Dreamer Coffee & Food Moorooduc

If you’ve visited Mornington’s Dreamer cafe you’ll know that it’s, well, the stuff of dreams – in more ways than one. Owners Melisa and Ben Rosenberg dreamed up the idea while travelling in Barcelona, and, with its cream and timber facade and retro striped awning, the place gives off a whimsical, endless holiday vibe.

Now, the team has opened a second Dreamer location in Moorooduc. Needless to say, it’s just as dreamy. Where the Mornington iteration is perched opposite the bay, this second spot sits amid Moorooduc’s rural landscape in the iconic Coolstores. Once upon a time, the building was a post office.

“Moorooduc has more of a country feel,” explains Mel. “It’s a lot more relaxed, but the cafe itself has a similar aesthetic. There’s a nice little alfresco area too where you can just sit and hear all these little birds chirping and watch the cows across from us. You wouldn’t believe that you’re only 12 minutes away from Mornington.”

Dreamer Moorooduc features a similar easy, breezy all-day breakfast menu to its coastal cousin: we’re talking Dreamer’s famous toasties (the Chicken Toastie is a favourite, with Tuna Melt following closely behind), açaí bowls, dippy eggs, nourish bowls, honey and ricotta banana bread (with a Milo crumb, no less) and Commonfolk coffee made to perfection and delivered quickly. There is a large spread of vegan and gluten-free options, too.  

Ben, whose hospitality career has spanned over 15 years and included a four-year stint in New York, as well as opening restaurants in St Kilda and Prahran, says the menu is inspired by cafes in Byron Bay and Melbourne – as well as by what he himself likes to eat.

“I’m not shy when it comes to flavours and sauces,” he says. “Flavour and quality ingredients come first – which is why I think people are obsessed with our toasties.”

There are also a few extra menu surprises in store for Moorooduc, courtesy of new Head Chef, Joseph Sheahan, who spent years as a chef at Melbourne cafe Frank & Harri.

Like Mornington, Dreamer Morooduc has a strong community feel. The constant flow of die-hard regulars and weekend pop-up musical performances establish Dreamer as more than a cafe – it’s a place to slow down and enjoy the good life.