Sprout Cafe, Arboretum, Canberra

Sprout Cafe is a casual eating spot co-located with the more upmarket Conservatory Restaurant at the Arboretum.
It’s great strengths are the amazing 180 view, great playground outside for kids and the child-friendly nature of the surroundings (road is far away, room to roam, child-proof exhibits, good vision of open areas).

It also has some very good value, nicely presented, made to order meals.

The best of these are the salads for $10. The Atlantic Salmon salad (like a Ceasar salad) was very good and the Ceasar salad looked similar (also $10 but with crispy proscuitto in the place of the salmon).

The gourmet burgers (vegetarian, beef with crsipy bacon or chicken tandoori for $8.50) also looked good options at great value.

The corn chips with chilli con carne ($10) and 6″ tomato & cheese pizza ($6) were exactly as described on the menu (and smallish serves) and probably not as good an option as the salads and burgers.

Extra mixed leaves are complimentary and these can also accompany a pre-made savoury pastry/pie or wrap.

There are also attractive cake and coffee options to enjoy with the great view.

Wine is available by the glass starting at $9.

Downsides are pay parking ($2 per hour) and that it is quite busy on the weekend and this can give it a bit of a food hall atmosphere.

To get around this, go during the week or consider the Conservatory Restaurant in the corner.

Kingston Grind, Kingston – a quick look at lunch

Kingston Grind, has lovely outdoor seating overlooking Green Square in Kingston and is open 7 days (8:30am-5pm) for breakfast (all day) and lunch.

Serve sizes are generous and good for sharing, especially if combined with a side of bread.

Fish and chips $15.90 Warm chicken salad with fresh peas & citrus dressing $16

Cream Cafe Bar, Canberra City

Cream is located in a prime spot in the city centre and is an excellent choice for lunch in the city.
The salads are attractive, interesting and flavoursome but relatively small serves.

Yuk sung cream’s twist on san choy bau – wok fried chicken w/ hoy sin, sage & pine nuts served on cos lettuce w/ crispy rice noodles $19

The chicken burger was well sized but the brioche bun lacks flavour $19. The vegetable burger and steak sandwich are probably better options.

Maple & Clove, Barton – a quick look at lunch

Very pleasantly located near the stylish Hotel Realm in leafy, spacious Barton, Maple and Clove is open 7 days for breakfast (all day on weekends) and lunch.

Bookings are taken and both indoor and outdoor seating are lovely.
Focussing on whole foods and alternate grains, it pays to order dishes that include some strong flavours.
The smoked salmon tartine is delicious and well sized for sharing.

Smoked Salmon Tartine – Zucchini, lemon, chives, ricotta, smoked salmon + rocket — $18

(French style open-faced sandwich served on thinly sliced toasted wholemeal spelt bread)

One serve split for sharing Half a Smoked Salmon Tartine

Autolyse, Braddon

Autolyse on the corner of Lonsdale and Eloura Streets in Braddon is always popular and busy..and rightly so. Autolyse bakes the most delicious bread, the basis of many delicious breakfast and lunch options available 7 days.

While there is pleasant outdoor seating available, it’s quite fun to sit at the indoor tables that overlook the open plan bakery/food preparation area.

Staff are friendly and casual, serves are generously sized and great for sharing. Prices are good value.

Mixed mushroom bruschetta (a generous serve of very tasty and interestingly textured various types of mushrooms on delicious bread. Quite rich, so best shared) $13

Slow braised lamb shoulder sandwich with quinoa tabouli and pickled onion (plenty of pork, great bread, but perhaps needs another strong flavour in the filling) $11

Litter Brother@Red Hill, Canberra

Little Brother cafe, has a perfect location on top of Red Hill and makes the most of it’s spectacular views over Canberra.

Service is friendly, efficient and professional. The menu is fairly small, but covers a range of options including soups, salads, marinated meats, slider, kebab and pizza.
One very helpful option is the opportunity to choose small or large serves of some dishes.
Prices are average and what you would expect from a mid-range modern Australian cafe. However, it does also offer Entertainment Card holders a 25% discount on food and drinks.

The yogurt marinated chicken breast (small serve $16) was tasty and went well with the rocket and beetroot salad that had lovely caramelised walnuts $9.
However, the pizza looked good on the way past, as did the raisin toast, and I suspect the pulled pork burger would be good too.
I’ve also heard the fish and chips are exceptional.
But the big attraction is the view, especially on a sunny day. It’s a good spot for brunch or lunch on the weekend especially if you have friends visiting from out of town.

The Merchant Deli & Cafe, Kingston Foreshore

The Merchant is a very welcoming, friendly and relaxed newcomer on the Kingston Foreshore helpfully open 7 days for breakfast lunch and dinner.

It’s great strengths are it’s honest, accommodating and attentive staff, it’s key corner location and it’s value for money menu options.
But it is also stylish and food is beautifully presented.

There is nothing pretentious about The Merchant. Staff are happy to answer and respond to all kinds of queries and requests making it a very good spot for sharing dishes and ordering to suit your appetite.

The menu changes daily, but there is a pattern to what’s on offer.

The sharing platters $28 are great for two people for lunch and I’m told that extra complimentary bread is available to go with all those lovely dips, cured meats, cheeses and pickled vegetables.

Some dishes make a great light meal for one person. The baguettes, soup and salad were all generously sized, and well priced making them excellent value. The pancetta and cheese baguette ($12) had plenty of filling, the soup of the day ($12) serve was large and came with bread and the salad of the day $14 was also a good sized serve.

Likewise, dessert from the cabinet offered well sized serves for $8.

The lamb, lemon and rosemary skewer $25 was large and served with salad.

The pan fried salmon fillet $25 did not come with accompaniments so it made a smaller meal.

The chilli spanner crab linguine $22 and braised lamb shoulder pappardelle $22 were more modest serves as well, but looked delicious.

The Seared Canadian Scallops -served with pea puree, chorizo and olives $14, was a small entree sized serve.

The chicken liver mushroom parfait $20 was a very generous serve and ideal for sharing with some other dishes. (Extra bread available on request at not cost).

BYO wine is available at around $4 per person, but if you purchase your wine from the nearby sister store ‘Prohibition’, corkage is free.

(Prohibition is on the corner behind Local Press and has plenty of good option in the $10-$15 range).

In a nutshell, The Merchant has plenty going for it and is well worth trying out. It could easily become a favourite.

Grazing, Gundaroo, NSW

Grazing is Gundaroo’s offers prompt and attentive service, a cozy country atmosphere, but is ‘rustic ‘rather than ‘fine dining’ feel, so best suited to a more casual occasion.

Allow at least 30 mins driving time from north Canberra. This together with the more casual setting possibly makes Gazing a good choice for a special lunch rather than a special occasion dinner.

In winter it can also be a bit chilly, even with the open fire.

Decor Entree platter

Mains

Desserts

38 Expresso, Kingston Foreshore

38 Expresso is great value on the Kingston Foreshore for breakfast or lunch and coffee – open 7 days, 7am-3pm.

Banana bread $4 and Rye/Fruit Toast $4-5 are great options for breakfast and the toasties $11 each are full of delicious fillings with generous serves for lunch (2 between 3 is a good option).

Chicken toastie – Chicken mozzarella avocado caramelized onion chilli jam $11

Reuben toastie – Corned beef, dill pickle, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, Russian sauce $11

Staff are friendly and relaxed and there’s pleasant indoor and outdoor seating.

Stand By Me, Lyons – Canberra

Stand By Me Cafe at the Lyons shops is helpfully located an easy and quick (about 10min) walking distance from Woden.
It’s open 7 days for breakfast and lunch (Mon-Fri 7-4pm, Sat- Sun 8-2pm) and has lovely staff and service.

While it is a welcome new addition to the Woden workday lunch scene with a short list of regular dishes and some changing specials, its real strength is it’s breakfast menu (only available until11 am weekdays, but all day on weekends).
The setting and decor is relaxed, friendly and pleasant with indoor and outdoor seating (front and back). SBM is also happy for diners to share dishes.