From the team behind El Publico and Ace Pizza, Mary Street is another example of how things should be done.
Walls of whitewashed brick, polished concrete floors and lots of wood give a worn-in look to this now neighbourhood favourite. Custom is brisk, and far from being a haven of the hip, it’s a come-one, come-all, kind of place.
The Old English ($14) understands the construction of the bacon butty. No superfluous green stuff: just good bacon, a runny egg, white bread and HP sauce. Coffee is from Pound Roastery in Fremantle: a signpost that a place takes its coffee seriously. It’s sold in or to go, with bags of fresh beans available.
The Bloody Mary ($12), served in a small bottle with a straw, is petite. Disappointment is fleeting and there’s a lesson here in quality, not quantity. A hot tabasco hit lingers pleasantly in the throat, countered by chilled tomato juice, and importantly there’s no residual hint of vodka. No one wants to be reminded that they’re knocking back a measure at 10am.Mary Street isn’t a one-trick breakfast pony. The rest of the menu stands head and shoulders above competition, local and beyond. Classic Steak Sambo ($17) sits on toasted rounds with punchy aioli, but leaves the sliced rump as the hero. Pork Scotch Egg with onion mojo ($17) has the ideal ooze, whilst the doughnuts (from $3.5) are the perfect takeout. It pays to get in on the doughnut action early, with the salted caramel selling out to the wise. If like us you get in too late, the standard version isn't second prize, being as close to old-school doughnut perfection as it gets.