Bottomless Brunch in Melbourne: Does Left Side Impress?
On my recent trip to Melbourne, I reunited with some friends from home (Sunny Scotland) who have made their home in Melbourne, whereas I am very much a Sunshine State girly!
As much as I adore my partner and never grow tired of his company, I desperately miss my female friendships and how they fill my cup up. I really thrive whenever I am with my girlfriends so seeing Molly and Lauren again felt amazing and I loved our time together as they brought with them such a great taste of home! It felt good having a wee girly gossip with people who knew exactly what I was talking about! A chat with good friends is really all you ever need sometimes, even when you are on the other side of the world.
We decided on Left Side for a Sunday bottomless brunch, I hadn’t had a bottomless in Australia yet so was very excited to see how it would be.
By sheer luck, I accidentally sat beside Lauren and Molly on the tram ride there! Which meant we could get a headstart on our catch-up and I didn’t have to struggle with Google Maps with no phone signal.
Left Side’s bottomless brunch, priced at $49/£25, was incredibly popular. There was a large queue at the door and we were first or second in the line which meant more drinking time!
My partner and I have noticed a large difference in drinking culture between the UK and Australia. Australians seem to enjoy a more consistent (and constant) approach to drinking, with a lot of people enjoying a steady flow of mid-strength beer daily. On one hand, both Brits and Aussies like to have a drink but on the other hand, we Brits like a binge at the weekend, good music and special occasions, even if the special occasion is just a Friday. In Australia, drinking is a constant, and where we live in regional Queensland, it is a steady presence and almost a currency in daily life. At my work guests even leave their last can instead of a tip.
Considering this, I think the approach to bottomless brunch differs slightly.
In my experiences with bottomless brunches in England (sadly not in Scotland), they typically kick-start a day or night of drinking and it is a race against the clock to make the money worth it and to prepare yourself for a day of drunken revelry. Whereas Left Side’s vibes seemed a lot more subdued although the tunes were blasting, there was no waiting ages for drinks to slow you down, or a big group of hens getting on it beside you. It was not what I was used to with a bottomless!
The drinks were served in jugs on the table, which would be dangerous in the UK. I know for certain that my friends and I wouldn’t have managed if we were left to pour our own drinks from a constantly refilled jug. There was a choice of cocktails and two jugs between us so we picked Sex on the Beach and Pornstar Martini.
I had about a jug and a half to myself of the cocktails and I believe I could have passed a breathalyser test, there wasn’t even a slight buzz. I am very unconvinced of how much alcohol was actually in the jugs.
The food, however, was delicious, I had the feta and avocado sourdough, a dish I always crave when I am at work with limited mining camp food options. Lauren and Molly both got pizzas which also looked tasty!
Overall, Left Side was a pleasant experience, made even better by the company. However, I can’t help but question the “bottomless” aspect of the brunch. My partner was expecting a day-drunk girlfriend to stagger through the door, but instead, I was sober and wanted to go for a walk.
While Left Side might be a good option for a leisurely meal with some dance music, those looking for a more lively experience might be disappointed. It may be worth exploring other brunch spots in Melbourne for a more fulfilling bottomless experience.
