Heavenly desserts at a 100-year-old church turned neighbourhood cafe make Linger Patisserie Cafe the perfect place for a caffeine hit and a sugar rush.
Located in a leafy side street in Camberwell, Linger Patisserie Cafe has been making waves across social media with their Instagram-perfect dessert creations that pack enough whimsy to put Willy Wonka and Wes Anderson to shame. With white chocolate bunnies nestled between tufts of icing grass, and pears that look freshly picked from the tree only to be cracked open to reveal a rich mousse, the dessert case at Linger is as fanciful as is it is delicious. But there’s more to this hidden gem of a cafe than just its playful edible artworks.
At the cafe’s heart is a strong sense of community. Linger Patisserie Cafe is the sort of place where the staff know the regulars by name and stop for a chat to catch up on whose son just got engaged, or whose little one has started walking. It’s a cafe with a neighbourhood vibe, where foodies taking the perfect photo, and mums with prams sit side by side taking in the stunning architecture of the church that now houses the cafe and drinking some damn good coffee.
Celebrating its centenary this year, the building was formerly part of the Anglican Church it sits along side. With the original high vaulted ceilings creating a huge space, and giant stained glass windows flooding the cafe with natural light, Linger is perfect for long, lazy brunches – and the open plan layout makes it ideal for dining with kids, with ample room for pushers and prams to pull up alongside the table. The all day brunch, and a great kids menu, make Linger the destination of choice for local mums – and the playground and community centre across the road all add up to a family-friendly environment that make Linger a favourite for returning diners.
On the brunch side of things, the menu has a little of everything. With sweet breakfasts like buttermilk pancakes loaded up with fresh fruit and blueberry mascarpone available for the sweet toothed diners, they also have hearty savoury dishes like Pork Brother Sliders with pork done three ways – spicy BBQ, roasted pork belly, and deep fried curry pork – for those looking for something a little heavier. Looking to the future and always wanting to evolve and reimagine their menus, the staff tell me that that new gluten free and vegan options will be launched later in the year.
Honing their patisserie skills in Paris, the team have brought their craft back to Australia and make all of their desserts in house. When I visited, kids and adults alike were huddled excitedly around the dessert case watching as the staff expertly assembled the sweet apples and dragonfruit desserts, carefully placing chocolate stems and meringue tops to squeals of delight from their audience. But the desserts don’t just look good, they taste amazing too! I tried the Lemonicious – a picture perfect lemon that, when its white chocolate shell is cracked open, reveals a yuzu and white chocolate ganache filling with a hidden centre of lemon puree, lemon segments, and fresh mint. When creating their cornucopia of faux fruits, the staff at Linger were careful to balance out the flavour profiles to ensure they weren’t too sweet. The Lemonicious is perfect in this regard, with the ganache packing a sweet punch, while the lemon puree has just enough tartness to counter it delivering a perfectly harmonious bite from start to finish.
Another must-do when you visit Linger Patisserie is to give their rainbow array of drinks a go. While bright yellow turmeric lattes are all the rage at the moment, Linger is embracing the whole spectrum, serving up perfectly pink beetroot lattes, Purple Dream hot white chocolate, and a matcha milkshake.
I was a little apprehensive to give the beetroot latte a try. Don’t get me wrong, I love a thick slice of beetroot in a burger, but in a hot beverage? Turns out I had nothing to worry about – the beetroot latte was absolutely delicious! I’m not someone who usually goes for hot drinks – I’m more a juice and soda kinda gal – but I drank the whole beetroot latte and then unceremoniously held it almost vertical to get the last drips into my mouth! Served with honey and coconut milk, it’s reminiscent of a deep, earthy chai. Super warming and comforting, it’s a visual and flavoursome delight.
The Purple Dream makes use of butterfly pea powder to give the luscious and rich hot white chocolate drink a deep purplish-blue hue that will delight the kids, and get the kid inside you excited too. Packed full of antioxidants, Butterly pea powder adds a colour and health punch to this drink.
Whether you’re out with the family, or just looking for a place with good food and great coffee, Linger Patisserie Cafe is an ideal spot to while away an afternoon and linger a little longer.
Linger Patisserie Cafe
101 Bowen Street, Camberwell
Ph# : 0427 800 018
Facebook : Linger Patisserie Cafe
