My favourite breakfast (everything?) in Melbourne; French influenced, beautifully plated food, and specials to die for. Banging coffee, awesome crew, and a great space, all put together with passion, humour and joie de vivre.
Love this place, one of the best coffees in Melbourne - yep that good, with great french inspired food to match. Lucky me this is my local! Thanks gang!
Going to need a bigger boat me thinks..... around the corner for me and rapt it is. Super coffee have never been let down by anything I have eaten.
Poached eggs on polenta / ham hock stack is to die for.
Leigh and the team are Rippers.
My fave inner west local cafe. Coffee is on point, food is adventurous and fresh plus the team are super lovely.
Such a hidden gem. I met the owner yesterday on my first visit to this cafe and he was lovely. Their new menu had only just launched. I had the fritters and they were delicious. Thanks for a great experience. I'll be back!
My motto is simple: "I want to be in love, drink good coffee and ride my bike", I am a keen cyclist and a coffee maven. This means I am selective where I choose to have my post ride coffee, sometimes coffees, in fact I keep a short list of purveyors of specialty coffee--Brother Nancy is on this prestigious list--the atmosphere is relaxed, the space is radiantly lit with plenty of natural light with a minimalist charm and the food delicious. Proud Mary is brew of this western suburbs cafe; good coffee requires two elements--good beans and a barista that know his/her craft well--when you visit next say "hi" to Leigh, the man behind La Marzocco weaving his magic to produce a coffee that is full bodied, silky smooth and fantastic texture. I give this place 5/5 ☆.
Always great coffee, and bonus points for remembering my coffee order at ridiculous a.m. when I’m under caffeinated and too tired to think.
The staff are also always super chill.
Five years scrayin’ and I can’t believe I havnt come here! Awesome coffee and my sardine dish was �� super impressed with the friendly and personalised service. High five!
Popped in here on a quick break from work.
The coffee was sensational and they even make their own jams!
Delish! �
Hidden Gem in the west! �
Lovely little cafe! Excellent food, professional & friendly staff, great atmosphere. I'm looking forward to finding my way back there again.
great food and great coffee. staff are always friendly �
Good favourite for our days off. Love the chilled vibe and fantastic food.
A fabulous place, friendly staff and the most innovative chef in Melbourne cafes!
Have been here a few times now; food and service is always impeccable and the coffee is sublime. Make sure you try the Proud Mary filter.
A cafe that is well known by the locals, and rightly so. I had the grilled buttermilk chicken burger with a side of Kipfler potatoes. It was a burger made in heaven in my humble opinion. The Camembert and chorizo added something special from the usual tired chicken burgers that are out there.
The service was genuinely warm and according to my fussy Perth parents the coffee was the best they’ve had since they’ve been in Melbourne. Believe me, that’s saying something. The coffee was so good I ended up buying a single origin blend for home.
Thanks Brother Nancy. I’ll be back.
Is a good small local cafe in West Footscray. It is also dog friendly so you can totally bring your pal here. We had:
- Classic crepe
- Pork belly and mushrooms
- Pan fried john dory with homemade spinach gnocchi
Everything tasted delicious and looks great, from the simplest dish savoury crepe to the more flavours with depth the pork belly and the gnocchi. Coffee is smooth and service is great.
Highly recommended this cafe if you’re in the area or at the nearby dog park!
Eat_today_diet_tomorrow
+4
Brother Nancy is a nice and cosy cafe in west Footscray. We started with latte. The coffee here was really great! This would be my regular coffee place if I live around there. I ordered Pork belly & Mushrooms which is apple & ginger braised pork belly with oyster mushrooms, bok choy, crumbed polenta cubes, soft boiled eggs, in warm pork & chicken broth. They gave me 2 whole eggs so this place is quite filling and really worth the price. My friends had House cured salmon that came with kiwi and cucumber, mollet egg, pedro ximenez onion, fresh buffalo mozzarella, broccolini & tomato on Multigrain toast. It was quite big, I’d recommend sharing this with another person. For dessert we had house made waffle, maple glazed kaiserfleisch, dark chocolate ganache, puffed quinoa crisp, almond parfait & fresh berries. It looked super pretty. Highly-recommend for instragram-worthy shot ;)
Brother Nancy is a cozy cafe in Footscray that is all about food and community. Huge fan of everything we ate which is their baked eggs, waffles and the broth in the third dish was so delicious, lucky I ate some of it before my friend polished it all off. great service and you can tell the staff love what they do.
Came in for a coffee just before closing time.
Great coffee.
Prompt & friendly service. As we were leaving the owner offered us a loaf of bread each to take home. What a champ! Thank you ❤️
A great weekday brunch spot to catch up with friends. I had the house made waffle with chocolate ganache, almond parfait & kaiserfleisch.. It was a tasty, unique dish, not just your average sweet brekkie dish.
Coffee was to my liking, and great customer service.
Brother Nancy features traditional eggs and toast and some dishes with a French and Guatemalan fare. We were a group of five and were served excellent coffee and juices very quickly.
My partner had the broccoli fritters which was accompanied with Tuscan kale, roasted tomato, pumpkin purée, goats cheese and a crumbed egg. Both interesting and very filling.
I loved the freshness of the Coconut Tapioca Pudding, topped with fresh seasonal fruit.
Would highly recommend but the down side is they don’t accept bookings, so for a group of four or more, you can’t be sure if you can get in.
Lovely coffee. First place in the west that we tried which consistently serving top quality cupa. Live music if you are lucky, very rare for a cafe. Great food, the service was good.
Tried the corn fritters here, which look like they're not available anymore #bringthemback! But regardless of menu changes, I would gladly visit this cafe again. It's tiny, so expect a wait on weekends. The menu is classic with a few unique twists or additions, such as a traditional Guatamelan breakfast ♥️ Every server I've interacted with her has been great. The small team really seems to value their local clientele.
Was a lovely little cafe to get so really yummy and affordable brunch! The coffee was also really nice and it had a great atmosphere. Came here on a Saturday and it was quite busy, but the service was still pretty good!
Best breakfast I've had all year! Perfect coffee, absolutely delicious croquettes and brisket (special) and The Vegetarian was raving about the Chapin (regular menu). Only teeny tiny downside was the squeals of kids bouncing off a lot of hard surfaces, but the food more than made up for it.
Excellent place for locals to gather and share a cup of coffee .
Menu is always changing like Melbourne weather difference food gets better every meal
Great local place for coffee and brunch. Slightly expensive but what brunch place isn’t these days! Great coffee and a welcome addition to the western suburbs
Had the chicken burger which was filling and yum. Slaw was fresh and not heavy and southern fried chicken was crisp. Friendly staff and accommodating. Great experience
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Lovely period homes on both sides and across the road, the setting for this cafe is inviting. Walking in, it's fresh and modern, loads of natural light and has a nice vibe. Waiter frendly, water on the table within a minute and drinks order taken. Ordered my latte and mate went for an Almond Milk Ice chocolate. My coffee was nice but the Ice Chocolate was not cold, the milk was at room temperature and the ice cream started to melt. Also not sure why the almond milk ice chocolate (50 cents more) was in a much smaller glass than the regular ice chocolate? Meals arrived and all of them had great colour and beautiful plating. I went for the Classic Crepe and it was delicious, generous size and filled with bechamel sauce, ham, cheese and a parmesan foam and topped with a fried egg and some lovely bits of salad for freshness. My only criticism is with all those salty components i was looking for something sweet, like a tad of relish or savory jam or maybe even some sweet pickled veggies. A sweet element to this dish would have given it a 4.5 out of 5. It's amazing that Essex Street and surrounds contains 3 award winning cafes in Dumbo, West 48, and Brother Nancy.
Small cafe operated by a young man and family with big hearts. Simple decor and welcoming, kids and dogs friendly as well. Food and coffee are good with reasonable price. If you are looking for a place for casual catch up this can be the one. Next to bus stop too so pretty convenient.
Best coffee in the West.
Lovely people to boot.
Now selling Seddon Sourdough breads.
Especially helpful to mums and bubs with prams.
A hidden gem.
Visited this café with a few friends. We were lucky to find a seat!! When people say they are happy to wait outside for a seat it's always a good sign. Which brings me to one downside.. Personally I prefer more spacious cafés. Brother Nancy does get quite crammed, especially on a Sunday morning! Apart from the layout only positives. Great meals, staff ready to explain each dish on the menu in detail. Chef is French so the dishes do have a certain European twist to them, which i have to stay is what makes the menu distinct.
Linnie Eats All The Food
+4.5
One of the stooges have been raving on and on about Brother Nancy and when I finally had a day free, I decided to meet up Mr Angry for some brunch. It didn’t look amazing in the front but it was quite cute once you step inside. When you step in, you’ll be greeted by the friendly staff and it’s quite cosy inside as well so be prepared to be saying hey to the next table!
I like this place. Very much. I heard their chef is French ... No wonder the food is so nice! Will be coming back very soon...
I like their milkshakes. The French Toast also. ◕‿◕
Really impressed with the coffee. I had the beautiful vegetarian special "Winter garden" for breakfast, really simple ingredients but super tasty.
I live a couple of streets away from Brother Nancy, and while I've had quite a few coffees from here (which are always consistently great, as is their service), I never had the chance to sit down and sample their food. Gale force winds and no power gave us the perfect excuse to walk over. My partner had a beef burger which he loved, and I ordered a board special - cauliflower fritters with sriracha mayo, pea purée and slaw. Everything was packed with flavour and super fresh. I just wish I had more food on the plate! Can't wait to try some of the regular menu items.
This is my favourite place for a takeaway coffee in the West. Consistent coffee and service.Food isn't too bad either. Occasionally busy and cramped but that's about it.
The food was delicious, coffee excellent and service great. This will become one of my local hangs, I had the potato waffles with smoked salmon, poached eggs and beetroot purée and it was delicious. Followed by a shared dessert of French toast with vanilla bean cream, coffee creme patisserie and biscotti crumbles. This is not your average smashed avo (and I love a smashed avo) place. The food is restaurant quality at affordable cafe prices.
Friendly no fuss place and have good coffee and are supplied by quite reputable roasters. Food menu looks good, will try the egg soldiers next time.
Based on a takeaway coffee and service, nice and friendly and the latte was very good.The place itself is small but not overcrowded , comfy looking chairs outside.
Coffee today was curdled. Gross. Threw down the sink and the resulting picture is posted. Stank out the staffroom kitchen. Almost vomited upon initial drinking. Please check the expiry on milk.
If you've never been you'll probably be taken aback by the quality of the food, so much better than the standard cafe fare. The coffee is great too, and they cater for kids.
The Hungry Moustache
+3.5
I can understand why people love brunch, especially Melbournians when we have such an immensely strong coffee culture. Australia is built on small businesses and we love supporting the small guys – especially when they make a great coffee too. I myself, am slave to the eternally sweet nectar of the cold drip and haven’t drank anything else since my first sip. I’m a simple guy and this translates through to my coffee, I don’t need milk or sugar – I’m already sweet enough. (If you need to throw up, the bin is over to the right)
With Proud Mary beans and a decent barista this place is a coffee oasis, Consistently fantastic coffee, probably the best in the west footscray area.
The Hungry Moustache
+3.5
I can understand why people love brunch, especially Melbournians when we have such an immensely strong coffee culture. Australia is built on small businesses and we love supporting the small guys – especially when they make a great coffee too. I myself, am slave to the eternally sweet nectar of the cold drip and haven’t drank anything else since my first sip. I’m a simple guy and this translates through to my coffee, I don’t need milk or sugar – I’m already sweet enough. (If you need to throw up, the bin is over to the right)
Great cafe in a lovely quiet neighbourhood. I had the mussels and rosemary chips special for lunch. Very good. Nice coffee. Very friendly waiter. Perfect local Cafe.
Most of reviews talks about delicious food in this cute cafe, but I want to review coffees here. This cafe use Proud Mary coffee beans and usually I go there on early Sat morning every fortnight,I like the soylatte, makes me fall in love and want to go back for another one. Worth to go and try!
WOW I JUST HAD THE SPECIAL PANCAKES WITH APPLE OMG. It was amazing the mix with the different flavours it really was amazing definitely coming back hopefully soon can't wait until I come back ILYSM
This is such good local cafe. You can get your standard cafe fare here, but there are also so many great and interesting dishes on the menu and it changes every 2-3 months, so it never gets old. I go in once a week or fortnight and try something new everytime and it is always good. Lots of vego options and the coffee is the best in the area by far. Good work BN.
Such a quaint, cute little place out west. Really makes me miss living out in west Footscray with places like this. Loved the service and the food. And can't wait to come back and try their new menu!
Spoonfuls Of Wanderlust
+3.5
Verdict: Nice local cafe with decent coffee and interesting food options. The staff were friendly, the environment was cosy (especially on a cold winter's day), and my coffee and breakfast dish managed to hit the spot!
We've had coffee here three times now. Twice they were excellent and one time it was burnt and horrible. Two out of three ain't bad though ... I'll still go to support our local & hopefully no more burnt coffee! :)
The style of menu here is just what I like - food that is exciting and different. Green eggs and ham with pork belly and mushroom foam, breakfast carbonara with a baked egg yolk, reuben sandwich with wagyu pastrami. Loved it all - flavourful and well thought through. Only negatives were the reuben wasn't actually a reuben (it had coleslaw) and the pastrami wasn't cut very generously (wasnt much meat). Will definitely be returning to try the rest of the menu tho
We don't often venture west side but this brunch was worth the trip - I love a sweet breakfast and love trying to find new and innovative options - I had the French toast which came with a white chocolate genache, almond crumb and citrus fruit. Sometimes sweet dishes can be overly sickly not here - the sourness of the fruit beautifully cut through the White chocolate providing perfect balance. Would go back 😊
The french toast was honestly the best I have ever had and the vegemite mousse was incredible. A wonderful atmosphere with a lovely hot chocolate to go with the meal was perfect. Could not fault.
Great coffee, relaxing atmosphere, great poached eggs, fantastic baked treats, the yoyo is my favourite. Friendly helpful staff. Not too busy (yet).
I have been meaning to try this little cafe for a long time and i was not dissapointed at all. The coffee was good, not the best but the food was great. The sardines was full of flavour and my husband loved his pork belly with chicaron. The price is reasonable. Service is warm and friendly. Definitely worth a try, not a fancy place but that what is great about it. Loved by locals.
Had some great coffee after a long stint in Europe and only poor coffee!! Was a great little cafe just popped in out of the blue since the local was closed for renovations. Had the Guatemalan breakfast which was super tasty but a bit on the small side... Will definitely bookmark this place for when I'm next in the Footscray area
Just awesome. Unusual but super delicious dishes, I pushed my physical limits and gorged gleefully. The crumbed egg on lentils was just amazing, and the French toast with coconut cream and crispy biscuit bits with caramelized bananas, superlatively yum. So impressed. Love it.
Another west side gem, quick friendly staff get you settled and put a coffee in your hand quickly. Nice light interior and well spaced out given the room they have. The menu is clever and appealing and the food is spot on, we had French toast along with eggs on toast with a side of black beans, tasted great and nicely full. Two thumbs up!
Owner Leigh is a WeFo local who was travelling east for work. With a two year old and another child on the way, he decided for lifestyle reasons that he needed to work closer to home. Plus he knew that the area needed a cafe like Brother Nancy. This location, formerly a butcher, fish and chip shop and lately a tax office, has been completely stripped and rebuilt by Leigh . He made the benches, he made the tables, he made the shelves. He even installed the new kitchen.
The food is awesome, such quality for the price and the service is friendly and professional, this has to be one of the true gems of the West.
Try the crumbed egg, it is fantastic! Good coffee and lovely staff.
Beef tartare!. For me it was all about the beef tartare, I travelled from St kilda to try it. This version had various herbs and olive oil on it so it tasted very fresh- It was not the usual oniony version with a bit of heat. Very tasty and a good sized portion for lunch. My friend had the burger and said that was also very good.
I live only a one minute walk from this cafe but only went for the first time today as it has always looked too crowded on weekends.I had the sardines which were really tasty and served with a lovely gazpacho.A pretty reasonable price for such an assured meal .My friend had the burger and said it was excellent.Service was friendly and relaxed.Will be back to try breakfast.
Going back - Nice work Brother Nancy. Had a really good experience, again, at Brother Nancy. Sardines were my pick on the weekend - spot on - hat's off to Chef Jordi. Place was very busy so it's a credit to him as he's the only guy in the kitchen! Coffee was very good as always; likewise with the service. Had a good chat with the owner - nice guy, a local and definitely passionate and knowledgeable about food, coffee, the industry and getting it right for the customer. Cafe is still in it's infancy but they are working hard and always looking to improve - keep it up Brother Nancy! I noticed the earlier comment about other positive reviews being fakes. Seriously? Spare me. And given that 10 out of 11 of his reviews are negative or "Doesn't Like It"; suggest he takes his own advice and cooks at home.
Love love loved it. Very creative menu and great coffee. One of the yummiest breakfasts I've eaten in a long time. For dog lovers, there is a fenced off lead park across the road too. Can't wait to come back
Cute cafe, friendly staff. Try the coconut milk latte for a different coffee experience!
Welcome addition to WeFo. Places like Brother Nancy are making it harder to keep the great WeFo community a secret but I guess it's inevitable! We've been here a few times now for coffee and meals and have always come away happy. The menu doesn't offer a lot of your standard cafe fare, but there are other places nearby for that. Although as I said we've visited a few times, so far I can only vouch for the grilled sardines and the chapin breakfast - because I haven't been able to get past them; both are too good. The coffee is great - even the couple of times we've detected a trace of chai in the brew (maybe from the last cup made on the machine?), and staff are friendly. Glad to have them in the neighbourhood!
Lovely little cafe that packs a punch!. I went here with some friends for our usual Saturday morning brunch. The venue itself is a little sparsely decorated but the food is divine and creative and so beautifully presented. Instant favorite hang out!
Small but quaint. Great new local for the area ! The coffee was great and service fantastic. Enjoyed the hollandaise ! Nice to have it house made ! Welcome to the area guys :)
Awesome & original breakfast!. Had the Chapin breakfast with scrambled eggs, plantain and cheese. So good to have an original breakfast that's not just eggs on toast with avocado. Was seriously tasty, now gotta head there for lunch for the tartare. Can't wait to go back
Welcome to the neighbourhood! Yummy coffee, looking forward to trying the food.
Never judge a restaurant by its size. Brother Nancy may be small, but packs a punch on flavour. The beef tartare – a dish normally associated with French bistros was a highlight. Freshly chopped steak seasoned with a tangy dressing, achieved a perfect balance between the acidity of the lemon and the flavour of raw beef.
Wonderful little cafe. Was staying nearby and decided to make it my local, and for 4 days in a row I started my days off right!
Over the course of my stay I ate:
- French Toast (Pictured)
- Grilled Salmon
- Prawn Bianchi
And I drank:
- Cappuccino
- Iced Mocha
- Short Macchiato
And every single day I was impressed. Most cafes stick to the usual toasted sandwiches and muffins but boy am I glad that wasn't the case. All the food and the coffee was delectable, the staff were hilarious and down to earth, and the locals and location are honestly fantastic.
In such a small period of time I felt welcome and well looked after. I definitely recommend Brother Nancy and am looking forward to visiting again when I'm back in town!
Delicious long black! The flat white was great too.
Food service is a bit slow tho, will still come back.
Nice family run cafe - solid menu and good service.
My friend told me that he had just discovered this place. We tried it out. The coffee was great. Perfectly temperature and no sugar required. The barista knew what he was doing. Menu looked very interesting with a eclectic offering.
Our food was presented well and cooked perfectly.
As I was starting my breakfast I noticed the specials board.
Some very interesting meals on offer. I will definitely be back to try them.
I visit Brother Nancy most mornings while walking my dog. The staff there are wonderful. The coffee is a consistent 10/10 and they always make me feel welcome and stop to pat the dog if it's quiet enough, before using hand sanitiser and then washing their hands as they go back inside the cafe. It's places like Brother Nancy that make communities such a wonderful place to be.
Excellent coffee. (decaf was delicious) lovely, friendly staff and service. Very yummy 🍪 cookies.
Highly recommend.
Beautiful little cafe with super kind staff. Coffee was delish and the large is served in beautiful clay mugs. I had the toaster with béchamel and my husband had the panko crumbed chicken sandwich. Both were delish but I think his won breakfast - the pesto is 11/10! We’ll definitely be back!
Good coffee and yummy food, especially the Reuben sandwich!
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