In Newport’s burgeoning cafe scene, Leroys Cafe adds community flavours to classic breakfasts
If breakfast is the most important meal of the day, then Leroys Cafe in Newport should be the most important name on any Westonian’s lips. With an all day breakfast that seamlessly blends classic fare with on-trend and beautifully Instagram-worthy whole foods, Leroys Cafe is perfect for a drop in visit or a lazy weekend brunch.
As someone who tends to take life slow and enjoy breakfast somewhere in the early afternoon (much like the local moggy for whom the cafe is named) this laissez-faire approach to the breakfast routine suits me just fine.
Newport – formerly a working-class dockside suburb quietly resting in the shadow of the Westgate Bridge – is proving to be the most exciting place to be for urbanites looking to escape Melbourne. Following it’s neighbouring Western suburbs of Yarraville and Footscray, Newport is becoming a hive of activity and creativity for hip young things, and families alike.
Blending the suburb’s traditional hearty roots with this exciting rebirth, Leroys Cafe owners Wally Dabab and Jason Lay, along with head chef Sam Pinzone, have created a perfect fusion of mouth watering food with an ambiance that welcomes everyone – especially families with young children.
This community-based approach is so refreshing in an industry that for the most part seems merely to tolerate children. Leroys Cafe embraces them with a family friendly exterior dining area and high chairs.
This community heart continues it’s beat on the menu, which makes the most of local and seasonal ingredients to create dishes that reflect the ethnic and social identity of the west, while also supporting local producers and ethical farmers.
At first glance, the menu seemed overwhelming – each dish has its own story, and Pinzone’s skill at combining fresh and vibrant flavour profiles has resulted in a menu that is as clever as it is delicious.
The Weekend Warrior really showcases these twists on a classic, with black pudding crumbs and onion puree delivering the flavours of a traditional full English breakfast in an interesting and fun way.
Like Malvern’s Sagra, Leroys is all about classic breakfast dishes done differently – and they really brought it to the table (excuse the pun) with these dishes.
For me, I had to go with the cafe’s most popular dish, The Newport Hollan Daze. A riff on the classic Eggs Benedict, the Hollan Daze serves up two perfectly poached eggs with smashed avocado (of course! – It’s a Melbourne mainstay), deliciously crispy bacon, topped with rocket and parmesan and the titular mother sauce, hollandaise. The big draw for me is that these are all served atop the crunchiest hash browns I’ve had in a long time. Don’t get me wrong, I love an English muffin as much as the next girl, but potato will always be my carb of choice.
If the food is the star at Leroys, then the coffee is definitely the best supporting actor. Using Carlton based ethical and sustainable Campos Coffee Roaster’s beans, you can rest assured that every bite and gulp in Leroys goes back into supporting local businesses.
And, if you simply must dine and dash, Leroys Cafe has plenty of take away treats to satisfy your sweet tooth. White chocolate and marshmallow muffins, dainty cupcakes, Nutella baklava and the most decadent caramel slice I’ve ever had the good fortune to devour fill the glass counter. I intended on saving my caramel slice for later, but I couldn’t resist and it didn’t survive the long drive home (fifteen minutes is a long time, right?).
Leroys may not have an apostrophe, but it has plenty of heart, good food, and great coffee.
