It took me a while to jump on the matcha latte bandwagon, but once I had it, life was never the same again I was hooked. Ironically, the first time I had matcha latte was not in Japan, but in a Melbourne brunch and coffee specialty shop, Operator 25.

A photo posted by Samantha C (@sammyc_89) on Dec 4, 2015 at 4:03pm PST

Deriving its name from being housed in Melbourne's first switchboard building, Operator 25 delivers good coffee and food, making it a hangout favourite among the young and trendy. It's brunch fare incorporates many Asian flavours and changes seasonally, making it a stand-out among so many other brunch cafes and coffee spot.


I've been to Operator 25 twice now and dutifully reports that I have been impressed twice by their service and delicious food:

Benedict Crumpets: Dr Marty's crumpets, Gamekeepers pastrami, poached eggs, salted egg hollandaise and fried vermicelli.

Balinese Pork: Pork fillet and belly cooked in traditional Balinese spices, morcilla, sambal matah, lemongrass broth, stir-fried corn, green beans and mushrooms



Matcha Crumpets: With packed pears, macerated berries, kaya sauce, mango and lychee pearls





As you can see, the food at Operator 25 is mouth-watering (I am writing this close to lunch time and the Five-Spiced Duck Leg is tantalising me with its caramelised crispy skin). It's not exactly a secret-hidden brunch spot and it can get extremely busy during the weekend. But I can assure you this is a place worth waking up early for.

Operator 25 Opening Hours: 7am - 4pm (Mon-Fri), 9am - 4pm (Sat-Sun)
25 Will Street, Melbourne CBD