Overview
Give your pantry a fancy makeover as Breadcetera moves into Malvern East. Guided by the team behind much-loved joints like Riserva, Baia Di Vino and Lucia, this community-minded spot might just be the corner store of your dreams. As the name suggests, stepping inside presents a myriad of high-quality staples, fresh bread, flowers and deli items, not to mention great coffee and probably more than a few things you didn't know existed.
Co-owners Frank Ciorciari and Anthony Silvestre have long been embedded in the Malvern East scene, with Riserva's European-style dishes and thoughtful wine-focused retail offering making it a go-to spot for well-heeled locals. Noticing a gap in the market for a similarly sophisticated store with carefully curated provisions, Ciorciari and Silvestre have elevated Breadcetera with an expansive network of local producers, suppliers and friends.
Jam-packed with upscale bites and boutique liqueurs, budding epicureans will recognise the names. For instance, Breadcetera stocks bread by Blanc Bakery — the supplier of Hector's Deli, Ruben's Deli and the duo's restaurants — alongside the artisanal loaves of Heathmont's Our Place and sweet treats from North Melbourne's Austro Bakery. Then, you've got Allpress coffee, homewares by Maison Balzac and a selection of Robert Gordon-designed pottery, with much more to discover.
Yet this market is more than just a place to refill your cupboards or snag a last-minute gift. Each day offers grab-and-go cuisine, starting with breakfast staples like bircher muesli, granola and egg-and-bacon English muffins. For lunch, expect a rotating menu of toasties, including tuna with green chilli, dill, pickles and American cheddar, and roast beef with horseradish mayo and pickles. Fresh sandwiches, focaccias, salads, pastries and take-home meals present even more options.
"Breadcetera is basically a collection of the things we use and love most. It's personal, but we've always believed the personal can be universal," says Ciorciari. "We didn't want to overcomplicate it — somewhere to grab good bread, a coffee, something for dinner, or even just a great pantry item you didn't know you needed. It's not a supermarket and it's not a café — it's something in between."
Of course, this considered concept needs the design to match. Ciorciari and Silvestre recruited Melbourne-based architecture and design studio Mitchell & Eades to bring the Wattletree Road store to life. Inspired by European market culture, microcement walls, custom timber joinery and soft-toned terrazzo flooring are elevated through bronze accents, fluted glass and mosaic tiling. Spanning a gift-wrapping station, a leaner for takeaway coffee and stool seating in the window, this mindful aesthetic reflects the gourmet goods that fill the space.
Breadcetera is open daily from 8am–4pm at 399 Wattletree Road, Malvern. Head to Instagram for more information.
Images: Michael Pham.