In a pretty corner shopfront a couple of blocks from the beach, the Little Ox attracts a mix of brunching friends, lunching workers and families. The long, narrow room is gorgeous with bright, retro-styled orange and yellow chairs, an old wooden school desk and a large David Bromley painting. The food is just as well thought-out. All-day breakfast might be buttermilk pancakes with stewed fruit and a crunchy pistachio praline, or grilled corn fritters with ham, relish and avo mash. For lunch, expect above-par sandwiches, bright salads or mains such as creamy pan-fried gnocchi enriched with dense pine mushrooms and sage.