The Picnic

Like yachting and competitive polo, the idea of "spontaneous picnics" has always struck me as rich people's domain. Ordinary folks know free-range eating comes with hard work. There are soggy salads to prep, egg sandwiches to quarter and, in my mum's kitchen, spaghetti bolognaise to stir fry.

The hours of planning can chip away at some of the insouciant, shoe-less fun. Who doesn't want to enjoy a basket of cured meats and soft cheeses on a whim? Thankfully cafe owner Jad Nehmetallah has given some serious thought to this conundrum. In February, the former events marketer opened The Picnic in leafy Burwood Park.

"It all started with the location. I began jotting down ideas for the space and I thought, why not use the surroundings to our advantage?" he says.

The result is a modern, parkside cafe with a twist of choose-your-own-picnic adventure. Punters can grab a picnic table in the vast, greenery-filled gazebo, or they can borrow one of the cheery white-and-yellow picnic mats and enjoy their takeaway spread on a quiet patch of grass.

On a sunny Saturday morning, we opt for table service. As the brunch queue grows, a trio of friends stretch out on a picnic rug while waiting to be seated (has there ever been a more comfortable queue in town?) Children seem to be in their element, too. With a playground close by, parents get the rare chance to keep an eye on small humans without having to sacrifice their caffeine hits or hot breakfasts.

The menu spans from burgers and buffalo hot wings to dishes with a Middle Eastern influence. Nehmetallah, who grew up in a food-loving Lebanese Australian household, has fond memories of communal eating and wants to bring a little bit of his heritage into the cooking.

"In Lebanese culture, we love sharing and we love mezze. To me, something like the Picnic's breakfast board takes me back to Sunday mornings when mum and dad would have a day off," he says. "As soon as we got up, mum would make us bacon and eggs, along with some labne, haloumi, cucumber, tomato, mint and Lebanese bread and say, 'Go for it'. Sometimes she would put on a huge spread and invite our neighbours over."

The Picnic's take on this childhood staple is the crispy zatar fried eggs in a mini skillet, with slices of pan-fried haloumi, spicy basturma (Egyptian air-dried beef), olives, pickled vegetables and two tangy dips (goat's milk labneh with a sprinkle of sumac and a fluffy, house-made beetroot dip). Tackle the whole thing with the still-warm blanket of pita bread to mop up the best parts.

Another highlight is the shakshuka. Chunks of lamb merguez sausages are braised in a slow-cooked tomato sauce that encases two perfectly runny egg yolks. It's a cool-weather classic that feels satisfyingly rich even without the ball of chilli-coated labneh on top.

There are plenty of options for breakfast desserts. The crunchy fig and maple granola with panacotta of the week is a crowd favourite. On warmer days, try the housemade popsicles with flavours like lychee rose and burnt honey cream with bruleed fig.

But the cafe's most sought-after dish – a creation seemingly made for social media – is the colourful Not So French toast. It's a Coco-Pops-coated hemisphere of fried brioche bun, perched on a hand-carved watermelon disc. The whole thing is surrounded by a sticky halo of berry reduction, dulce de leche, Persian fairy floss and pistachios. It's messy. It's flamboyant and, for the most part, more of a feast for the eyes than a grown-up's palette.

But who says we can't all indulge in a bit of spontaneous fun?

THE PICKS

'Not so French' toast, The Picnic breakfast board, Shakshuka with lamb merguez sausage

THE LOOK

A picnic-inspired outdoor cafe with a pram and toddler-friendly fit-out

THE SERVICE

Staff are slightly inexperienced, but enthusiastic and helpful