A few weekends ago I was back in Eltham for a wedding and the next day headed to Second Home for brunch. As someone who grew up in Eltham it’s still a bit of a surprise that cafes this good have established there, but I’m definitely not complaining!
The cafe is in a gorgeous Alistair Knox building, with high ceilings, lots of natural light and lovely furnishings. The tables are spaced far enough apart to give a sense of privacy, and the staff were friendly and welcoming even though it was unsurprisingly rather busy!
The menu has a good range of sweet, savoury, healthy and not-so-healthy options, with plenty of vegetarian choices. The coffee was so good that I had to have two!
My mum ordered the Vegie Home ($21.90) which consisted of haloumi, corn fritters, roasted tomato, mushrooms, avocado, beetroot relish and poached eggs, all on toast. It was a very decent sized dish and she was very happy with her choice!
Dad went with the Hearty Home option ($22.90) which came with double smoked bacon, tomato, thyme buttered mushroom, breakfast sausage, avocado and poached eggs on toast. He was very impressed that they make the sausages on site themselves – therefore making them preservative free which is rare for sausages! Funnily enough I didn’t try any of this dish, but there was nothing left at the end which I’m taking for a good sign!
Both my sister and I ordered the Charred Corn, Manchego Cheese & Jalepeno Hotcake ($19.90) served with spiced pepper relish, corn salsa, avocado and fried egg. The dish had an excellent level of spice to it – providing a little kick without overpowering the dish. I particularly liked the relish and salsa, which provided a nice balance to the slightly doughy hotcake.
As Second Home is situated in the backstreets of Eltham finding a car park can be a little tricky, but it’s well worth the effort to get there! I’m very glad there are now options like this for visits to my folks place!
Have you eaten at Second Home before?
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I Spy Plum Pie is Liz, an early 30s kiwi-born, Melbourne raised girl who is passionate about the environment and sustainability, food, exploring and learning new things. Join me on my journey to a happy, sustainable life!