Baklava French Toast — the ultimate breakfast dessert enjoyed in a serene courtyard setting.

Our experience

Richmond is the traditional home of the cheap and cheerful — little sardine-tins of Vietnamese spots for pho slurping and little concealed warehouses converted into vibrant brunch spots. Demitri’s Feast is located in amongst the miscellany of shops found along Richmond’s busy Swan Street. With a most unassuming frontage painted in bold blue and white Hellenic colours, it is a narrow space where a glass counter stocked with fresh salads and pies, and bowls of baklava and turkish delight squares grab your first attention. A tight side line of wood tables opens out onto a beautiful vine-covered patio that almost evokes a Grecian country villa.

For sweet-tooths on the quest for a sweet breakfast, Demitri’s Feast offers unique and delicious takes on the ubiquitous pancakes and french toast. Inspired by its Greek agenda, the first sweet breakfast option is the very very exquisite, “Baklava French Toast” ($14.50). Scattered with little rocks of walnut praline, two enormous slabs of french toast always quite literally turn heads. They come with rather fried surfaces, but always maintain moist insides, and are partnered with a small DIY jar of orange-blossom honey syrup to assist in controlling or indulging one’s sweet-tooth as desired. Baklava taste is somewhat elusive, but sweetness is pleasantly pervasive and utterly diabetic-inducing.

The second sweet breakfast option available are the “Semolina Pancakes” ($14.50) with rose jam, yoghurt and orange blossom syrup. They are consistently very fluffy inside, and again, very generous in serving portion. However, the “rose” jam lacks a full-bodied flavour, and the orange blossom syrup seems increasingly watered-down on each successive visit of ours.

Our verdict

Demitri’s Feast distinguishes itself from other brunch-offering cafes in two ways: firstly, an all-weather courtyard patio area that makes it just so fun to catch-up with friends, and pretend that one is anywhere but in Melbourne. It is especially far away from the ubiquitous converted warehouse decor of other Melbourne cafes. Secondly, Demitri’s Feast provides a long brunch menu that also keeps in mind insatiable sugary palates. Our only quibble is that due to its neighbourhood popularity, there is usually a bit of a wait for a table…and for food. No matter, we overlook the wait because the service is friendly and the food is just..oh my. A long-standing, definitive MoMo & Coco sweet breakfast favourite, the Bakalava French Toast is THE ultimate breakfast dessert in Melbourne. If you may beg to differ, do let us know! 🙂

Dessert adventure checklist

1. ☑ Dessert destination: Demitri’s Feast Cafe, 141 Swan Street, Richmond, Vic 3121.
2. ☑ Budget: $.
3. ☑ Sweet irresistibles: Breakfast dessert.
4. ☑ Must-eat: Every dessert you can fit in, but especially the Baklava French Toast
5. ☑ The short and sweet story: Baklava French Toast — the ultimate breakfast dessert to be enjoyed in a serene courtyard setting.