Mrs S Maylands

With more than 30 types of cake prepared daily, Mrs S isn’t stingy with the sweet stuff. There’s a pastry chef out back, so the cake cabinet remains stocked with classics, including daintily packaged lemon-curd cakes and the lumberjack cake, with apple, coconut and date.

The cafe is family run, but this family has hospitality pedigree: Aaron Ho is a trained chef and takes care of the a-la-carte menu. His wife, Thuong Do, is the hardworking pastry chef, making the cakes, muffins and more fresh every morning.

Granny chic touches abound: there’s aprons and oven mitts adorning one wall, fresh flowers dotted about (Thuong does the arranging) and menus clipped to pre-loved Little Golden Books.

Brunch is until 3pm and includes the usual egg and toast options. Then there’s a hotpot of chorizo, mushroom and bean, or the ever-popular Manwich, with pulled pork, beetroot pickle, cucumber and aioli.

The rose and berry panna cotta with seasonal fruits and crumble is a popular gluten-free option. Hot and iced coffee, loose-leaf teas and cold-pressed juices round out the selection.