From the mightiest portobello to the cutest Swiss brown, mushrooms are a versatile delight. And while you can add them to a risotto, combine in a creamy sauce to top a steak, or even make a mythical mushroom lasagne, nothing really beats mushrooms on (or between) toast. October 15 is National Mushroom Day, and to mark the occasion we’ve rounded up some of the best mushroom-toast dishes from around the country.
Adelaide
Cafe and roastery Coffee in Common has left Melbourne and opened in Adelaide, bringing its brews to Hindmarsh with a killer vegan mushroom sanga in tow – think mushrooms, vegan cheese, pickled red onion and pesto on house-made sourdough or focaccia. And truly selling the idea that toasties are an acceptable dinner option, CBD bar Proof is dishing up a luxurious mushroom, truffle and gruyere version. Pair with one of its innovative cocktails or try your hand whipping up the recipe at home.
Sydney
Polish and New York-influenced newcomer Frank’s Deli regularly draws a crowd for deli sandwiches such as the Toasted Vegan, which packs braised miso mushrooms alongside cashew cream cheese and leek on sourdough. For a beachside breakfast in Bronte, you’re obliged to start at Huxton’s with toast from legends Iggy’s topped with roasted wild mushrooms, pecorino, pesto and a fried egg. Head to Soulmate in Newtown for an umami-bomb toastie of mushrooms, kale butter, confit garlic and provolone.
Melbourne
On a sunny day, stake yourself a spot out front of Kines in Brunswick with a vegan toastie that packs in braised garlic-thyme mushrooms, basil, hazelnut and sumac onion (plus you can add vegan or tasty cheese). When bayside, pay respects to eclectic St Kilda institution Galleon Cafe with a mushroom-heavy tofu scramble that also features spinach and extra crispy fried mushrooms on sourdough. At Moby in Armadale you’ll find an Ottolenghi-influenced pickled mushroom omelette on toast on offer that’s also packed with spinach and Grana Padano.
Brisbane
Adam Wang (owner of Coffee Anthology) has a new eatery Fika, which dials up the classic avo on toast by adding fried mushrooms, cashew pesto and citrus-infused olive oil. Let Graceville cafe Plentiful take you to shroom city with a mix of sauteed urban mushrooms, broad bean puree and wilted greens on sourdough, or head to Hobby Lane in Mitchelton for a toastie that energises the humble Swiss brown mushroom with haloumi, red pepper relish and salsa verde.
Perth
Hinata is the place for homestyle Japanese breakfasts in Fremantle, and its dengaku miso open sando is a highlight. Toasted pumpkin bread is dipped or topped with miso-flavoured hummus and stacked with miso-glazed eggplant, a mushroom medley and crispy mushroom tempura. At New York-inspired Hylin in West Leederville, grab the mushrooms on toasted ciabatta with poached eggs, white bean puree and dukkah. Finally, North Perth’s New York-meets-New Orleans-style eatery Satchmo gets straight to the point with a dish called The Mushrooms, with roasted mushies, kale pesto and whipped feta on rye (plus a poached egg if you fancy).
Feel like staying in this National Mushroom Day? Then try a recipe from the Australian Mushrooms website, such as pesto mushrooms with poached eggs and hollandaise, roasted mushrooms on toast with grilled halloumi and a balsamic glaze, or mushrooms on toast with herbed cottage cheese.
This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Australian Mushrooms.
