Tamper Trap Modern Cafe in Brighton

Tamper Trap is a great example of a modern Melbourne cafe. Located on iconic bay St Brighton in a leafy up market part of the city, they are hitting the high notes. If you take the well known adage "give the customers more than they expect" then Tamper Trap excels, with our brunch dishes innovative and substantial, and eminently rewarding.

First things first. Coffee at Tamper Trap is spot on.

For many years, Kai Churchward and Kosta Koukouravas dreamed of opening their own café. Both worked unstintingly as waiters, venue managers and baristas at some of Melbourne’s most respected and progressive cafes, including the Temperance Society and Mr and Mrs Anderson. In 2017, they came across a space in Bay Street, Brighton and instinctively knew that this was their future café. With the assistance and backing of business partner and director Andrea Ravas, that dream became a reality and The Tamper Trap was born.

Brighton is known for its lycra clad cyclists, seaside beach boxes and of course, its inspiring café culture. Brunching, lunching and coffee sessions are popular pastimes in Brighton and the team from Tamper Trap were keen to showcase their wares. With a dedicated focus on customer service and a wealth of hospitality experience, the Tamper Trap are bringing a fresh and dynamic café to the Bayside suburb. Coffee is courtesy of Dimmatina and includes a range of unique Greek cold coffee selections.     

Surrounded by local businesses and two gyms, the menu is designed to cater for all eating persuasions, which includes a selection of ‘cheat day, treat yourself’ dishes for all those OCD gym junkies. 

Okonomiyaki Japanese Pancake was a smash hit, served with crispy ginger chicken and edamame slaw. A great example of a modern cafe dish. Way more sophistication than just avo on toast, you are getting more complex and rewarding cafe dishes in Melbourne these days. People are expecting more and Tamper Trap delivers (although nothing wrong with avo on toast if that's what you want). The two layers of Japanese pancake was generous, and a decent amount of crispy ginger chicken was a perfect accompaniment. Slaw provided a zesty backdrop to a substantial dish that didn't leave you feeling heavy.

Food is inspired by Melbourne favourites with a twist and you’ll also find Salmon Two Ways and the sweetest Hotcake Sandwich with home made Peanut Butter ice cream. Or try their variety of other brunch favourites such as Fruity Crunchy Bircher, Trapped Chilli Scramble, Honey Hotcakes and the Sweet Potato and Zucchini Fritters Breakfast Tacos, salads, healthy burgers and super food bowls for lunch. Also a delightful range of sandwiches in the display cabinet for those "on the go".

So rewarding is the Cheesy Croquette Benny with poached egg, bacon, chorizo, hollandaise sauce, with added smashed avocado. All my favourites in one brunch dish. Croquettes were satisfying in themselves with cheesy comfort, and the combination of chorizo and crispy bacon with benny eggs on top was a winner. I recommend the smashed avocado addition to lighten the dish as it's quite intense (but wonderfully so).

The fit out is an ode to the young and vibrant personalities of Kai and Kosta and showcases a fresh, energetic and clean aesthetic, incorporating light timber tables, black steel frame work, lots of greenery and a host of light colours to brighten up the ambience of the shopfront. A decent amount of natural light pervades the cafe and it's the kind of place you want to hang out and spend some time. Friendly engaging staff add to the experience.

Interestingly the prices are reasonable compared to other cafes in Brighton, being a well-heeled area.

The Tamper Trap is still touted as the new kid on the block but it’s fast earning a reputation as a local favourite. Highly recommended.