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Today I got up early and got picked up by a friend. Our destination was Geelong to catch up with her sister, who is almost like a sister to me. After we had arrived in G-Town we decided to head out for coffee and a late breakfast.
King of The Castle started off as a little hole in the wall serving coffee to their customers on "Pako" (Pakenham Street). My friend tells me, it was part of the KoTC-team's 5-year-plan to grow from the hole in the wall to a cafe. Well, it didn't quite take them five years but only one.
The cafe is a bright and open space with an industrial vibe to it. Hanging plants and a suspended fishbowl over the bar give it an almost homely feel. The waitress was super friendly and after only a short wait we were seated in one of the cosy booths. We were sipping on our great coffees (almond milk latte for me, super delicious) while perusing the menu.
The all-day breakfast menu is offering up trendy things like Paleo Granola Crumble, Black Rice & Coconut Pudding and Matcha Smoothie Bowl. But you can also find old favourites like Ricotta Hotakes and Eggs Benedict.
My friend chose the Eggs Benedict Bagel with smoked salmon instead of Bacon and I opted for the Smashed Pea & Goat's Cheese Bruschetta.
The Eggs Benedict were served with a rich looking Hollandaise Sauce. When my friend cut into the eggs, the egg yolk oozed out. It was perfect "yolkporn"!
My Smashed Peas were deliciously fresh and surprisingly vibrant for such a humble vegetable. The pancetta was lovely salty and crispy and the little lemon wedge added some subtle tanginess to the dish and pulled it all together.
After we had finished the last coffee and caught-up on all the essential girly chit-chat, we went to pay at the counter. Delicious croissants and monster-size muffins are displayed for those who are still hungry or who fancy a bite with their take-away coffee.
Set-up in the corner is also a plant pop-up store which also sells some really cool pots. I was tempted but knowing I was taking the train back prevented me from buying anything big and bulky.
Out the front of King of The Castle is an old campervan parked. It's the coolest barber shop I have ever seen. If I was a man I would definitely come here to get my beard trimmed or hair cut while I was waiting for my table inside.
Geelong is catching up with Melbourne by having a cool cafe scene and this one is definitely a contender!
