erched on Glenferrie Road in Hawthorn, just down from Barkers Road, is new café Life on Mars, an upbeat venture into hospitality by owner Sandra Powell.

The building and design was all done in-house and features a modern yet rustic fit-out, with beautiful wooden tables, a mishmash of industrial and wooden chairs, drop-lights and pot plants on display.

Famed chef Fletcher Zane – whose resume includes Hotel Max, Stokehouse, Giuseppe Arnaldo & Sons, Icebergs and Quay – is in control of the kitchen. Currently serving breakfast and lunch (with dinner and a liquor license on the cards for summer), the food is an array of dishes made, where possible, from locally sourced and free-range produce.

Menu items include the duck egg frittata with young asparagus, homemade crumpets with leatherwood honey or Gippsland cumin salt lamb loin with black quinoa, green olives and a Persian feta dressing. There is also an impressive range of smallgoods that are made in-house, including bacon, corn beef and sausages to take home for the BBQ.

Bread is Noisette, coffee is Allpress and milk is Jonesy’s Dairy Fresh – all local industries here.

Life on Mars
842 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn
(03) 9078 8663

Hours
Daily 7.30am–4.30pm