Cafe Lafayette Is the CBD's New Neon-Lit Spot Serving OTT Japanese-Inspired Brunches

At the CBD's newest breakfast destination, Cafe Lafayette, the morning meal takes a verge from the well-worn eggs and avo on toast. But that should come as little surprise, given it's the brainchild of the same minds behind Prahran's adventurous all-day diner, Grand Lafayette.

Already known for its OTT Japanese-inspired brunch plates, the cafe has spawned its first sibling and is now taking on the city from the laneway space once home to Restaurant Shik (which sadly closed its doors last April). And the 60-seater is clearly out to draw attention to itself with a dramatic design by award-winning firm Hassell. The cafe isn't light and airy by any means — the moody backlit walls and black tables are matched with shiny surfaces that reflect pink, blue and orange neon lights to create the effect that you're in a bar after work, not eating brunch at 10am.

An all-day brunch offering has a soft spot for theatrics, filled with clever reworkings of the classics. And if you're going to break out of your eggs-on-toast comfort zone, how better to do it than with some bolognese-topped panko-crumbed eggplant, teamed with mounds of parmesan and a poached egg? Otherwise, stick with the somewhat familiar with Lafayette's take on eggs benny, which matches braised pork belly with a cod roe potato croquette, sautéed kale, hollandaise and a balsamic dressing.

There's also fried chicken — here served with a squid ink waffle, maple syrup, cheese sauce and wild honeycomb — and an elegant bird's nest-inspired creation featuring Japanese okonomiyaki with bacon, tonkatsu sauce, yuzu mayo and a 62.5-degree egg. Or, you might want to sink your teeth into the charcoal grilled eel hotdog, starring Japanese omelette, kale, picked onion and yuzu mayo, sided with crisp seaweed chips.

The unagi hot dog

The situation gets just as wild over on the drinks list, where the signature sip is a 'technicolour latte' — essentially a full-fat white coffee jazzed up with a rainbow of colourful latte art. Elsewhere, you'll spy turmeric lattes, a series of supercharged shakes and an iced green tea latte made on top-quality Japanese matcha.

Find Cafe Lafayette at 30 Niagara Lane, Melbourne CBD. It's open 10am to 3pm Monday to Friday, and 10am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday.

Images: Griffin Simm.