Woodcutters Kitchen is a woodfired nano-bakery and family-friendly cafe in Bentleigh East.
What is a nano-bakery? Everything is small-batch, made from scratch from local and where possible organic ingredients, then baked in a wood-fired oven.
Two pizza ovens take pride of place in the front dining room. The kitchen is busy pumping out loaves (and toast) for breakfast and pizzas at lunchtime on our visit. Note that they are now only open Wednesday to Sunday from 5pm for dinner.
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The front room leads down a ramp into another dining area, then there are two toilets (one with the change table) and then the best part of all – a gorgeous courtyard with a custom-built cubbyhouse by Castle and Cubby. It’s styled as ‘Little Woodcutters Bakery’ and is filled with ride-on toys and a few books.
The courtyard catches the sun and is filled with raised garden beds and furniture built with recycled apple crates, pallets and fence palings by Dan the Veggie Bin Man.
On the Woodcutters Kitchen menu you can expect to see salads, tacos, gnocchi, risotto, pizza.
Baby 2.0 and I share a Margherita style Bakers Pizza ($15). The dough is bready, rather than stretchy and pliable like Neapolitan style pizza, so it’s a matter of preference. The wood gives the crust a nice charred taste and I like the flavour of the red sauce that hints at oregano.
The children’s menu offers the same pizza at half the size for $9 but I reckon if you have a hungry child they’ll probably demolish the Bakers Pizza easily. The kid’s menu also includes pancakes, toast, cereal and shakes ($7-$9).
The charred asparagus salad comes with baked lemons, parmesan and incredibly hard croutons that I have to leave behind. It’s not much chop for $17 so I reckon stick with the pizzas and forgo the greens.
As we visit during the soft opening the service is a bit harried and confused, but with time these issues should be ironed out. Woodcutters Kitchen is sure to be popular with local families with the warmer weather, as the outdoor space is a great place to hang out and enjoy a pizza and a drink while the kids play.
Click here for the best Melbourne cafes with outdoor play areas
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text el_class=”thon-hot-tips-panel”] Tips for Woodcutters Kitchen:
- Pram access;
- High chairs;
- Change table;
- Cubbyhouse in courtyard;
- Children’s menu;
- Standard menu suitable for kids; and
- free street parking.
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