Another weekend rolled around and I found myself in Scarborough. I love it here. After a swim, I was suddenly peckish and decided to pay a visit to the Sandbar. Older readers (and this writer!) will remember the venue as Zander’s. Back then it was painted a less than appealing salmon colour. Very 70’s but not in a fun, nostalgic way! It’s now painted white and has that rough rendered look, which gives the building so much more charm.

The Sandbar’s entrance is nicely arranged with plants, which instantly makes the space calming and welcoming. As I wandered in, ‘Bad Moon Risin’ by CCR was playing - great song. During my visit, the music was quite varied, which made for a good atmosphere. I got really excited when Steppenwolf’s ‘Born to be Wild’ came on. As a lover of classic rock – and the movie ‘Easy Rider’ – I was in my element.

On arrival, you’re greeted by a friendly staff member who will seat you. From there, you can order at the table via a QR code. But there is also table service. This is great to see in this modern age of what I call ‘digital do it yourself.’

There’s selective use of exposed brick throughout the venue. This works really well, as it makes for a rustic feel in a modern setting. Add to that the colourful chairs, wooden boxes (delightfully kitschy) and the surfboards mounted on the walls and you end up with an eclectic, yet chilled, beachy vibe. I really like the wall mounted photos of old Scarborough scattered throughout. They create a retro feel without going over the top.

There’s ample seating, so getting a spot shouldn’t be an issue. And there’s no need to book either, so it’s super flexible. I sat outside, as the view of the ocean and boardwalk was too good to pass up. Walkers, runners, cyclists and dog walkers amble by at their leisure.

The menu is straightforward and that’s a good thing, especially as some places over complicate their menus with fancy items that fall short. The Sandbar doesn’t suffer from this. There’s a good selection of meals to choose from. You’ve got classics like the bacon and egg burger and ‘eggs 3 ways’ (poached scrambled or fried). There are a few sweet options too, like the Belgian waffles and banana and coconut chia pudding. This makes for a good balance.

I opted for the smashed avo, which came with ciabatta bread, crumbled feta, cherry tomatoes, basil, white balsamic and hazelnut dukkah. I added two poached eggs to cap off this dish. My meal was spectacular. The eggs were cooked to perfection and the avocado was smooth and fresh, while the cherry tomatoes were bursting with flavour. The dukkah provided a nice contrast and the feta was rich and creamy. Even the salt was amazing – that might sound strange, but in my mind, these little things make a big difference.

I also had a cappuccino, which went down nicely.

With that, I’ll move onto the drinks. Between coffee, smoothies , cold pressed juices, iced tea and milkshakes, you’re spoilt for choice. Oh, and did I mention there’s also soft drinks, kombucha, mocktails and soft drinks?! They even have a ‘Hair of the Dog’ section, which I think is very cool. You can tell that someone has put effort into designing this menu.

The staff are really friendly and helpful. You can recognise them by their turquoise shirts.

The venue is kid friendly too. They have coloured pencils and paper, which is great. I asked one of the staff if these were popular and they said the kids really get into it. This is fantastic, especially in this age of never-ending screen time. Kudos to the owners for this initiative.

You can also have lunch and dinner at the Sandbar, with plenty of beer, wine and spirits on offer to complement your meal. And it’s open from 7 am til late every day - a big positive for Perth. There are wall mounted heaters outside for those cold winter nights that Perth puts on. So, they’ve got you’re covered all year round.

So, if you ever find yourself craving a nice breakfast, head out on the highway (see what I did there 😉) and into the Sandbar. It’s a great venue with an even greater vibe.