L'atelier de Monsieur Truffe

Basic Info:

Name: L'atelier de Monsieur Truffe
Address: 351 Lygon St, East Brunswick
Phone: 9380 4915
Website: www.monsieurtruffe.wordpress.com
Opening Hours:
Wednesday to Friday - 8.00am - 4.00pm

Saturday & Sunday - 8.30am - 4pm

Little Eats ‘soundbite review’:

A modern day Charlie and the Chocolate Factory meets warehouse industrial chic in hip Brunswick... watch the chocolate being made by hand, eat some chocolatey treats, drink one of their famous hot chocolates, then buy some chocolate or even a book about chocolate to take home and enjoy.

Highchair: Yes (but just one)
Change table: Yes
Pram access: Yes (heaps!)
Separate kids menu: Yes
Normal menu suitable for kids: Yes
Friendly staff: Yes
Play area for kids: No
Activities provided for kids (eg: crayons): No
Vibe/atmosphere: Industrial, hip, warm, light, airy
Prices: Standard

Other: Handmade chocolate factory and small chocolate/book/gift shop

Little Eats detailed review:

Chocolate. Croissants. Coffee. Three C words that are like music to my ears. You really don’t need a much better reason than these three Frenchie faves to visit this cool cafe.

Enter through the bright fire engine red front door, right next to other Brunswick cafe institution El Mirage, past the kids sized blackboard out the front announcing the hot choc and coffee du jour, and into the spacious old warehouse... and you will find a modern Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Brunswick style.

Thibault Fregoni, artisan chocolate maker and THE Monsieur Truffe, has recently opened his second venue, which is much larger and thus more family friendly than the Collingwood counterpart. But no orange faced Oompa Loompa’s here...

Being an old warehouse, the vibe is industrial chic, yet the combo of exposed brick, blonde wood, blossoms and bamboo is still warm and relaxed, light and airy. And it is an added bonus to be able to peer through the glass windows and be privy to the chocolate making process. There is ample space for prams to glide about, or park them if you wish in the dedicated space just inside the entrance for bikes and prams.

A fold down change table in the disabled loo, a single highchair (yep just the one, but it IS a trendy Scandi looking number), a couple of special kids menu items, organic gingerbread men, babycino’s and mini kid-sized hot choccies complete the kid friendly package.

Our little ones positively inhaled their kids blueberry pancakes, for just $6 they got three decent sized fluffy little pancakes full of whole berries, lightly dusted with icing sugar and with a little pot of stewed rhubarb on the side for dipping... who needs boring old maple syrup and vanilla ice-cream! Delicious, and possibly much better value than the same sized equally delicious strawberry and ricotta hotcakes on the adults menu for $14.

Other Frenchie inspired menu items for us bigger kids include a selection of both sweet and savoury from French Toast to Croque Monsieur, and the famous hot chocolates (with varying blends up to 85%) which are a must try are served in gorgeous Japanese ceramic cups with little wooden spoons to stir the chocolatey goodness around, and so you can lick off every last drop.

There is a sweet selection of books including a cute kids book “I love chocolate”, cards, notebooks, and chocolate for sale too - from bars, to bags, to hot chocolate powder and even fun little kids choccies including ladybugs and bumblebees, all artfully displayed on the front counter for little eyes to see, little hands to grab and little ones to want.

At the counter you will also be tempted by colourful macaroons, buttery, flakey pain au chocolat et croissants, cakes, pudding, biscuits and of course chocolate. Our little one had her eye on a “lellow” macaroon, but after blueberry pancakes, babycino’s and half of Maman’s pain au chocolat I think she had had enough... next time my love... and yup, there will definitely be a next time... as this Mamma had her eye on many more treats to try too!

Please note.... Expect a wait for a table on weekends as there are no bookings. However there is a little park and playground just up the road on the corner of Lygon and Blyth streets if you need to kill some time while you wait for a coveted table to become available.