We headed south of the city over the weekend and stumbled across the Pantry in Brighton. They serve an all day breakfast until 4:30pm, which we took up as there wasn’t a great deal of selection on the lunch menu. The restaurant is quite diverse in terms on services, including a deli, cooking shows and outside catering.
SERVICE
Service today was that of a cafe standard, rushed and impersonal. The waitresses simply came, took your order and brought your food with no conversation. The food did come out within 10 minutes of ordering, which was quite impressive since the restaurant was full, however we did have to ask twice for some water, however nothing to critic about.
FOOD
The menu offers a variety of typical dishes to choose from and lacked any adventure dishes to try. We started with the Pantry breakfast consisting of two free-range eggs cooked to your liking, bacon, tomato, roasted mushroom, hashbrowns, sourdough toast. For $23, you didn’t get much.
I went with the Bircher muesli with poached apple, pear, rhubarb and apricot, cranberry granola, berry compote. It was decent, however there was no real flavour or wow factor. It was just a simple granola with some fruit on top. Again, bit pricey at $15 for what you get, but then again, we are in Brighton!
In terms of the quality of food, I must compliment the kitchen on this and the beautiful presentation of our dishes. The coffee was decent, however not the best we’ve had in Melbourne.
In addition to their in house dining, Pantry also offers takeaway pizzas and meals for those who are looking for a quite night in.
ATMOSPHERE
I found the clientele here are of those with a higher income and young families. The menu does base themselves around simple food with kiddie options for the whole family to enjoy.
Their large outdoor relaxed patio area is always full. The tables are spread out enough that you can walk with ease through the patio area, and for those coming with a pram, it makes life a lot easier.
Inside the restaurant is warm and inviting with features of white linen tables, an open concept bar area and decorative lighting. The restaurant has a very simple layout to match their simple menu available. Brown paper lines the tables for a more rustic, laid back feel.
The restaurant isn’t the only thing that is keeping them busy. With over 20 years under their belt, the team at Pantry have been evolving the name and brand to where it is today. They have recently opened a deli next to the restaurant for those looking to purchase kitchen products.
Catering services are also available to those hosting external events. The option is yours whether you would prefer to pick up the order and serve it yourself or have the team at Pantry cater for you from start to finish.
Cooking shows and Masterclasses have quickly become a popular dining event at Pantry. Sit alongside some of the top chefs in Australia as they showcase their signature dishes. The Miele Pantry Masterclass and Show showcases a five course culinary journey where the restaurant is dressed as a theatre with set, stage, sound and lights (pretty impressive!).
