Frankie Says is one of two riverside cafes at the bottom of the Sanctuary luxury apartment complex in Abbotsford. It’s in a handy location across from IKEA and Victoria Gardens Shopping Centre and while it’s part of a high rise block the setting is actually very serene as the cafe has a lovely indoor/outdoor feel amongst the trees high up on the hill overlooking the Yarra and the Capital City bike trail.
I confess that I was planning on having breakfast at the other cafe, Kitty Burns, but when I saw the queue there I decided to head across the boardwalk to Frankie Says. And I’m glad I did!
The cafe is light and spacious, with high ceilings dangling brushed metal pendant lights and a curving vista of floor to ceiling windows.
All the tables are semi-communal as they are all large and fit 5-8 people. If you really don’t want to share a table there is a window bench and a few tiny tables for two – though I like the expanse of space on the round tables with plenty of room to spread out your newspaper, colouring-in, food, sippy cups and baby wipes. If you fancy sitting outside in winter they even provide polar fleece blankets for you!
The menu is trendy without being scary and everything is available all day even though the menu designates some dishes as breakfast and others as lunch.
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We try the buttermilk pancake (which takes about 15-20 minutes to make) scattered with berries and seeds and a scoop of vanilla mascarpone ($15). The pretty plate brings a ‘wow’ from the 5 year old though I reserve judgement as the pancake looks wet and dense in the pan. It is actually very fluffy and springy and all in all a delicious breakfast treat.
My breakfast is from the ‘lunch’ section and is seared ocean trout with a salad of heirloom tomatoes, chat potatoes and peas. It is a fresh, light, very Spring-like dish (though we’re in the middle of Autumn) and I’m delighted by the substantial portion of fish when I would normally expect to see something half the size at other cafes. My only quibble was the ice cold potatoes which I didn’t think married well with the rest of the hot and room temperature ingredients.
My chai was too much on the milky side but did come served in a huggable ceramic cup so bonus points for that.
Frankie Says is a great family-friendly cafe if you’re heading to IKEA and Victoria Gardens Shopping Centre. Turn a shopping chore into a day of fun!
HOT Tips:
- Pram access;
- Numerous high chairs;
- Standard menu suitable for kids;
- Toilets are outside the cafe inside the carpark – very clean and spacious with disabled access;
- Parking at underground carpark of Sanctuary building (enter from Victoria Street). Free street parking for 30 mins then paid parking;
- Stop 25 on #109 tram;
- along Capital City bike trail;
- Across the road from IKEA and Victoria Gardens Shopping Centre.
