Carlton North cafe Sibling by Kinfolk’s globally-inspired brunch comes with feel-good factor
Charitable CBD cafe Kinfolk arrived almost 10 years ago. Now it’s new family member — Sibling — has opened in Carlton North, and it’s much more than just another Sunday brunch spot.
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CBD cafe Kinfolk was the social experiment Melbourne welcomed with open arms.
The concept was simple — all distributable profits from the cafe would be donated to charity, with the staff made up of volunteers from all walks of life.
Almost one decade later, Kinfolk Enterprises welcomes another cafe to its family — Sibling in Carlton North. Locals again dug deep, crowd-funding the fit-out of the cafe’s Nicholson St digs which opened last November.
TWO MATES BOUGHT VINEYARN ON WHIM
COULD THESE BE BRUNSWICK’S BEST PANCAKES?
WOULD YOU EAT THIS BIT OF A SEA URCHIN?
Don’t write this social enterprise cafe off as just another place for Sunday brunch.
The menu aims to source local, be sustainable and keep you guessing where in the world head chef Zane Heemi drew his inspiration from.
FOOD
You won’t need a passport to eat your way around the world at Sibling.
The cafe doesn’t discriminate on cuisine — there’s nuances of Japanese, South American, Middle Eastern and Chinese in their breakfast and lunch dishes.
The menu may leave some lost in translation, requiring a sneaky Google of ingredients under the table, but wait staff are at hand to decode.
The arepa (a maize dough pancake) comes topped with pumpkin, ashed goat’s curd, mojo verde and sprinkle of pumpkin seeds for crunch (pictured, $19).
The dish comes with an optional poached egg and while I opted for some protein, it became too much.
Trust the dense and delicious arepa to fill you up. The bruschetta gives a nod to Italy with its ‘stretchy cheese’, tomatoes and fresh basil on a crunchy sourdough ($18), while the spiced okra is given a Middle Eastern makeover, with avocado hummus, pickled chilli, cabbage and pita ($19).
DRINK
Small Batch is the saviour of Sibling’s early morning risers. By 9am Sunday, the coffee machine has had a good work out.
There’s milk and black options ($4), plus soy and almond non-dairy alternatives.
After a boozy brunch? Make a beeline for the playful bloody hipsters ($15) and North Fitzroy spritzy boy ($12).
SERVICE
Praise to the service staff who were able to decode and steer us on the menu.
A big tick to food allergies and intolerances being noted on the receipt, making sure the message gets through to the kitchen.
Sibling employs staff and takes on a diverse range of volunteers, according to Kinfolk Enterprises chief executive Jarrod Briffa, with the service seamless when we visit.
X FACTOR
Sibling donates all distributable profits to charity — this year it’s Asylum Seeker Resource Centre and the Cathy Freeman Foundation.
There’s a green bean ballot which allows customers to say what percentage should go to either charity.
BANG FOR YOUR BUCK
A few dishes cost north of $20 each, so if they are on your list along with a few coffees, the bill adds up.
However with proceeds going to a greater good, it makes us feel better about ordering our third coffee.
SIBLING
611 Nicholson St, Carlton North
Food: Wholesome brunch fare
Hours:
Mon-Fri: 7am- 3pm
Weekends: 8am-3pm