Citron

Citron cafe marries a few good things. It takes the spiffy service and slick modern design of owner Giorgina Venzin’s inner-suburban venues – Darvella, Melrose, Pawpaw Cafe and Monocle – and applies it to a light-filled tenancy on the corner of Main Road and Christina Street in Wellington Point.

The Mediterranean-inspired interior has white tiles, polished concrete floors and a long, wide coffee bar with a pastry cabinet full of Darvella pastries. There are floor-to-ceiling windows to let plenty of light in; a coffee window; and a sheltered outdoor area with crisp white furniture.

Yet the defining feature is an enormous arched doorway – you almost can’t help but wander into the venue when walking past – which gives Citron a warm, welcoming feel.

Citron’s menu is a mix of approachable breakfasts and a longer selection of lunch items designed for grazing. In the morning, you might order fried eggs with house-made pesto, roasted cherry tomatoes and toasted sourdough; a Mediterranean-style omelette loaded with tomato, feta, parsley, spinach, kalamata olives and marinated artichokes; or buttermilk pancakes with strawberries, maple, puffed grains and mascarpone. Classic Australian cafe staples might include avocado toast and eggs Benedict (with haloumi an option to replace the smoked salmon).

For lunch, smaller plates might include a hummus served with a lemon reduction and garlic chips, squid with za’atar spice and a dill yoghurt, and salmon carpaccio with preserved lemon, capers and baguette. Larger plates might feature grilled king prawns with lemon chickpeas and dukkah; whole-baked rainbow trout with preserved lemon, fennel and capers; and a roasted lamb shoulder with labneh, pomegranate and mint.

On the drinks menu there’s Lost Race Coffee, a clutch of spritzes, a Mediterranean-leaning beer list, and a 20-bottle wine list intended to be both easy-drinking and easy on the wallet.