Peel to Pip

Overview

In an effort to have a quaint weekend brunch, we ventured out into the suburban neighbourhood between Morningside and Kingsland. As its name suggests, Peel to Pip serves a wholesome and sustainable menu that changes seasonally. Walking into the café its homely and welcoming vibe was a sure sign of how family-friendly it was – perhaps the children’s playpen was a big giveaway.

The main dining area is much like a huge sunroom where you can bathe in the warm sun and enjoy the light breeze while you chat away with your loved ones. Greeted by an always-smiling and amiable waitress, my brunch companion and I decided to treat ourselves to an indulgent milkshake each – the raspberry, vanilla bean ice cream topped with whipped cream had the perfect balance of sweet and smooth with an added tang from the freeze dried raspberries; on the other hand, the peanut butter milkshake with chocolate ice cream and chocolate sauce topped with whipped cream and peanut M&Ms was, obviously, without a doubt, a winner ($7.50 each).

After a long time perusing through the intriguing menu, we opted for the spiced sunny eggs with flat bread, watercress, tzatziki, beetroot hummus, tomato salsa ($17.50) and the portobello and chestnut mushrooms with herbed whipped feta, pistachio dukkah and warm sourdough ($16.50). Beautifully presented and in no way disappointing, Peel and Pip’s honest approach to food was immediately understood. Despite just consuming a large hearty portion for brunch, in which post-feed drowsiness more often than not, ensues a nap, I felt light, breezy and energetic with no guilt.

As someone who thoroughly enjoys eating food (and large portions of it), summer is not the season to be jolly, nor does the high temperature agree with me. As I hate dieting, healthy eating needs to become a lifestyle, which can be rather difficult when you’re out dining. What’s really noteworthy about Peel to Pip is that their food is wholesome, nutritious and delicious with that certain home-made touch.

Sitting in the perfect sun-drenched spot with the warm light breeze sifting through, we were chatting for two hours in what seemed like mother earth's own garden-themed cafe. Peel to Pip is really a warm, welcoming and relaxing eatery with plenty of space and wonderful food. Next time, I’ll be going for the mango, passionfruit coconut milkshake with the spelt hotcakes, macerated strawberries and crème fraiche, and the black pudding with seared asparagus, mushrooms, thyme tomatoes and rosti with zested hollandaise. Like I said, no guilt.