When you walk through the door of Foxtrot Charlie, look up. The soaring model aeroplane (which entranced Baby 2.0) will explain the name of this Brunswick family-friendly cafe.
The cafe’s typically narrow frontage on Sydney Road expands out into a surprisingly spacious area divided into two segments. Basically, there’s the adults area and a kids area and it’s all uber-stylish thanks to local Brunswick designers ZWEI (who also designed the amazing ninja-esque Code Black Coffee).
The kids area isn’t designated as such but there’s a basket of toys and books tucked under the waiters’ station and a tower of high chairs ready for little bottoms. It’s a light-filled extension to the dimly lit concrete-and-brick front section and even if I didn’t have kids I think I’d prefer to eat amongst the cheerful short stools and tables.
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The menu is quite inventive, with twists on the standard-issue cafe offerings. I went for the creamed cod on toast, sesame seed crust, caponata and a poached egg ($17). It’s sort of a British, Italian, Chinese prawn toast fusion dish and it works, with a pan fried crusty base or organic sourdough wielding a thick slathering of smoky fish paste and a hearty stewy accompaniment. The egg is perfect and apparently all their biodynamic eggs are cooked at 62.5 degrees.
The short kids menu has cheese and tomato toast, boiled egg and soldiers and fruit kebabs ($5-6). They are simple items but come out nicely presented just like the adult meals and the kids clean their plates and ask for more.
So for dessert we share the spelt and almond waffles with sabayon cream and spiced strawberries ($16). It’s a pretty dish of mulled spices and the waffles are more of the dense, Belgian style rather than fluffy American versions. My only quibble was that I think for the serving size perhaps the dish was a couple of dollars more expensive than I’d expect.
Foxtrot Charlie roast their own coffee and use organic biodynamic milk, so I’d expect the end product to be good given the amount of care taken in the ingredients.
I really enjoyed my delicious and relaxed lunch at Foxtrot Charlie and was a bit surprised that it wasn’t busier with prams and kids. The staff seemed completely unfazed by my kids sitting on the floor playing, the food was high quality and the setting was stylish and comfortable. Lady AB and Baby 2.0 loved it so much they didn’t want to leave!
Features:
- pram access (front and back alley);
- high chairs;
- children’s menu;
- standard menu suitable for children;
- toys and books; and
- disabled toilet (no change table).
Foxtrot Charlie 359 Sydney Road, Brunswick (03) 9387 3397
Mon to Fri 7:30 am – 4:00 pm
Sat to Sun 7:30 am – 5:00 pm
