Reki Reinantha’s vision for Andzero was to create a local meeting spot that stood apart from the typical Melbourne cafe. “I wanted to offer the community something different,” the co-owner and chef tells Broadsheet. “There won’t be any avo toast or poached eggs on our menu.”

Reinantha previously served as a sushi chef at Flinders Lane fine diner Kisume for six years. Joining him in the kitchen is chef Ida Bagus Palguna, whose resume includes a stint at Cumulus Inc. The pair recently made a splash with Hawthorn’s Sachi, a casual pop-up specialising in chirashi bowls and nigiri sushi, and have now turned their talents to this charming neigbourhood cafe in suburban Glen Waverley.

The sandwiches are a highlight, with options including crisp chicken katsu, Wagyu Hamburg, or spicy miso pork with parmesan, each served on fluffy white rolls and available all day until sold out. Teishoku, a Japanese-style rotating set meal, is available from 10.30am. Expect house-made Japanese pickles, miso soup, an onsen egg, and salad served alongside fried chicken katsu with tartare-style sauce or soy-garlic cauliflower. You’ll also find steak frites with a Japanese twist – choose between yakiniku sauce or yuzu kosho relish with butcher’s cut Wagyu and fries.

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The specialty coffee program by Five Senses is overseen by head barista Belle Lee (formerly of Ondo), and includes Five Senses’ take on viral drinks such as the Mont Blanc and strawberry matcha. Pastries are another drawcard, with a mix of in-house creations and viennoiserie from Yarraville’s Cobb Lane Bakery. The house cream cheese garlic bread made from brioche dough has been an instant hit.

The atmosphere inside the 22-seat venue is modern yet homey. Reinantha and his team completed the fit-out themselves, with light wood, terrazzo surfaces and a palette of white and peach creating a warm, welcoming space to hang out.

Reinantha is already planning his next move, with plans to relocate Sachi into a new home in the CBD. But for now, Andzero is where his heart is. “When I arrived in Melbourne, I lived first in this area,” he says. “I said one day, when I can open my own restaurant, I want it to be in Glen Waverley.”

Andzero
696 High St Road, Glen Waverley

Hours:
Tue–Fri, 8am–3.30pm
Sat–Sun, 9am–3.30pm

@andzero.melb