Sycamore Meadows

To complement Melbourne’s vibrant food and coffee scene, Garry Rodakis has brought a slice of Los Angeles (LA) to a little nook in Reservoir.

Sycamore Meadows heroes Californian design with its terra-cotta tiling and country-club feel. But the café’s muse isn’t Californian architecture but rather Garry’s musical idol: Butch Walker. The singer-songwriter has inspired Garry’s entire fleet of venues – from The Spade in Glenroy to aptly named Mr. Walker in Essendon.

“I wanted to go into hospitality and tie in things that I love. It gives something to draw inspiration from when I talk about the business. I think it’s important that your business represents something more than just a place to eat and catch up,” says Garry.

Café goers can find a menu tying into the LA subculture and leaning into unconventional vegan options, as well as the city’s breakfast burrito trend.

“I love the burritos in LA and I brought them into my breakfast culture at the café. I don’t think it’s really caught on here, but they are massive in California. We do four different flavours and they’ve been on the menu since we opened.”

Customers can choose from the golden tofu, pulled pork, spicy chorizo, or the recently added chicken burrito. Garry says he also likes to keep it simple, with basic toast options also available.

“We’ve introduced a toast plus menu that has what we call, Simple Avo, which is basically just fresh avocado, tomatoes, and olive oil.

“There’s also a couple of innovative yet simple dishes, such as coconut yogurt on toast with strawberries and honey. This way, people can come in and out for a coffee and breakfast for 20 bucks – I’m pretty proud of that,” he says.

Garry recommends pairing the menu with Lavazza’s Mosaic Retreat blend, which he says has been well received by the locals.

“I’m happy people are enjoying it because I changed blends for quality – for more of a kick in my coffee, and for a little bit more consistency,” he says.

Garry adds that you can’t beat a burrito and latte pairing. Sycamore Meadows takes this to the next level with its innovative signature drinks and unorthodox beverages, such as the vanilla iced matcha latte and lavender latte designed to calm the mind – all inspired by drinks in LA.

“The iced matcha is our favourite and we have new additions coming soon with batch brew and chai getting their own signature drink,” says Garry.

Sycamore Meadows
759 Gilbert Road, Reservoir, Victoria, 3073
Open Monday to Friday 6am to 3pm, Saturday and Sunday 7am to 3pm