Top Paddock (pronounced top-pad-derk, don't embarrass yourself like I did)

Natural, airy, bright, very large spaces - that's the luxury that cafes outside of the city centre can afford, which the customers can enjoy. This cafe gives me a feeling of exclusivity and sophistication, slightly more edgy and less hole-in-the-wall or grungy. The barista station is in an island in the middle of the cafe where everyone can see - this means the beautiful fragrance of coffee is simply wafting everywhere. Here I am accompanied with my favourite girl from Melbourne, Lexi 💕

Being the most popular and most recommended cafe around Melbourne, Top Paddock is always busy, with its service being slightly colder than the usual Australian welcoming fare. You will probably overlook this while waiting in anticipation for your ricotta hotcakes. Or while busy snapping pictures around the cafe.

Here, the famous blueberry ricotta hotcakes which I tucked into with sky-high expectations.

Did it perform?

Ohh yes it did, but I was really too busy going for it like a bullet train. It was indeed very delicious, with a variety mix of assorted berries and seeds, organic maple sauce drizzled all over, with very fresh mascarpone cheese atop. To uphold the title of 'best seller' in the most-raved cafe in brunch heaven like Melbourne... yes, I think it does live up to its name (though there's plenty of contenders out there). One in every three orders would be this amazingly photogenic and delicious ricotta hotcakes - so if you do visit Top Paddock, you know what to do ;)

Top Paddock