The crew behind West Footscray favourite Dumbo Cafe has opened a second venue, Sani, in the former Woodstock Pizza site in Brunswick East.

For now it's a light and bright all-day spot (currently offering takeaway), but dinner is in the works.

When dine-in returns post lockdown, expect a cafe menu from chef Sam Terranova that's borderless. Congee with confit duck and Sichuan chilli oil shares space with a boozed-up pecan and honeycomb brioche, Egypt's ful medames, and XO folded eggs.

"We took all the best dishes we've done over the past two or three years at Dumbo and kind of made a menu on steroids," says co-owner Darcy Thornycroft.

Lunch-ready fare includes rabbit and veal agnolotti del plin and a crumbed snapper burger with house sambal. Coffee is from Rosso, with a pour-over bar supplied by Locale.

Pronounced sah-ni, the name is a Nepalese term for magnificent or brilliant and came from the nickname that co-owner Raju Ghimire uses for his son.

An intimate 36-person dining room will open in the next month for Friday and Saturday night dinners, with a five- or seven-course banquet menu, four house cocktails and a deliberately tight list of all-Australian wines.

Open Mon-Fri 7am-3pm, Sat-Sun 8am-3pm.

63 Lygon Street, Brunswick East, 03 9020 7952, sanimelbourne.com.au