Pearl Cafe

I’ve had this one of the list since I spied ‘Frenche brioche toast with chocolate and cherries’ in ‘The butcher, the baker the best coffee maker’. After two laps of the tan I was well and truely feeling deserving of such decedance and the boy was easily persuaded with the promise of beans and soughdough, his latest must have for breakfast.
I would love to give Pearl Café more stars as the food was quite divine. Unfortunately the service, which really can make or break a meal, let’s be honest was a real let down. My partner asked twice for water and then ended up going and getting some himself from the bar. Coffee was cold, average and my cup spilt as the waitress carried it over, leaving me mopping up the base every time I sipped to avoid any slopping onto my top. The meals took too long, the café wasn’t busy at all and unfortunately there were no cherries left so I had my french toast with strawberries — delicious perhaps actually a blessing. It was light, the chocolate melted in parts and solid in others with cream and loads of fresh strawberries. Stunning. My partner’s meal was substantial, the beans, sausage and eggs baked and served with a generous portion of soughdough. The food was top rate. The other goodies on display looked just as delightful, HUGE muffins, cupcakes and if I hadn’t eaten chocolate for breakfast more mornings post easter I probably would have demolished several of those wagon wheels.
So in brief the food was exceptional the coffee was very weak and the service was average — three stars.

Literally a stones throw away from Pearl Restaurant, Pearl Café is like the casual little sister of the upmarket restaurant that has made mud crab dinners sophisticated. Pearl Café on the other hand caters to a more diverse clientele, but still maintains a chic image.
A communal table sits in the middle of the room and leads the eye to the glass cabinet filled with sandwiches, wraps and sweets. Private tables line the perimeter of the busy café.
Pearl is always packed on weekends and does really well on weekdays as well. Pass by on any given day and there’ll be at least one or two professional cyclists (sometimes more) decked in their full garb, enjoying a cool drink after a long ride. I’m not sure why it’s so popular with cyclists but perhaps it is the close proximity to the Yarra trail.
If you do manage to get a table (there’s usually a short wait), try the Breakfast Pizza — that comes with egg, thin sliced bacon, spring onions and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.
Come lunch time, an Asian inspired menu unfolds but I’m not a huge fan of this mainly because I prefer authentic Asian food that hasn’t been experimented on or given a twist. Either way, it’s worth a try, so long as you are game for spin-​offs of the real flavours that define true Asian cooking.

Pearl Café is located on Church Street Richmond. Not to be confused with its much larger and much more expensive fine dining counterpart Pearl Restaurant.
Although this place is far more casual it still boasts a sleek and stylish vibe and interior. Its great breakfast stop, especially if you appreciated the latest and greatest, freshest of food selections.
The interior is spacious and similar to that of an open air warehouse layout and attention to detail is noted both in service, presentation and in the overall architecture of the place.
They do an amazing selection of backed goods such as coconut slice, mint slice, hedgehog slice, croissants muffins and other pastries. Try the bircher muesli, with sliced apple, coconut, rhubarb and almonds its to die for and so refreshing.