When food, art and spirituality collide

Word to the wise: Staff will guard your table while you take your wine upstairs and browse the gallery between courses.

Popular plate: The veal, sage and lemon pie with smashed peas is a house specialty.

The brainchild of an art dealer and a restauranteur, Mission is an eclectic mix of contemporary café and community gallery, but you don't have to be a culture vulture to come here. Diners are encouraged to peruse the exhibits upstairs, but it's down below where the real works of art can be found, emanating from the Mission kitchen.

The Mod-Oz menu is deliberately selective - four or five choices for entrées and mains - but there are also tapas options, and the Saturday only brunches are a popular draw for locals, who covet the mushroom bruschetta and veal and thyme sausages.