Welcome to Serotonin Eatery, a place where happiness is the main priority. The menu is carefully curated to help promote the release of serotonin, a chemical in the brain that plays such an important role within the body, affecting mood, appetite, digestion, bone health, sleep and even sex. The owner behind Serotonin is trying to inspire you to live a happy and healthy life, one meal at a time.

Here’s a hot scoop for you; Serotonin have just released a brand new menu to wrap up the summer so they’ve added some drool-worthy new items for you to try. Don’t fret though because they’ve still kept a couple of all-time favourites on the menu.

If you’ve never heard of or been to Serotonin before, you should probably know that they’re a meat free restaurant, with all food being fresh, organic and fair trade plus having vegan, gluten free and onion/garlic free options to keep everyone satisfied. With the menu options being so delicious, you won’t even notice your food is super good for you.

One of the new stars of the menu is the Conscious Calamari (miso salt and pepper oyster mushroom calamari, rainbow noodles, chia seeds, kale long grain broccoli rice, cabbage, tomatoes, pickled daikon and carrot, sesame seeds and a ponzu sauce). Being gluten free, vegan and onion and garlic free it will satisfy all tummies and is great for digestion and detoxifying the body.

If you’re feeling something sweet instead then you can’t go wrong with the Nutorious A.C.A.I (dairy and sugar free acai ice-cream, banana nice-cream, served with a peanut butter and coconut magnum & a “not”ella protein ball and topped with house-made chocolate soil, coconut flakes, roasted peanuts and drizzled with peanut butter). Sorry I’m just drooling as I’m writing this, this acai bowl is so decadent and sweet that you need to remind yourself it’s actually healthy.

You can’t talk about Serotonin Eatery without mentioning their specialty lattes. They’re all non-caffeinated but if you’re needing that extra pick-me-up then there’s nothing stopping you from making it dirty and adding a shot of coffee. There’s the Golden Latte with turmeric and ginger to help boost your immune system, or another great option is the Peanut Butter Latte if you’re feeling a bit nutty. The special part of the speciality lattes is the latte art; they come to you sporting a smiley face which will not only make you smile but also makes for a great Insta moment.

Owner Emily Hazell really decked out the space specifically to induce that serotonin in your brain, liaising with a colour psychologist to decide on the perfect colours for the space to help with mood-stabilisation, and using swings and cosy couches as seating to reflect a relaxing and homely environment.

It’s important to note that Serotonin’s full name is Serotonin Eatery, Exercise and Education. Their ethos centres on more than just food as they want to bring about a world full of healthy bodies and minds. If you’re local to the Richmond area, why not sign up to their weekly FREE workout sessions on Saturday mornings. They mix up the exercises from circuit training, Pilates and yoga, so you can get your body moving then treat yourself to some Positive Pancakes afterwards. As for the education aspect, masterclasses are hosted monthly and range on topics surrounding health and wellness and your ticket price includes an entrée, main, dessert and drinks all from the Serotonin menu.

If you’re needing a cute and unique venue for your event, you should definitely check out Utopia Place, Serotonin’s new little function space, perfect for birthdays, dinners, event launches, corporate meetings etc. with the capacity to hold up to 50 people. They also cater these events with their delightful menu options.

So if you’re needing a bit of a pick-me-up or merely craving some delicious and nutritious food you need to check out Serotonin Eatery. They’re closed Mondays and Tuesdays (the hospitality workers’ weekend) but serving up some happiness 8am until 3pm on Wednesdays to Fridays and 8:30am until 4pm On Saturdays and Sundays. Happy brunching!

For more information about Serotonin Eatery or to contact them for a booking head here.

By Julia Dicconson