Gypsy Hideout is like a European travel book in the guise of a bright, spacious, white-walled café in Westgarth. Owned by a man whose travels awoke the gypsy in him, the European influences that permeate the menu are akin to eating souvenirs – taking the Croque Monsieur with prosciutto and Greek cheese as its most basic example.

Its well constructed yet unpretentious menu keeps the boredom of your average Melburnian all-day breakfast staple at bay, offering sumac-roasted beetroot with minted spinach and dukkah-dusted poached eggs, or quinoa porridge with almond milk, fresh pomegranate, poached pears, almond and honey. The blackboard menu features a selection of jaffles, Spanish stew with chorizo, capsicum, eggplants, olives, fetta cheese and dukkah, or fillet steak rolled in honey and pepper, then baked in the oven and made into a sandwich with tomato avocado and aioli dressing.

With thick hot chocolate proudly made by the owner from his own “top secret recipe” and streaming natural light that appeals to families and afternoon book readers, Gypsy Hideout is a place that evokes both the freedom of travel and the comfort of home. It’s a good thing Gypsy Hideout’s Westgarth home isn’t the end of its travels; the staff close for a month each year to visit places like Spain and South America in search of new dishes to introduce to their loyal Melbourne followers.