This is another one of those really cool cafes that I sort of stumbled across as I was wandering…read morearound the place one day. It is sort of one of those places that has taken up residence in an old warehouse, and these places can actually be pretty cool. Well, that is the case with this place, and they also service a pretty decent cup of coffee as well. However, despite it being on a side street, and the middle of the week, this place certainly does attract the crowds.

Really nice brunch place south side in the Gardenvale area. We had an awesome lunch here of bloody…read moreMary's, eggs, smashed avocado, calamari and a breakfast bun. All was really good, service was great, and the space is really nice too. I'd definitely return if looking to meet someone south side for a nice casual breakfast/brunch/lunch.

A quirky, fun bottleshop with a great bar space attached. I love this place - cool owners, best…read morefresh pizzas (Pear & Gorgonzola an absolute standout), great attentive staff and terrific small producer wine range at reasonable prices. Share a cheese and charcuterie board, knock back a high quality bottle for under $40, and you have a night made for you and several friends. On warmer nights the front windows all open up and the street comes in around you...great atmosphere.

Having been here only once before, but years ago, I was eager to try this again. It's such a cool…read morelittle place with funky music and nice interior in a pocket of Ripponlea that you may not think to go to at night once the shopping district is shut. Their menu sounded delicious, so thought we'd give it a whirl. The food was really good. I had the Tuna Tartare, the Mushroom Ravioli and the Brown Sugar and Vanilla Cheesecake. The food for the most part was on point. But the service is where the restaurant lets you down at times. On three separate occasions, they forgot the drinks. They just can't remember to bring them out and there's no apology. Thankfully the drink that NEVER SHOWED, was off the bill, so that was at least a battle I didn't have to get into. They were busy without being frantic, but the service was slow. The food came out slowly and drinks just didn't come or came late. One thing I thought they'd do that other restaurants of a similar calibre do, is know which person ordered what. They don't know. But look, overall, it's definitely worth a trip here. The food is good and I guess that's what really counts. There's a good selection of wine (obviously) and something for most palates. There's plenty of parking and prices are pretty reasonable. I just wish you didn't have to remind people to bring out drinks. It did put a mini damper on the night ... but I would come again one day.

It must have been Saturday or a Sunday in July 2016. when I had lunch here. It was windy so…read moresitting outside was not an option. and it was definetly 11ish am because I had to be somewhere by 12pm. Drinks were ordered first and I wanted a lavender grey tea.... They brought over lemon grass. I didn't complain I just waited and let the girl whom I told that it was wrong... Later the waitress And herself laughed about being "giddy" in the head about it and apologized. All in good manner of course. And they almost brought the wrong coffee to my table.. I didn't order a coffee and kindly remind them it's someone else's. Lol And the lunch came. hock and cheese toastie. Its not just HAM! Its the best fresh Hock off the bone ham! I'll admit its a toastie worth going there for. The service was fair, but they got the drinks mixed up. And little bit lax about that.... I should have let her put the coffee down and not said anything to see what would happen... Lol But the Hock and cheese toastie! Yes. Mid afternoon on the weekend.. Maybe not again.

Nice little bar with a good range of food options. Expertly done poached eggs on a crispy sourdough…read moretoast are a must. The black pudding didn't have the English consistency that it should... But it was tasty. Some lovely fresh juice options and the waiting staff are a chatty bunch of lads. I liked the music here too - right from the eighties.

Visiting from Honolulu and came here on a couple nights. Excellent vibe and great pub food. There…read morewas fabulous entertainment when we went for an impromptu going away party this past Friday. Seems to be a real local crowd who were very friendly and welcoming! Props to this little slice of heaven. On a side note, if anyone knows who the musician was last Friday I would love to know who it is to get any download info!

Another place we tried due to missing our bus but happy we did. The interior is super hip with…read moreexposed brick. I believe it was happy hour when we stopped in and there was some delightful live music. We were the only ones who grabbed seats at the bar. I enjoyed my Pinot noir and they had an excellent kolsch.

Awful service. I bought a Groupon and booked using their online instant booking system a month ago…read more I turned up on time with my friend only to be told a) the kitchen was closed for the night due to a new menu being created and, b) they had decided to cancel all the Groupons and c) to contact Groupon for a refund. They acted like it was no big deal... like I hadn't just gone out of my way to get there. Like a refund was alright even though I was cold and hungry and expecting a lovely evening. Poor form. Poor customer service. I'll never go there again.

It's a nice little cafe/dining spot in Elwood. Nothing terrifically stunning about the menu, but…read morethe prices are very reasonable and the pizza and paella specials are a real treat. The roll-up plastic windows mean it's a beautifully airy space in the summer, but a little chilly in the winter (even with the ceiling-based heaters kicking down some serious BTUs.) A big bonus here is that they will cater for big parties if you book far enough ahead of time. Attended a 30th birthday party here and it was a great night, with good seating space and nice area to mingle and catch up with friends. Bring a warm jumper, some company and enjoy a nice evening at a nice local.

Food: Elwood food and wine is a bit of a local favourite for us. The menu offers a good variety of…read moresmaller tapas style dishes, pizzas, a few pasta dishes and a small selection of 7 or 8 mains. A particular favourite for us is the lamb curry. This can be ordered either mild or spicy, the lamb falls apart in your mouth and the curry is well flavoured, even if you order mild. The pizzas are also a really good size, with generous toppings. Desserts are also excellent, and possibly the highlight of the meal for me, I think I've sampled, and loved all 5 of them. The only let down for me has been the brisket, which while enjoyable, was very spicy despite no mention of it being spicy on the menu. Atmosphere/service: The atmosphere is laid back, with wide open windows, its bright and welcoming in the day. At night it's lit with low lighting, giving it an intimate feeling. It's normally a little lively without being too busy, and although it is also a wine bar, most people seem to dine there when visiting. There's a covered outdoor seating area too. Service is unfortunately a little hit and miss. We visit fairly regularly so we know to accept this now. We have had really incredibly service, highly attentive and personalised, but at other times it can be very slow. Staff are never rude, but for a place which rarely gets crazy busy, the wait to order, or to get more drinks can sometimes be a bit too long, and they do need to work on ensuring all staff are equally aware of customers needs. Would I recommend it: Don't go if you're in a rush that's for sure, but it does offer some great quality food and there's generally something to please everyone. We love the variety and quality of the food, and it's a nice, relaxing venue. They also offer a good range of alcoholic beverages. If they can fix the service and a few little niggles, this place would be close to getting 5 stars for me.

Dogs Bar is a small, but classy venue they have managed to collaborate collections of fine art with…read morecasual dining and drinking. Having a sustainable menu of local seafood, grass fed beef and free range chicken there are a variety of tapas dishes as well as pastas and risottos on offer. Dogs Bar has something different on most days of the week, Sunday's is my favourite. During the day the bar opens an art installation exhibition which shows new works for a week. They provide a complimentary glass of bubbles as well as some finger food as you peruse the works which are also available for sale. Sunday night see's live jazz acts performing at the bar, this is great if your looking for something casual and entertaining or even just some background music to accompany your dinner.

We came here on a very chilly night and grabbed a spot by one of two fireplaces at Dogs Bar. There…read moreis a board with lots of nice looking specials. I ordered the duck and mushroom risotto which was perfect and had nice chunks of duck through out. My partner had the lamb chops and I could barely keep him from picking up the bones to get any last meat. They serve really nice bread before your meal and the staff are great! I'll be back.

The absolute best meal I've had in my entire life! Every moment, item, and drink were so well…read morethought out. Each course surprised us with something new which was such a delight. We're not big drinkers so me and my husband opted for the non-alcoholic drink tasting which we shared between the two of us. It was our first time getting a drink pairing but it really elevated the meal. It was a cool break from the meal to see some of the behind the scenes in the kitchen and have a course in their "bar" outside. The whole experience does take ~3h so plan accordingly! Favorite items were the saltwater soulva, ma marrón with red champagne finger lime, and the valley to the bay. Definitely a must try if you're in the area!

Just wonderful. We've been now twice over a number years and both found the tasting menu to be a…read morethoughtful delicious experience. The use of the back room has always delighted us and we've found our meals and lovely bites to be wonderful each time.

It's rare to find a sophisticated bar outside of the CBD these days, and it's even rarer to find…read moreone that won't break your weekly drinking budget in one night. Hawker Beer and Wine Bar is located in the suburb of Highett just 30mins from Melbourne CBD. The bar is named after Harry Hawker, a local of the area. Harry George Hawker, was an Australian aviation pioneer. He was the chief test pilot for Sopwith and was also involved in the design of many of their aircraft. After World War One he co-founded Hawker Aircraft, the firm that would later be responsible for a long series of successful military aircraft. The bar itself is small and is directly across the road from the Highett train station, which seems to have some type of train passing through every 15mins. The fit-out is minimalistic, with large windows that give you a great view of the comings and goings in the area. What is great about this bar is the large cocktail list. With mostly original cocktails with a few traditional with a modern twist. The service is friendly and attentive, and I get the feeling if I lived in the area this would be my local. Apart from the great cocktails it has a good selection of beers and wines. It also had a pretty awesome snack menu, being provided by Typhoon, the Vietnamese restaurant next door. If you live in the area chances are you have either visited Hawker or know of it. If you haven't been do yourself a favour and pay them a visit, it won't disappoint.