Banyan Tree Cafe

PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA
Tucked away in the “backpacker arcade” on Mitchell Street, this long-standing eatery is perfect for early risers, serving steaming mugs of coffee and hot breakfasts from 5:30am every day.

Unlike other cafes on ever-evolving Mitchell Street, Banyan Tree has made little attempt to diversify it’s menu over the years. Instead, it sticks firmly to tradition with big plates of bacon, sausages, eggs and beans the most popular breakfast offerings, and grilled foccacias, pasties and burgers rolled out to hungry patrons at lunchtime. For something to share, there are platters of cold, mixed meats with fresh salad and bread. There’s also the good-value daily special, which could be anything from beef stroganoff to spaghetti Bolognese. A flyer pinned to the wall of the cafe describes a historic walking trail around town, which includes a stop at the Tree of Knowledge (a stately old banyan tree on in the Darwin Civic Centre). Charge up at the cafe with a juice and a snack before you start the walk – the staff can provide you with a map, and they’ll even lend you a free umbrella!

Fiona Davies