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Daphne
52 Lygon St
Brunswick East

If you live anywhere near Brunswick East, I have good news and bad news.

Good news: Daphne has opened.

Bad news: you now have a new local, who really knows how to cater to the locals.

Daphne is the new neighbourhood spot from the team behind Etta, and it sits just down the road – close enough that the two feel related, but not competitive. Think sisters, not twins.

Where Etta has grown into more of a special-occasion restaurant over the years, Daphne is the one you drop into on a Monday night because the fridge is empty and martinis are calling.

The whole place is built around being easy. Easy to walk into, easy to order, easy to come back to.

There’s a proper front bar that’s kept unbookable on purpose, which means even when reservations are full, there are still plenty of seats for walk-ins.

It keeps the vibe casual, social, and very local – like somewhere the neighbourhood actually uses, not just talks about.

The food leans heavily into nostalgia, but with just enough finesse to remind you why you’re eating out. Everything feels familiar, comforting, and quietly clever – the kind of dishes you think you could make at home… until you taste them.

We started with the melon and cucumber with Aleppo pepper, which sounds simple, and it is, but it’s one of those dishes that makes you stop mid-bite and go, “Oh.” Cold, refreshing, lightly spicy, and exactly what you want before the richer stuff starts arriving.

It’s the kind of plate you immediately plan to steal for your next dinner party.

Then came the mortadella. LP’s mortadella, grilled, topped with a pumpkin pickle that’s sweet, savoury, and acidic all at once.

It takes something you don’t usually think too hard about and turns it into a genuinely great dish. Rich, balanced, and gone far too quickly.

And yes – there’s a hot dog on the menu. This isn’t a gimmick, though.

It’s Daphne’s take on a burger: a handmade milk bun from Wildlife bakery (about 1km from Daphne, an LP’s pigs head sausage, house-made barbecue sauce, and a crisp cabbage slaw.

It’s playful, nostalgic, and still feels completely at home on the menu. Familiar food, done properly.

The half chicken is another standout. It arrives looking deceptively simple, but it’s been brined, buttered, steamed, and finished in the wood-fired oven.

Juicy, rich, and deeply satisfying – a roast chicken that reminds you why technique matters.

We also had a pasta special, and this is coming from someone who usually avoids ordering pasta out because I think I can do it better at home. I cannot. One bite in, conversation stopped. That’s always a good sign.

The drinks list follows the same philosophy as the food – accessible, drinkable, and designed so you don’t have to overthink it.

The house wine is dangerously easy to drink, and the bar program leans into fun, with things like Martini Club on Mondays – which, frankly, feels like a public service.

Daphne isn’t trying to be flashy or fancy. It’s trying to be useful. The kind of place you come back to again and again, until one day you realise it’s just… your spot.

So if you’re in Brunswick East – or even if you’re not – Daphne is well worth the travel.

Just be warned: once you go once, you’ll probably be back next week.

Image: Supplied