You don't need to ask a Victorian twice to indulge in an afternoon tea – we love our cuppas, finger sangas and sweet treats. But when was the last time you tried an organic native lemon myrtle tea, a slow-cooked roo ragu jaffle or a plate of strawberry gum and finger lime macarons?
These are just a few of the tasty items that the Blak Brews crew is now serving up at the Wathaurong Booln Booln Cultural Centre, as part of a recent takeover of the centre's café. Here, you can enjoy a selection of the much-loved tea brand's delicious herbal bush brews alongside an innovative menu championing First Nations flavours – all within the surrounds of an idyllic gumtree-lined environment, complete with its own private wildlife sanctuary.
Blak Brews' founders, husband-and-wife duo Troy and Cerisa Benjamin, first spoke to Time Out shortly after winning Gordon Ramsay's Food Stars Australia in 2024. Back then, Troy Benjamin shared: “We really want to make sure we’re looking after the people who drink our tea. We never want to lose touch.”
A natural expansion of Blak Brews' mission, Booln Booln Café aims to both showcase native Australian ingredients and provide a community space for connection and conversation.
Along with other jaffles such as kakadu plum and truffle béchamel or the lemon myrtle chicken with chimichurri and finger lime, the café is also dishing up artisan pastries and desserts to complement Blak Brews' tea range and finely crafted coffee. Our advice? Don't miss the signature Outback High Tea experience, which allows you to try multiple options as part of a native-inspired spread.
“Booln Booln is more than just a café — it’s a sensory experience,” says Troy Benjamin. “We’ve created a space that feels grounded and amongst native bushland, but full of modern flavour. Think bushland vibes meets barista brilliance.”
Booln Booln Café is about a one-hour drive southwest of Melbourne on the way to Torquay – just outside of Geelong – at 410 Surfcoast Highway in Grovedale. Book a table or learn more at the website.
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