In the Melbourne neighborhood of St. Kilda, we were delighted to find the all-vegan Matcha Mylkbar.
This eclectic cafe has an ever-changing menu and is open for breakfast and lunch (and it also has a gorgeous display of vegan sweets).
We arrived mid-afternoon but decided to eat breakfast. We decided on the Big Breakfast, which is with two poached vegan eggs, two slices sourdough toast, konjac bacon, potato and leek rosti, truffle-roasted mushrooms, wilted kale, and green tomato relish. It was gigantic, and very delicious.
Even better was the Hollandaise Eggs, two poached vegan eggs with turmeric hollandaise, kale, and avocado on sourdough toast.
As you can see, even the food has a matcha-infused green tint, and it works. The “eggs” were among the most inventive vegan item we’ve ever tried, surpassing every other egg substitute we’ve sampled. For one, they’re poached not scrambled; also, they have a truly eggy texture, and a slightly eggy flavor. It was fun, after so many years of going eggless, to enjoy breakfast with “egg” dishes.
And if you’re in St. Kilda, don’t forget to take a walk along the pier, where at dusk you might catch a glimpse of the Little Blue penguins coming in for the evening…it’s one of the rare opportunities to see penguins in the city.
You can learn more here; this viewing spot has volunteer guides, and the penguins have been studied since 1986. A fence has been installed due to visitors disturbing the penguins (even going as far as to pick them up). Here’s hoping this (and the abundant signage) helps visitors remember that these birds are wild animals and we are visiting their home.
To help protect the St. Kilda penguins by donating, click here.