Aroma Bakery and Café – Prahran Market

Our Australian Correspondent reports on Aroma Bakery and Café – Prahran Market

Jacklyn Swiecicki reports:

For many Melbournians there is no greater joy than picking up a basket and heading to the markets on a weekend to gather some fresh produce for the week ahead. The Prahran Markets has been a much-loved Melbourne institute for foodies who congregate to gather fresh seafood, antipasto ingredients and just-picked fruit and veggies from charismatic producers.

Located just off Melbourne’s infamous fashion strip, Chapel Street, the Prahran markets are just one of the many spots that any visitor to Melbourne must experience. The energy and atmosphere of the market is intoxicating and it definitely builds up your appetite.

The Aroma bakery and café is just one of the many cafés scattered around the sunny courtyard of the market. Offering an all day breakfast menu with prices starting at $4 (AUS), Aroma’s ricotta pancakes at $9.90 (AUS) sound simply heavenly. Your standard salads are also available, as are grilled Turkish bread sandwiches and pasta dishes such as the classic spaghetti Calabrese. Aroma’s signature beef burger at $11.20 (AUS) is so-so. The beef patty is lean and moist, however large chunks of uncut lettuce make this burger difficult to tackle.

Lured in by the jazz band playing on a Sunday afternoon in the courtyard, Aroma offers a middle of the range café experience. The food is slow to be delivered, but I don’t really mind when I can sit back and sip on a glass of wine and enjoy the ambiance of contented market-goers. Wines sourced from Western Australia’s Margaret River and the Murray Valley are sold at $5 (AUS) a glass, or $14.50 ($AUS). You do the math.

With Aroma’s trading hours catering to the pitch-black set-ups of early morning stall vendors, the coffee has to be good. And it is strong. The Aroma Bakery and Café is a no-frills café, set in a wonderful location with pretty good food. It may not be my idea of a gourmet café, but it tries its best – and the coffee is a fantastic early morning pick-me-up. It’s worth a visit – but don’t expect too much.

Jacklyn Swiecicki

Address: Prahran Market Shop 709-711 163 Commercial Rd Prahran, VIC
Australia.

Phone: +61 (03) 9826 8015

Opening Times: Tues-Thurs: 6:30am-6pm
Fri: 6am-6pm
Sat: 5:30am – 5pm
Sun: 9am-4pm