Cumulus Inc.
Opened in 2008, Cumulus Inc. is part of Andrew McConnell’s growing empire (think Cutler & Co, Golden Fields and Builders Arms Hotel). The restaurant and bar is open seven days a week from morning until late. Designed by acclaimed Melbourne architect Pascale Gomes-McNabb (who also designed Bentley Restaurant & Bar, Monopole, Yellow and Stokehouse) the restaurant is light and lofty.
With no reservations we arrived expecting a lengthy wait. However Cumulus Inc. are prepared for the queues with coffee orders taken and chairs set along the street for those to relax while they wait. Coffee orders taken we took a seat and watched as people came and went in the lane. Not long afterwards a space became free and we were shown to our table.
Latte – Single Origin Coffee House Blend #7 (Organic, Fair trade) ($3.80).
Trying to find a good coffee can be a difficult thing in many cities, but not in Melbourne. Melbournians know their coffee and the standard is fairly high across the board. Cumulus Inc. serve Single Origin House Blend #7. Well rounded and easy drinking, my latte was one of the best coffees I’ve had in a long time. A great start to the weekend.
Latte - Single Origin Coffee House Blend #7 (Organic, Fair trade)
Organic orange juice ($5.00).
Freshly squeezed orange juice is one of the best breakfast drinks of all time. Packed with a heap of ice to ensure it was nicely chilled, this was a great orange juice and breakfast must.
Organic orange juice
House made crumpets, whipped ricotta & rooftop honey ($10.00).
The breakfast menu is short and to the point. But that doesn’t make decision making any easier. Tossing up between the shakshouka and crumpets, in the end I decided to go for the crumpets because I thought the shakshouka might be a bit too much before our lunch date at Flower Drum.
Rooftop honey
Having only ever eaten Golden Crumpets I wasn’t sure what to expect from house made crumpets. Taller and lighter than those mass manufactured ones we all know. Cumulus’ crumpets were less chewy and more cake-like. With a dollop of whipped ricotta and a jar of rooftop honey to do as I please I was rather content.
House made crumpets, whipped ricotta & rooftop honey
Smoked bacon sandwich, gentleman’s relish ($14.00).
Dylan wanted bacon. It took him a while to make up his mind but as we’d been out to dinner the night prior and were heading to Flower Drum for lunch he didn’t want a huge feed. Nicely smoked bacon sandwiched between thick slices of sourdough, it was off to a promising start. Doused in ‘gentleman’s relish’ which falls somewhere between a barbecue relish and HP sauce. Overall the ratio of bread to filling was off with too much sourdough and not enough filling which was a shame.
Smoked bacon sandwich, gentleman's relish
Madeleine filled with lemon curd ($2.50).
While Dylan didn’t want to fill up before lunch I didn’t want to miss out on a madeleine. Of course I’d heard all about them and simply had to have one. Cake for breakfast, yes please! Madeleines are baked to order at Cumulus Inc., the menu highlights a 15 minute wait time. I’d say it was only a 12 minute wait but every second was worth it.
Golden and crispy on the edges with a lovely light crumb, accompanied by tangy lemon curd and a dusting of icing sugar, this was a superb madeleine and brilliant end to a fabulous breakfast.
Madeleine filled with lemon curd
Cumulus Inc. is the kind of place I’d love to be my regular. Humming with the chatter of weekend catch ups with family and friends, the service is warm and friendly, the food scrumptious. For me it ticks all the right boxes and I’ll definitely be back next time I’m in Melbourne.
Cumulus Inc.
45 Flinders Lane
Melbourne VIC 3000
(03) 9650 1445
Cumulus Inc. Website
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