Brown Cow
Located Bayside, the always busy Brown Cow is as much about ambiance and harmonious dining as providing delectable meals that ensure a steady stream of regular customers.
Renowned for its unique dining experience and with several flexible yet personable seating options, this terrific café-bar-restaurant, creates an almost feng shui environment in which to enjoy a wonderful meal, no matter what the weather.
In summer there’s a the sun-kissed deck to relax on and in winter the open fire makes dining, delightful, homely and sophisticated.
My favourite spot is outside on the pine benches, especially on a sunny day.
Here it’s unpretentious and very sociable, perfect for a group lunch or to hang with locals and friends over knock off drinks.
With a menu that is simple yet very creative, Brown Cow caters to even the most fussy of appetite, with no diner left unsatisfied including those seeking vegetarian or gluten free meals.
Breakfast is served until noon every day and peckish customers looking for something small can choose from a selection of freshly-baked muffins, while the famished can lash out on Brown Cow Big Breakfast – which includes two eggs in any style with bacon, sausages, mushrooms, tomatoes and hash browns.
The Brown Cow Benedict with grilled ham and cheese, guacamole, mizuna leaves and hollandaise sauce, served on toasted sour dough is another popular and sumptuous selection.
For those looking for something more healthy and less filling, there’s the old favourite Bircher muesli done in orange vanilla bean milk, topped with fresh fruit and natural yoghurt.
The classic pancakes with butterscotch sauce, honey and almond ice cream is another reliable, always-delectable option, the fresh seasonal fruit salad with yoghurt means guilt free eating while the brekky foccacia with hash browns, fried eggs, bacon, lettuce and brown sauce is a big crowd-pleaser.
The dining menu is scrumptious with so many choices that make deciding what to go for, always difficult.
Starting with something light, the trio of dips with warmed Turkish bread will go down a treat.
Bruschetta with tomato, feta, red onion and basil is another one of my favourites and simply irresistible.
The signature dish however (and my all time favourite) is the Five Spice Calamari with mixed Asian lettuce, carrot, daikon with coriander aioli and sweet soy. Absolutely mouth-watering and also reasonably priced.
Then there’s the coffee. This deserves special mention, as the baristas at The Brown Cow take enormous pride in harvesting their own beans.
Fayale coffee’s Duck’s Guts is a full-bodied, well-rounded blend, designed specifically for that well-needed espresso hit.
This is an attraction in itself for the Beach Road cyclists as they stop to catch their breath with a relaxed pit-stop.
A leisurely stroll from Hampton Beach, this unmissable café screams for attention and gets it in bucket loads.
They’ve thought carefully about what they want to offer their customers and provide something to please everyone.
The food is as delightful as the staff and with a beach-side location complementing it perfectly, it just can’t be beaten.
For any occasion, the Brown Cow is a sensational spot for enjoying a meal, whether breakfast, lunch, dinner or even later.
Guest reviewer, Alana Gadsby
Brown Cow: 382 Hampton St. Hampton VIC 3188
Ph: (03) 9521 0547
Open seven days a week from 7am to late.
