Photography by Holly Hawkins
A stone’s throw from Jewell Station, right in the heart of Brunswick, Union St Brewers is a must-try bagel and coffee stop for uni students and breakfast enthusiasts alike.
Anthony Ierna bought the light-filled cafe from the owners of South Yarra’s Drugstore Espresso less than a year ago and has already managed to firmly root himself in the Brunswick community, welcoming each regular by name and favourite caffeinated beverage.
The drink choices are aplenty, with ambitious barista Toby Chen behind the machine. Only ten months into his coffee-making career, he can already churn out lattes high enough in artistic flair and taste to take him to competitions.
Choices include a wide variety of non-dairy milks, as well as turmeric, matcha or beetroot lattes for those who prefer their drinks caffeine-free.
Anthony has kept the vibe of Union St Brewers very grab-and-go friendly for students attending the nearby RMIT campus, as well as for those rushing off to catch the Upfield line train. The menu is enticing enough, however, to ensure that many patrons are happy to sit down for a meal and take advantage of the sun-filled cafe – a venue that’s all windows and glass.
Chef Tom Simson changes the menu seasonally, and has decided to keep the offerings as vegan-friendly as possible to suit the Brunswick scene. The chia pudding with walnut praline, poached pear, pomegranate, strawberries, blueberries and dragon fruit is a dream – fresh and fruity, as well as visually delicious.
The enormous slabs of peanut butter and chocolate brownies that taunt you from the front counter are all baked in-house, as well as the banana bread, muffins and other sweet treats. The width of Simson’s workspace might be about the same as your average walk-in wardrobe, but he manages to do some pretty impressive things within it.
Most impressive of all would be the home-made bagels. The absolute gem of the menu, these bagels are yeasty, tangy, dense and moist. They take 24 hours to prepare, starting with the mother dough – very similar to a sourdough starter – before being left to sit overnight in preparation for boiling and baking in the morning.
Bagel innards include chive and cream cheese, smoked salmon, capers and herbs or home-cured pastrami, mustard, beetroot relish and pickled onion. If that doesn’t entice you, then the vegan Big Boy burrito also comes highly recommended for both vegans and meat eaters alike.