Toorak wakes up to Grange Road Egg Shop

Why open one new cafe when you can have two? After a year-long industry sabbatical Adam Wilkinson (Dennis the Menace, St Edmonds) opens brunch spot Grange Road Egg Shop in Toorak this Thursday December 1; he'll follow that up with "semi-canteen" Lillie in Prahran, a salad-by-the-scoop situation, in January.

Wilkinson isn't interested in reinventing the wheel. "I hate repetition and there's so much of it," he says, choosing local street artist Deams to create a hand-painted bronze and pastel mural alongside quirky-cute egg-shaped tables and Arne Jacobsen Drop chairs for the 100-seat venue, which once housed the salon of society hairdresser Lillian Frank.

Polish-Ukrainian head chef Aleksander Nitecki​ landed his role at Grange Road Egg Shop after a chance encounter with operations manager Damon Glover at the Queen Victoria Market. Most recently at Glovers Station in Glen Eira, Nitecki also has a three-year stint at London's Ottolenghi under his belt.

Nitecki updates brunch with things like tea- and gin-cured salmon on smoked apple and labne, and a riff on eggs benedict featuring slow-roasted brisket and pickled red cabbage.

The coffee offering is quality over quantity – espresso only using a house blend from Roastcraft and guest single origins from Maker Fine Coffee.

Lillie will open at 22 Chatham Street, Prahran, in January with deli-style salads by the scoop alongside an a la carte cafe menu.

Open Mon-Fri 7am-4pm, Sat-Sun 8am-5pm.

1 Grange Road, Toorak, 03 9827 2736, theeggshop.com.au