Good old Mum and Pop team running this establishment. After passing it every day for nearly 3…read moreyears, I thought my wife's birthday would be a good occasion to test it out. My expectations where extremely high and i must say, they where exceeded. I had the cannelloni, mum had the fish in tomato source, dad struggled to finish his Veal Parmigiana, my wife some creamy meat and our 3 year old enjoyed putting endless parmesan on her penne Bolognese. Nothing like home cooked meals, if you cook at home like this, adopt me. It is in the old school building in St. Ives, which makes it already extra special. Free standing building with outdoor seating as well as kitsch Italian indoor room. Parking never a problem, the atmosphere really throws you back to a time where medici ruled over the north. This is NOT a modern Italian restaurant or some fusion thingy. If you ever been to Tuscany, the low lands what is Venecia, if you ever ran through Verona and screamed loud Julia at 3 in the morning, than this restaurant is for you. It does not get any more authentic than this.

I'm from Las Vegas,here on vacation.. I can truly say, absolutely the best steak I've ever had in…read moremy life.. I've had the world famous Morton's steak and it doesn't come close to the steak I just had tonight .. The staff and the owner were amazing.. Definitely coming back before I leave next week..

This place is owned by the same people who own The Cook's Garden next door. In fact, they have…read moreknocked down walls and joined the two places together. The Garden Tap is an informal, small bar/pub food type place while The Cook's Garden is a fairly swanky (and very good) restaurant. We managed to leave the kids at home and go out for our wedding anniversary (19 years, thanks for asking). We had a booking at The Cook's Garden next door but stopped in here for a quick drink before dinner. We were very tempted to stay here instead. This is a small bar in the suburbs, so already a rarity. It's relaxed and casual. It's also not tragically hipster, which is a real rarity for a small bar. The drink selection is good (but not huge) with some nice craft beers and ciders. The food looks amazing though. Superb looking burgers. Amazing looking steaks. We very nearly cancelled our booking next door and ate here instead. We didn't though. We had a very nice meal next door and will have to eat (rather than just look at) the food next time. It's kid friendly so the next time we feel like taking the family out for the night we may well go here.

My second time here and when I just went to the bar to order my lunch I remembered why I'm…read morereturning......several bright 'hellos' as I approached the bar. And I like the feel of the place. Light, airy and casual. Today I've gone for the Pulled Pork Burger. It comes with smokey BBQ sauce, coleslaw and Mayo. . I like to be given the option of chips or salad so I opted for the salad. And a glass of cold Sav Blanc. Life is good! On Sunday afternoons they have live music. It kicks off from 4. And each Sunday a Sunday Roast is on the menu. This week it will be pink roasted lamb saddle, zaataar spiced stuffing and baked kiplers.

Nice family-run local place…read more Good food and coffee but the wait is too long. 40mins for French toast and a wrap seems little too much. Pricing is reasonable but the portions are on the smaller side.

Turn off Stanley Street & venture along Stanley Lane to find this great cafe tucked away in St…read moreIves. Parking area & nearby council car park, but the early morning cyclists don't need that. Family run, there is always a warm welcome. Patrick makes the coffee while his father Alfie runs the kitchen. My friends and I have tried most of the breakfast items & I am favoriting the vegetarian omelette at the moment. The fresh flavours of the breakfast plate is a favorite too. A lighter choice is the Bircher meuseli with fresh fruit. As well as coffee, tea, milkshakes, fresh juices, brekkie & lunch items they have some delicious cakes and biscuits.

Amazing experience! Shane delivers by-far an over-the top experience. We took every recommendation…read morethat he gave without looking at the menu. From wine, appetizer, dinner to dessert... the most amazing experience we've had. Thank you Shane for our best meal in Australia yet!

Eating out is incredible difficult when you have food restrictions but this place made it possible…read morefor me to have an amazing dining experience. The waitress carefully wrote down my (many) restrictions and spoke to the chef to alter one of the dishes so that I could enjoy it. The food was fantastic, the wine list was good and reasonably priced and the service amazing. I will definitely be returning to try their steaks!

Many people look for Eden, but few ever find it…read more That's because it's tucked at the back of a little enclave of shops behind a service station on the 8-lane mega-freeway that never sleeps that is Mona Vale Road. I only discovered it because I went there for a meeting. There were enough elderly people tottering in and out that I suspect a nursing home is close by and makes up the lion's share of it's customers. I had smashed avo on toast with cherry tomato and fetta and it was good. Just good, without being great. Great would have been chilli oil, smoked salt, or something to elevate it to the next level of hyperbole. The banana smoothie, on the other hand, was some nek lebel sheeeeit. Tall and frosty in a ye olde time glass, it was thick and sweet and delicious and I wanted to strip nekkid and pour it all over myself, decorum be damned. I doubt I'll ever be back here, but only because it's out of the way. Other than that, a perfectly serviceable pitstop.

I think they renovated the place cause it looks great in a new way. The food is great... like…read moreseriously!

Nothing hits the spot on a cold, wet Sunday morning like a hot cooked breakfast. The Succotash and…read moreEggs from the Cooks Garden was the perfect warmer on a rainy morning. I had never heard of succotash. It was described to me as a hearty baked beans. It was really good. Made with sweet corn, peppers, tomato and cannellini beans it was served in a large ramekin with two fried eggs on top and a side of crusty bread. The menu is filled with more traditional breakfast options but has a few surprises thrown in like the summery coconut quinoa with fresh mango, pineapple and toasted coconut. The coffee is from the Byron Bay Coffee Club Company and was good. Not great but good. I personally prefer a stronger coffee. We were one of the many people standing outside, waiting for the doors to open at 9am. I recommend making a table reservation if you are planning on coming with a group. The restaurant is much larger than it looks from the street and offers seating in the main dining room or outside in a covered courtyard. We opted not to go alfresco and sat in the dining room. The wait staff were attentive and very happy to answer any questions about the menu candidly and honestly. With a mix of smooth tunes playing on the stereo and families, couples and old friends filling the Cooks Garden restaurant, it caters for all.

Bring a feather for the knocking down of me - Keeno ordered the scallops…read more They were very well done - I mean beautifully cooked. So was my ravioli with wild mushrooms. Not sure how the chef rounded them up and tamed them but they were certainly subdued by the time they had been raviolized. It's very good food, duck was beautiful and Brussels sprouts with mandarin sauce worked really well - a highlight actually, best Brussels sprouts I've had (and I like them!). The food is excellent, service is very good and parking is easy. ...but it's not Ad Lib. Bugger. Post Script. A few days later and after quiet reflection and a few sharp points made by Keeno. Unfair to review a very good restaurant by comparison to a great though unviable one. I did not mean to be critical of Cooks Garden and it deserves 4 stars. Well worth supporting. PPS I wish more people had supported Ad Lib

Exceptional little local cafe!…read more Nestled near the Gordon station, this little gem has friendly service, nice atmosphere and great food. Their menu is surprisingly extensive, with separate brunch and lunch/dinner options ranging from chorizo omelettes to burgers and pastas. Plenty of seating with a dog friendly outside table too. Try their specialty nitro coffee - creamy and frothy goodness!

They have the best coffee in the area! A nice and cosy cafe…read morewith an interesting menu. The food presentation is great and with interesting options to eat healthy. I looove their cappuccino. The service was so good and friendly. I don't live in the area otherwise I wouldn't get my coffee from anywhere else.

Ordered miso soup (Personal fav) they filled a quarter of each little tub up! disgusted to say the…read moreleast work on your game. Kind Regards Miles Ball

Truly authentic Japanese place. Quaint and simple, this place is our new local! The sashimi was…read morefresh and perfectly chilled. The grilled mackerel was succulent and super tasty. The tsukune (chicken mince balls) were an absolute highlight; crispy and covered in a gorgeous sticky sauce. It's a great place for a casual dinner over great authentic Japanese flavours! They even have a fairy floss machine for the kids!! I leave this place with a big grin and a happy tummy! They are a BYO joint, but don't fret, there is a bottle shop just next door!

New owners. Why do people think they can just buy someone…read moreelse's business and inherit the feel that goes with a well run restaurant? The new guys may have money but they don't have the same passion. Lazy. I am really sad to see the old guys go, I loved this place and it was so close. Thank god for Cooks Garden at North Turramurra, and for Kiplings.

Where on earth do I start with this one? Entertain me for a moment - the Butchers Block is like…read morethat 70 yo who has lived his whole life living and breathing meats, years of experience has taught him what works and what doesnt. The Butchers Apprentice on the other hand is just that ... the apprentice, the young kid eager to learn the classics from dad but with his own spin on how to "butcher". For me, the look and feel of this place was outstanding from that first moment we walked in. George kindly greeted us and walked us to our table outside in the garden section of the Butchers Block - this of course is standard practice given its such a busy restaurant. There is so much around for your eyes to focus on ... the most outstanding piece of course is the handle to the bathroom door made from the original meat cleaver from 1882 used in the butcher that resided here prior to George and Anthony setting up shop themselves. The food and service was exceptional ... Candied bacon (on the house), Persian baked feta, dry chips (sweet potato, potato, taro), honey candied walnut carrots, oven roasted potatoes (on the house), salmon belly with beetroot meringue OHMY, pork cheek with fairy floss, marscapone broccoli, caprese salad with a basil jelly - A BASIL JELLY YO !!!!! I just about died !!! And the kicker?? All 3 desserts ON THE HOUSE ... yes this night was practically free .. chocolate panacotta, smashed macaron and some gorgeous pear dessert. For a birthday dinner, yes, I may have left a year older, but I tell you what, I left EONS happier.