Royston Park Cafe

After travelling Australia and Europe for work and picking up hospitality knowledge along the way, Patrick Davi and Justin Ghaddab joined forces in 2012 to establish Royston Park Cafe. After years of revolving tenancies, the merging of two vacant shops saw this cafe become a weekend hotspot.

Unexpected flavours sit alongside comfortable favourites on a scrawled breakfast/lunch menu that shifts seasonally. The food has been known to induce the abandonment of cutlery in favour of eating with fingers.

Past hits include avocado and cherry tomato salsa on rye with goat’s curd and lime; and brioche French toast with strawberries, maple syrup and Chantilly cream. Davi and head chef Ghaddab have a clear hand in production, from caramelising walnuts to pickling their own beetroot.

Relaxed and minimal, the light-filled cafe lends itself to extended family lunches (the wine, beer and cider lists are local and well-informed) and long solo coffees (by Five Senses) over a magazine. It’s the kind of place where the staff remembers names, including your dog’s.