“My Happy Place”. That’s how I think of The Armchair Collective in Mona Vale. Over the past year or so, it has become a favourite place, a place to which I love returning.
Why is that? Is it the atmosphere, with the fun furniture and other odds and ends for sale, colourful, with lots of textures? Or is it the jumbled collection of things spread throughout the cafe, so there’s always something new or different to see wherever you are? Or is it the consistently good food? Or is it the friendly staff? Or is it that the people and the vibe all fit the beach feel? Or? All of the above.
The Armchair Collective is a sister to The Boat House at Palm Beach. It has many things in common with The Boat House, with a similar menu, scaled down a bit, and masses of flowers for sale.
The Environment
While being seated at a table surrounded by furniture or other things sounds like it could be like being in the middle of a furniture shop, it’s nothing like that. The colours and the textures and fabrics add a relaxed and happy vibe.
Everywhere you look are things to tempt you – furniture, teapots, teatowels, flowers, yummy food, sweets to take away such as caramels and fudge.
Rather than being jumbled and over-full, somehow the large bunches of flowers and all sorts of interesting goodies seem to add to a feeling of abundance.
The Food
The food at Armchair is good everyday food, but tasty, interesting, and good quality. Whatever I’ve eaten there has been better than I was expecting.
Green papaya squid salad – with Thai dressing, peanuts, and crispy fried onion
The squid salad was a perfect balance between salty and sweet, with lots of textures and flavours in there.
Berry smoothie (huge) and coffee
Milkshakes and smoothies are served in those old-fashioned bottles, with huge serves.
Moroccan chicken salad – with chickpeas, pistachio, sweet potato, snow peas, and minted yoghurt
The menu usually includes a few different salads, so you’d be sure to find something to suit. And not just your average salad, with interesting combinations of ingredients.
Roast vegetable rosti
The rosti is something light for breakfast. Breakfast is served daily from 7:30 am.
Wild mushroom bruschetta – with balsamic reduction, fetta cheese, pine nuts on rye toast
The mushroom is on the part of the menu available all day, from 7:30am – 3pm.
Winter pie
The menu varies with the seasons. A hearty winter pie or freshly made soup are ideal in the middle of winter.
Tomato soup (winter menu)
And now for one of the Collective classics, the burger. There’s no way that you can that without some disassembly!
Collective beef burger – with beetroot marmalade, tasty cheese, fresh tomato, onion, with thick cut chips
The thick cut chips at Collective are a specialty: crisp on the outside, soft in the middle. Many people order just a bowl of chips with an aoili or mayonnaise.
Steak sandwich (earlier menu)
It’s all good everyday dining food, with something to suit every palate.
With Mona Vale beach being a short stroll away, after a good meal at Armchair, a walk along the beach is perfect, breathing in that fresh ocean air.
Details
Here are the details about The Armchair Collective at time of posting. Please check their web site for more current details.
| Web site | http://www.thearmchair.com.au/ |
| Address | 9A Darley St East, Mona Vale NSW 2103 |
| Phone | 02 9999 2871 |
| Open | Open daily 7:00-4:00 Breakfast 7:30-Noon & Lunch Noon-3:00 |
| Menu |
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Where is your favourite “local” – a place you can keep on returning and love it every time?
Eat. Travel. Bliss. 
those mushrooms look fat and juicy but that pie! totally want to dive right in!
Yes, Susan, they were all very yummy! 🙂 Whatever I’ve had there has been consistently good.