The Moonshine Cafe, Hawthorn

The Moonshine Cafe owner Amanda loves American diner food. So it’s no surprise that the cafe menu is a modern take on diner-style dishes (without being too greasy). After spending time in the USA and opening an American BBQ-style pop up restaurant last year, Amanda has set up shop in Hawthorn a couple of months ago.

The name of the cafe was inspired by a few things: Amanda’s love for psychedelic rock, the fact that she’s looking to serve alcohol, and the theme runs through the cafe – most obviously the Moonshine pony from My Little Pony painted on the wall. Amanda even admits she’d even name her child Moonshine.

The ethos at Moonshine is to produce excellent food that you’d eat at home. The breakfast menu is dotted with staples like eggs on toast or smashed avocado, but if you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, try the PB&J gypsy toast. Peanut butter and jelly on Brasserie Bread sourdough is soaked in a cinnamon tinged egg mixture, then fried in butter and served with housemade lemon curd, vanilla whipped cream and maple syrup. True to Americana, you can even add bacon to this bad boy. Wowser.

On the savoury front, the egg and bacon sanga is a lovely plate of free range bacon, a fried egg and homemade tomato chutney on toasted Brasserie Bread brioche. Lunch is all about toasties and sandwiches. Eventually Amanda wants to open for dinner as well to serve up awesome American smoked food.

The Moonshine Cafe
267 Auburn Road, Hawthorn, VIC
Tuesday to Friday 8.30am to 3.30pm
Saturday to Sunday 8am to 3pm