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MELBOURNE | Evolve is a charming cafe in Belgrave that has become a favourite amongst locals for its homely, welcoming atmosphere, tasty food, and locally sourced, produce driven, ethical menu. Eggs are from Bonnie View Farm, pork from local butcher Greg’s Tender Joint, and free-range chicken from Bendele Organic Poultry Farm. All the vegetables and herbs are grown on site. Housed in a former Blacksmith studio at the base of Sherbrooke Forest, Evolve feels like a country cottage, with a range of cozy spaces in which to enjoy your food.
Since purchasing the cafe in 2016, owner Chantelle Kostovski has been thinking of ways to take this family run cafe’s offering to the next level – building upon the things that customers like while making things even better. The space is about to undergo some renovations, and new head chef Rana Ganter-Rodriguez has set about revamping the menu, introducing more varied and exciting dishes, while staying true to Evolve’s ethos. The new menu is still a work in progress (expect it to launch in full this Spring), but we were invited to sample a few of the new dishes and were very impressed.
For breakfast (or lunch if you’d like, it’s an all day menu), we highly recommend the Smashed Pumpkin, which sees organic sourdough toast piled high with haloumi, beetroot relish, ‘smashed’ pumpkin, fried sage, seeds, and poached egg. The beetroot relish and pumpkin are sweet, but not overly so, with the spices adding a good balance and the seeds and toast texture. Another winner is the Spanish Baked Eggs, which evolved from a dish that Ganter-Rodriguez cooked while watching this year’s Superbowl. It takes traditional Spanish baked eggs but adds a Mexican twist using smoked enchilada sauce, chilli verde, cumin crema, and manchego atop grilled rosemary focaccia. The spicy chorizo addition is a must and help round out this delicious dish.
For drinks, a range of coffees, teas, and juices are offered, including superfood smoothies for those looking for a health boost. It was a cold morning when we visited, so we opted for Evolve’s Spicy Fudge Hot Chocolate which, would you believe, is actually healthy. It contains raw cacao, chilli, ginger and cardamom. No added sugar in this one, and it’s not sweet at all. You could add sugar if you wanted, but we think the balance, and the chilli kick, is bang on as it is.
Before you leave, make sure you check out the pastry cabinet, which includes a selection of pastries and cakes which you can eat in or take away.
Evolve
64-68 Monbulk Road
Belgrave
Victoria 3160
Australia
Telephone: (03) 9754 1437
E-mail: n/a
Website
Open
Wed – Sun: 9:00am to 4:00pm