For well over a year now B and I have been planning to head down to the Collingwood Children’s Farm Cafe to check out the food and play with the animals. For some reason it just kept not happening but finally the planets aligned and on a sunny Sunday we wandered down for some brunch and to see the new baby goats.
The Farm is located down along the Yarra River and next to the Abbotsford Convent so despite being in the centre of a pretty built up part of Melbourne it feels like a slice of the countryside. Given the weather it was rather busy when we arrived at the cafe, however luckily for us they had a spare table for 2 so we got to skip ahead of all the larger groups waiting for tables. The cafe does all day breakfast and lunch and whilst the menu isn’t long it’s still got plenty of vegetarian friendly options. One of my favourite parts is that they list all their suppliers upfront so you know they are using only quality, locally sourced food and drinks.
As usual B started with an English Breakfast Tea ($4.80) which came in a gorgeous mug which just happened to match his shirt!
I decided to deal with both my need for refreshment and my need for coffee and go for a coffee milkshake ($5.50) which proved to be an excellent decision. It was deliciously creamy (they make their own organic soft-serve) and the fact it contains two shots of coffee gave me the perk up I was after!
The food decision was a slightly more difficult affair, there were multiple options jumping out the page at me! B went with the Goat’s Toast ($16.50) which consisted of creamy goat’s curd, house made beetroot relish, avocado, a poached egg & herbs, all on toast.
He really enjoyed this, to the point there wasn’t a scrap left on the plate, not even any of the herbs! Despite not being the largest fan of beetroot that was possibly the standout part of the meal for B, with the creaminess of the goat’s curd providing an excellent balance in both texture and flavour. The egg was also perfectly cooked and oozed everywhere when cut into, just like it should!
After umming & ahhing I decided to continue my love for all things baked beans and went with, exactly that – the Baked Beans! These were no ordinary baked beans, rather they were slow cooked fennel seed & tomato beans, topped with feta, green herd persillade & a poached egg and served with toast and chilli salt ($15.50).
Unsurprisingly I loved these. The beans were beautifully cooked – soft but still retaining their shape and the feta & herbs really complimented the flavours. I added a good few pinches of the chilli salt but didn’t go overboard, providing a nice little kick to the dish without overpowering it. Once again the egg was perfectly cooked and I scraped up every last bit of the juices with the toast. I was rather full by the end of it, and most definitely happy!
We couldn’t come down to the cafe without visiting the farm itself so we walked off our lunch with a wander round the paddocks. Even though it wasn’t quite Spring when we were there it was most definitely baby animal season, with lots of adorable lambs & kids and even a calf!
This wasn’t even all the baby goats, there were more lying in another part of the field! Have you ever seen a bigger pile of cuteness?!
I even got to cuddle a guinea pig which took me back to my childhood (we had the best guinea pigs growing up!) so all in all it was a pretty perfect way to spend a Sunday.
If you’ve never been I highly recommend a visit to the Collingwood Children’s Farm Cafe (and to see the animals!), it’s a fantastic spot in the heart of Melbourne, and would make a great day out with kids! The cafe even does special kids meals, so they’re definitely well catered for!
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I Spy Plum Pie is Liz, an early 30s kiwi-born, Melbourne raised girl who is passionate about the environment and sustainability, food, exploring and learning new things. Join me on my journey to a happy, sustainable life!