I was intending to continue with my journeys in my Little Aussie trip, but going through the photos and writing the posts are taking longer than I expected >_< so please bear with me, I’ve got a short cafe review for you today.
Source: Newspaper.li
Do you know much about Pope Joan? 
I don’t really know much about her, so I did some research and found out that there are many stories about her and the most well known describes her as a talented women who imposes as a man and becomes the pope. However, her gender is revealed when she gives birth to her son while riding a house and usually in the stories she is either killed or dies due to illness.
I have been quite intrigued by the name of the cafe Pope Joan ~ Have been meaning to visit, but it’s not in a suburb that we go very often so it has just remained on my ‘to-go list’. Then coincidentally, a couple of weeks ago, I had a baking class in the Brunswick area so I was frantically looking at places to have breakfast. Then I remembered seeing on Heidi (Apples Under My Bed) Instagram photo that she had visited the other day and the food looked sooooo good ~
My baking class started at 9am on a Sunday, very cruel if you ask me 
and it was worse, because I made Mr Bao wake up early, have breakfast with me and drive me to the cooking school hehe. We rocked up just past 8am and it was relatively empty in the cafe, the chirpy waitress told us to choose any table we wanted.
Surprisingly normal looking cafe I was expecting it to be more ‘medieval’ in the decor but nope ~ but it did have a retro-feel to it.
Joan’s Porridge $10AUD
They had a decent sized menu with the common breakfast items such as big breakfast, omelette and oats. It was a chilly morning and the baking class was a whole day course, so I wanted something warm, comforting and most importantly filling So I opted for the healthy Joan’s Porridge with with poached pear, nuts, seeds and honey. This was probably one of the best porridge I’ve had in a long time ~ It was not gluggy or sticky, nor was it too watery, it had the perfect consistency. My only issue was it didn’t have enough honey so I asked for more, which the waitress gladly gave me.
Not So Full English Breakfast $18AUD
Usually Mr Bao will always get a breakfast dish with eggs, the more the better and will complain when a cafe only gives him one. But that morning he didn’t want eggs and wanted something lighter, so he got the Not So Full English Breakfast with bacon, sausage, baked beans and swapped the egg for a side of avocado with no extra cost. We both loved the simple and homely presentation of his breakfast, especially how they put the baked beans in the little sardine tin 
I tried a little bit of everything and was quite impressed especially the Cumberland sausage that was full of flavour ~
Tomato Relish
The Not So Full Breakfast also came with a large jar of tomato relish, for customers to have so much as they please. I really liked this relish It wasn’t too sour or sweet and we both loved the chunky tomato bits ~ went very well with the bacon and sausage. Only criticism Mr Bao had was that the breakfast was a little small for $18, as other cafes serve a larger English breakfast for a similar price.
Flat White $4AUD
Coffees here are from All Press and Pope Joan has been praised for their coffee so we were both excited about trying. Mr Bao ordered a flat white and commented that it was quite bitter with slight floral notes. I had a sip and just thought it was just too bitter and needed a teaspoon or two of sugar and then it would’ve been lovely! Sugar makes the world a much better place
Mocha $4AUD
I got my signature mocha, and found it to be a little weak but very fragrant and had a nice chocolate hit to it ~ I would’ve liked it even more if it was a little thicker.
We really enjoyed our visit and would recommend you to come and try ~ I’m definitely coming back to try their egg dishes such as Deviled egg, ham hock croquettes, lentil and vinaigrette. I also have my heart set on trying their sweets, I could see the cakes and donuts in the glass cabinet screaming “Eat Me”
Tagged: Breakfast, Brunch, Cafe, Coffee, Melbourne, Review, Urbanspoon
She gives birth while riding a horse? Now I know this is a work of fiction! What a lovely cafe and I love the little pots of tomato relish – and I agree with Mr Bao – a big breakfast should be a BIG breakfast xx
I don’t think any big breakfast will be big enough for Mr Bao
he has an insatiable stomach hehe ~ pretty intense to give birth on a horse right? 
This cafe looks good…love to eat out for breakfast! Good luck getting your photos organised….it can be quite time consuming. I’ve just got home from a few days in Sydney and have a lot of photos to go through! I enjoy it though
Thanks Ali
Definitely good to go out for breakfast ~ OMG the photos are KILLING ME lol it’s fun but just so time consuming and then also writing the posts hehe I love it all just takes more time than I expected hehe can’t wait to read all about your Sydney adventures too!
Ahhh! What a coincidence – I went to Bishop of Ostia (same place, just around the back) on Saturday and now I want to try Pope of Joan for brunch sometime soon! That porridge does look delicious although I never order it for brunch because I’m greedy and go for unhealthy type dishes. And the not so full brekkie doesn’t look like enough for Mr Bao!? Haha
I don’t think any big breakfast will be enough for Mr Bao the ones that are enough are ones that are so big that it’ll feed two to three people hahaha
But i’m just like you! I always order the naughty stuff but that morning I really wanted to be good 
That doesn’t happen too often lol
oh oh oh how did you like Bishop of Ostia? I wanna go
Heard that they have a pumpkin pie ice cream bar hahaha
Yes I just posted about it! They have the awesome Salmon wings on their menu!!! I really liked it and wanna go back, and yes
they have pumpkin pie ice cream bar 
It’s probably sad that I knew about Pope Joan before Matt Wilkinson opened this awesome cafe, since I’m a crazy British History Buff ;P The kids (yes and me too!) love the egg dishes, and the next time you go you MUST have the gingerbread with maple butter it’s out of this world!!!
Why is it sad
I love history too so I’m feeling quite silly that I don’t know much about Pope Joan lol when you say British History I think of the Queen and the Monarchy I’m such a nerd lol and will youtube videos about the royal family hahaha 
I’m definitely going back for the egg dishes and you said ginger bread and MAPLE BUTTER? YES please
I assume Pope Joan the story is a fictional one? Sounds interesting though…
I am impressed with the golden sheen over the flat white, not sure whether it’s my eyes playing tricks on me, but it sure looks beautiful in the photo. Have a great week Daisy, it’s our Thanksgiving holiday this week, and I am looking forward to a little trip with hubby and little girl!
Yup I’m pretty sure that Pope Joan is a fictional character
it’ll be too dramatic otherwise to have a child while riding a horse LOL
LOL nah the flat white was very pretty ~ I love it when cafes do great coffee art, making it too pretty to drink hehe!
Ohhh Happy Thanksgiving! We don’t have that here
But hope you have an amazing time with your hubs and little princess where will you be going? Hopefully you’ll blog about it! xox
Love the history involved my friend
And what a cute cafe!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Glad you like the little bit of history
it was a great cafe hehe
Looks super delicious! I loved the story about pope Joan! Amazing that she was a girl! Wow!
Yeah I agree
i think we need more Pope Joans in our modern world too hehe ~
I only knew a little abotu Pope Joan, very interesting. Whoaa My Bao is so sweet. My hubs would think I torture him if I wake him up before 8am on Sunday, lol. I like the wallpaper there, looks like a fun place to visit.
Hahaha I’m a very cruel girlfriend
I couldn’t find parking there so the best was for him to drop me off so I lured him with a breakfast date hahaha and he got to go home and sleep afterwards anyway! LOL
Those breakfasts look fantastic! I love a big breakfast! And I especially love a full menu! Cant wait to hear about your baking class!
The breakfast was definitely lovely
I’m definitely going to go back ~ the baking class was actually to learn how to make macarons! I Still haven’t been able to make good ones at home 
Pope Joan is on my Melbourne eating “wish list”. I’ve heard really great thigns about it. 8am breakfast on a Sunday is a bit cruel though.
LOL that was the only time we could go because the class was starting at 9am
oh wells he got to go home and sleep it’s not that bad ~
I love these intriguing Melbourne names! And Pope Joan is one of them! Good to know what the food is like too
yay, thanks or the shout out
I adore this place. Quality.
Heidi xo
You didn’t try the fried poached egg dish?
LOL nah I didn’t it rarely happens but just didn’t feel like it that day
Yeah so unlike you! lol
I had fruit loops for brekky, but I want that not so full english breakky! All that fat and protein *drools*
LOL fruit loops I use to have them as a kid
Haven’t had them for ages now hehe ~ I definitely think a full english breakfast is the best way to start the day!
What a cute place! I have never heard of the Pope Joan before, but that sounds like a book I’d love to read!
I think it’ll be a great book to read
I wish I had more time to read… lately all my reading is just food blogs hahaha
Oatmeal! I love oatmeal! I always have mine with chocolate and peanut butter, though
I love my oats too
Ohhh i should have mine with chocolate and nutella thanks for giving me the idea ~
really love the porridge. i’m obsessed with it and love trying different ones. theirs looks devine.
I know me too
I’m a porridge girl hehe ~ love it!
How come you always can find places that’s homely and interesting?!
I love the porridge that you had. What a good idea to put poached pear on top! I’ve put stewed apple with cinnamon on before, now I can try it with pear
Hahaha it’s because I love going to new places Jane
And vintage places really interest me hehe ~ Definitely try the pear I think you will love it and remember extra Honey! xx
love Pope Joan! hehe Went there a year ago and loved the food there! and how cute that they serve the baked beans in the sardine tin! hehe Love it! x
Definitely love the sardine tin! I want to go back too hehe and try the eggs
yes there is one that they deep fry and the middle is still runny! OMG! haha
I really loved Pope Joan when I visited a while ago…it’s a nice space to sit in the courtyard and chat over coffee and brunch, perfect for this weather!
I read your post and one of the reasons why we went
Especially since you said service was good ~ Now i want to go to Bishop of Ostia hehe next door!