Plenty of Windsor

Finally…
A breakfast spot that is not over the top with Hipsters, its not into over-​complicating things here. Its simple, sexy and refreshing. The space industrial-​inspired design with high ceilings, exposed concrete floors, galvanised steel structures and light wooden furnishings. There’s an alfresco area out front and a quiet courtyard. The courtyard was sunny and i loved the verticle herb garden and watching the wait staff picking the herbs and heading off back to the kitchen.
They pull a predictably good coffee here using Supreme beans. The breakfast was brilliant. Fresh, simple and full of flavour. I had the Ham Hock, Pearl Barly Hash, Fried Egg, Broad Beans and Kaisefleisch — AMAZING! My partner had Grilled Asparagus, Goat Curd and a Crumber Poached Egg. From what i heard it was also a winner cause it didnt last long enough for me to snag a sample, and if i am honest i was to busy being obsessed with my plate of magic.
I loved everything about my experience at Plenty of Windsor. Ill be back. For Sure!

I can’t decide what was is my favorite element at Plenty…
The relaxed friendly atmosphere, the impressive creative décor, the super chilled (in a good way) & attentive staff, the dope beats or the amazing coffee and food!
Plenty is a winner in every way.
I’d never tried a crumbed poached egg before it was paired with grilled fresh asparagus & goats cheese and as an optional extra I asked for some black pudding. Truly wonderful.
I was lucky enough to sample my partners Ham Hock, Pearly Barley Mash before she devoured it within minutes. I’ll be having that next time.
I love the unique herb garden out the back, the way the inside was decorated but equal to the great food was the great service. The staff were chatty and friendly, went above and beyond to assist and made us feel special.
This always plays a huge part in the «will we return’ factor. I loved the tunes and the general feel about Plenty and I can’t wait to sample more items on their menu.

Plenty I love you. This tops my hard-​earned spot of most favored of all brunch spots narrowly beating out St Ali. I like what the guys are doing in the kitchen, making killer food with thoughtfulness. it’s continually refreshed to reflect the seasons. It’s obvious they care about how things taste, and that’s all I care about too.
The dishes are creative and playful, with surprising tasty twists, the specials are consistently rewarding. Standouts are the kaiserfleisch, potato hash with broadbeans, egg & this crack-​like jus. A very tasty dish.
I had a knock out truffle-​speckled soft polenta dish today, with shaved truffled-​pecorino and serrano adding simple but flavour packed depth to the dish. It was a divine special, hopefully see that one again.
The coffee is sublime, all black coffee drinkers will rejoice here. A med-​dark roast with buttery, nutty notes, it’s delicious.
I love the service, friendly and efficient and sometimes hiphop’s on the playlist. I recommend ordering off the specials, or ask the staff for recommendations they’re helpful and care about food too.

This is a great place. Really good coffee, warm atmosphere, lovely service, a courtyard with an herb garden (where you can pick some herbs!), a nice place to sit in the window, read a newspaper, love it love it.

A real restaurant quality to all the meals… which is welcoming for a brunch place. The high notes (ham hock, pork cheek, etc) soar incredibly high. Coffee (long black) is deep, dark, velvety, and hands down the best I’ve ever had. Plenty is a permanent fixture on the brunch rotation list.

Great layout and friendly staff. Good enough coffee also. Though for a place that is called «Plenty» the breaky servings were really quite small compared to the price you had to pay. Though the Ricotta pancake I had was simply delicious.

This is a regular place of mine and it never lets me down. Always a refreshing spin on my favourite dishes. The staff remember my name and the way I like my coffee and the décor is really cool. One of the best Melbourne café experiences around.

Windsor is not bearded hipster slick with gobs of irony. It’s colourful, eclectic boho urban and Plenty fits comfortably in amongst the thrift shops, vintage stores, modern Asian cafés, street art, ad agencies, geeks and uni students.
Heading up this venue, Jason Chan of Batch Espresso and The West Winds gin (to name but two of his enterprises) has resisted the urge to over-​design this space. It’s bare and hard with softening touches by Joost, offsetting some unique furniture and a customized Slayer coffee machine.
Similar restraint is demonstrated by my friend, Chef Darren Daley with his food here. Neither of the guys are fashion victims, they’re thinkers. Get the picture?
So in keeping with that, this is the kind of place where no one will flinch if you bring your pet cockatoo to sit at a pavement table with you and your eccentrically kitted friends, while dining on F1 marbled Sher Wagyu beef and salad or house made linguini and smoked trumpeter. A bare chested, twisted Iggy Pop look alike might stop in the street and check out your tucker, but that’s Windsor.
Darren cooks the kind of thing that’s unassuming to read on a menu, yet is a fanfare on the palate. He is one of the British Chefs — along with Gary Mehigan of Masterchef — who were enticed to Melbourne by the Sofitel and stayed on to do their own thing. Since then, European fare with an emphasis on quality produce has been his hallmark.
Skillfully executed dishes with a high degree of comfort factor and a hands on dedication is seen in house made ricotta, handmade pasta, house cured smoked salmon, slow barbecued smoky brisket and more that appear on the cigar box lids that double as menus.
There is talk of a BBQ pit and Darren making his own small goods. And Jason is optimistic that dinner service will start soon along with a bar and function space upstairs. Next week — Manager Ray Bennet tells me — the rear courtyard seating will open too.
Other things to order: the coffee (of course — Jason’s also a champion Barista) by Supreme with Schulz Organic milk, his own lemon or ginger soda, handmade gnocchi with ragu, confit salmon with olive and chickpea and celery salad, potentially iconic pan fried truffle, proscuitto and oozy cheese sandwich and that slow roasted BBQ Wagyu brisket in a burger bun with Heston style thrice cooked chips that you’ll see amongst my photos.
Breakfasts highlights have included crumbed slow cooked eggs and artisan made chorizo with goats curd and asparagus. Ricotta pancakes with maple pistachio butter, and a mad hatter’s fruit pot served in a flower pot.
In the quick service category go for the addictive salted caramel chocolate brownie, doughnuts, and sandwiches and rolls from the display case.
The underlying thread here is clever, unselfconscious, unpretentious, masculine, ethical and sustainable. It’s gutsy, like the guys themselves.
Consider it a slice of the evolving Melbourne dining zeitgeist: eat and drink very well, but do it without needing to frock up, FOMO or freak out about the prices.
Go. Check it out as it unlocks new levels: from courtyard to BBQ, breakfast through dinner and later, bar and function space. Go now. BYO Cockatoo optional.