There’s only one thing on the menu at Coburg’s Palestinian cafe Beit Siti, and it gives Melbourne’s brunch scene a run for its money.
At Palestinian cafe Beit Siti, there’s only one item on the menu, but it contains multitudes, and tells many tales. The one thing is a sofra, or banquet of many small dishes, and it’s one of the best-value brunches in town. The only choice you need to make is whether you want the vegetarian or vegan versions (both are $25, and a meat menu may be added soon), and what you want to drink.
The food just arrives: suddenly you’re feasting. Qudsiyeh is a plate of hummus topped with ful, a warm mash of fava beans, the comforting tones sharpened by green chilli relish and bright olive oil.
Galayet bandora can be translated from Arabic as “frying pan of tomatoes” and it’s really that literal: onion, garlic and green chilli highlight the sweet tartness of the chopped tomatoes and whole cumin seeds add textural pop.
Cute, plump baby eggplants are salted, pressed and stuffed with walnuts and chilli to create makdous. They’re pert and savoury, shining in a slick of olive oil, a chewy counterpoint to the lusciousness of the dippy dishes.
Food is always held in time. There are the stories a meal carries from the past. There’s the hope it can carry for the future. And, at its best, there’s a powerful anchoring in the present, bringing those around the table to the here and now. The world is a mess but – or maybe “and” is better – we can break bread and swipe it through hummus and be together in this room. I felt all this here.
Beit Siti means “grandma’s home” in Arabic and is a reference to owner Rahaf Al Khatib’s paternal grandmother, Teta Um Amjad, who fled Palestine in 1948 after the creation of Israel. Al Khatib was born in Jordan and emigrated to Melbourne with her parents and teta when she was four. While her parents worked long hours as pharmaceutical chemists, Al Khatib and her three younger siblings were nurtured by her grandmother, speaking Arabic and eating many of the Palestinian dishes she’s now sharing in Coburg.
It wasn’t a straight path: Al Khatib worked in HR, got burnt out during COVID and used a redundancy payment to buy the vehicle that she turned into Falastini Food Truck. That led to pop-ups, events and, since May, this cosy two-room couch-dotted cafe on a main road near Coburg Station.
Because cuisine is a tapestry, not a single thread, some plates tell different family stories. The mish was introduced by a Gazan staff member – a fermented chilli-amped yoghurt sauce, it’s made here with milk left over from the coffee machine, and is a lovely dressing for the tomatoes, or simply as a pita soaker.
With all these dishes – there are also olives, pickles, cheese, bread, oil and zaatar – humble ingredients are elevated to something special by the care that’s gone into the preparation and the plating. Coburg’s Constance Coffee supplies excellent beans, including a cardamom-scented blend roasted especially for glossy, silky Arabic coffee. Baked goods aren’t strictly traditional or regional: a precisely crafted sponge cake reflects Al Khatib’s mum’s chemistry background, and a choc-chip cookie leans towards halva with the addition of tahini and nigella seeds.
Beyond the simple act of gathering to eat, there are Palestinian textiles for sale, and books lying around that celebrate and lament Palestinian people, culture and stories. Rahaf Al Khatib sees Beit Siti as an act of resistance. Her warmth, sense of welcome, and the pure deliciousness of the food mean that this resistance is expressed as an opening rather than a wall.
Al Khatib’s mother and grandmother have died: she’s the matriarch and there’s a sense that she keenly feels her role as keeper of tales, now and for a hopeful future. With heart, courage and creativity, she’s created a space of humanity and connection, a grandmother’s house for everyone.
Three other brunch sets to try
Torissong
Teishoku are Japanese set meals; you choose a main course and it arrives alongside soup, pickles, rice, salad and a sweet. Torissong’s thoughtful and appealing tray meals start at $28 with a main dish of agedashi tofu or red miso eggplant, or you can splurge on steak for up to $58. There’s also a kids’ version from $14. Bookings are recommended.
2/143 Queensberry Street, Carlton, instagram.com/torissongmelbourne
Republica
For a brunch set with a difference, head to this sprawling St Kilda Sea Baths restaurant where DJs are spinning from 10.30am every Saturday. Blue swimmer crab scramble is the go, and Brisket Mary is the morning cocktail of choice, a spin on Bloody Mary with brisket-fat vodka, spicy tomato juice, horseradish and tabasco.
10-18 Jacka Boulevard, St Kilda, republica.net.au
Semosh Mum’s Kitchen
Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, this welcoming Turkish restaurant puts on a generous breakfast spread for $35 per person. Settle in for a savoury and sweet traditional banquet including boreks, shakshuka, various cheeses, olives, pickles and, of course, tea – an essential accompaniment to any Turkish gathering.
324 Keilor Road, Essendon North, semoshmumskitchen.com.au
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