Donatelllo’s (with three L’s) is all about keeping things simple and doing them right. “We’re a very simple, very small, humble shop. But everything is [carefully done] to a ‘T’,” owner Zeky Yousuf tells Broadsheet.

The venue, named after one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, has a five-item menu, with one changing soup and four sandwiches – pastrami, smoked turkey, a three-cheese toastie and a roasted capsicum and eggplant sanga – each made using traditional sourdough from Publique.

Both the pastrami and the smoked turkey are decked with slices of provolone, tomato, cucumber, a slather of house-made pesto and a thin coat of pomegranate molasses. The three-cheese toastie uses a combination of gouda, provolone and tasty cheese that makes for an impressive cheese pull.

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Ninja Turtles fans may be surprised there’s no pizza on the menu, but the soup of the week makes a perfect winter warmer instead. Past bowls have included lentil, chicken and veg, and the timeless minestrone.

A former carpenter, Yousuf did the interior woodwork himself, drawing on his Ethiopian background to design a warm space. Beguiling terracotta red, refined timber, and amber lighting are used to create what Yousuf describes as “North African beachy coastal vibes”.

Donatelllo’s is extremely cosy and inviting for a predominantly takeaway place. Though you might want to stay, you’ll have to be quick to grab a window-facing bar stool or a seat at one of the two small patio tables out front.

Coffee is brewed using Code Black beans and there’s a pastry selection that often includes Publique’s doughnuts, fruit danishes and croissants.

If you’re lucky enough, you might be treated to a little something with your drink. “My mum and auntie can’t help themselves, so they usually just make biscuits and cookies and give them out for free with coffees.”

Donatelllo’s
2 Mitchell Street, Brunswick
No phone

Hours:
Tues to Thur 7am–2pm
Fri 7am–1pm
Sat & Sun 8am–2pm

www.donatelllos.com