World’s Longest Brunch 2025

This Festival, World’s Longest Brunch 2025 is a walk in the park. Literally. We’re taking two of Melbourne’s favourite treasures, the Royal Botanic Gardens and Julia Busuttil Nishimura and bringing them together for one unforgettable March morning. Grab some friends and get ready for a moveable feast like no other.

Over three stops around the gorgeous gardens, you’ll celebrate our city’s peerless breakfast and brunching culture with one of its best-loved authors and food personalities, stopping to feast on a bevvy of Julia’s favourite dishes.

We start our adventure at the Tecoma Pavilion with coffee from Melbourne legends of the bean scene ST. ALi, and Julia’s cinnamon buns, mascarpone tart and her chocolate and almond pasticcini.

From there it’s a very pleasant stroll to the Taxodium Lawn (and who doesn’t love a good taxodium – right, cypress fans?) where you’ll find some excellent savoury snacks. We’re talking chive pancakes with smoked salmon, we’re talking tomato toasts, we’re talking pea and mint bruschetta. We’re talking Ostro good times.

Feeling suitably refreshed and very much at ease with the world, we’ll then wander to Dog Flat Lawn, where The Alto structure plays host to our final stop, and substantial grazing fare of the order of Persian herb frittata, roast apricots with labne, focaccia with cherry tomatoes and sweet onions, and a variety of savoury tarts (think ham and Gruyère, think Stilton and silverbeet).

But that’s not all. Would it be a Julia Busuttil Nishimura menu without cake? Of course it wouldn’t. Which is why this year’s Brunch includes a cake station featuring a host of JBN’s incredible creations. Will it be brown butter strawberry cake or raspberry tart? Marbled ciambellone or spiced apple cake with mascarpone and maple frosting? Good news: you don’t have to choose. And while you’re treating yourself, if you’re in the mood for a brunch cocktail, we’ve got you covered with a full bar. It’s going to be a beautiful day out, and we’re looking forward to seeing you there.

The particulars
We’re running Brunch in three sessions, starting one at 9am, one at 10.30am, and one at 12 noon. Each session lasts approximately three-and-a-half hours, and involves walking a total of 1,500 metres around the Royal Botanic Gardens. Your ticket includes a coffee, still and sparkling waters from Capi, a drink from Dal Zotto and a three-stop grazing menu designed by Julia Busuttil Nishimura and brought to life by our catering partner, Curtis Stone Events, and served by staff dressed to the nines by our apparel partner, Worktones. Additional drinks are available for purchase, and Julia’s books will also be for sale at the event.

Want to make it fancier?
If you’d like to make an even bigger day of it, this Brunch we’re offering an optional add-on Yarra River boat cruise from the CBD to the Royal Botanic Gardens with drinks served en route. If you'd like to choose this option, select the 9.45am session when you're buying your tickets. It will depart from Fed Square at 9.45am.

Brunch is cashless; bring along a credit or debit card for purchases. A low-gluten menu option will also be available.