Moby is relatively new to Melbourne’s cafe scene and it is blooming in its prime corner spot on High Street Armadale. The cafe expands over three stories with a menu billed as being ‘Ottolenghi inspired’ from the ex-chef of Barry in Northcote.

As such, you can expect to find healthy salads, Middle-Eastern influences and a generally sunny disposition.

When the weather’s good the wooden rooftop deck is the perfect place to lounge. It has umbrellas for shade, cushioned benches and high white walls.

When the weather’s a bit colder huddle inside the light-filled mezzanine level, with its soothing palette of blush pink, teal and blond wood.

The downstairs area is where the hustle and bustle happens and the action spills out onto the pavement tables when the weather’s balmy.

The breakfast menu stops at 3pm and the lunch menu starts at 10:30am, which means for most of the day there’s a large range of dishes to choose from.

We try the tart of the day (cauliflower) which comes with a simply dressed crisp radicchio salad ($14).

The Californian superfood salad is clean-eating deliciousness on a plate. It’s described with a whole paragraph of ingredients, which is definitely Ottolenghi-esque.

The kale is finely shredded which stops it from being tough and chewy, the charred corn and chilli gives it a smoky heat and the optional gin-cured salmon is fresh and melting.

We share the buttermilk ricotta hotcakes as a dessert ($19). It takes 20 minutes to make because the batter is mixed and baked from scratch for every order. The result is a very large pancake topped with a heap of poached and roasted stone fruit, vanilla bean creme and a scattering of flowers which is all very pleasing to the eye.

I don’t love the rather wet and dense texture but my dining companions disagree. It’s a dish that is easily shared between two, even three people.

The weekday lunchtime crowd is full of sleek yummy mummies so certain features have been adopted to accommodate children.

The kids menu includes cheese and vegemite toastie ($7), coco pops ($7.50), boiled egg and soldiers ($10) and buttermilk hotcake ($12). There are also abundant high chairs and pram access on the outside tables and bottom level. Textas and paper can be provided as entertainment.

On the other hand access to the upper levels is via narrow stairs and thus a bit tricky. Also the toilets are around the corner, the women’s toilets require a key and the loos are too small to use as baby change facilities.

Moby is a cafe that backs up its stylish exterior with culinary substance and judging by the crowds at lunch a popular hangout already with the locals.

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HOT Tips:

• Pram access from street level;
• High chairs;
• Textas and paper on request;
• Standard menu suitable for kids;
• Children’s menu; and
• Street parking.

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Moby, 1150 High Street, Armadale 03 9509 2710

Mon to Fri 6.30am–4pm

Sat & Sun 7.30am–4pm