The Fat Penguin Cafe The Fat Penguin Cafe

Key to The Fat Penguin's growing success is its strong family base - the cafe is headed by hospitality veterans Frank and Jenny Facciolo, while son David is head barista, another son, Michael, works front of house as a waiter, and daughter Marina shares barista duties across the weekday and weekend rush.

Frank and Jenny's love affair with hospitality began in the late 1980s when they set The Mitey Bite, a sandwich shop at Melbourne University. Soon they opened Frank's Cafe, next door, an institution among students who dined out on its famed $1 pizza slices.

The Facciolo's bought The Fat Penguin, then known as Grazing Plates and Platters, in early 2011. They renamed it 12 months ago and the transformation has continued ever since.

Open seven days a week, the affordable, licensed cafe has become a local hotspot, with sporting legends Barry Hall, John Aloisi and Travis Cloke among the regulars.

Highlights on the new menu, which features all-day breakfast, include a popular avocado, tomato, chili, coriander, lime and a poached egg on sourdough ($16.50) dish; and their poached eggs, smoked haloumi, asparagus, prosciutto on sourdough with fresh herbs ($18) dish. Popular dishes on the all-day lunch menu include roast chicken, torn figs, quinoa, shaved fennel, cucumber and pickled radish ($19.50), and Wagyu beef sliders, truffle aioli, bacon, pickles, cheese, brioche bun with beer battered chips ($19).

The Fat Penguin is open Mon-Fri 7am-4pm; and Sat-Sun 8am-3pm.






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