To walk in to a cafe and instantly feel warm, welcome and be treated to a roast the owner, Vigen in…read morethis case, can wax lyrical about is surely a virtue of a country community with big heart. I was craving a proper coffee and with a little Internet ninja prowess somehow happened upon legend of Buffalo Girls. Driving down Duke Street we thought perhaps it had closed as no visible signs were around in this residential street. Sure enough, a few hundred meters down a gravel lane and behind a store called Lark, a door ajar led us to this coffee house. It's stripped back. A historic warehouse with ample seating, Vigen's tools of his trade up front and a central high-table for communal coffee drinking or, as the bags laid out tell the tale of a group stamping and bagging session for the beans he roasts in Kensington for Buffalo Soldier (his wholesale side of the business. It's the bean end of the business). It's a family affair here and afar, with most of the beans being sourced from his family's farms in Africa. Make no mistake, Vigen knows he's good (and backs it up with a coffee that is as good as you hope) but knows his limits and while great things are happening for this coffee roaster don't expect him to be in every cafe any time soon. Buffalo Soldier is about maintain quality over quantity. He's the kind of guy who is the eyes and ears of Daylesford. He knew exactly where to direct us for dinner and when it came time to select a bag of beans to take home, I'd initially chosen his Kenyan blend before he stopped and asked me, "Do you want something completely different to what you've tasted before?" and with a nod he started pouring a Rwandan roast into a bag for us. There were a few eats on the counter - freshly baked muffins and biscuits - but this place is about the bean. The exceptionally satisfying bean.

If you're coming up from Melbourne, you're probably used to the idea of the best places being a…read morelittle hard to find, so go sneaking behind the main street of Daylesford and you just might stumble upon Buffalo Girls Coffee Bar. It's a big old converted warehouse colourfully kitted out with impressive street art and an perfectly mismatched selection of retro furniture and fittings. The coffee is just fantastic. Whether you're a latte drinker or after something a little more fancy, Vigen will no doubt whip you up a flawless drink, and do it with a smile. There's something weirdly wonderful about the grungy feel of the place- sneaking away from the cappuccino drinking day spa types and stopping by here to read the paper and get your caffeine fix. Give it a go, for sure.

I don't hand out 5 stars lightly but, if I could give more stars, I would…read more From walking inside yet, still feeling like you are outside, is peaceful and relaxing. It was raining today and I felt like it was a nice summer day. Having worked for large, well known hospitality venues, the staff (including the kitchen) were incredible and first class. They knew the menu back to front, were extremely helpful in providing the right options for dietary requirements and constantly checked in with us despite full tables everywhere. Whilst we were waiting for food, out came all these "tasters" which were simply delicious. We were enjoying ourselves so much, we didn't even realise that we had waited a while for food. THEY CAME AND TOLD US, offering us a free drink each. They are too nice. And I haven't even started on our meals (which were great!!!!) If you run a restaurant, have a meal here and learn!!!! We are coming back tomorrow or the day after

Visited The Convent Daylesford and had lunch at the Bad Habits Cafe. Love the name of the cafe…read more Very apropos for the venue. The food was ok but the venue more than makes up for the ok food. Beautiful high ceiling with lovely light. Very cosy. The convent/gallery architecture is gorgeous. Formerly a real convent, it is now an art gallery. #maneklady #manektravel #manekeats

When you're next meandering around Vincent st Daylesford and you feel like a coffee stop with…read moresomething sweet alongside I would recommend to pop into Sweet Decadence. There you can choose from a large assortment of chocolates to accompany your coffee, or mineral water scones to have with tea. I didn't try the scones but they did look fluffy & delicious. Also several cakes, slices & brownies on display. I opted for a slice of the carrot & walnut cake, so moist & delish. Wrapped chocolate gifts of various sizes are also available........maybe a surprise for someone who wasn't part of the girl's day of indulgence with a massage in Daylesford?

Lovely coffees... chocolates and iced-drinks! Priced A bit…read moreon the high side, but they are definitely worth it! lovely shop decor, check out the ceiling painting! always accomodating staff, help you out with your needs. take a peek in here next time you're in Daylesford!

Coffee By Design aka CBD is a small independent coffee shop with a hippie feel. It's pretty clear…read morethat the owners are big music fans--pictures of bands are up on the wall, the menus are made with old record covers, and rock music plays from the speakers. I can't review the coffee since I don't drink it, but the chai and lattes get two thumbs up. Plus there's plenty of seating inside and outdoors, in case you want to kick back rather than order take-away.

Friendly staff & good coffee. A great gluten free menu as well. And all very reasonably priced.read more

There are 4 locations in Ballarat - which is awesome! The…read moreMenu has a huge range of food on it - enough to cover everyone's tastes, including children. Yummo!

Pies were good. $5 AUD each. We had the steak & onion, curry, and sausage rolls. Quality beef and…read moregreat seasoning. Service was polite and professional. Food - 4/5 Service - 5/5 Value - 3.5/5

We'd actually been here a number of times before, and it's quite a treat. Great coffee, fun food,…read morereally good live music, and a very serious beer selection makes it worthwhile of multiple return visits! Nestled in the heart of Hepburn Springs, The Blue Bean Love Cafe is great for a cheeky weekend brunch, or lunch. Or pretty much anything. Their burgers are great, as is their avo' in the morning. The kids devoured the waffles too! They have a very large selection of domestic and imported beers, and a few ciders as well. They will also very happily shake it up with a cocktail or two as well :) The eclectic knickknacks around the cafe make for fantastic conversation starters with the friendly staff... and there's even some fantastic books to pull down and have a flip through over a delicious single origin coffee. If you're in the area, make a pit stop in here. Wonderful.

Coffee terrible, breakfast over priced and very average. Service also average. Plenty of better…read moreplaces to go.

Sadly the lamb kebab was very lack lustre, no flavour need to offer a selection of sauces it just…read morehad no zing. Good staff and clean store prefer lamb fresh off bone not from a warming tray. Overall the recipe needs a makeover to get me back. Good parking out front and at side of store.

Great food, great prices Staff are very friendly…read moreWill always go back to this place Food omission fresh and prepared when you order it, not made and left sitting under a heat light. Chips are always cooked fresh and taste delicious. They use fillet lamb not the cheap mince most places use in Ballarat- puts them head and shoulders ahead of the competition.

This was a rather nice and relaxing pub on the outskirts of Ballarat - sort of. I probably…read moreshouldn't say outskirts because it really isn't all that far out, but it is far enough out that it did take me a while to get to. Anyway, as a pub this place was actually pretty cool. The staff were quite friendly, and the layout was awesome. However, the beer selection, at least the beers on tap, really wasn't all that great. Still, it was a nice pub.

Pleasant, warm and inviting hotel with full bar and separate restaurant. Bustling, without being…read morenoisy. Perry impressive for a Monday night. Friendly staff. Good selection of modern Australian cuisine.