Cornershop

Most Melbourne cafes have their regulars but if there was a prize for such things, Cornershop might just be the champion. According to head chef Reggie Webb, the Yarraville cafe boasts a roster of locals, but one couple comes in religiously every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

"And sometimes in between," he says. "They really like good coffee."

And quite possibly live somewhere lacking a kitchen. That's not to say that the bustling cafe, which opened five years ago in a former homewares shop opposite the Sun Theatre, isn't worth a visit at any time of day (although prepare to queue for a weekend breakfast).

Watts, formerly a chef at Pope Joan and Circa, lives in the area and was himself a regular before Cornershop's owner Iain Munro (ex-Le Chien cafe) cajoled him into coming over to the other side, as it were.

It's a very different environment from the likes of Circa, particularly at breakfast, but Watts has been slowly putting his own stamp on the menu since he started six months ago.

"There are a few things that are part of the building now, that I can't change, like the meatballs (spiced braised meatballs with grilled Turkish bread and parmesan, $16.50), the fritters (zucchini and mint with cumin yoghurt zucchini and mint fritters with cumin yoghurt, sumac and pinenuts, $15.50, both on the lunch menu), and the smashed avo," he says.

The sacred smashed avo is never to messed with. "Especially in Yarraville," jokes Watts.

"I've brought a few things to the menu though. It's obviously a bit more relaxed and a different scenario here than Circa but we still source good-quality product and are respectful to the ingredients."

And the dishes are as stylishly plated as those at a fine-dining joint.

One of Watts' recent additions is the simple-but-beautiful cold-smoked salmon from Melbourne Pantry, served with sweet potato cake and burnt corn salsa ($18) and his summer brekkie of sticky black rice with fresh mangoes and lychees ($12).

Cornershop's most popular breakfast though, aside from good old smashed avo (served here with feta on toast with tamari and tahini-roasted seeds and nuts, $16), are the $15 ricotta hot cakes ("I'll be changing what they're served with for summer," says Webb) and the free-range scrambled eggs with parmesan, cavolo nero, soft herbs and chilli ($14.50).

"You've always got to have poached and scrambled eggs on a breakfast menu. They take up a lot of space on the menu and to store, but there's still room to be creative," Watts says. "I still get excited by breakfast." 

And judging by the weekend queues here, so do the Cornershop locals.