Sunday brunch is always a special vibe in Melbourne, whether it’s at 11 in the morning or 1 in the afternoon brunch is always a must and one cafe certainly seems to have people lining up. 
Penta has been a name buzzing around bayside, the foodie instagam pictures alone have had everyone counting down the working days so they are able to experience the tantalising menu.
Located somewhat unexpectedly in Elsternwick, Penta has definitely been responsible for helping create a whole new brunch buzz in the area. Everything from the sleek architecture to the incredible design of the meals, has made this quite the hot spot.
I sat down with the team to get to know a little more about this little bayside gem.
How did the concept of Penta come about?
“Julien Moussi, Kristy-Lea Deva and Nicky Campbell had been involved in other cafes together and they saw the opportunity to branch out to a new, slightly untouched suburb of Elsternwick. They asked Cory Slater (a barista in their cafes) and myself to be involved as partners as reward for hard work over a number of years. The fit out was designed by Ritz & Ghougassian, and built by UWood, and was designed to be very different to what Melbourne has already seen before.
Accentuating the mass and scale of our materials, we used 5 tonnes of concrete, stone and stainless steel to create the perfect fit out, to keep in the architecture of the building development.
Nicky Campbell (partner and executive chef for all our cafes) has a passion and flair for eye catching and mouth watering food and she has designed and put together our menu.”
By definition, Penta means 5, so I was curious – What inspired the team no give their cafe the name ?
“The name Penta came from there being 5 owners, as well as our product and design of the cafe capturing the 5 senses of the human body (sight, taste, smell, touch and hearing) which our amazing food and coffee, old school tunes, our distinctive fit out and our appealing branding all capture.”
There’s no doubt Elsternwick is having a moment, there’s definitely a new buzz that we haven’t seen in quite some time – But why was this the chosen location?
“Elsternwick is a suburb with a very rich history and is a very community based area. We saw it as a great opportunity to bring something new and exciting to a very traditional suburb. We are at the bottom of a brand new apartment building, with assess to a lively park and Elsternwick train station just across the street.”
“There have been a few additions to the area over the past 6 months, and Elsternwick is on the cusp of being the next big food hub of Melbourne.”
The meals at Penta are like works of art – your eyes are just sow drawn to the colour and presentation. The menu definitely reads a mix of the healthy and ‘indulgent’ – so when asking about s signature dish, I knew there would be more than one answer.
“It’s hard to choose a favourite dish when Nicky has done such an amazing job creating the perfect menu, however, we feel like the Nutella Panna Cotta has caught the eye of many people. This, followed by the Breakfast Bowl, Orange Blossom Hotcakes, Penta Benedict, Sriracha Grilled Salmon and the Okonomiyaki have been our best sellers so far.”
Having made a significant mark on Elsternwick – What’s in store for the future?
“Julien and the rest of the team are always looking for new areas and opportunities to branch out into. Julien and Kristy-Lea have recently purchased a space in Mt Waverley which will become a cafe towards the end of the year.There are plenty of whispers about other cafes on the horizon so watch this space!”
Penta is truly a combination of art meets deliciousness – and I feel it’s only going to get better.
