June 21, 2009: Bebida Bar & Cafe II

On Sunday morning we met up with Tracy, Lee and Mike at Bebida. We rarely venture east of Brunswick St for a weekend breakfast and we were surprised at just how many cafes were already open along Smith St. Michael and I are rather proud of the extensive list of inner-north breakies we've catalogued on this blog, but there's clearly still a lot to be tried!

Bebida has a cosy, bohemian fit-out. At night it serves up tapas and live music, and by day it's a place to linger with coffee, nibbling at a muffin or filling up on a late breakfast or pide. On this morning it wasn't too full so we were treated to friendly and unrushed service throughout.

I liked the varied breakfast menu - in a single column it captures the healthy and the indulgent, sweet and savoury, the light and the hearty. The savoury options aren't all egg-based, there are lots of optional extras, and most of the dishes are vegetarian.

Michael ordered the eggs zeitgeist ($10.50) - "poached eggs on sliced fetta and baby spinach on English muffins with a touch of roasted capsicum sauce". This dish looked a little small compared to some of the other servings around the table but it proved to be most satisfying.

This pretty plateful is Tracy's Bebida burrito ($11.50) - "scrambled eggs wrapped in a burrito with a tomato, red onion, coriander and lime concasse, topped with avocado."

I went for the Belgian waffles ($12.50) - "handmade waffles served with seasonal fruit, natural yoghurt and maple syrup". The waffles were a little overcooked, but I prefer them crunchy rather than underdone. I liked the balance of this dish - it seems a silly compliment to pay, but I've lost count of the times that a sweet breakfast has disappointed me with too much cloying sweetness or too little fruit. These guys got it just right!

Bebiba doesn't quite fit the mold of Melbourne's so-hot-right-now bars and cafes, but it has its own style and there's plenty to appreciate if you have the time to sit back and soak it up.

(You can read about our previous dinnertime visit to Bebida here.)

Address: 325 Smith Street, Fitzroy
Phone: 9419 5260
Price: veg breakfasts $4-$15.50
Website: www.bebida.com.au