Shade - CLOSED

Overview

Glenferrie Road is one of Melbourne's busy, multiple-suburb-spanning roads that is chockablock every time you drive down it. This is, in part, thanks to the plethora of cafes and restaurants lining it. And Shade, Hawthorn's latest coffee-and-brunch offering, is the latest to arrive on its sidewalk.

Sitting almost flush with Glenferrie Station, the cafe is reflects the area in many ways. Firstly, the name is a nod to the City of Boroondara, the local government area — the word "boroondara" means "a shady place" in the language of the Wurundjeri people. Owned by three lifelong friends, Shade is also run by a team who went to school and have raised families in the area. And it has Hawthorn's best interests at heart, too — with convenient, good coffee, and a mix of modern cafe fare and Asian dishes.

Exposed brick, fresh greenery and aqua-hued crockery line the inside of the cafe, with the fairly minimalist design betraying a menu that isn't minimalist at all. On it, you'll find pancakes loaded with fairy floss and candied walnuts, deep fried eggs with mushrooms and pulled pork bao. And there are lots of edible flower garnishes, too.

Shade is open till 5.30pm Fridays and at least 4pm every other day — for those late coffee and cake runs. So, next time you're sitting in traffic on Glenferrie Road, you know what to do.