Sleepys II

May 15, 2026 

 

   

 

After first visiting Sleepys for brunch, we returned for Michael's (unblogged, weeknight, pre-netball) birthday dinner a month later. It took nearly a year for us to return for dinner again, ready to spontaneously treat ourselves on a Friday night. Naturally the menu changed a little in the meantime, though the theme is consistent - contemporary Chinese flavours in a wine bar setting, consistently staffed with the most friendly folk.

 

   

 

We were both in the mood for a cocktail, ordering an old-fashioned and a negroni between us ($22). 

 

   

 

We ordered most of the vegetarian options, with the help of our waiter. The teeny little spring rolls ($8) were piping hot and glistened with house-made sweet chilli sauce. Fried chive dumplings ($14) were hardier, with the chives filling the centre, and their chilli vinegar served more typically on the side.

 

   

 

The liang fen ($14) were very special, translucent handmade mung bean jelly noodles, naturally slippery, lightly dressed in soy, with roasted sesame seeds and Sichuan pepper.

 

   

 

The Hokkien noodles ($22) were less delicate and very satisfying, very salty, singing with soy and ginger and scattered with big chunks of spring onion. 

 

   

 

XO tofu ($30) was teamed with shiitakes on a gorgeous vintage fish plate and piled with sliced youtiao (savoury doughnut), which I loved dredging through the sauce. Some steamed rice ($5) seemed prudent.

 

   

The one dessert on offer was a star anise parfait ($15) served with plums, and it was a singular pleasure.

This was a special meal for no special occasion at all, a perhaps that made us feel all the more grateful for it. 

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 You can read about our first visit to Sleepys here.

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Sleepys 

787 Nicholson St, Carlton North 

food, drinks 

https://www.sleepyscafeandwinebar.com.au/ 

 

Accessibility: Sleepys has a step up on entry and clear pathway through the middle. Inside there are densely arranged regular and high tables with backed chairs; the backless benches outside look a little unstable. We ordered at our table and paid at a high counter. We didn't visit the toilets but it looks like there's a tight turn on the way out. (When this spot previously housed A Fan's Notes, we described the toilet as "a single, unisex toilet cubicle, which is a step up off an uneven path".)

Lankan Tucker II

April 12, 2026 

 

   

 

Michael loved our first visit to Lankan Tucker, but it just wasn't conveniently located for us to make many follow-up visits. Last year Lankan Tucker shifted to Carlton, nestled within College Square and invisible from the street, but Michael got wind of it somehow. We took refuge there for lunch on a day with dreadful weather, and were warmed by the staff welcome long before the food.

 

While the menu starts with eggs and toast, it's Sri Lankan flavours from then on: lots of roti, a biriyani burrito, tacos stuffed with black pork curry, and banana leaf rice and curry. There aren't any dietary markings on the menu, but the staff seem to know their stuff.

 

   

 

Michael relished the vegetarian version of kotthu roti ($26), a warming toss-up of shredded roti, veges and egg flavoured with soy sauce and chilli, nicely charred around the edges and garnished with curry leaves. It worked well with a fresh glow juice (carrot, apple and ginger, $10, pictured top). 

 

   

 

Sadly for me they were all out of Milo French toast (and now I think it's disappeared from their menu entirely!). I bounced back rapidly, having seen faluda on the menu ($10, pictured top). This one's a cheerful layering of rose syrup, milk and cream with a sprinkling of seeds, but no rival to the over-the-top versions I've previously enjoyed at Savour and Maalu Maalu. More unique was the veg pan roll ($7, pictured above), subtitled "the much cooler cousin of the sausage roll": here a warm vegetable curry is wrapped in a crepe, crumbed and deep-fried. The shell reminded me more of a Chiko roll, though it was much better, with this roll offering greater sophistication in its textures and flavours. No sauce needed!

 

   

 

Lankan Tucker are also doing quite a line in take-home products, from T-shirts to preserves, tea and ready-made meals.

 

It was so nice to be back at Lankan Tucker after so many years. Though they're tucked away, they've remained front of mind and I've already been back for another faluda-pan roll lunch! 

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You can also read about our previous visit to Lankan Tucker at its original location. Since then, its Brunswick West incarnation was reviewed on Melbourne Vita, Good Food, Good Karma, and Whatever Floats Your Bloat. 

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Lankan Tucker

570 Lygon St, Carlton

8000 3929 

food, drinks 

https://www.lankantucker.com/

 

Accessibility: Lankan Tucker has a flat entry and a heavy door. Furniture is medium spaced, mostly regular height tables and backed chairs. There is one large table located up two steps, and one large high table with backed metal seats. We ordered at our table and paid at a high bar. 

Green Man's Arms V

April 11, 2025 

   

The Green Man's Arms could be my favourite currently-trading pub, yet I rarely go for the pubbiest of their food, like the burger or parma. (OK, OK - I'll admit that I've eaten their pomme frites a lot.) I was in the mood to change that in a recent, typical, dinner-around-a-Nova-movie visit and checked out the Greenman's cheese burger ($30). There's a choice of two patty types here - house-made black bean or Beyond mock beef - blanketed in vegan gouda and layered into a soft bun with dill pickles, Bull's Eye BBQ sauce and garlic aioli. Then there's a handful of those pomme frites and a generous splodge of tomato sauce on the side.

I have long felt wary of mushy, messy and bland veg patties at omni pubs, and tend to avoid their burgers unless they state that they're mock meat. But I was willing to take a punt on the Green Man's version, and it paid off. Their black bean burger holds together and tastes really great! Meanwhile, my omni companion tried her first Beyond burger and was really impressed. A win for both the mock-lovers and the mock-averse!

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You can read about one, two, three, four of our previous visits to Green Man's Arms.

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Green Man's Arms

418 Lygon St, Carlton

9347 7419

http://www.greenmansarms.com.au/

Accessibility: The entry has a small lip from the street and there's a step up between the front bar and the dining room. Furniture in the dining room is regular seated height and medium-to-high density, with padded benches along the walls and backed seats in the interior. The front bar has medium-to-high density high tables and backless stools. We ordered at our table and paid at the high bar. Toilets are gendered with narrow cubicles and located on the same level as the dining area.

Sleepys

April 5, 2025

   

Though it's not far from our home, we don't pay Nicholson Village the attention it deserves. It took a recommendation from Michael's friend Evie to alert us to Sleepys, a cafe and wine bar that occupies the spot we once knew as A Fan's Notes. The space is much brighter and more carefully composed in this incarnation. The menu is modest in length but bold in flavour: croissants are stuffed with spam and bechamel, bacon and eggs are served only inside dumplings, and the omelette is flavoured with prawns, shiitake XO sauce, and Chinese broccoli. Clear markings indicate that about half of the dishes can be served vegan, and a third gluten-free.

   

Michael was drawn to the breakfast congee ($15). It's a deeply savoury experience, with the rice garnished with soy sauce, chilli oil, a tea egg, spring onion, furikake and fried shallots; Michael took it a little further and ordered the extra Chinese broccoli and shiitake ($6).

   

I couldn't resist trying the mi goreng toastie ($14) and added a fried egg ($3) to split the carbs with some extra protein. This was oily, wiggly deliciousness - very salty and very satisfying. I reckon the composer of this dish must've worked a while to perfect it, because the toast had just the right amount of crispness to hold together right down to my last bite.

The Sleepys staff made us feel very welcome and not at all rushed. The two of us agreed to rush back for more as soon as we could.

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Sleepys has also received a positive review from Whatever Floats Your Bloat.

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Sleepys

787 Nicholson St, Carlton North

food, drinks 

https://www.sleepyscafeandwinebar.com.au/

Accessibility: Sleepys has a step up on entry and clear pathway through the middle. Inside there are  densely arranged regular and high tables with backed chairs; the backless benches outside look a little unstable. We ordered at our table and paid at a high counter. We didn't visit the toilets but it looks like there's a tight turn on the way out. (When this spot previously housed A Fan's Notes, we described the toilet as "a single, unisex toilet cubicle, which is a step up off an uneven path".)

Shimbashi Soba III

February 20, 2025

   

We've been eating in at the Carlton outlet of Shimbashi Soba semi-regularly over the past two years, but we tend to order the same dishes over and over. A newly printed menu inspired us to mix it up on our last visit! The business remains entirely gluten-free, with spicy and vegan dishes clearly marked.

   

I ordered two smaller dishes and called it a meal. The agadashi tofu ($14) was lightly battered and delicate to handle, sitting in a pool of thin tempura sauce. I loved the crispy lotus root garnish.

   

By contrast, the vegan sushi roll ($18) was substantial, colourful and stuffed with contrasting flavours. Within the rice was zucchini, avocado and a juicy, heavily seasoned soy meat, and it was all topped with paprika mayonnaise, more lotus chips, pickled radish and spring onions.

   

Michael deviated from his favourite Vegan Red Dragon for the tofu curry rice ($31), and regretted nothing. The accompanying miso soup was welcome, but he most appreciated the heartiness of the thick curry gravy and multigrain rice, and happily picked through the fried tofu chunks, veges and pickles.

We're still going to feel the pull back towards our original favourite Shimbashi dishes, but it's no surprise that everything they prepare is the best version of itself.

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You can read about one, two of our previous visits to Shimbashi.

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Shimbashi 

344 Rathdowne St, Carlton North 

8060 6595 

tapas; dinner roll; warm soba; chilled soba; bento; rice bowl; dessert & coffee; Japanese tea & soft drink 

https://www.shimbashisobamelbourne.com/ 

Accessibility: Shimbashi has a flat entry. Furniture is a mixture of high benches and regular height tables, all with hard wooden backs and densely packed. We ordered at our table and paid at a high counter. There is a very narrow passage to the toilet, which is one non-gendered cubicle.

Chào Bạn @ Henry Sugar

February 6, 2025

   

Since celebrating my birthday there late last year, Henry Sugar have clearly put me on their email list. Late in January they announced that they'd be hosting a pop-up on Wednesday and Thursday nights throughout February called Chào Bạn. They'd be serving meaty and veg-friendly xôi xéo (sticky rice) plates with a few add-ons and drinks while the sun shone on Henry Sugar's street-side deck. We stopped by for dinner after a book launch at Readings.

   

We really did hit golden hour on that deck! The light, the drinks and the fluffy turmeric sticky rice were gold, gold, gold. Michael went for beer ($10), while I had a big, icy cup of peach and ginger iced tea ($6). The rice ($22) was topped with a tumble of starchy shaved mung bean, caramel tofu, vegan nước chấm, crispy shallots and fried garlic, pickled cucumber and roasted peanuts; every mouthful a different proportion of the components and every mouthful wholly delicious. We missed out on the battered eggs ($3.50 each) and didn't have room to try the lemongrass bánh bò (honeycomb cake, $7).

This Chào Bạn event was fleeting and fun, a perfect late-summer weeknight out. We'll keep an eye out for when they next pop up!

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Chào Bạn @ Henry Sugar 

296-298 Rathdowne St, Carlton 

9448 8196 

menu 

instagram profile 

Accessibility: This pop-up was hosted in the outdoor seating, with tables at both street height and several steps up on a wooden deck. Furniture is densely spaced, with a mixture of backed benches and backed chairs. We ordered and paid at a high bar just inside the door (accessed by shallow ramp). We didn't visit the toilets.

Marama

December 13, 2024

   

After a thoroughly enjoyed dinner at Henry Sugar, we cycled a little way north on Rathdowne St to another wine bar, Marama, for dessert. We once had a great (though unblogged) dinner of shared plates at Marama with a friend in 2023, so we entered optimistically. While Henry Sugar was sedate and welcoming, Marama had attracted a rowdy Friday evening crowd and we almost preferred to be offered a window bench on the farthest edge of it.

There were two desserts on the menu, so we were exempt from decision-making. The first was sticky date pudding ($19), with miso butterscotch and custard. While the miso didn't make a strong impression the classic elements were present and correct: a dense square of caramelly cake and a rich, silky sauce.

   

Second was something a little more creative and summery, centred on grapefruit ($20). A segment of lightly burnt grapefruit sat atop a scoop of white chocolate mousse, itself nestled within chunky-yet-tender black sesame crumbs, all with a side of grapefruit granita. These contrasts of texture, colour, temperature and flavour excite me most: the earthy, creamy, and icy; the sweet, rich and brightly tangy.

Marama did well to serve both the dessert traditionalists and the novelty-seekers with their two options! And they did their best to serve both the revellers and the more reserved patrons. Hopefully we'll find the right moment to return in 2025 and document more of their menu.

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Marama

793 Rathdowne St, Carlton North

9077 3303

dessert menu

https://www.maramawine.com.au/

Accessibility: There is a small step at the narrow door and a flat interior. Furniture is densely arranged with a clear pathway through the middle, a mixture of regular height tables with backed chairs and cushioned benches, and high tables with backed stools. We ordered at our table and paid at a high bar. We didn't visit the toilets.

Henry Sugar

December 13, 2024

   

I've been quite oblivious to Henry Sugar's reputation as a wine bar and restaurant. Locking my bike out front each time I got a haircut led me to looking them up on instagram, where I noticed that their Sunday lunch specials often had appetising vegetarian options. I decided to follow through with a visit for my birthday dinner with Michael.

The menu fits easily onto an A5 page. No dietary features are marked but we found it pretty easy to figure out what was vegetarian; the staff would no doubt be happy to help with other constraints.

   

Naturally there was a cocktail list and thankfully a few mocktails as well. I had the longest ice cube of my life, surrounded by Aces, rhubarb and rosemary ($14, pictured left) while Michael chose a Noël Sour from the seasonal specials ($23, pictured right), a concoction of white peach brandy, whiskey, rum, oloroso, crème de mure and lemon.

   

I was delighted when our crisps ($9) arrived in their own Henry Sugar packaging. These are lightly tempura-battered leaves seasoned with salt and vinegar, a fun way to get started.

   

The bread course ($9) is a little playful as well, as they serve puffy focaccia with Vegemite butter. 

   

Getting into the meal proper, we shared a shallow dish of smoked eggplant, stracciatella, curry honey and buckwheat ($24). This was soft, sweet and smoky with a contrasting crunch from the buckwheat, and the right thing to have alongside the bread.

   

The butternut 'short rib' ($29) was the meat-mocking we didn't expect to see on an omni wine bar's menu. It didn't resemble the texture of meat at all, but the sweet pumpkin was a good substrate for lacquering with koji BBQ sauce. Alongside was a spicy sambal tumis, which we both enjoyed in differing proportions.

   

As a side to the 'rib', we shared an excellent plate of charred asparagus served on a scoop of burnt scallion cream cheese with a halo of chilli crisp ($26).

We were pleasantly filled and very happy by this stage, ready to trust that the desserts would be very good. But it was early and the weather was gorgeous so we opted to get back on our bikes and make that a second stop of its own. The service at Henry Sugar was prompt and friendly, and I'd gladly go back if I found a special occasion for it. They're also well-placed for a sneaky mocktail-and-crisps after my next late-arvo haircut.

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Henry Sugar

296-298 Rathdowne St, Carlton

9448 8196

menu 

https://www.henrysugar.com.au/

Accessibility: There's a shallow ramp on entry. Furniture is medium-to-generously spaced, with a mixture of high tables and backless stools toward the front and regular-height tables with backed chairs and padded benches toward the back. We ordered and paid at our table. We didn't visit the toilets.

Holy Crumpets

December 11, 2024

   

I've had my eye on Holy Crumpets for a while. Their street signs are modest (with the previous occupant's name, babajan, still visible) and I suspect it's taken them a while to hit on regular opening hours (although these are now clearly visible on their door and their instagram page). Happily those hours included my 2024 birthday and we stopped in for breakfast at the start of a work-from-home day.

Holy Crumpets is a simple operation that suits me well: they make and serve sourdough crumpets with classic toppings (butter, Vegemite, honey, jams) and more elaborate special toppings, plus the requisite coffees and teas. That's it! The crumpets are vegan, as are many of the toppings, but there's no joy for the gluten-free.

   

Michael's long black ($5) and my chai ($5) arrived promptly in cute retro cups, and we didn't have to wait too much longer for our crumpets. I had a single crumpet topped with vanilla marscapone, raspberry coulis and chocolate flakes ($14, pictured top). It was almost as good as it looked, let down slightly by a lukewarm temperature. Meanwhile, Michael doubled up on the labneh, dukkah, olive oil and spring onion topping ($18, pictured below). The crumpets themselves are dense and textured, and we took home a pack to extend the fun.

I liked the casual set-up and constrained yet thoughtful menu at Holy Crumpets, and I'd like to return a few times to get a sense of their rotating specials and the consistency of their execution.

   

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Sweet & Sour Fork visited Holy Crumpets when they were operating in the CBD.

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Holy Crumpets

713 Nicholson St, Carlton North

food, drinks, specials

instagram page

Accessibility: Holy crumpets has one step up at the door. Furniture consists of a few medium-spaced regular-height tables with backed chairs and a high bench with backed stools. We ordered and paid at a regular-height counter. We didn't visit the toilets.

Green Man's Arms IV

November 23, 2024

   

Green Man's Arms is probably our favourite spot for dinner around a Cinema Nova movie. Not every visit makes it to the blog, but their menu's changed a lot recently and this one's worth the note. First, the bad news: my beloved vegan charcuterie board is no longer on offer, down-sized into 'hummus olive focaccia plate', 'chorizo focaccia plate' and 'chilli hummus focaccia' options. The good news? An all-vegan menu with abundant focaccia (see above), vege sides to share, an eclectic mains list of Asian dishes, pasta and pub classics, a few desserts I never have the room to eat, and almost as many mocktails as there are cocktails. Gluten-free and allium-free options are well marked.

Michael took a shot at the linguine carbonara ($26), a deceptively small-looking but actually hefty portion of pasta in a rich sauce with tomato yolk, confit tomato, chickpea bacon and parmesan. I reckon it's the best veg*n carbonara we've eaten. (My recent Brother Bon one, while also absolutely delicious, just barely resembles the traditional dish.)

   

I was looking for something a little fresher and took a chance on the tofu larb ($24). I'd almost never order larb, and the plates I saw travelling to other tables looked a bit beige and dry, giving this dish plenty of space to exceed my expectations. The tofu was golden, succulent and exceptionally seasoned, served with pickled snake beans, a wedge of lime, and neat cos lettuce leaves.

Everything was delivered without any need to rush to our movie (a 20th anniversary screening of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, an eternal fave of mine), and we even ran into an interstate friend, who comfortably fit by me on the bench seat for a catch-up. Green Man's Arms offers a high-quality veg*n experience that we shouldn't take for granted.

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You can read about one, two, three of our previous visits to Green Man's Arms.

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Green Man's Arms 

418 Lygon St, Carlton 

9347 7419 

menu

http://www.greenmansarms.com.au/

Accessibility: The entry has a small lip from the street and there's a step up between the front bar and the dining room. Furniture in the dining room is regular seated height and medium-to-high density, with padded benches along the walls and backed seats in the interior. The front bar has medium-to-high density high tables and backless stools. We ordered at our table and paid at the high bar. Toilets are gendered with narrow cubicles and located on the same level as the dining area.

Shakahari VII

Edit 05/01/2025: Sadly Shakahari has closed after many decades.

October 12, 2024

   

We don't eat out in Carlton as much as we used to, and even when we do Shakahari has fallen off our rotation. One of the Moody Noodles suggested we make a nostalgic return visit after we saw a movie together. After all, Shakahari is a trusty spot for food that's jointly vegan and gluten-free.

   

I felt compelled to order their signature Avocado Magic starter ($18.50) to share around. It was served as generous lengths of avocado, capsicum and eggplant instead of its past roll shape, with the familiar crispy rice batter and pool of coriander puree beneath.

   

Shakahari are not famed for spicy food, and Michael was pleasantly surprised to sense some heat from the Laksa Habat ($26.50). With tempeh, tofu and seitan included it was generous on the protein and just what Michael felt like.

   

The Legendary Satay ($26) was everything I remembered: generous chunks of home-made seitan, tofu and vegetables smothered in a heavy, mild peanut sauce, a neat serve of rice, and a colourful collection of lightly steamed and pickled vegetables.

I would've like to complete the set with a shared tofu caramel but the staff were very slow to return to us and, when I was honest with myself, I was very full. Perhaps we can save that report up for a where's the beef? 20 years on post in 2026.

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You can read one, two, three, four, five, six of our previous blog posts about Shakahari.

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Shakahari 

201-203 Faraday St, Carlton 

9347 3848 

dessert & entrees, mains 

https://www.shakaharivegetarian.com.au/

Accessibility: There are a couple of steps up on entry, and a couple more between rooms on the inside. Tables are widely spaced. We ordered at our table and paid at a high counter. We haven't visited the toilets in a while.

Pickles Milk Bar III

August 8, 2024

   

Pickles Milk Bar aren't sitting still, with a slow, subtle rotation of options on their printed menu and high rotation of specials on their texta-ed shop tiles. I picked up a couple of new-to-us options for a weekday lunch.

On the left is the already-rotated-out Honey Boo Boo special ($18), where a chicken schnitz is teamed with slaw, honey mustard and pickled jalapenos. It's a good combo, but didn't surpass the vegan schnitzel we know well from Nico's. 

On the right is our first foray into the breakfast sandwiches. The Hot Breakfast #2 ($15) is overall a sweet, smoky and saucy (but not too sloppy) affair with thin-cut smoked tofu bacon, a hash brown, cheese, pickled onions, mayo, bbq sauce, hot sauce, and garlic butter.

Everything's vegan and nothing thus far has been a disappointment. We're lucky to have Pickles so close by, ready to brighten up any work-from-home day.

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You can also read about one, two of our previous visits to Pickles. It has also been reviewed favourably by That Vegan Dad.

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Pickles Milk Bar 

1008 Lygon St, Carlton North 

menu 

instagram account 

Accessibility: There is a small lip on the door and a relatively spacious interior with a low counter. There is a line of bench seating along the wall, with small low tables and low backless stools. I ordered, paid and picked up my food over a mid-height counter. I haven't visited the toilets.

Joanne's Pizzeria II

June 9, 2024

   

A couple of months after our first meal at Joanne's, it again became a cosy and convenient spot for dinner, this time after a movie at Nova. We chose new dishes with the same approach as last time, splitting an appetiser and a pizza between the two of us.

I'm fond of a basic cheap garlic bread of the likes you'd find at Domino's. Sometimes more gourmet Sversions switch up the ingredients well, but often I'm honestly disappointed. Joanne's home-made garlic bread with cheese ($9, pictured below) was one of the good 'uns: both crusty and soft, plenty buttery and generously but not excessively cheesed.

The vegetarian Joanne's special ($23) had generous and well-balanced toppings: thin slices of mock ham and salami, mushrooms, green capsicum, olives and garlic, with just enough mozzarella to bind it all together. Is 2024 the year I finally make my peace with olives? I'll have to update our bio.

   

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You can read about our first visit to Joanne's here.

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Joanne's Pizzeria

639 Rathdowne St, Carlton North

9813 3437

menu

https://www.joannespizzeria.com.au/

Accessibility: There are four steps up on entry. Furniture inside is quite densely packed with a reasonably wide path through the middle. We ordered at our table and paid at a high counter. We didn't visit the toilets.

Fenton III

April 21, 2024

   

This post sets me on the path to a personal goal: visiting Fenton at least once per season to experience the variety of their produce-centred menu! We were there last winter and late summer, and here we are firmly in autumn.

   

It seems the chilli scrambled eggs ($25) are evergreen, which suits Michael well. The standard version featured chorizo, but the vegetarian adaptation included a welcome slab of haloumi, generous house-made hot sauce, pickled chilli and crispy fried shallots.

   

The sweet breakfast of the day was more distinctly autumnal, cinnamon apple French toast ($24). The single, thick toast was drenched in dolce de leche, piled with popcorn and scattered with pecan crumble. I was initially disappointed with the lack of apple, but actually there was plenty lying low under the popcorn and vanilla whip. This is a plate big on comfort, but also playful with textures.

While the dishes change, the excellence remains - can't wait for the next round!

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You can read about one, two of our previous visits to Fenton.

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Fenton

158 Rathdowne St, Carlton

9328 3401

food

https://fenton-farmhouse.com/

Accessibility: Fenton has a flat entry and medium-to-densely packed tables and backed chairs, with a clear wide path to the counter. We ordered at our table and paid at a low counter. We didn't visit the toilets.

Joanne's Pizzeria

April 14, 2024

   

The neon sign out front of Joanne's Pizzeria attracted Michael's interest during his work commute - it took us a while to drop in, but we lined it up for dinner after a comedy show. This is an omnivorous establishment, yet they'll offer a vegan variation on any pizza for $2 extra and a gluten-free variation for $4.

   

We started with a dairy-heavy burrata served with focaccia ($15). It was super-creamy in taste and texture, with a pool of grassy olive oil and some salt and pepper providing a subtle seasoning; the focaccia was plenty soft with a light crust.

   

We went half-way with a vegetarian conversion on our shared pizza and gave the hot honey trend a go, ordering the 'sweet thing' ($26 + $2). This bubbly, wood-fired crust was layered with tomato, mozzarella, stracciatella, mock salami, basil, and Mike's hot honey. It was a fun medley of sweet and savoury, freshness and heat and a little spice.

   

I can almost never consider a pizza dessert after a pizza dinner, so the nutella pizza and pistachio calzone probably aren't for me. But there are so many more savoury options to return for before we even get back to these excellent dishes: a few classic appetisers (garlic bread, salad, fries), and over a dozen veg-adaptable pizzas.

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Joanne's Pizzeria

639 Rathdowne St, Carlton North

9813 3437

menu

https://www.joannespizzeria.com.au/

Accessibility: There are four steps up on entry. Furniture inside is quite densely packed with a reasonably wide path through the middle. We ordered at our table and paid at a high counter. We didn't visit the toilets.

Pickles Milk Bar II

April 12, 2024

   

I've become a regular visitor to Pickles Milk Bar, often cycling down to pick up a sandwich on a work-from-home lunch break. On my most recent trip I had a flexible day on my own and decided to eat in and try a not-so-cycle-friendly shake. The soy milk-based miso caramel shake ($10) was thick, cold and super sweet - I didn't pick up on any miso nuance. Meanwhile, the sausage roll ($7) was a sturdy fellow filled with well-seasoned mock meat, and accompanied by a lovely relish. It carves its own space alongside my homemade fave, and the cheaper La Panella roll.

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You can read about our first visit to Pickles here.

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Pickles Milk Bar 

1008 Lygon St, Carlton North 

menu 

instagram account 

Accessibility: There is a small lip on the door and a relatively spacious interior with a low counter. There is a line of bench seating along the wall, with small low tables and low backless stools. We ordered and paid at the counter. We didn't visit the toilets.