Short Round

Overview

It's been a long time coming, but the construction at 731 High Street, Thornbury has finally finished. After servicing the domestic animals of the inner north as a pet store, the spacious shopfront if now serving coffee, rather than collars, as well as cafe fare you certainly wouldn't feed your dog. Short Round is the latest addition to the area and, judging by the amount of locals and non-locals there in its second week, this is definitely Thornbury's newest thing.

A burgeoning suburb in itself, Thornbury is perhaps a perfect milieu for Short Round. Unlike its neighbouring suburbs, Thornbury is yet to be inundated with cool coffee haunts — although, if this very well-received opening is anything to go by, it is sure to be next. With a stream of coffee savants, long-time local residents, and those just wanting to give the space a once-over, it's a good thing they knocked down the existing pet store-era walls to create a much larger, open area.

Situated on a corner, the cafe makes use of the natural light, and the high ceilings do much to increase the sense of space. Inside, the fresh charcoal and timber fit-out boasts individual, window and communal seating, while around the corner on Ballantyne Street you can sit outside in the remnants of a suburban pergola.

The food offering, like so many other venues at the moment, is seasonal, with the spring menu featuring in-season cherry tomatoes, green peas and spring lamb. Served all day, breakfast ranges from sweet (butterscotch house made waffles with vanilla mascarpone and toasted pecans; $13.50) and savoury (breakfast pizza with egg, pancetta, passata, bocconcini, cherry tomatoes, wild rocket and olive oil; $13.50), but lunch might be an even harder decision. Choose from the slow spring lamb with spring onion herb salsa, feta smashed potato, cherry tomato and green peas ($19) or the Labourer's Lunch — local Velimirovic kransky & deluxe ham, piccalilli, braised cabbage and vintage cheddar with mixed bread ($18.50).

The Proud Mary coffee ($3.80) is, of course, good all year round, as is the selection of sparkling, red and white wine. Also stocked are the Thornbury-based 3 Ravens Golden Altbier ($8), Mountain Goat Hightail Ale ($7) and Cheeky Rascal cider ($11).

Short Round has the air of a cafe that is a fixture, not a fresher. While it's been open a mere two weeks, it doesn't appear to have the fresh legs that suburban cafes tend to land on. The newest addition to a thriving Thornbury, it is surely set to flourish along with it.