Station St Trading Company : 166 Station St, Port Melbourne
Occupying a corner location opposite Smith Reserve in Port Melbourne, Station St Trading Company is that suburban cafe where locals gather for their weekend catch-ups, settle in with a paper and coffee(s) or duck in to grab some takeaway goodies after being lured by the thought of gourmet sandwiches and buttery croissants.
The team behind Armadale’s Coin Laundry have created a warm and welcoming little space in what you can easily envisage to have been the local corner store/milk bar in a previous incarnation. The interior is split between the busy, open kitchen and a cosy dining area, well lit by sunshine streaming through wall-to-ceiling windows. You can strategically plan your visit around peak times to score that elusive seat inside but an outside table along the sidewalk is prime real estate when the sun is out.
‘Purveyors of Fine Fare’ is the proclamation on the front door and fine fare is what you can reliably expect. Coffee is by Allpress and the La Marzocco is kept busy pumping out regular takeaway in amongst sit-in orders, while an all day breakfast menu delivers your standard cafe staples with an honesty and generosity that will keep you coming back.
Tried-and-tested combinations done well include chunky apple porridge, topped with stewed rhubarb and pistachios, and smoked salmon and grilled asparagus spears served with poached eggs on thickly sliced, dense pumpkin loaf.
Bubble and squeak is given a more modern twist; two golden-fried, fluffy potato fritters, studded with sweet corn, peas and chunks of sweet potato, soak up the runny yolks from freshly poached eggs, served with sweet tomato chutney, oyster mushrooms and smokey, grilled chorizo.
Keep an eye out for specials, which may come in the form of crispy hash browns, fatly filled with pulled, smoked ham hock, served with poached eggs and pumpkin puree.
However, top pick of the breakfast menu would have to be the signature Station St Stack; this architectural feat sees pumpkin loaf piled high with poached eggs nestled on top of 2 skewers of super-crispy bacon, nicely rendered in the oven, and a tri-colored beetroot/spinach/avocado base.
Salads and sandwiches make for easy takeaway options, along with plenty of tempting pastries and cakes from Lune Croissanterie, that can be packed into a picnic basket for a trip across to the park.
Despite being a relatively recent arrival, Station St Trading Company already has that long-standing community vibe and presents more than a good reason to venture over to this quieter part of Port Melbourne.
egg tarts and apple pie 
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