South Hobart’s popular Ginger Brown has been upstaged by it’s new vegetarian sister.

I was a vegan myself for quite a while. My first full time Chef position was at the legendary vegetarian Zanskar Cafe in Barrack Street before working at other venues with a strong meat free emphasis. I know vegetarian food. It makes me sad to see what is served up at many establishments, being usually more of an afterthought than a well rounded dish. I rarely choose this option when dining out for this reason and yet I’ll be returning to this cafe again and again.

First impressions: The staff are all so happy and friendly here! It’s very relaxed and laid back yet knowledgeable and professional. The space is light and the seating comfortable, you’re encouraged to take your time.

The menu is completely vegetarian with much of it vegan. There’s also a large selection of gluten free dishes meaning it meets most dietary requirements. There’s the ubiquitous eggs done in a variety of ways with choice of sides but over the page you’ll find a far more interesting all day brunch menu.

The house beans have a little less spicy kick than I was expecting but this allowed them to work beautifully in harmony with the other components without dominating. Guacamole is tangy, tortilla is crispy, salsa is light and flavoursome. It’s a generous serve without being too heavy, a really nice dish.

I ordered the breakfast pizza without at first noticing that it was a gluten free base and was blown away by the quality, easily the best example of such I’ve tasted. Atop the thin and crispy base was some great flavours including “meaty” mushrooms, rich sauces, and a lightly poached egg. Cheap and substantial.

There’s a genuine love for natural ingredients from the kitchen team here. The dishes are inventive and fresh without having to imitate. Desserts include raw treats and decadent cakes. A matcha latte was not my cup of tea but that’s a minor thing, the coffee is wonderful and there’s smoothies and juices as well. It’s a great little cafe for all that just happens to be vegetarian.

Honey Brown is located at 4 Cascade Road, South Hobart, just up the road from Ginger Brown. The only negative being that it’s not open Sundays but otherwise from breakfast into the afternoon Monday – Saturday.

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