Mediterranean food is one of my favourite cuisines and Babajan is a lovely place to source it. I’ve only dined there during covid so I can’t vouch for their full menu, but their takeaway counter offerings are fresh and delicious. I particularly love the falafel roll and the roasted capsicum and potato salad (although all their salads are lovely). They also make a mean soy flat white. I can’t wait to visit again.
This little cafe was packed inside and out so I opted for a takeaway salad of two options. The rice/cauliflower/stone fruit salad was divine, though the burnt eggplant one wasn’t as pleasing because I really felt I was just eating a lot of (tasty) yoghurt and little eggplant. I’m sure I’d have been less inclined to feel the price of my small bowl as a bit high if the salad selection was more substantial on this particular day. Service is helpful and hard-working but brisk.
George Hurley Wellington
+5
Babajan was a cafe that my girlfriend and I had read about for years and hadn't quite made it around to trying. We got a salad to share (rice pilaj with beans etc.) which was one of the best salads I've ever had and a spinach and mushroom Borek. What a combo! We then shared a baked egg dish with potato hash and bread and it was simply delicious. Ruby then ordered a slice of Persian love cake to go and the beautiful staff even through in a couple of Portuguese custard tarts in for free. Not only were they delicious but it just shows how much the café values brilliant service. What an experience and we'll certainly be coming back again soon.
Really tasty menu and friendly staff. I had the cauliflower falafel which came with carrot escabeche and radish. I also added avocado ezme. A delicious and fresh combo of flavours. Loved all the selection of fresh salads and baked goods as well. Venue was quite small though so if you come at peak time may have a wait for a table.
The second time I had lunch at Babajan. Food was fantastic. From mains to dessert. We tried the cold rice pudding, eggplant cheese toastie, the almond shortbread biscuit and the Persian lovecake. Mains were full of flavours and beautifully spiced. Almond shortbread was delicious with combination of a bit of crunch & the sweetness of dusting sugar. Persian lovecake was not too sweet at all and would go nicely with a cup of coffee. Overall it was a great lunch.
Very impress of this Greek style brunch. I have been to Babajan twice. I enjoyed the lamb baked egg and the semit for the first time visit, but the second time the baked egg is over cooked. The crab omelette is tasty with delightful texture.
The only thing needs to be improved is the service, feeling ignored in most of the time. No water was served to our table until we asked again. I added lamb for my baked egg but was not coming together(looks different compare to the first time I had it). When I ask to confirm is there lamb inside the dish, the waitress and the chef were not even look at it and say there should be lamb inside. But when I double confirmed and the waitress finally brought the dish for the chef and the answer is, “oh, yes we will get you the lamb now”.
We had visited Babajan a few weeks ago and here’s what we had!
Eggplant Aleppo Turkish Cheese Toastie - served with fried eggs, fermented chili, sumac onion and lamb shoulder! First of all I gotta say the toastie was pretty thick and filling! It was full of meat and cheesiness and the flavors all worked well together! The meat and eggplant were both super juicy!
Menemen Turkish baked eggs - served with spiced tomato, spinach, pistachio dukkah and lamb shoulder! This was full of richness with the addition of the juicy meat! It was very eggy as well which is what I liked! The Turkish bread that came along with the baked eggs was delicious as it was fluffy and a good absorber of the baked eggs!
It was a fun time at Babajan and we will definitely go back to try the rest of their dishes!
The Gluten-Free Foodie
+4
Fantastic spot for brekky and brunch! I was worried because I hadn't made a booking but arrived at 10:30am to a table being available straight away on the curb. The staff had good knowledge of GF options and were confident explaining the various meals. I chose the Crab Omelette on recommendation from the staff and it was incredible! Reminded me of the delicate balance and taste of French cooking with the middle eastern flavours. The powdered chai was also made well and came out hot. Would definitely come back for the lamb toast that could also be GF. (The staff were also patient and kind when the rest of my party didn't arrive for 15-20mins.)
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Real score 4.2.
Babajan has been on my radar for a while. As soon as I entered I started kicking myself I hadn’t been here already. It’s fabulous.
This struck me as the perfect cafe to visit if you’re in a hipster style brunch rut. Too many avo smashes, a few too many big brekkies anyone. This is the cure. The food here is genuinely unusual. It demands to be tried. I love modern middle eastern type food and they do it here very very well here. I wandered up to the counter and was immediately goggle eyed at the food available. I couldn’t wait to get at it. I ordered a lentil salad and a chicken salad with pumpkin, chicken peas etc. Both dishes were utterly delicious. The textures and flavours were outstanding. I savoured every single mouthful. You know that feeling of regret as you come to the last little bits of really good dishes. I had that here big time. I really didn’t want to finish these dishes. They were wonderful.
My coffee to finish was a beauty too. Dark, deep, inky and rich. Melbourne in a cup. I had one last 1% observation. They have an awesome sound system here. They had a fantastic playlist on. I’m serious. It is a terrifically rich sound they offer here. Best I’ve ever heard in a cafe of this size. I love music. A good sound system matters.
It’s a great cafe. It’s a must visit.
😱Lizzie’s first impression: the first time I’ve had a middle eastern fusion brunch. It was actually so much better than expected.
🍩Lizzie enjoyed: I tried the baked eggs and it came with a funky little bread roll that I wasn’t used to.
🍅Lizzie did not enjoy: although the bread roll was aesthetically pleasing and all, it was a little too dry for my liking.
🥇Lizzie rates overall: a great place that is not too far out of the city and a place I would go back for more.
Mediterranean food is one of my favourite cuisines and Babajan is a lovely place to source it. I’ve only dined there during covid so I can’t vouch for their full menu, but their takeaway counter offerings are fresh and delicious. I particularly love the falafel roll and the roasted capsicum and potato salad (although all their salads are lovely). They also make a mean soy flat white. I can’t wait to visit again.
Incredible food. Very different brunch food - perfect if you are bored of the standard smashed avo and poached eggs. Fresh ingredients, so much flavour and lovely staff. Would recommend the eggplant toastie! Cold brew was flavoursome and turkish coffee was chocolatey.
Great place with good service. Middle eastern food was made well and it's different to your usually smashed avocado toast but very delicious. Prices are a little high though.
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