Eddy & Wills Cafe

If you’re after a polished brunch in a café that actually has something to say for itself, Eddy & Wills is worth the short detour from Geelong’s CBD. It sits on Church Street in Hamlyn Heights — not an obvious tourist strip, which is half the appeal. The kind of place you feel like you’ve discovered rather than been directed to.The building used to be a butcher’s shop, and the owners leaned into that history rather than plastering over it. Polished concrete floors, timber features, and walls covered in vintage newspapers found in the roof during renovations give it a warm, lived-in character that no amount of interior design budget can fake. There’s a leafy courtyard out back that catches the morning sun — grab a table there on a clear day and you’ll understand why people linger over a second coffee.Speaking of coffee — it’s Code Black, roasted in Brunswick, Melbourne. If that means something to you, you already know you’re in good hands. If it doesn’t, just trust that it’s consistently excellent and order whatever you normally drink.The food menu rotates, but the kitchen’s approach stays the same: fresh ingredients, brunch classics done with care, and enough variety that everyone at the table finds something. Eggs Benedict is a crowd favourite that’s proved too popular to ever take off the menu. The portions are solid, the pricing is fair, and nothing feels like it came out of a bag.Eddy & Wills is open through the morning into early afternoon — it’s a breakfast and lunch spot, not a dinner one. Come hungry, don’t rush, and if the courtyard’s full, the indoor space is just as good.