Tomorrow’s lunch: HAH Lornebeach

Writer Izzy Brimeau recently made the trip to Lorne, located on Victoria, Australia’s picturesque coast. Beachy, laid-back and offering feel-good food – these are just a few of the reasons worth visiting HAH Lornebeach.

It was a beautiful, crisp sunny day. Summer had begun to peak through spring’s cloudy weather, and I was on holiday in Melbourne. Well, more specifically, Lorne. A dear friend of mine lives in Melbourne and I’d nabbed some cheap flights for a long weekend. I’d never ventured down Great Ocean Road, and we decided a beach getaway was only fitting.

Lorne is rather stylish for a beach town, sporting a stretch of high-end shops and a mixture of eateries. HAH Lornebeach, however, is exactly what you’d expect to stumble upon in an Australian seaside township. Located on the beachfront – with a million-dollar view of the ocean – it has that chilled out vibe that would attract surfers, yogis and vacationers alike.

The décor has a rustic feel and is comprised of blue and green outdoor seating and wooden tables. Inside, it’s a selection of wooden benches, tables and chairs, scattered greenery and an array of eco-friendly products available for purchase.

We were greeted by Katie and her husband. Both were the sort of easy-breezy, incredibly friendly people that you’d expect to find living near the beach. Despite it being 2.30pm on a Friday, there was a steady stream of people coming and going. It is also a great place for being on pooch patrol, with pups and owners stopping for a beverage outside.

My friend Alex and I both ordered the same meal. A meal I knew I couldn’t resist the moment I saw ‘Tamari Roasted Eggplant’ on the menu. A superfood bowl that tasted as good as healthy looks, it was a stellar option. The eggplant was soft, sticky and oozing umami flavour – I could have happily devoured a bowl of that alone. Broccoli is a favourite of mine, so it was, in all its roasted glory, another unbeatable aspect of the dish. Green beans, pepitas, kimchi, seaweed flakes and dukkah also made it into the bowl. All of these soul-nurturing ingredients sat on a bed of spinach leaves and what HAH term ‘super salad’. Now, I’m not sure what exactly is in the super salad, but by golly, it is one of the most moreish salads I’ve had the pleasure of eating. If I found myself in Lorne again, I’d revisit HAH and order the exact same thing. Yes, it was that good.

We were such big fans that we popped back on Saturday morning for a takeaway coffee. Humming with activity and a long list of coffee orders to go, Katie still looked happy, cool, calm and collected. If you find yourself cruising down Great Ocean Road and looking for a spot of lunch, I would highly recommend stopping by HAH Lornebeach for a meal that’ll leave you feeling revitalised from the inside-out.

HAH Lornebeach
81 Mountjoy Parade,
Lorne VIC 3232,
Australia

Opening hours:
Monday-Friday 8.30am-4.30pm
Saturday and Sunday: 8am-4.30pm