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Short Straw

3.6 (16 reviews)
Closed 7:00 am - 4:30 pm

Short Straw Photos

SHORT STRAW ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Classy
Good for groups
Good for kids
Outdoor seating

Recommended Reviews - Short Straw

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glorious green smoothie, prana loose leaf chai latte, bubble & squeak, stack on waffles, and charcoal charger
Anh L.

My sister and I ventured out here to try this place for brunch. We were seated immediately in the corner. Our server was very friendly and helped us with the menu and answered all our questions. GLORIOUS GREEN SMOOTHIE- banana, spinach, kale, avocado, honey, almond milk, and pea protein This smoothie was very light. It tasted healthy, but still sweet. The banana flavor was strong so it overpowered the kale and spinach and the avocado didn't have a taste, but it made the smoothie thick and smooth. PRANA LOOSE LEAF CHAI LATTE This chai was so strong and bold. I love the thick consistency of it and the strong spices. It was very aromatic. I could really taste the spices and it wasn't milked down at all. It was so strong and so good. BUBBLE & SQUEAK- caramelized prawn and chorizo, purple potato, red cabbage, fried egg, caper hollandaise, and purple bubbles with panko and parmesan Sadly, their bubble machine was broken so we had to do without the bubbles, but the dish was still really good. Overall, this dish was very meaty. I really like the meaty chorizo with the texture and sweetness of the purple potato. The hollandaise was creamy and the fried egg was perfection. Everything worked so well together. STACK ON WAFFLES- saffron and caramelized banana waffles injected with wild strawberry coulis, topped with lemon curd, whipped cream, and chocolate macarons This dish was really good. The waffles were slightly crispy and fluffy, which tasted great with the sweet and creamy whipped cream and tart lemon curd. The strawberry coulis added some fruitiness to the dish and overall the dish was the perfect balance of sweetness. CHARCOAL CHARGER- activated charcoal organic oats, turmeric poached pear, caramelized marshmallow, coral tuile, oreo crumble, and raspberry soy milk I really liked the poached pear. It was really soft and sweet, which went well with the nutty oats, and the mushy marshmallow, and crunchy oreo crumble. The raspberry soy milk was fruity, but overall this dish was too sweet. The oreo was sweet and on top of that is the marshmallows, all coated with the soy milk. It was just too much. I would definitely come back again. It's definitely a great place to grab some brunch.

Bounty Hot Chocolate!! Yep with coconut flake!!
Danny T.

Simply awesome!! Was recommended to try this little hidden away gem (except for the the locals).. I wasn't disappointed... we continued to eye off other patrons food as they were being served EVEB after we had finished our meals!! The poke bowl with the salmon chunks and rice corn seaweed etc made healthy eating fun and easy!! The lemon and Japanese nori infused the the fresh flavours perfectly!! The chicken burger although looked over cooked and dry as it came out was the opposite. The dry crust on the outside gave way to a juicy tender breast chicken piece.. that in itself I would have been content as a meal with the salad and side chips!! Placed between a heavy brioche??? and boom!! you just wanna get up and dance with each mouthful!! however be warned like all good parties... things can come to a halt fast! The brioche come down is like "booooooooooo"!! finisjing the burger almost became a chore as the brioche was pretty heavy! YMMV I guess. But for me I'd prefer a nice toasted brioche with not so much butter. At the end I didn't eat a buffet to experience food coma but I certainly felt like I was on my way.. Happy eating y'all!!!

Smashed avocado with chilli goats cheese
Sylvain A.

What a delightful place! Hidden off of Glenferrie Rd, this little cafe is quality food with out the glitz and glam. A quaint White roof with clean wood finish. You get a good vibe just being there. I had the beef burger and to my delight, they where confident enough to serve them rare in the middle with out me asking them to. Normally I would expect cheap meat and it being cooked through but after having my first bite I knew it was quality. Not having the sensational flavours that burst minds but it did not disappoint. They took a simple dish and dos it oh so well. Tasting everyone else dishes. I got to enjoy the freshness of great ingredients and the skills the kitchen had in taking simple ingredients and cooking them to perfection. Even the raspberry browny hit the spot even if it was a couple bites too small.

Short straw benedict
Lachlan C.

This newcomer café has come outta nowhere. Absolutely excellent breakfast food. Nice ambience and great service. Firstly I got a eggs benedict (called a Short straw benedict). This came with poached eggs, ham hock on muffins with a hollandaise sauce and cut up granny smith apples and salad. Absolutely perfect. The eggs were perfect (although they were only just eggs) with nice texture and flavour of the yolk. The ham hock gave that nice salty flavour to compliment the egg, along with the fresh salad to have a fresh taste to the dish. The muffins were cooked perfect. I was very impressed with this meal and will come back to try the other dishes.

Short Straw Hawthorn
Madeleine W.

A really exciting little cafe up up the 'other' end of Glenferrie Rd. It's a mere two mins from the centre of GF Rd in Hawthorn but there's not too much excitement to be had up this end. Until now. From what Google tells me it's owned by peeps responsible for some of Melbs finest brunch spots. You can tell. Really interesting menu, extensive without being exhausting and something for pretty much everyone. I had the zucchini fritters, hello, friend had the breakfast salad which was bang on. A big, decent serve; tastier than others on offer near by. Bright open space with lots of greenery. Very accommodating staff who were happy to grab high chairs for my baby dragon and her friend, they also helped shimmy our prams around, which is a pain in the jasty for everyone and they were v good about it. Lunch was followed by a solid iced latte. This will be my local cafe from here on in. Hopefully next visit, which will be this weekend, maintains the standard. Only niggle is the lack of aircon but I'm sure (hoping!!) that'll be addressed as they've not been open that long.

Matt L.

Hawthorn newcomer Short Straw literally appeared out of nowhere. Quietly launched over the Christmas break with little fanfare, it was only a passing glance down a side street off bustling Glenferrie Road that pointed out its existence. Brought by the team behind Tall Timber, Touchwood and Coin Laundry, there is no surprise that Short Straw's menu is filled with an array of solid dishes (however, no Californian superfood salad here!). The cafe has taken on the open warehouse-style which has become quite prevalent in the Melbourne cafe culture. Exposed timber beams, timber and white wall mix, timber bar front, tiled splash back and rolls of butchers paper for daily specials and coffee offerings; the space is well designed and presents a clean and refined ambience, but without the semi-industrial looks that usually get added. There is a small enclosed, painted brick, indoor courtyard-style area off to one end of the dining space with hanging basket plants and skylights. Seating is mostly small tables with a communal bench in the courtyard area. The food menu is composed of a single all-day-menu section containing a mixture of classic breakfast dishes and some slightly more substantial options. There is a small theme of Asian fusion with dishes including the Vietnamese scrambled eggs with chilli, roti, sweet soy, papaya and herb salad and the Thai sardine salad. Other highlights include the Cured king salmon, Zucchini and feta fritters and Buttermilk hotcakes. On this visit I had the Classic burger with pickles, ketchup, baby cos, Monterey Jack cheese, mustard, mayo and tomato on a toasted brioche bum and a side of anchovy salted potato gems. The flavours from the pickles, ketchup and mustard balanced the contrasting creamy mayo and cheese and the brioche bun was well toasted with that satisfying crunch. The potato gems were a nice addition with the anchovy salt adding a touch of body. Coffee is from Melbourne-roaster Niccolo with a house blend and single origin espresso options. There is also a range of teas, chocolate from Kali, juices and smoothies. It's always exciting to see new cafes appear, let alone silently appearing, and with the backing of a team behind a series of other strong venues Short Straw is likely to become a classic neighbourhood favourite.

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5 months ago

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3 years ago

One of the best Salmon bagel If you like salmon with cream cheese I definitely recommend this. Thank you for your great service

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10 years ago

I only had a take away latte here but it was wonderful. Definitely worth going back to.

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10 years ago

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10 years ago

Great in theory but they charged me $24 for two pieces of toast. Avoid unless you want the short straw.

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Review Highlights - Short Straw

Hidden off of Glenferrie Rd, this little cafe is quality food with out the glitz and glam.

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Light Years - An elegant venue to have your breakfast in solitude.

Light Years

5.0(2 reviews)
1.9 km
$$

My first visit to Light Years was for breakfast; a delicious and unforgettable meal it was…read more The location was off the beaten path, it took me about 15-20 minutes walk from the nearest metro. I was wondering why such a popular spot would be so isolated? But all is well worth the effort to get here. The venue is brimming with natural lighting, classic charm and warmth. For my breakfast, I ordered the Pixelated avocado (on a sourdough toast) because it just looked so darn intriguing. I didn't expect anything else to be honest, and turned out this was GOOD!! Every single element in this dish has complex flavors that compliments each other. The chili dried air kale, diced pixelated avocado and the soft shell crab was especially stunning. The dish certainly performs to its Instagram ability. For my drink, I ordered their matcha latte; it was strong tasting yet smooth. I could drink this all day! The Light Years is certainly not disappointing in any way, from the beautiful venue to the outstanding food, supported with service and ambiance for days. Easily, my favorite brunch spot in town at the moment and much to recommend you :).

Went to Light Years for Sunday brunch and was relieved to find that, although very busy, the wait…read moretime was only a few minutes. Recently opened at the bottom of a new apartment block just along from the Camberwell tram depot, it should not be confused with Lights in the Attic cafe which is a bit further down Camberwell Road. The fit out is the now common scandi/minimalist affair with a smattering of potted greenery. Coffee is from Dukes, but the star of the show here is the food. All the dishes I saw coming out looked great and were good sized portions. I had the bircher and it was a generous serve, looked pretty and tasted even better. Overall a good value and tasty option for brunch/lunch in the leafy inner east.

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Light Years - Matcha Latte.

Matcha Latte.

Light Years
Light Years

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Le Clec - Delicious coffee while reading.

Le Clec

4.5(2 reviews)
0.1 km

Great cafe, super friendly staff, fab food. If you fancy something a little different to the normal…read morecafe menu give these guys a go.

It's a 4.7 for me. This is an outstanding cafe restaurant. Le Clerc has risen fast on the list of…read moreMelbourne's must visit cafes and restaurants. Its ratings have been soaring for months and with good reason. Le Clerc offers an exceptional breakfast, brunch or lunch experience equal with the most admired places in the city. And, refreshingly, it does so without the overpricing and sometimes pompous attitude of some other highly rated places. We liked the space itself. Le Clec has an understated street appeal but is lovely inside especially out the back where there is a nice garden area (with heaters if needed). There's some cute touches in this area including clever landscaping, cute ornaments and hanging greenery. It is a really pleasing area in which to enjoy such excellent food and hospitality. We tried some of the new dishes on the menu yesterday. The dishes are outstanding. The crispy salmon with broccolini, Dutch carrot, king oyster mushroom, lemongrass chilli broth and tapioca crisp was utterly wonderful. It'd be hard for me to do this dish full justice but let me just say it is one of the best things I've had all year. The flavours and textures are excellent. The fish was cooked absolutely perfectly and the broth is superbly balanced. Deeply and satisfyingly flavoured, but not overpowered by the chilli, the broth is a beauty. With the gorgeously moist salmon, the crispy salmon skin and the quality and expertly cooked vegetables, you've got a real culinary winner here. This dish is a mere $22. I have to admit that as I was eagerly enjoying it my mind turned to some other similar or higher priced meals I'd had that delivered less than a quarter or a half of what this one provided. There are about a dozen restaurants and pubs I've been to in the last two years that offer nothing like the quality of this dish at Le Clerc and at significantly higher prices. Enough said. This dish is a serious cracker and fantastic value. The world's most beautiful woman chose the duck penne for her main course which consists of penne with shredded duck leg, porchini ragout, parmesan cheese, pinenut gremolata and edamame. This too is a lovely dish that we both tried and enjoyed very much enhanced by a good grind of pepper. It's $18 only too. The flavours are subtle and the gremolata is a clever addition which offsets the richness of the duck. All in all, a very nice dish. I had a Madfish Chardonnay with my meal which was a lovely accompaniment. The WMBW had a Cape Bank pinot noir which she reported as excellent too. It is worth pointing out that these wines are exceptional value when ordered with a meal. $6 only a glass. The dollar savings are considerable compared with other cafes and restaurants which routinely charge $12 or more a glass for the same standard of wine. I'm not a middle of the day dessert person usually and had to be talked into having one on this occasion. Giving in was a sound decision. We finished with the buttermilk hotcakes with yuzu curd, chocolate ganache, salted caramel popcorn and organic maple. It is not unusual for deserts to fail to move me but this one moved me immensely. We adored it. This is a stunningly attractive dish (see photos) and the range of textures and tastes it offers are thrilling. The ensemble works perfectly. I loved the hotcakes themselves, amazing given I'm usually not taken with pancake type offerings. This dish though is made at a very high level and is exceptionally composed, presented and flavoured. Again, for all of the skill and precision that's gone into it, it is a steal for $16. To complete a near perfect meal, our coffees were excellent. The WMBW had the Black Betty. I had a large long black. They were both beauties as well. Well up to the best coffee that Melbourne can offer. If you are in Hawthorn or nearby, you are lucky you have this sort of dining quality on your doorstep and at these modest prices. For others, this is a place well worth travelling across town as we did, noting that the location is a cinch by train with Glenferrie station close by. This was a very very good dining experience. Across all measures Le Clec is one of the best value establishments I've seen in Melbourne. The food quality is high but the prices restrained. I knew from previous eminent reviewers and the high rating for this cafe restaurant that it would likely be a terrific experience. But, I wasn't expecting it to be quite this good. There's clearly been lots of hard work put in to help make Le Clerc the success it is and deserves to be. The current lofty rating is an accurate reflection of where the cafe restaurant is today. This is a must visit place. Thank you to Nicole and Darren for the kind invitation to dine here. Darren's enthusiasm for the venture and knowledge of the cafe restaurant and what is has to offer is infectious. We love this cafe restaurant and will return soon!

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Le Clec
Le Clec
Le Clec

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Mr Wednesday

Mr Wednesday

4.4(7 reviews)
4.5 km
$$

Mr Wednesday 3.7…read more Just a quick coffee and snack today. Nice rustic retro space here. Exposed brick, timber, even some copper forms part of interior. There's an overall dark aura but it feels pretty cool overall. The coffee here was good. The onion muffin I chose was delicious too, best I've had anywhere for a while. Service was good here as well. Everything was delivered very quickly and politely. Nice place here. I'll certainly return for brunch in future.

The advent of modern technology has meant that any destination one seeks out is easier to find. Mr…read moreWednesday is the sort of cafe that belongs on a treasure map replete with X marks the spots as well as several cryptic clues. It's located along train lines in a discreet quiet pocket of the Fairfeild suburb. In essence, to go on a search and adventure, Mr Wednesday awaits your arrival. Inside it has a fantastic fit out; with great design elements and a well planned floorspace. Shelving in the kitchen maximisies storage area without being too cluttered or cramped. Overall Mr Wednesday has a very pleasing presence, with relaxed confident service. Eating in, one is allowed to dine at the pace they wish, and nothing feels rushed. Staff do their thing, but only when needed, i.e. there is no minimal intervention for asking for anything further or how the experience is going. Perfect. Filter coffee is a winner, and the jerk chicken burger in a brioche bun (Dench qaulity) is sublime. The best part is, the aforementioned burger comes fantastic home style potato chips. All in all nothing to fault; switched on easy going staff in a pleasent evironment.

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Mr Wednesday
Mr Wednesday
Mr Wednesday

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Hawthorn Common - Seating area

Hawthorn Common

3.8(12 reviews)
0.5 km
$$

I really like this place, I have been here plenty of times and it continues to grow on me…read more Definitely time for a review. I'm a little surprised to see people queuing at Axil when this paradise awaits upstairs next door, don't get me wrong I love Axil, but this place is pretty stunning. But please don't tell them, it's rare to be able to get a seat outside on a gorgeous sunny deck under an umbrella surrounded by trees and a veggie garden in Melbourne without a queue. The food has never disappointed. From the porridge and oats to the cooked breakfasts, I always enjoy my meal. Good specials on offer too, on the weekend I had corn and ricotta fritters with heirloom tomato salad and avocado cream, it was the goods and I'd love to see it on the menu. Their coffee offering is pretty solid, from the standard milky affair to the fancy filter stuff I don't understand but order to impress our interstate guests with my Melbourneness. Their green smoothies are tasty too. The staff are great with a sense of humour that I really enjoy, the owners in particular are cool (banter with them is a highlight for me), they're friendly and it's a family affair and they welcome families alike. But don't worry this place isn't overrun with yummy mummies, it's not really overrun with any 'type' it's just full of people who enjoy good food in breezy, relaxing surrounding. They also do yoga on the deck on Saturday mornings.

Fight the lure of Axil and take the stairs to this gorgeous new comer. The coffee was perfection…read moreand made even more enjoyable on the sunny deck amongst the succulents. Choosing a snack was difficult as everything looked delicious. The custard donut did not disappoint. I'll be back to try something from the breakfast menu or for yoga on the deck Saturdays!

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Hawthorn Common - Seating area

Seating area

Hawthorn Common - Outdoor seating

Outdoor seating

Hawthorn Common - Seating area

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Seating area

Short Straw - breakfast_brunch - Updated May 2026

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