Reunion & Co

Overview

Opening quietly in a corner shop building on Bridge Road, Reunion & Co has joined the cafe-dotted and caffeine-fuelled hum of this bustling area. Sitting snugly in the building directly next to one of Richmond’s favourites, Touchwood, this new business feels right at home.

Elements from the historic building's past have been carefully matched with more modern fittings; the Victorian-style ceiling complements the sleek timber furniture, ornate stained glass entrance and exposed wooden beams. A large concrete box breaks the room in two, hiding the busy kitchen from view, while hanging potted plants and vines add a smart touch of nature to the elegant modern design.

With a focus on locally sourced farming, the food menu is a mix of typical breakfast and lunch dishes, with a few standout options. The local pine mushrooms with walnuts, goats curd and greens ($17.50) has a little kick with the addition of chilli — gentle, but just enough to add that something special to round out the dish. For a sweet breakfast, we recommend the Bircher muesli soaked in coconut milk with poached pear, pistachio, berries and lemon balm ($12.50), or a social media share-worthy bread and butter pudding topped with sultanas, mixed berries, lemon balm, luxurious double cream and edible flowers ($16). The presentation of this dish is wonderful.

Coffee is supplied from Allpress and expertly poured from their La Marzocco machine.  A range of teas, juices and smoothies are on offer, though these lack the attention to detail the rest of the cafe brings. We tried the Monkey Magic smoothie ($9), a blend of banana, cacao, dates, almond milk and cinnamon, served in a glass mason jar. Busy joggers and those on-the-go take note: there is a window around the corner in Neptune Street for takeaways. And as well as coffee, there's also a tempting selection of bagels, cakes and pastries available to go.

While Reunion & Co is nothing we haven't seen before and not yet a destination cafe, it is nice to see an attractive new addition to the area. And with good coffee and a solid staple breakfast menu, it's a potential regular for the locals.