Mario's Cafe

303 Brunswick Street,
Fitzroy, VIC 3065
(03) 9417 3343
Food: Italian, Breakfast, Cafe

I love the fact that Mario's serves breakfast all day. Glorious, unpretentious, arousing-the-senses sort of breakfast. We found this cosy eatery one lazy Sunday, after an indulging day of shopping along Brunswick Street. Mario's fits in perfectly well in this quirky end of Fitzroy, with its cluttered decor and waiters full of character (and slight snootiness, but that all adds to the cafe's eccentricity).

Upon entering, we are greeted with great welcome, smiles and voluptuous hand movements towards a free table. Then are swiftly given menus and orders are taken with such flair and friendliness it is hard not to feel at ease in this gem of a cafe. Each time I visit Mario's, I forget how delightful the food is until I take my first bite into a juicy mushroom or succulent chicken, and only then do I remember why I am drawn back here every time, bringing friends to bask in the glory of delicious food.

Salad of Fresh Figs, Spinach, Semi-dried Tomato, Bocconcini and Prosciutto

Pan-seared Chicken Breast with Cheese and Parma Ham and Creamy Potato Gratin

Eggs Florentine with Smoked Salmon, Mushroom and Grilled Tomato - I can't get enough of Mario's fresh Bearnaise sauce, it is delciously runny, creamy and slightly tangy

Eggs Florentine with Smoked Salmon & Mushrooms - while happily eating my way through the smoked salmon in this dish, my fork fell upon a strand of dark, curled hair, a sight every diner never wants to experience. I alerted the waiter of my discovery, who immediately took the dish back to the kitchen. I was hoping for the whole dish to be replaced, but was given a new floret of salmon, which I reluctantly and carefully devoured.

 Eggs Florentine with Hash Browns

Traditional Porridge with Bananas and Strawberry