Adorable: (adjective) 1. Very attractive or delightful; charming. 2. Worthy of being adored

Posted By Kate Davey on 13 September, 2011 | Comments 4

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Beatrix opened early this year on the slightly derelict end of Queensberry Street in North Melbourne. When I visited Beatrix with a friend we were both delighted and charmed, and adored the treats which we sampled. Having lived together in North Melbourne last year we are immensely disappointed Beatrix did not open earlier. There’s no doubt we would have been visiting every weekend.

Beatrix’s interior is adorable. The tiny space makes for some interesting gymnastic moves when it is time to pay but that only adds to its appeal. Displayed on the wall is a collection of egg beaters and while this may sound odd, trust me, it suits the place perfectly. The other dominant visual element is the cake cabinet (but more on that later).

The menu is small and basically consists of a few of the usual breakfast options (granola, various delicious egg and bacon roll variations) a soup special and one or two ciabatta specials. On the day I visited the special ciabatta consisted of pot roasted bultarra salt brush lamb shoulder, spicy harissa carrot salad, mint and labne. The next day’s special sounded equally good: slow roasted pork belly with pink lady apple slaw, cabbage, dill and crackling. These are serious sandwiches. I’m talking two hands, juice dripping down your arms, mess all over the table type of sandwiches. Delicious!

Despite the rave-worthy sandwiches, it is also very important to leave room for dessert. The display cabinet of cakes is filled with yummy homemade items such as brownies and woopie pies. We took home a brioche donut with sour cream and lemon glaze and a lamington. Both were excellent.

As for the coffee, well, it completed the trifecta. During our visit we sampled a latte, flat white and short macchiato (yes, we were there for a while!) and all were top notch. Despite the focus of the café undoubtedly being on the baked goods, the importance of a good coffee has not been forgotten.

My advice in relation to Beatrix: Visit with an empty stomach.

The Facts

Beatrix
Address: 688 Queensberry Street, North Melbourne
Phone: 9090 7031
Hours:  Monday 8am to 4pm, Tuesday closed, Wednesday to Friday 8am to 4pm, Saturday and Sunday 9am to 4pm
Coffee: Allpress Espresso
Food: Breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea

Tags: barista, bikes, breakfast, café, cake, cappuccino, Coffee, espresso, espresso machine, Food, latte, lunch, pastries