Best Breakfasts IN DUNSBOROUGH AND YALLINGUP

WORDS | Janine Pittaway

Asimple breakfast dish served in an unpretentious bush setting is revered by locals and is top of the bucket list for returning visitors to the region. It’s not traditional, at least not to Australia, and has remained on the popular café’s menu for more than 15 years.

When owner and chef Duncan Timmons took over Dunsborough’s Goanna Bush Café in 2008, he knew the Indo Breakfast’s reputation, and understood his own would be at stake if he removed it from the menu.

“We’re so happy to see people still enjoy it,” Duncan said. “It’s an Aussie take on a nasi goreng. I think it’s the balance of spice, sweetness and umami from the pesto avocado. We’ve spiced up the rice, adding house made nahm jim and quality coconut milk and fry it to order.”

Goanna Café is kid and dog-friendly and a relaxing place for a leisurely breakfast inside the café or under the gum trees. Other favourites are the bush breakfast, Spanish breakfast, and smoked BBQ breakfast. The Indonesian stays on the menu for brunch and lunch, joined by smoked salmon rosti and crab omelette gratin. The omelette is cooked with crab and white fish ‘Arnold Bennett’ style served with grilled courgettes and topped with potato rosti and a mango miso chilli butter. Duncan is serious about breakfast.

From bush to beach, some of WA’s most renowned chefs are creating world-class breakfasts for hungry surfers, holidaymakers and locals.

Kate Lamont is one of our state’s best-known and respected chefs and is regularly behind the tools in Lamonts Smiths Beach’s kitchen.

Lamonts’ consistent quality cements the restaurant as a staple on the breakfast scene. Or maybe it’s the siren’s call of a peach bellini, espresso martini or bloody mary that you can order on the side.

The restaurant and deli have been elevated with new bi-fold windows welcoming in the fresh salty air.

Popular Lamont’s breakfasts include buttermilk pancakes with sweet lime butter, maple syrup, mascarpone and berries; and potato rosti with roasted mushies, poached eggs and pancetta bits.

The blue soft taco with fried eggs, avo, tomato, mozzarella and brown butter aioli is also a winner. For a lighter start, poached nectarines and raspberries with roasted almond dukkha is divine.

Up the road at Yallingup Beach, Lagoon chef/ owner Ben Jacob celebrates the refined-casual restaurant’s proximity to the ocean. Breakfast standouts include a chilli blue swimmer crab omelette with akoya oyster sambal (a family recipe and nod to Ben’s Burmese heritage), and buttermilk fish wing benedict with aniseed myrtle hollandaise and potato. For sweeter tooths there’s cinnamon swirl pancakes with milk glaze and cinnamon crumb. Groms have a dedicated breakfast menu with smaller servings. At Yallingup Lagoon kiosk there’s nary a sausage roll in sight! Instead enjoy a choice of toasties, pastries and house-made granola. Seeking maximum beach time? Order online.

New, and most welcome, to Dunsborough’s breakfast scene is Eagle Bay Olives. Order coffee, fresh pastries or your own personal selection off the blackboard menu, then pull up a chair in the shaded garden with views to the olive groves or Ollie Park playground. Kids and dogs welcome.

Owners Matt and Julie Izett have added a commercial kitchen to their farm shop since taking over two and a half years ago. There’s a relaxed rustic charm created by the recycled timbers, corrugated iron and mismatched tables and chairs. Chef Andrew Foulsham creates daily specials and bakes. It’s hard to go past the EBO burger with brioche bun, bacon, egg, avo, swiss cheese, hash brown and tomato chutney but if you can, there’s also a knockout vegan bircher, tasting plate, toasties and house-made pies featuring olives. Be sure to visit the EBO Farm Shop.

Meelup Farmhouse celebrates the art of brunching in boho chic style. The menu is a cut above breakfast standards, featuring fresh flavours from farm, garden and sea. Warm date and ginger rice pudding with coconut yoghurt and chilli scrambled egg with char sui pork belly are on the cards for our next visit.

Little ones have a brunch set menu - finishing with a bag of chicken feed for the free range and fabulous Silkie chickens!

The venue has heaters and blankets if the weather is cool.

With delicious food and exceptional service, this one is a popular choice so remember to book ahead.

Other notable mentions:

DUNSBOROUGH:

• Pullman Bunker Bay - gourmet buffet breakfast with complimentary glass of sparkling. Dedicated kids buffet in school hols.

• Merchant & Maker – house made bread and pastries. Takeaway gourmet breakfast hamper.

• Artezen – Orange crepes, maple mushrooms, decadent French toast, and the best scrambled eggs in town according to the Pilates girls who frequent the establishment.

• Wild & Woods – wholesome breakfast and juices.

• Local Dunsborough – go for the filled Better Bagels made locally in Dunsborough.

• La Lah – try the mango & avo smash or the tofu scramble.

• Evviva – go the Bino Benny with creamy turmeric hollandaise.

• The Cure – choose for drive-through convenience.

• One Day Café – focaccia, tarts, breakfast bowls and muffins in the light industrial area.

• Conscious Craves – locals rave about the waffles!

• Dunsborough Bakery – open at 6am for the early risers.

YALLINGUP:

• Cape Lodge – a la carte lakeside dining.

• Anniebrook Farm – homemade scones and pies - always ok for breakfast!

• Commonage Coffee / Yallingup Chocolate Café – freshly roasted coffee, muffins, pastries, and toasties.

• Yallingup General Store – casual and tasty –come straight from the beach.

• Yallingup Guglehuph – fresh baked croissants and shortcrust quiches to take away.

Check websites and social media for seasonal openinghoursandlatestmenus.

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