Darling Cafe, in Prahran, is Insta-famous and have a lot of photogenic dishes and drinks on the menu. They have a lot of social media and television celebrities visit, and this is what they boast on their Instagram account.
I tried to visit a few months ago, but it was absolutely chockas and there was a 45 minute wait. I was too hungry to wait, so we went somewhere else. I was relieved when I visited last week, early on a Thursday morning, and there were plenty of seats available! The staff were super attentive when I first arrived and made sure I was hooked up with a coffee and a menu while waiting for my friend. The coffee tasted great and came served at perfect drinking temperature.
I ordered the French Toast (with Cinnamon Sugar, Mascarpone Mousse, Maple & Fresh Berries - $16.50) and the "Thomas Edison" smoothie ($8), which was served in a lightbulb glass - it was very cute, but it looked very difficult to clean/reuse. The french toast was absolutely massive and very sweet. The flavours were great, but I definitely couldn't finish it - the stack was 3-high and there was a lot of maple syrup. The mascarpone mousse on top was very nice.
My friend had the Smoked Salmon & chilli Omlette (with baby spinach, Sriracha chilli, sesame & toast - $18.50). It was not as pretty as my dish and looked quite bland at first glance. The salmon was hidden inside the omelette and was all down one side. The flavours were nice, but a bit understated.
The tables were starting to fill up as we left and it was evident that there was going to be a big lunchtime rush. Darling Cafe is a popular spot, and worth a visit, but they are definitely riding the Insta-fame wave. If you enjoy your visit, make sure to buy one of their cute brunch-inspired pins.