Cross Eatery

After years working as the barista at Mecca, Marcelo Soto decided to start something of his own. He wanted to reach beyond the tired coffee spots squeezed into tiny spaces around the city.

True to form, Cross puts that extra bit of thought in to the quality and creativity of its offering, proving a welcome oasis in the city. Plus, it's located in the spacious lobby of the heritage Red Cross building, in contrast to the standard hole-in-the wall coffee windows in the area.

The chalk-board menu is full of fresh combinations such as a ciabatta roll stuffed with Maffra cheddar, ricotta, cauliflower and zucchini pickles, and bio-dynamic lamb kofta served with spicy tomato salsa alongside two salads of your choice.

Breakfast ranges from grab-and-go Brickfields sourdough toast to heartier dine-in options such as baked eggs with pine mushrooms cooked in garlic butter with kale, labneh and manchego. There's also an all-day salad made with probiotic cabbage, kale and poached egg; and kombucha on tap.

Many ingredients come from friends Soto has made through the hospitality business, such as the gluten-free bread from Nonni’s Fine Food and meats from Feather and Bone. Everything else is easily traced back to its producer, thanks to the photos and stories of farmers displayed near the entrance.