The latest addition to Queensberry Street is Proud Mary's newest offshoot - Twenty & Six Espresso. This part of town has recently started to really take off, with the sandwich mecca that is Beatrix and the much-lauded Auction Rooms just a short stroll away. Easy to pass if you don't know what to look for, the cafe is housed in a nondescript space with minimal signage. Inside sits around 20 people with outside space for the taking when rain doesn't threaten. The team have kept things simple - white walls with decals by Melbourne artist and Rose Street Market regulars Able & Game. Above the cream-coloured La Marzocca coffee machine, copper piping frames the counter with coffee paraphernalia displayed on a wooden shelf. The sporadic but thoughtful splashes of colour include an art deco minty-turquoise in the cups and saucers and hot-pink spray-painted twigs, which breathes life into the otherwise understated space. Bare bones industrial lighting and wooden milk crates line the walls - some crates are topped with coffee sacks for extra seating - we especially love the rustic wooden chairs outside with their geometric paint-dipped designs. The coffee is the Proud Mary house blend - Angel's Wings. With touches of sweet orange, plum and light notes of hazelnut the team sticks with what it knows best. The menu is short and sharp. Egg-based dishes comprise of most of the four special offerings with a breakfast selection of cranberry and nut granola, sourdough toast and fruit bread with preserves to round the menu out. The shelf in front of the coffee machine has some of the sweet offering for those looking for a quick bite or something to take away. I ordered the Hulk Smash - but substituted the eggs for beautifully charred Istra Bacon. I don't tend to pick something from the breakfast menu, but in the absence of a lunch menu the sourdough, minted avocado and bacon with the wonderfully zesty-sweet addition of slithers of pink grapefruit is a well thought out inclusion. WordMonkey went for the safe option - mainly due to the fact that she was saving herself for dessert at Beatrix (review here) - the last time we visited Beatrix she was under the weather and unable to eat anything. She went for the poached eggs on sourdough - supplemented by a few forkfuls off my plate - why do girls do that? What's there to say about poached eggs? Runny on the inside and perched on two slices of crunchy buttered toast. It might not be about to set the world on fire, but it joins the ranks of Melbourne's solidly good coffee and brunch places. Well done folks. read more

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Could this be my favourite new brunch spot? The soba noodle Toyko salad was light, yet utterly satisfying. With plenty of roasted chicken, crunchy veggies and pickled ginger, it was a great alternative to "regular" breakfasts. Not that anything at Twenty & Six is "regular", each dish inspired by a different part of the world and presented in a fun and innovative way. My friend's Scandinavian breakfast of smoked salmon, poached egg and avo came with a 1.5inch thick slice of grainy bread, the avo splayed out and stood on its end - Opera House style. Coffee comes from a range of Melbourne specialty roasters and is made with care. The smoothie is creamy and the presentation in a little milk bottle is super cute. Everything *feels* a little expensive when ordering but there's no doubt you feel like you've got good value when you walk out after a generous meal served with friendliness and efficiency. read more

The perks of temporarily staying a 10 minute walk away from North Melbourne continue to loom over my head, even after a long night, we managed to slip into Twenty & Six for "breakfast" just before 3PM. The first thing I noticed was the adorable mural that lined the front corner of the cafe. It's a simple setup here with one large communal table, a few smaller spaces for two and a windowside fixture. Unfortunately because we had arrived near closing time, we weren't able to sit in their Courtyard - it's understandable but a shame on our part since the weather was being awfully kind. I couldn't believe how inventive the brunch menu was - the ingredients were so fresh and the textures on each plate were unbelievably interesting. Let's not forget that Twenty & Six champion the "one egg wonder", there's no shortage of runny yolk porn here! On this particular day, my favourites were the LeRoy - Crispy Fried King Prawns, Jalapeno Grits, Kataifi, Poached Egg ($16.90) and the Russian - Lemon house cured Salmon Tartare, Free Range Poached Egg, Cress, Dill Creme Fraiche, Multi-Grain Toast ($17.90) This is a haven for those who like quirky art, clean spaces and beautiful food - I can seriously imagine spending a good afternoon here with a cuppa or three. read more

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Yeah so I don't see the massive hubbub with this place, the word that comes to mind is "meh." I brought my friend who was visiting from Bris Vegas and wanting to see some decent Brunch and I must say, I felt a little awkward when we left. I think the Northside has a terrible habit of going a little nuts for any hipster brunch joint that opens that has a handsome barist and some ironic signage. Twenty Six & Whatever is one of those. The place looks pretty good, seating is industrial chic- all the rage these days and what not. Sitting down you feel like a battery hen, it's very unpleasant as strangers are essentially rubbing elbows and in each other's conversations, it almost defeats the purpose of meeting a friend- you can't hear them. My friend and I were yelling across the tiny tables at each other while a couple with their screaming child did the same next to us. We went and had some very average coffee served to us by a very grumpy girl who didn't know what "Ristretto" meant and continued to roll her eyes at us for not knowing what we wanted to order instantly as we sat and looked at their over hyped menu. I got 'The Hash' and my friend 'The Halloumi,' the prices were very Melbourne Northside Cafe, so you get what you pay for. I struggled to pick something because although they sounded good, it's all been done to death. Anyway, The Hash had nothing to write home about. It was fine, in the sense it wasn't actively bad. I added a lot black pepper and salt due to the lack of flavour. I much preferred The Halloumi which was essentially an over priced toasted sanga with halloumi in it. The highlight, fresh watermelon-ginger-mint juice- yum! The facilities...well they are awkward.. My friend went but I refused.. It's a shack one metre from people eating in the outside area, everything can be heard inside and outside said shack. Deal breaker, build a proper toilet.... read more

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I'm tossing between a 3.5 and a 4 star for this venue. Twenty and six is a bit hard to miss on a winter day unless they happen to have their outdoor seats and tables out the front. I have been past here twice before looking for a place to eat and both times I Haven't really noticed them. Once inside, the front dining room is quite cosy and can be a bit loud on a busy day or at rush hour. The big communal table in a small space also probably doesn't help with the cramp feel. Out the back though it's a lot better. Courtyard seating is a plenty and feel quite serene. There is another floor above but I don't know if it's a dining area or not. The cons The toilet. It's a single outside toilet. Not too far away from the courtyard seatings. A bit close to my liking and gives a bit of a performance anxiety too I imagine. Price. Food is delicious and averaging about $17 a dish which is not a bad price. However to make the dish complete, you can opt for add- ons but as someone has mentioned before- will add up to quite a pricey meal. The positive Food. Is delicious! We tried the haloumi burger, cauliflower fritter and a salad. All were delicious and do have that 'edge' I.e my cauliflower fritter was ok but the fresh peas with it- sweet fresh and succulent- makes it perfect. I would suggest that twenty and six is a great option to try if you are in the area but I wouldn't go out of the way to visit. read more

Twenty & Six Espresso - Cauliflower fritter - Restaurants Near Me - North Melbourne, VIC

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A nice alternative to busy Errol St, this little cafe has a really nice backyard, and it's perfect for a summer brunch! The portions are quite big, and though I had a chilli incident (do tell them if you're allergic to random things, they use a lot of different seasonings), they prepared a chili-free meal for me as soon as I told them. read more

Twenty & Six Espresso - Quinoa, smashed avo, roasted potatoes and sweet potatoes, and poached egg, delicious! My friend had the mushroom duo - Restaurants Near Me - North Melbourne, VIC

Small, noisy and ecclectic. I love this place. The food is great and the coffee is divine. The cafe is a small room (with an outdoor area in the back that is not obvious but worth checking out) with the walls covered in quirky drawings. It is all hard surfaces so it gets a bit noisy but it is by no means overwhelming. It can be a bit difficult getting in with long waiting times for the limited seats and the line to get in can be extensive. I highly recommend going here but check ahead if they're operating as I've turned up twice to find a pop-up cafe that was not nearly as good. read more

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Brunch brunch brunch aahhh who doesn't love brunch. Tasty coffee, perfectly cooked eggs, some ham hock that is mouth watering & juicey. You don"t even have to wake up in the am to enjoy brunch, need I say more? I had heard rave reviews about this place so my partner & I ventured outside our Richmond bubble & give it a whirl. Very happy with this decision, some of the best coffee I have had in a long time & a very different menu to your usual eggs benidict, which just gets my inner fat kid all sorts of happy. We came in at a very quite time so service was spot on & food came out rather fast. I will be back here again with all my brunch loving friends. read more

Twenty & Six Espresso - Restaurants Near Me - North Melbourne, VIC

Very nice! A bit hard to miss if you're driving past, and almost just as hard to miss walking past, a little tucked away & blends in with the surroundings of Queensbury Street. Love the space & pictures drawn on the walls. Food as first glance seems a bit complicated, but works really well. I had the sweet potato & pumpkin hash, kale, red quinoa, avocado, fetta & fried egg - being a huge avocado fan, I was hoping for the avocado to be the star, but it wasn't. I ordered it anyway, and was pleasantly surpised - and always happy to have a bit of potato for breakfast. So tasty! Coffee is just wonderful too. read more

Twenty & Six Espresso - Window facing seats - Restaurants Near Me - North Melbourne, VIC

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This little gem in North Melbourne delivered great food and coffee. There are some seatings in the front outside, in the courtyard at the back and also not more than 20 inside the café. We had our coffee which served its purpose and for food, we had vine tomatoes, lime avo on sourdough and gin & beetroot cured salmon gravalax with fennel on rye. I didn't try the tomato and avo as they aren't my favourite things to eat, but my partner truly enjoyed it. I more than enjoyed my cured salmon, it was seasoned well and I ate everything on my plate. read more

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Oh boy, this is a good'un. I was warned to come early for weekend brunch here because the hungry punters far exceeds the space to accommodate them. This food is worth the wait though. If you're the kind of person that loves an interesting menu and craving something other than your poached-eggs-avo-bacon combination, this place will be right up your alley. Everything on the menu is mouth watering. There's also some options that challenge the breakfast tummy, so if you're at that 11am cusp you could get stuck into a soba salad or pork belly & slaw bao. I opted for the muesli. Far from ordinary, the house made nut and oat combo was served with orange blossom yoghurt and a fruit compote infused with rosewater and cinnamon. Big plump juicy figs and almonds made this super filling but oh-so-tasty. I LOVE a crunchy granola and will be hitting this place up again for my next craving. The coffee is spot on. I had a perfect long black (no surprises there with one of my fav baristas behind the machine) and my bestie ordered an equally delicious pour over filter. The beans on offer were Proud Mary and Seven Seeds, both available in take home packs too. I'm definitely coming back...soon! read more

The dishes on offer at this hip little cafe are artworks, adorned with flowers and small touches! No matter how busy this place seems to be, the team seem to have a welcoming smile for every one who walks in the door. The banana bread is delicious, although the portion size is way too big for one person, so bring a friend with intent to share! The Tokyo salad is my other pick from the menu that will rock your world! Queensberry Street is where it's at in North Melbourne! Don't line up with all the sheep at Auction Rooms, when there IS better coffee and friendlier service just a two minute walk away. read more

This place isn't in my normal sphere of brunch spots but post a sleepover I thought I would indulge myself. The rich reviews from fellow Yelpers are well deserved... service was fantastic and at 10am on a Saturday I snared a table straight away... The food, sublime - I went for both a savory and sweet option. The mushroom, and chorizo mountain known as 'the hunter' and the delectably delicate Balinese bean porridge mix extravaganza that feels too pretty to eat. read more

Dear Twenty & Six, you are everything I want in a Melbourne brunch spot. Yes. YAS. I followed the time-honoured tradition of putting my eggs in Tresna and Lani's baskets when it came to putting together a to-do list for Melbourne, and I've had Twenty & Six on that to-do list for a while now, so when I was visiting in April 2015 and staying in North Melbourne my time had finally come. Twenty & Six has a lovely little inside space and, if it's warm and/or sunny outside, a gorgeous courtyard out the back. In my excitement for food, I missed the courtyard and plonked myself down at the communal table, but I did wind my way through the courtyard at the end of my visit to use the facilities (and even these are adorable). But let's talk about dat food. I can rarely resist a hash on a breakfast menu, and Twenty & Six rewarded me for my lack of resistance. Potato and pumpkin hash, crunchy as heck, with quinoa and kale and a pile of guacamole. No stinking eggs. I was in breakfast heaven. And the bowl I ate from was beautiful. The walls were covered in cute little street art scribbles. The trams meandered down the street just outside. It was a perfect Melbourne morning and the bowl of deliciousness was the centre of it all. Would eat again. Would go out of my way to eat again. read more

Had a lovely breakfast here with a friend who lives nearby. North Melbourne is killing it in the breakfast stakes and Twenty and Six is no exception. With friendly staff and merciful air-conditioning (we came here on a horrid 42-degree day), the coffee is perfectly prepared and there's a wide menu to choose from. My dining companion and i are both vegos and we still had difficulty making a selection, which was so nice! Average price for the fare on offer. I had a yummy dish of tomatoes, poached eggs and avocado on Sourdough which was really tasty (the tomatoes in particular were a standout, order them as a side if your meal doesn't include them). Will definitely be back next time I'm in the hood! read more

Cute little cafe on Queensberry St. Delicious sounding menu full of flavour. 'The Hunter' is an absolute must! Expensive base dishes, though amazing and tasty, when adding extras it can get expensive. The coffee is usually Proud Mary and or 5 seeds and other high end blends, always tasty and really consistant. Small and cosy and can be a bit hard to get a seat, but worth a wait if you're up for it! Would have been a 5, though the price is just a bit much at times. read more

"Meet me at Twenty & Six," she said. "i know you'll love it. It's just your kind of cafe." She wasn't wrong. From the bare white walls and locally designed tables (Browndog for those playing at home), this North Melbourne cafe took my fancy as soon as I walked in the door. Proud Mary coffee eased the previously early start to the day (leaving Brisbane at 5:55am). I'm going to call it one of the smoothest long blacks I've had, and the banana, brown rice pudding with salted coconut, roasted nuts, puffed wild rice, raisins and Canadian Maps - Dee's Nuts on the menu -wasn't just gluten free (my stomach thanks you!) but truly bloody delicious. It may have just made the 4am wake-up call worth it. The cafe was peaceful despite the number of people in this small space. It feels like it could have been a lot noisier, and despite being on a shared table with two other groups dining (2 people per group) I not once felt like we were intruding on anyone else's morning breakfast. Twenty & Six, if I was a Melbourne-girl, you might just be my local morning ritual. read more

Fabulous brunch menu and their hot chocolate was amazing. Cute little interior and friendly staff. I will be back for more. read more

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This place is a gem, went for the first time on the way to work yesterday and we were really impressed My the friendliness of the staff, their homemade almond milk gave the coffee a rich creamy nutty flavour. Breakfast were divine, my fiancée had the spicy scrambled eggs, with a side of crispy bacon and I had the pesto and mushrooms with herbs, both were beautifully presented, delicious and filling. We sat in the garden out the back which is a tranquil hideaway from the hustle and bustle. A great way to start the day, we'll be back for sure! read more

Twenty & Six Espresso - Pesto and shrooms with a rice flour enoki garnish on gluten free toast and dill - Restaurants Near Me - North Melbourne, VIC

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On a cold, cold Spring day in Melbourne (seriously dude - what is up with that already? Where is the sun?) I met a friend here for breakfast. The long black coffee was smooth and light on the palate. My fabulous friend tells me their skinny lattes strike the right balance between smooth, creamy and with a kick of caffeine. We ordered breakfast - I had the cauliflower fritters on hummus and dukkah with a poached egg and bacon I added on the side and my friend had the pork belly. I enjoyed my meal but had I not ordered the poached egg and bacon on the side, I would have starved and run off to 7/11 to get a hot dog. The serves are a little on the small side. Also note that its deep fried cauliflower pieces, not fritters. My friend's pork belly was a small piece as well. Perhaps we are gluttonous? The friendly service, cute courtyard and coffee made up for it though - so if you're in the hood check it out. read more

Had breakfast here today. Got in just before the crowd, so can't say what they are like when they are insanely busy - but what they served up was awesome. They only do one type of egg, poached, and they really excelled at them. Perfectly cooked. The bacon side was the best bacon I've had in Australia. Crispy and flavoursome. Coffee was very tasty as well. The only gripe I had was the bread was a little hard to cut while trying to keep your egg on it. Will go back for breakfast again. read more

I had the halloumi sandwich with fried egg and a cappuccino. The halloumi sandwich was lovely, fried egg was $3 extra. I think without the fried egg it would be a little light. Service was good however the coffee took a little longer than desired to arrive. I think the menu at this place could do with a revise. Every meal required you to add "extras" and at $5 for bacon it starts adding up. read more

This place is fab. Can be a bit overrun by hipsters wearing ironic beanies indoors, but just ignore them and enjoy your coffee and food. The eggs were cooked just perfectly! The mushroom brekky is divine. The heirloom salad for lunch is great. The pork for lunch is amazing. But above all else the coffee is good, and the staff are excellent. read more

Had a long black - just excellent. Good music and a cool vibe, too. Didn't have any food though, but I think I might come back! Looks really awesome. read more

Twenty & Six Espresso - Seven Seeds blend long black - Restaurants Near Me - North Melbourne, VIC

Good little cafe, reasonably priced. A bit slow with their service, took 10 minutes go get a menu, food was worth the wait though. Give the sweet potato and pumpkin smash a go! Great coffee read more

Even more interesting that the usual hipster melbourne breakfast place. Quirky decor, but great interesting food. I had sardines, best ever, K had eggs and avocado on sourdough. both fresh and with great toast and coffee. reasonably priced. Out of the way, but if in the area worth a visit. read more

Popped in for a solo breakfast one morning after an appointment nearby. Great poached eggs and coffee. Great window seat too!

Simply the best place in North Melbourne. I would cross town to go to this place but luckily I live and work in North Melbourne as well and get to have this often during the week. The menu is carefully crafted and they great care in not just the preparation of the food, but also the sourcing of the ingredients. Whilst they do the basics really well, it is advisable to go and try their more adventurous offerings. You will not be disappointed. read more

Hulk and Black rice were spot-on-scrump. sho nuf

Small and cosy with a good choice of food to choose from. Light snacks or more substantial meals are all on offer here, service was great. A real local's hangout I maginge. read more

I had the baked beans with blood sausages and that was to die for. I was so scared to try blood sausages but omg i think i've found my new favourite food. I also tried the soy chai latte which was okay. I've had better days. They do serve it in a cute tiffany colour tea set. My favourite colour. The cafe is quiet small but it feels cosy. Very friendly staff and quiet attentive because of how many people it fits. Highly recommended read more

Great coffee and a nice place to pop in for a sit and maybe a cookie. Though their selection is not great, what they have in nice, fresh and tasty. Pretty much a top notch coffee bar. read more

I had planned to meet my father for breakfast at this cafe this morning at 11am. He arrived a bit early, at 10:30, to have a cup of coffee and wait for me. I received a phone call from him at 10:50 to say that he had been hassled four times about ordering breakfast and would I be on time. I told him I would and arrived just after 11am to see him walking up the street towards me! They had presented him with the bill for his coffee and asked him to leave. He said they weren't even full of diners. This, despite being incredibly inhospitable, put us very much out for the morning. The breakfast here may be good - I wouldn't know and never intend to find out - but their way of treating people is disgusting and unacceptable. read more