Suburban cafe raising the bar

Fancy fluffy cinnamon doughnuts with Italian meringue, ice cream and poached rhubarb? Eggs Benedict with a side of thick-cut pork belly? Megan Miller finds a Cheltenham cafe which is zoned for cool.

Frank's cafe, Cheltenham.

Melbourne cafes have come a long way, baby. Once upon a time you’d be forced into the inner city for your cool cafe fix, but today some of the best new spots are found beyond Zone 1.

Opened late last year, Frank’s is one such place raising the bar for the ’burbs.

Harry Butler is behind the venture, putting an unassuming strip in Cheltenham near Southland shopping centre on the map with this 70-seater named after his late grandfather Frank McCann.

A carpenter by trade, Butler fitted out the cafe himself, transforming a former tool shop into the trendy hangout you see today.

Dishes are exciting too, some originals, offering something just left of centre without breaking the mould.

FOOD

Head chef Eli Faye was most recently in the kitchen at Golden Child cafe in Glen Iris before time as head pastry chef at catering companies Tommy Collins and The Big Group.

So, it’s with some sugary expectation we try his doughnut dish ($16.50), two house-made mini cinnamon doughnuts — fluffy and light, as they should be — on a plate with torched frothy Italian meringue, vanilla ice cream, puddles of white chocolate and poached rhubarb and strawberry for freshness. It’s a fine collaboration of texture and taste, and looks the goods on Insta too.

Gorgeous tomatoes get the French treatment in the tarte tatin ($18), a vibrant savoury take on the traditional pastry dish.

Here, you’ll get stacked discs of flaky pastry and frittata heaped with smooshed cherry tomatoes, buttered onions and goat’s cheese, all given an intense douse of good balsamic. Bold and beautiful.

Even old eggs Benedict gets a rev up. With a side of thick-cut pork belly, the Benedict ($19)
loads two slices of Baker Boys sourdough with two poached eggs and “bubble and squeak” (potato, brussels sprouts and cauliflower bits) bound by thick hollandaise. It’s another thoughtful update of a classic dish.

Being in the family belt, a great little kids’ menu is also offered.

Frank's in Cheltenham. Picture: Andrew Tauber

DRINK

Allpress coffee always hits the spot. And a double shot is put to good use in the
straw-clogging Frank’s Extraordinary Coffee Thick Shake ($9). Still thirsty? Get a trendy turmeric or matcha latte ($5), a banana or berry smoothie ($9) and six types of tea.

SERVICE

A warm welcome backed by affable service throughout the meal. Staff seemed genuinely happy to be there — the perfect scenario for a cafe relying on loyal locals.

X FACTOR

Designers Ewert Leaf is behind the clean lines of the wood and tile fitout. Seating — tables
and benches — are in a U-shape around the bar and kitchen, cleverly breaking up the racket one big room would create.

BANG FOR YOUR BUCK

On-par pricing for quality, well-executed dishes. You can’t go wrong.

VERDICT

Inviting dishes and friendly service in an unexpected location. Who says the inner city has dibs on cool finds?

The tarte tatin at Frank’s. Picture Andrew Tauber

Frank’s Cafe

97 Cavanagh St, Cheltenham. Ph: 9584 2620

FOOD

Mod cafe

HOURS

Mon-Sat 7am-4pm, Sun 8am-3pm

CHEF

Eli Faye

BOOKINGS

Only for groups of eight or more

TIME BETWEEN ORDERING AND EATING

12 minutes

PERFECT FOR

Lazy breakfasts

DESTINATION DISH

Cherry tomato tarte tatin

NOISE LEVEL

Fun

ONLINE

franksmelbourne.com.au

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