As the reviews before me have suggested this place is always busy! If you get in early you're likely to get a table straight away or with a small wait, but come 10-11am on weekends be sure to bring a novel to plow through whilst you wait. Don't be deterred by the wait it is Definately worth it. Once seated you will be greeted with such a diverse selection of menu options to tempt you taste buds. What makes it better is that all the produce is locally sourced and the team at top paddock are proud of their suppliers and eager to tell you about their story and the story behind what is being out on the plate in front of you. There is no wonder this cafe is such a huge success with the owners being behind some of Melbourne's best and most well know cafes. The interiors are well designed and although the cafe is massive it still feels intimate and homely, just what you need when tucking into that not so awake Sunday morning breakfast read more

Staff are friendly fast service I have tried most of the menu. Best coffee in the area. Was a grate place to meet friends at just hang out . I go 2 times a week and love it Thanks read more

Another great breaky spot in Richmond. Very spoilt for choice here! I like top paddock although some of their things are amazing and others need a bit of work. Things I highly recommend for breaky: the salmon and beetroot dish (my pick), for a salt hit: the jamon and white anchovy dish (wow) and I love the fish tortilla with avocado but don't be hungover for this one as it won't cut it. Their pulled pork roll is pretty rad too. I feel like the soft shell crab brioche is a little too decadent (deep fry + buttery brioche + mayo) for my liking and the steak breakfast sandwich is a bit dry. If you need an iron hit for breaky ask for this with extra relish or even a side of av. The avocado on toast is such a quintessential melbourne breaky item (it's how I rate breakfast spots) and there are many great cafés nailing it but I don't think top paddock has quite got there. Anyway, anywhere that offers white anchovies with jamon as a breaky item is pretty cool. Try it for sure. read more

I know that the places run by these people are considered to be fantastic breakfast/brunch spots, but I usually find myself underwhelmed. There's always an awkward wait with a bunch of people standing around for up to 45min around the entrance waiting for their name to be called. And the menu, whilst daring in words, doesn't exact work that well. (The menu here is pretty much the same as Kettle Black with some variations in look and style). ie: The pork jaw with the eggs sounds edgy, but isn't that great in reality. It's quite pricey considering what you really get, objectively, and people also rave about the decor etc, but I find it kind of ordinary haha. Sorry if this review sounds jaded, but I just find myself underwhelmed and $100 short for a basic experience. Can't say I'm a huge fan of these places (KB and TP) and would only return if someone insisted. read more

This is my holy grail! Maybe a big call but it's mine and I'm going to make it. For me top paddock ticks all the boxes. I'm sure some people would disagree but for me i have never left disappointed. The service is immaculate, i mean the place is huge and 90% of the time its packed as well, but the service never skips a beat. you may have half a dozen people serve you for the meal but they never forget anything. The only thing that some people wouldn't like is that if you go there in the middle of peak hour, you will have to wait for a table. This has never phased me as there is a lovely grass park area to sit and wait for the table. The coffee is always great, its not the best coffee place in Melbourne but they still make great espressos, filters and cold drips. None of these choices have never let me down. Also when I say its not the best coffee in Melbourne that is more due to the sheer competition, I mean its still in my top five for coffee. They also make some unreal fresh juices that go down a real treat. My favorite dish of theirs is the top paddock, (their equivalent of a big breakfast) I mean the presentation is incredible and unlike anything i have ever seen in terms of brunches. The tomatoes are absolutely beautiful and super fresh, the eggs are always poached beautifully. The bacon and sausage finishes it off to be a real treat and my favorite big breakfast in Melbourne. I think the only thing that would ever be complained about is how busy it is which is a problem caused by their own success, but if you're complaining about that why go out for a meal anyway? its incredible and if I had a last meal before I was to die this would be right up there! read more

Visiting Melbourne on holidays and was recommended this place by a few friends- I can now see why. As expected for a popular South Yarra cafe there was a small wait for a table (20 mins). Once inside, service was spectacular. Coffee (long macchiato) is good, (Not as good as Perth coffee :p ) strong with little bitter follow through. I opted for the Ginger Loaf, chocolate gânache and berry dish which was lovely. Bread was soft and full of flavour, chocolate was rich, sweet and delicious, and the fresh berries and coulis was a lovely tart addition to the meal. Presentation was immaculate, the flowers tasted as good as they looked. My partner enjoyed her Top Paddock dish - filled with delicious Bacon, Chorizo, grilled Peppers and Onion with a sweet relish. The poached egg was perfect. I may have also enjoyed a portion of her breakfast as the serving was very generous. Prices as expected for a South Yarra breakfast barn and decor was very on trend. Nothing to fault - will return. read more

I've heard a lot about Top Paddock as pretty much anyone in Melbourne has, but had never been.. until today. I was well impressed. Here for a work lunch, we had to wait about 5 minutes for a seat, and was kindly explained the menu. I decided to go with the recommended pork special with my regular soy flat. Wow, it was delicious. The pork was incredible and the coffee on par with the best in Melbourne. Later that afternoon I came back for another coffee and a cheesecake brownie. You know a place is good when you come back twice in one day.. So happy my new work base is just nearby. Will certainly be back!! read more

We were lucky the queue was small as this place gets crowded for good reason. Amazing space with indoor and outdoor seating, and a fabulous menu. There were a lot of unique ingredients nestled amongst the well known which made for a splendid, culinary experience. The pork belly daily special with asparagus and kohlrabi was just divine. Sampled the trout, potatoes and veg, which was equally delightful. Topped it off with a spicy bloody mary. I guarantee I will be back! read more

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Modern design cafe/restaurant with a good atmosphere. The coffee here is great and staff seem plentyful which is rare in most cafes. The only disappointment was I asked for no avocado on my meal and was told that alerations were not alloud, even for dietary requirements. I get it, it's frustrating when people ask for something off the menu then alter it to the point where it's no longer even relatable to the original recipe. However, all I asked was to hold the the avocado... Really?! Too hard?? read more

I get the "big cafe with a cool design" hype, but that doesn't make it justified. It feels a bit forced, like it's just another cookie-cutter coffee cafe with expensive food and minimalist design. I've stood around very awkwardly wondering if I'd walked through the right door or not, and like I'm getting in the way of staff by just being there. I really wanted to like this place, and there is some rockin' good food here, if you order the right thing. (Hint: order something that sounds fancy.) Don't waste your time with anything that sounds boring and overpriced - it will be boring and overpriced. The coffee is great too, but I don't see why anyone would come here for takeaway coffees. The wait is, like mentioned above, awkward. I've seen baristas scold the waitresses in front of customers more than once, and I've seen some awkward eye-rolls and weird chemistry behind the espresso bar. Once when I was sitting at the bar with a friend, I told the barista that the espresso they made me was great. The barista told me, "Eh, it's okay today." Um, okay. read more

Brunch is popular here. We arrived on a "quiet" yet hot Saturday. I ordered the egg and bacon focaccia roll, my wife the pancakes. Both very delicious fresh and tasty. The real treat for mew was having a couple of beers with it too. Settle down it was after 12 alright! Great attentive staff who flat out and groovy atmosphere make this worth a return visit. read more

Yes to brunch and lunch here !!! Great quality ingredients and presentation that makes you go WOW! I have been here a few times with my girlfriends and it is a place all Melburnians who love food should check out. They are also the owners of Kettle Black in South Melbourne which is just as amazing. I have tried sweet and savoury dishes here and both had fresh amazing ingredients. These people know how to run a cafe! read more

Top Paddock Cafe - Quinoa and snapper croquettes - Cafes Near Me - Richmond, VIC

Good food. Interesting options and nice area. Like the choices but a bit pricey for breakfast. Can get quite busy in the peak breakfast time (especially 9am on Mother's Day) but the service was quite quick read more

Top Paddock is the latest cafe from the minds behind South Yarra's 2 Birds 1 Stone, and previously Richmond's Three Bags Full. It has been a couple of years in the making, transforming what used to be a carpark into a beautifully designed space, which seats close to 150 people but without losing any of the character and personality that such a large space can lack. There's two coffee bars, with the second being a focus for takeaway drinks and food, as well as a multitude of areas to sit inside and outside. The menu, from head chef Jesse McTavish, is served all day and features some of the standard breakfast dishes that you expect to see, but I'm happy that they are pushing themselves into delivering dishes that are little bit more unexpected (white anchovies, jamón serrano with eggs, pedron peppers and manchego; gin and lime cured ocean trout with beetroot relish, potato galette, poached eggs, leaves and goats curd). The dishes speak of great produce (Barham avocados, MoVida bread are a couple of named suppliers) and let the ingredients speak for themselves: the avocado served simply in its skin with lime, sea salt and sourdough. What I loved: - Pulled pork on rye (bread) with prunes, leaves and goats curd. Generous; perfectly juicy pork; beautiful combination with the pork, prune and goats curd. For my personal taste, this could be even better (which is saying something) by kicking up the sauce/spices/herbs a notch - Three mushroom omelette (enoki, shitake, oyster), bean sprouts with toast. Vietnamese-style omelette, was really brought alive by the Vietnamese mint, coriander, chili and black sesame garnish. - Strong, well-made coffee; beautiful space; pace of the food coming out of the kitchen; accommodating staff even on a hectic first day (when we asked to move inside out of the glare) Anything that I think could make the experience even better? (Remember, this was on their opening day, on a public holiday and packed to the seams, so some minor teething problems can be expected) - Bit of inconsistency with plating up: one omelette had a wonderful pile of herbs, chili and sesame; another was lacking a little - Pace of drinks was a bit slow compared to how fast the kitchen was working Top Paddock is already looking like it has struck gold, and you can tell it is going to become one of those 'go to' cafe hotspots. I'm looking forward to going back and trying more of the menu (pork belly and fried egg roll with relish anyone?), and enjoying the team settling in. read more

Maybe it was the hype, or the things that I ordered, but i felt as if the food was good, but not great; something was missing, was it the love? The interior is beautiful, full of sunlight, and quite large for a typical cafe; a welcome change to the usual tiny spots that you have to wait half an hour to get a table. I ordered the Top Paddock (they put their name on it!), but felt as if it was a bit all over the place, and somehow almost a little bit bland for something with so many different ingredients. My friend ordered the purple potato and brie omlette, which personally I felt also sat on the bland side...maybe my tastebuds have changed? My gut is telling me that the other options that I ignored for the signature dish were the better choices, and I'll definitely come back sometime to try them (Gin & Lime cured ocean trout! pulled pork! ricotta hotcakes! drunken ginger bread!....and I chose pickled onions??), but for now, they're A-OK, but not amazing. read more

We tend to stay local when it comes to breakfast but we decided to go to what we have dubbed "Instagram's favourite breakfast spot" because every breakfast photo we like seems to have been taken here! We arrived just before 0730 on a Friday and there was already a considerable crowd so it was looking good. We ordered 2 flat whites, the chilli scrambled eggs and the Top Paddock breakfast, and it became very clear why this place gets people snap-happy. The Top Paddock breakfast was presented beautifully, but to be honest, it lacked any depth of flavour. The scrambled eggs were not the most attractive plate and wasn't saved with taste; the eggs were considerably overdone and the plate was covered in juices from the mushrooms. Only the toast, feta and mushrooms were ate. The coffee was also nothing special and was pretty basic. The space itself is gorgeous and the staff were pleasant but we really don't understand what the fuss is over this place...we can't say we were let down because our expectations were too high and perhaps we arrived on an off-day, but the food and coffee were average and the whole experience left us feeling rather limp. If you're looking for somewhere to take pictures and feel a bit trendy, this isn't the worst place to go, but if you want a breakfast that has a bit of flavour to it, Melbourne has much more to offer than here... read more

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Great food nice staff decent service. Will be back! read more

The hot cake is unreal! Well worth the wait, tables are turned over fairly quickly and the staff are honest about how long you will be waiting. Very organised service, delicious coffees and a buzzing atmosphere! read more

Top Paddock Cafe - The world famous hot cake! Savor every bite - Cafes Near Me - Richmond, VIC

Not nearly as good as last time, 1 year ago. I remember the veggie dishes -- in particular a carrot salad -- as being fresh, inventive, and filling. This time the dishes all seemed like more standard brunch fare, well done but nothing to write home about. In addition, the service left much to be desired. We waited at the table for far too long for orders to be taken, food to be brought, and payment to be processed. I hope TP finds its fun veggie and good service groove again. read more

Well this was delicious...the best brunch I have done so far! The queue was actually not too bad on a Saturday at 12.30 pm - it did not take us long to get a table (but a little more to get our order). Love the place: great outside sitting, trendy indoors...fashionable it shows The food is absolutely delicious and there is so much attention to the presentation as well! All our plates looked amazing. My favourite were soft shell crab bun and the hotcakes for those with a sweet tooth. Although we also tried the ocean trout and that was cooked perfectly. The service was very friendly too. Too bad I live in Sydney. I would definitely be back on a regular basis otherwise... The menu is so appealing and original ! Go there, wait on the grass with a takeaway coffee, it is worth it ! read more

A great space with a menu that you can't pick just one thing from! Delicious and generous servings for fair prices and friendly staff. The chai was perfect. read more

Top Paddock Cafe - Eggs Benedict with ham hock and a side of avocado - Cafes Near Me - Richmond, VIC

Fantastic place. Will definitely go again. We didn't book, so was put on a wait list but didn't wait long. Staff were great, food amazing. Highly recommend. read more

This place looks great and the food is ready for a 'direct to instagram' pic. Staff are friendly and helpful, but it stops there... Four from four meals were bland and uninspiring, despite looking amazing. Given the price, location, hype and how the food reads on a menu, you'd expect a lot more. If you're here to tag yourself on facebook and snap a photo for instagram, go ahead. But if you're here for delicious food, try again. read more

Great breakfast spot!! But if you don't want to line up for an hour, come during the week. The weekends are madness! They definitely offer a unique breakfast menu and GF options. read more

Top Paddock Cafe - Oat porridge with strawberry and rhubarb compote with lavender sugar and pistachios - Cafes Near Me - Richmond, VIC

A very noisy environment, but top notch quality food. They don't take reservation on the weekends, so avoid coming here with a big group. read more

Top Paddock Cafe - Soft shell mud crab on brioche bun. - Cafes Near Me - Richmond, VIC

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Top Paddock was one of the first places to really expand the possibilities, show what breakfast could really be. It's still high on my list, though a weekday visit this week slipped slightly in execution... their signature hotcake dish was a bit on the dry side, though still delicious - and the white beans with chipotle, egg and chorizo, seemed too simple, like it was missing something, though again the flavours were good. I think, based on the past excellence, this was just a momentary lapse for whatever reason - and I'll return soon to enjoy more of the TP goodness. Coffee was perfect as usual, and service friendly and professional. read more

This has been the second time we have been here, we have only ordered coffee and fruit bread and cake, first time coffee comes out one at a time very very slow, forgot the fruit bread, decided to go again, same deal coffee one at a time , cake came out first had to wait another 5mins before coffee came. Will I try this place again No very trendy ambience a decor beautiful, but if I was to go with a few people forget it . PLEASE GET OTHERS ON THE COFFEE MACHINE read more

Fantastic place. Great atmosphere and brilliant breakfast. I had the top paddock and it was ! For dessert I had the hedgehog cake, amazing textures and flavour and no prickly animals were harmed in the making of it! read more

Love the Pancakes. Super friendly staff. Atmosphere is refreshing and family friendly. If you're aiming to get breakfast better come early, parking is not easy and reservation is really a must. read more

A life changing pancake here showed me the rumors of Melbourne brunch being the best in the world ring very true.

Hands-down one of the best places I've eaten throughout Australia. everything on the menu that I tried has been superb; always fresh always very tasty and the staff very friendly. Be sure to try the croissants their coffees and their teas as well. read more

I managed to brunch at the newcomer to Richmond Top Paddock 2 weeks ago - funny story actually.. the husband told me on Saturday morning that his best mate's baby shower was the following day... in Melbourne. More notice would have been ideal but living in the moment we got online and booked flights down to Melbourne to participate in the shower to welcome the first baby boy to their family. The weekend went from one extreme to another with my license plates getting stolen off my car which with all the drama meant that by the time I hit the tarmac in Melbourne I was more than ready for a decent spot of brunch. Now back to Top Paddock - it's pedigree is impressive stemming from the same folks who brought us 2 birds one stone and 3 bags full and all 3 are at the top of my Melbourne brunch list. Arriving at 10ish on a Sunday morning the place was bustling with activity but after putting my name down (note - I always use my fake food name "Amy".. makes it much easier for everyone) it was only about 15 mins to wait for a table. That was enough time for one of my gorgeous Melbourne friends to join us for what was to be an extravagant brunch experience. The menu is overwhelming and like so often recently I was torn between the sweet and savoury options. We were able to peruse the other guests food as we were seated at a communal table and it confirmed that I wasn't interested in the trout, anchovies or poached fruit and mueseli. I was so close to choosing the Gingerbread with roasted blood plums and chocolate marscapone or the Ricotta hotcakes - but when the waiter came to our table I did was most of us do in a dilemma and asked for a recommendation. So to go with the recommendation and to avoid food envy my friend and I both ordered the Eggs Benedict with hamhock and the husband couldn't resist the Top Paddock and here is why: house made sausage, pickled onion, bacon, green tomatoes, poached eggs and relish on toast. I don't know about you but I'm tired just reading it off the menu! The coffee was great, both the husband and friend were disappointed that only organic cola was on the menu (both have a small addiction to coca-cola) and then the food arrived. It's presentation was just as impressive as we thought it would be and the flavours were strong - the hamhock overpowered the Eggs Benedict a little too much for my liking but the overall meal was great. The husband was super impressed by the Top Paddock and struggled to get anywhere near close to finishing his meal. A great atmosphere with great food and coffee made this brunch in Melbourne a winner in my books and helped compensate for the 7am flight out of Sydney! www.brunched.com.au read more

Top Paddock Cafe - Eggs Benedict + the Topp Paddock! - Cafes Near Me - Richmond, VIC

Winner of the Best New Cafe 2013 from The Age Good Food Guide, Top Paddock certainly lived up to its name with their creative menu and beautiful fit-out. After the success of Two Birds One Stone, owners Nathan Toleman, Ben Clark, Diamond Rozakeas and Sam Slattery created a space with plenty of natural light, wood and greenery. Head chef, Jesse McTavish created an all day menu which gives diner a chance to try something else besides the usual fare. Who says you can't have a Kobe steak sandwich or pan fried snapper for breakfast? Head barista Elika Rowell, together with Five Senses have created a seasonal house blend featuring Ethiopian Sidama, Panama Hortigal and Honduran San Vicente to add further complexity. The result is of a sweet, crisp fresh acidity with a chocolaty creamy body. Check out my blog www.ernestchong.com for my full review! read more

This was simply fantastic. We rocked up near midday on a Saturday thinking there was no way we would get a table in a reasonable amoubt of time. The friendly girl out front however told us that we only had 15 minutes to wait. I had the QLD Soft Shell Mud Crab Brioche and it was insanely good. Washed down with a Bloody Mary and a bloody fantastic coffee to go to finish. Great! Interior styling and service also top notch. read more

Top Paddock Cafe - Bloody Mary St Top Paddock - Cafes Near Me - Richmond, VIC

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Visiting from San Francisco was looking for a yummy breakfast restaurant and decided to give Top Paddock a try and was nicely surprised! My Eggs Benedict with avocado was amazing! Great friendly staff, my new breakfast spot in Melbourne read more

This place is the epitome of simple food well done. I got the beans with chorizo and poached egg and my husband had the ricotta hotcake. They were both beautiful with an impressive fresh bright flavour. We only had to wait 15 minutes to be seated for saturday brunch and the staff were all really nice and attentive. This place is absolutely worth a visit! read more

5 stars to this amazing place! When my friend took me to kettle black, I was in love with it. Even though they're sister cafes, trust me when I say this place is better than kettle black. We didn't make a reservation so that's why we had to wait in the line for about half an hour but definitely worths it. We were full after our brunch and only payed around $25 which is a fair deal for me. From interior design to staff everything was perfect. read more

Huge place with a great fit out, crowded on Saturday rivals Chin Chin. Great roasts on offer and three baristas going at it. Filter coffee was over extracted, blunt knife, got the Top Paddock breakfast but got two thin slices of chorizo, unbalanced flavour. Sorry but this was not a good experience. Seating also took a long time due to crowding but effectively managed. read more

What a wonderful find. Luckily was able to go on a weekday and had no wait for a table outside. You MUST order the hot cake and a side of bacon. The hot cake is as delicious as it is gorgeous to look at, and is nicely complemented by the bacon. The waitress was lovely and service was friendly and attentive. Wish I had more time on holiday to come back again. Highly recommend. read more

Top Paddock Cafe - You MUST order the hot cake and a side of bacon. - Cafes Near Me - Richmond, VIC

While the food at Top Paddock is good (not great) the huge crowds and awkward and long waiting time really makes this place less enjoyable. Most of the staff are friendly but turnover is quick so as soon as you're finished you're asked to leave. Its a huge place as well so always crowded, noisy and full of fresh faced Toorak types that make any normal person who wants to eat their brunch and regret their decisions from last night hard to do in peace. It's location is in an annoying place to park as well which always adds to the stress. Overall there are better brunch spots in Melbourne. read more