your way, smashed avocado, house smoked salmon and prosciutto di parma on fresh sourdough bread

brunch spaghetti in a light cream sauce with kale, speck prosciutto, grana padano and a poached egg

crispy-skinned ocean trout served with cauliflower puree, grilled kipfler potatoes, pickled baby beets and house made apricot conserve

smashed avocado infused with lemon juice, cherry tomatoes, thyme and served on sourdough bread with italian burrata + beetroot puree

primavera salad with organic unpolished black rice, kale, asparagus, heirloom tomatoes, goat’s chevre, roasted walnuts + a berry dressing

on the sweet-tooth side:

brioche french toast sprinkled with cinnamon, served with mixed berry coulis, fresh strawberries and mascarpone, white chocolate + yoghurt mousse

mixed berry hotcake ricotta hotcake with mixed berry coulis, mascarpone, fresh berries + pistachios

i think the photos speak for themselves in justifying my overall statement that each dish was delicious! ingredients were all fresh and of high quality and each of us was extremely happy with the dish we had chosen, and with the others that we all taste-tested. given my expectations that i was only going to encounter a standard italian pizza/pasta combo… i was genuinely and pleasantly surprised by the standard of son of a pizzaiolo’s brunch menu – one which would stand alone in a melbourne café without the added bonus of pizza!

talking pizza, the generous owners were not letting us go, without a sample of their signature pizzas – meaning a breakfast, brunch and lunch within 5 hours of each this morning! totally not complaining… this is why i love what i do!

 

it would be remiss of me to brag about ‘son of a pizzaiolo’s brunch menu and not reassure melbourne café goers that you can also get your hands on a tastefully roasted and well-brewed coffee too… and to their credit it’s a smooth house-roasted blend.

whilst there is also a variety of fresh juices on offer, given we were in a feasting mood we all opted for prosecco (some with a dash of fresh blood orange juice). bring back the mimosa and champagne breakfasts i say!

son of a pizzaiolo is the second culinary project of brother frank and roque romano, who in 2008 launched woodfire pizza in ivanhoe. with a strong italian heritage, son of a pizzaiolo stays true to them whilst also incorporating some innovative and contemporary dishes – particularly in the brunch menu. son of a pizzaiolo has an industrial feel with exposed lighting, timber panel and a great outdoor dining area thanks to their location on a corner block. i can see this being a fantastic area to relax on a summer’s morning or for a sunset meal during daylight savings months!

verdict: spread the word… another great brunch option in thornbury to add to the list!
find: http://www.sonofapizzaiolo.com.au

(note: inlovewithbrunch dined as a guest of son of a pizzaiolo, however all remarks and reviews are honest and genuine)