As the warmer months fade and the morning chill begins to settle in, it's time to start altering your morning menu.

To coincide with the switch in seasons the Autumn Rooms on Darby St and in Stockton have launched a new menu that's making the cooler transition a lot smoother.

Offering cosy nooks both inside and out, we dropped into the Darby St location not only to check out the new Autumn menu, but also learn a little more about Chef Devi. Joining the team in February this year, Chef Devi brings a wealth of experience to the kitchen having owned and operated her own catering and private chef business in the US.

One of Devi's first tasks in the job was to bring her ethos of creating exciting, new food as well as nurturing a team and helping them tap into their creative side, as Devi explains,  

"The menu is a collaboration of ideas from all members of our kitchen, which is a really nice thing, and everyone is really proud of what we’re producing. A lot of our weekly specials are ideas we all bounce off each other and a combination of everyone's strengths."

Sitting between the hot and cold months is where Autumn Rooms really shines. Showcasing not only their moody interior vibes but highlighting the kitchen's ability to offer top-tier café food. So what can we expect from the new menu?

"We’ve kept the legendary eggs Benedict, but every other dish has changed."

"The aim was to create more options for us to pair with our incredible front of house menu. Autumn Rooms has an impressive drinks menu, so I wanted it complement it as well as give a stronger focus on the lunch part of brunch, while still keeping our breakfast favourites which are filled with great flavours and textures.

"Steering away from traditional breakfast's like ‘avo on toast’ and the ‘big breaky’ has allowed us to focus on exciting, different dishes, which is why I think Autumn Rooms is such a Newcastle favourite."

Seasonal ingredients have always played an important role within the Autumn Rooms menu as as Devi explains they're always the most exciting to work with,

"This season we have some great stars on the menu - pumpkins, figs, greens, rhubarbs, pears. Newcastle greens, which are are staple in the city, have incredible fresh produce with lists that change weekly. They produce all our micro greens and flowers and we try and base our specials around what they have available."

When asked if there was a favourite dish Devi says, "There are a few dishes I love to see go out, but my favourite would have to be the Rice Congee, because in this cooler weather, it feels a bit like a warm hug."

The Autumn version of the stacked Chai Crumpets is, as always, a must-try. Working together salted honey mascarpone, chai anglaise, toasted macadamia, and tuile it's a flavour combination that doesn't stop giving.

For mushroom lovers, The Mushroom Tartine with its roasted field mushroom, crispy enoki, salsa verde, sourdough with delight. 

The all-day autumn focused menu features over 15 meals with the new creations sitting alongside your classics like - Bacon & Egg Roll, Eggs Benedict, Chai Porridge and Eggs Your Way all waiting.

 

Whilst the menu has had a mini overhaul on Darby St, you can expect to see a handful of the new gems over at Autumn Rooms Coffee Bar at Stockton including the Chia Porridge as well as keeping their classic toasties like the Croque Monsieur, Roast Pumpkin and the Reuben Toastie.

"We’ve had some great feedback, regulars have really enjoyed the new season menu. We continue to receive great reviews online as well so that is very encouraging."

Whether you’re a regular or yet to visit be sure to add the Autumn Rooms to your must-eat list and experience Chef Devi and the team's newest flavour combinations.