Order the Brunswick Classic and a flat white at Northside Espresso + Kitchen and the cafe's whole premise lands in one go: Melbourne brekkie, third-wave coffee, plated with intent rather than abundance. Jess Huddle and Cade Pentland-Boyce opened the cafe in February 2017 after a stretch in Melbourne, restored the former Turk's building on Princess Street into a working brunch storefront, and earned a 2017 Heritage Week Award for the revival. The kitchen runs on made-to-order seasonal brunch, baked goods, fresh sandwiches, cocktails, and third-wave coffee, locally sourced where possible. Eight years in, the equation hasn't moved.
The brekkie anchors carry most of the morning. Avo Smash arrives with feta, mint, lemon, Thai chili, and a slab of grilled sourdough. Tim's Benny is the cafe's richer eggs benedict — the order for a diner who wants the morning to feel like a meal. The Brunswick Classic stays in regular rotation as the Melbourne-coded brekkie plate, while the vine ripened tomato benedict and the smoked coho salmon plate widen the table for diners who want eggs without the standard supporting cast. A roast chicken sandwich and a pork belly sandwich open up the order for the lunch-leaning end of the morning. The bake case keeps pace: tiramisu milk bread, bruleed banana cruffin, and a Melbourne Mont Blanc all sit alongside the daily plates, and they move quickly enough that the case at noon rarely resembles the case at nine.
Northside is not simply a cafe with eggs. The official story page grounds the concept in Melbourne cafe culture, and the current menu keeps that identity visible through brekkie plates, coffee, sweets, and cocktails.
The fresh food page gives diners more than the legacy anchors: smoked coho salmon plate, vine ripened tomato benedict, tiramisu milk bread, bruleed banana cruffin, Melbourne Mont Blanc, sandwiches, coffee, matcha, mimosas, and espresso martini all shape the visit.
The cafe opened in 2017, earned attention for restoring the former Turk’s building, and stayed on Princess Street after its 2025 move to 198 Princess. That gives the room a local story as well as a brunch identity.
Northside is built around all-day brunch rather than treating breakfast as a side lane. Avo Smash, Tim’s Benny, Brunswick Classic, benedicts, coho salmon, mimosas, and coffee make brunch the main reason to plan the visit.
The order has clear leaders. Tim’s Benny, Brunswick Classic, and Avo Smash are specific, current, and strong enough to guide a first visit without making diners decode the whole menu.
The Melbourne influence is specific enough to shape the meal: brekkie, third-wave coffee, friendly service, and a less screen-heavy cafe rhythm all show up before the first plate lands.
The sweet side is not filler. Tiramisu milk bread, bruleed banana cruffin, and Melbourne Mont Blanc give the bakery case enough personality to steer a second order after brunch.
Northside has a real Princess Street story: a 2017 opening, the preserved Turk’s-building chapter, and a 2025 move that kept the cafe downtown instead of resetting its identity.
Share the nuances of your visit to NORTHSIDE Espresso + Kitchen in Kingston — the standout dishes, the room, the service.
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