Providence Opens In Carlton

An inner-city café with a town village kitchen.

A mere stone’s throw from the Carlton Farmers Market, Rathdowne Place has proven the perfect patch for a café that celebrates fresh produce. Its name is Providence, and its location is the reason head chef Cate Hardman flat out refuses to set a lunch menu – preferring to peruse the stalls and devise daily dishes with whatever seasonal fare appeals.

While taking full advantage of the neighbouring farmers market (and others around Melbourne), she’s also called on the talents of a few fellow foodies, with local producers Cockatoo Grove, Gamze Smokehouse and Gundowring Finest Ice-Cream making their mouth-watering mark on the menu.

Lunch may be a surprise, but breakfast at Providence could go a little something like this. Scrummy egg and Gamze bacon pie (sporting glorious, all-butter pastry) with tomato chutney and leaves, followed by a fluffy baked pancake boasting spring berries, toasted almonds and lashings of Gundowring rhubarb ice cream.

Wash it all down with a brew from organic, small batch roaster Code Black Coffee (or for those feeling saintly, a blueberry breakfast smoothie) and you’ll be ready to meander to the market, full of fresh fodder and inspiration.

Providence Cafe
497 Rathdowne Street, Carlton
providencecafe.com.au