Steam Junkies

Steam Junkies is on the ground floor of The Commons, the new eco-friendly residential development on Florence Street in Brunswick (right next to the Upfield bike path, so close they could serve passing cyclists coffee out of the huge windows, and Anstey Station). We've cycled past at every stage of its development and I always hoped a cafe would open up here. Steam Junkies has done this excellent site justice, with decor that melds the industrial-style concrete and piping with some quirky personal details and sparks of colour. The food also doesn't disappoint. I started with a lovely carrot, apple and ginger juice, served in a jam jar with a  handle, and then had a still-warm, moist and delicious chicken sandwich, with mayo, walnuts and salad. The real star of the show, though, was the umami burger, which tasted every bit as good as it looks and in a nice change, was served with roast potatoes instead of fries. The smallest member of our party enjoyed a babycino, grazed on some chicken and potato, and watched with intense excitement as the metro trains went by. A completely satisfying lunch experience and a place we'll visit again and again.

Maxxii Moo

The peculiarly named Maxxii Moo is situated on Albert Street in Brunswick, not far from Sydney Road and just opposite the small but perfectly formed Randazzo Park. There's a huge table in the middle and big bi-fold doors open out onto a side street. It's decorated with quirky little touches and is extremely child friendly, with a projector screening cartoons on the wall, a discrete and well-equipped child area, numerous high chairs and a not-too-cutesy children's menu - zebra toast is Vegemite and toasted cheese stripes - though it could have done with some more healthy options, eg wholemeal bread. D ordered a pie and reluctantly eschewed the chips for salad - pie and salad! - on the grounds that our small companion should be nowhere near chips, he loves them so; I had smashed avo and mushroom salsa on toast, which initially came without the poached egg by mistake, but it subsequently arrived on its own plate like a plump little pillow of perfectly cooked goodness. The smallest member of our party had cheese and tomato toast which he gave every appearance of enjoying. We'd been before and parked the bikes outside; with the warm welcome, fast service and small but effective selection of lunch options, we will be back again.

Woodlands Hotel

The Woodlands Hotel is at 84-88 Sydney Road, Coburg, Melbourne. Unprepossessing from the outside, it's a revelation inside: generously proportioned and quirkily decorated with interesting details and a style all of its own, part Alice in Wonderland, part Gormenghast, with lots of wood, low-key industrial styling, cloister-like arches and a scattering of Asian touches thrown in: sombre wooden monks in a cavity, concentric wooden circles revealing nothing, devils' wings shrouding a chair, biplanes on the ceiling, giant toy soldiers standing guard upstairs. Staff were friendly and relaxed, and the service was snappy. We ate in the airy, plant-filled beer garden; the food was expensive for pub food but beautifully presented, fresh and very tasty; the only possible complaint is that there wasn't enough of it. A wicked lunchtime apple martini, Monster Mash Hopped Out red ale, grilled barramundi with dashi broth, beer battered flathead with chips: perfect Sunday dining.