Cumulus Inc - Melbourne CBD - Melbourne, Australia

Melbourne is well-known for its vibrant cafe culture and there are plenty of cafes to choose from, if not too many for visitors like us. Broadsheet is a great website that makes planning so much easier, as they provide their favourite picks on where to eat and what to see. I do recommend giving it a browse if you plan on going to Melbourne. 

Our first breakfast in Melbourne was at Culumus Inc, described as an 'eating house and bar' which opened in 2008. It's located on Flinders Lane, renowned as the art and fashion precinct of Melbourne. This award winning restaurant is run by Andrew McConnell, a two time winner of 'Chef of the Year' by The Age.  It has a plethora of great reviews and is one of Melbourne's most popular restaurants. With those accolades, we had high expectations.

Arriving early on a Sunday morning, we were hoping to beat the morning rush as we had a long day planned ahead. It was bustling with people and every table was fully occupied. Others must have had the same idea in mind as we ended up waiting half an hour for a table. Reservations are only taken for groups between 7 and 14 guests.

The cafe was buzzing with patrons and it was crowded, noisy and filled with chatter, just how I like it.

The interior fit out is nicely designed by Pascale Gomes-McNabb. It's minimal but spacious, airy and full of natural light from the high ceilings and full length windows.

The breakfast menu is short and keeps to the philosophy of using fresh, high quality ingredients to create modern and simple comfort dishes. From the basic toast and spreads, to the more elaborate options such as the full English breakfast. We were looking forward to trying the 'Full English Breakfast ($19.00)' but after examining the menu carefully, this is only available from Monday to Fridays. They also serve lunch and dinner.

Most of us ordered the same dish. The 'Grilled Sausage, Smoked Hock, Braised Beans and 65/65 Egg ($17.60)' is served on weekends only. As per the name, it pretty much sums up what is on the plate. 

The egg is slowly poached at 65 degrees for 65 minutes to perfection. This allows it to retain the gooey yolk and smooth white. A gentle poke on the egg with my fork and the yolk oozes out like lava. 

The presence of so much braised beans gives us a bit of a shock as we're not use to eating so many beans in one sitting. It's cooked through with chunks of pork hock and this is actually very tasty. Unfortunately the beans cover the slice of toast which makes it go soft and soggy. We find ourselves wanting more toast to scoop up the sauce. 

The grilled Lyonnaise sausage is a good accompaniment to the beans. It's a bit on the salty side but works well with the other ingredients.

The 'Cumulus Inc Breakfast ($16.00)' includes a boiled egg, a pile of toast, preserves, yoghurt, organic juice and a choice of coffee or tea. Perfect for those who prefer a lighter and more traditional kind of breakfast. 

A selection of preserves to go with the toast.

If you're ultra thirsty,  a cold and a hot  drink forms part of the deal. We opt for the 'Organic Orange Juice' and a 'Jasmine Tea'. 

Cumulus Inc is a decent eatery for a delicious breakfast but it didn't wow me or bowl me over. I found the food here to be standard and the choices limited. I, however, enjoyed the atmosphere and that's probably what would bring me back. 

Where?
45 Flinders Lane
Melbourne VIC 3000
Australia

Phone no: 03 9650 1445

Opening Hours
Monday - Friday: 7:00am - 11:00pm
Saturday - Sunday: 8:00am - 11:00pm

Website
www.cumulusinc.com.au