From a kitchen made famous for its doughnuts, cakes and tarts, emerges a new and ever-changing dinner menu that will have you casting your cake aside (until dessert time, of course). Welcome After Hours; the newest venture from Little and Friday owner Kim Evans, where they’re serving up delicious take-home dinners to their legions of loyal customers.

The new eatery is nestled beside the original Little and Friday bakery in Belmont, where a window presentation lures passersby with towers of beautiful layer cakes. Inside, light streams from the produce garden out back and on display is an enormous spread of salads, because at After Hours, it’s all about the main event.

Arriving at 5pm, just as the hot food appeared, the smell was intoxicating. Hot, sticky and fragrant 5-spice pork belly glistened under the lights, calling my name, as did a glorious potato, lemon and marjoram al forno.  As if the smell had sounded an alarm bell, other customers appeared from nowhere and quickly ordered meals to take home – you have to be quick around here.

Of course it would  be silly to visit a Little and Friday establishment without considering something sweet. We hear that customers flock here right up until closing at 9pm just to get that last slice of lemon meringue pie, pecan pudding, or whatever the dessert of the day may be.

Although the menu changes daily, if that glorious pork belly is anything to go by, there is no doubt that every meal at After Hours will be just as outstanding as the last. For those wanting to try it out, you can keep an eye on the Little and Friday Facebook page to see what’s cooking each day. As for ourselves, we can’t wait to see what’s next on the After Hours menu, convinced it’s poised to become a regular, and very convenient dinnertime favourite.

Open Wednesday to Saturday 2pm – 9pm