Another hidden gem in Melbourne, tucked away in a residential area in Mount Waverley, which is always a plus point for me as it means easier parking. Stanley cafe is under the same creative group behind Bentwood Fitzroy (check out my visit here), Clubhouse Malvern, Tinker Northcote and the newest kid on the block, Winter Malvern.
As I look through the menu I realised there's more options for sweets ranging from a nourishing bowl of acai to indulgent Nutella waffles, which was the obvious choice for me. As the waitress places the waffles on our table, I could smell the Nutella mixed with fresh hot egg waffles. It laid on a bed of raspberry puree and topped with vanilla mascarpone, crumbed pistachios, banana brûlée and fresh strawberries, the perfect accompaniment to Nutella.
I am sure from looking at my other brunch diaries, you would realise by now that I always need a savoury before the sweets. I shared all these with my friend and I had to recommend her the Beef Brisket Benny, which is quite similar to the other Eggs Benny that they have at Bentwood but Stanley's version is on a corn bread cheddar waffles instead of sweet potato. Both were just as good, I could not choose a winner.
I ended our feast with a refreshing plate of coconut and lime panna cotta served with cranberry and almond buckwheat granola, pasionfruit, freeze dried raspberries, strawberries and grilled pineapple. It was not like the usual panna cotta that you find elsewhere, it was still smooth and creamy but the touch of lime made it taste incredible refreshing which is why I chose to eat it last. It's always hard to choose a favourite when you go to an amazing cafe like Stanley, but this dish was definitely a winner for me as it ticked all of my foodie boxes: refreshing taste, mixture of texture and photogenic.
63 Stanley Avenue
Mt Waverley VIC
xoxo