A glance at Church Street Brighton’s culinary institution, The Pantry, shows another bustling suburban café; a deeper look indicates a serious, yet accessible restaurant at the top of its game.

The Pantry Restaurant offers diners original and thoughtful daytime and evening cuisine, utilising premium quality produce served by warm, friendly and welcoming staff.With award winning head chefs, Kris Bailey, Jeff Young and night chef Rob Szabo, at the helm of
the Pantry’s kitchen; dinner menu options are considered and prepared over days, not minutes.

Carefully constructed dishes espousing slow cooking methods will ensure exceptional comfort food for diners during the cold winter months. The dinner entrée menu features prawn filled zucchini flowers with a cherry tomato and basil panzanella; oven roasted black figs with candied bacon and a blue cheese and honey dressing. Main courses (well below the $40.00 mark) present - seared duck breast and duck leg confit with sweet potato puree and dates; a 300 gram crumbed veal cutlet with brussel sprout leaves, smoked bacon and mash and spaghettini with Moreton Bay bugs in an Italian master stock dressing. Seasonal winter specials, often with an accompanying story compliment the menu.

In addition, there are fourteen different types of pizza from which to choose. Kris Bailey recently returned from Las Vegas successfully competing in the “World Pizza Championships” finishing eighth overall. Another great achievement, that stands alongside his current title of “Best Pizza in Australia.”

The quintessential smart, but casual venue seats 190 people. Modern timber furniture with crisp, white linen inhabit the main dining room possessing a glass frontage that can be opened up, spilling
into the sunny corner of Church Street. And, another special feature – The Pantry opens from 4pm for dinner.

At lunch, guests can choose from linguini with tiger prawns, cherry tomatoes and chili, a calamari, rocket and pear salad with hazelnut dressing or a warming chicken, pumpkin and leek risotto. Breakfast is served daily – with fresh juices; eggs in many different ways and the famous Spanish Breakfast of baked eggs, chorizo and beans, complete with avocado and sour cream for extra indulgence.

The slow food theme spills next door into the Pantry’s Delicatessen, reminiscent of an old style Italian deli, the focus here is on rustic and comforting take home meals. Lamb shanks on mash,
beef bourguignon and traditional lasagna are all available as well as a selection of delicious pastries and cakes. Every Tuesday, chemical free whole roasted chickens at $8.50 are available
and Thursday to Sunday take away Australia’s Best Pizza at only $12.00.

Further separating the restaurant from its peers are the unique Pantry Cooking Shows and Pantry Hands-on Cooking Classes.
Perhaps the most informal and enjoyable way to learn how to cook; each Pantry Cooking Show incorporates a celebrity guest chef along with MC, Pantry owner and Chef- Daniel Vaughan taking cooking devotees through an inspiring five course menu whilst enjoying fine Scotchmans Hill wines.

The food is demonstrated on stage right before your eyes with a camera relaying close up images to a plasma screen so you don’t miss a thing. Then the same dish is served straight to you!

Pantry Electrolux Hands-on Cooking Classes are a more interactive affair, where teams of ten prepare and cook at four different stations creating specially selected dishes. Guests have a chance to sharpen up on their culinary skills all under the guidance of Australia’s leading chefs in a professional kitchen environment.

And, finally but by no means last - The Pantry Catering communicates the philosophy of what the Pantry is all about from an event perspective. Pantry Catering is able to accommodate any type of
function, from formal weddings to a casual high tea. Previous clients have included events for Mercedes Benz, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, HRH Princess Mary and Portsea Polo to boast but a few.
The Pantry complex is a haven for Brightonians, this well kept secret is now spreading far and wide as people discover the quality, dedication and delicious food all presented with a sense of warm friendliness.

Daniel Vaughan and Dave Evans are the original team behind Brighton’s dining Mecca, turning the corner milk bar into the Pantry in 1993. Shortly afterwards they were joined by Dave’s brother and TV chef, Pete Evans. In 1996 Dave Corsi and Guy Mainwaring became the fourth and fifth partners respectively. The partnership also operates some of Sydney’s most successful venues, Hugo’s Lounge further spawning Hugo’s Bar Pizza and Hugo’s Manly.

Visit The Pantry listing for more information