Review Frankie Says - Abbotsford

Stopped by this place for a break from our weekend bike ride! We planned to visit Kitty Burns but too bad their kitchen was closed when we reached so we decided to try out this place! We ordered the pork belly rice with kimchi and the grilled lamb with dahl. My favourite is definitely the meat! Both pork belly and grilled lamb were seasoned/marinated and cooked really well. However, it would be perfect if the portion was bigger and if the dahl had more spices in it. Overall, not a bad place at all, would not hesitate to come back for a second visit.

The menu wasn't extensive but the lamb burger & lamb dal were surprisingly delicious. The green bowl was a bit small for its price. Nice outdoor area on a sunny day.

Frankie Says is great! Atmosphere is chill and cool but the staff are also really friendly. Such a great space to bring clients for meetings as well. Excellent food - I use them regularly for catering - there is only ever praise and never any left overs! Coffee is always great. I highly recommend to everyone!

Perfect early morning coffee after yoga at The Open Space. No cars driving by; a real gem on the Yarra River in Abbotsford. 🤗💗☕️🫖🍻🍯🥧

I’m in Melbourne visiting. We ate lunch today, served by the gorgeous man with the beard Daniel the owner. The food was exceptional and the service friendly and welcoming. Such a pretty spot to eat. We went to pay and Daniel generously treated us to our meal. How nice. You’d never get that in sydney. Melbourne I love you!

Different and very yummy breakfast options is a great point of difference. I had the Cuban eggs! Yum! Friendly staff, light and bright, popular without being too hectic…. follow it up with a lovely walk along the Yarra! PS Park at Vic gardens and stroll across.

We were in Melbourne visiting friends and had to drop them to work in the area. They suggested we check out Frankie Says for breakfast and coffee. So glad we did, the food, coffee, location and staff were all exactly what makes Melbourne so beautiful. Highly recommend!!

I’ve been working in abbotsford for a while now, and Frankies by far makes the best coffee in the area by a mile. Would highly recommend their coffees and lamb Dahl

We went yesterday ( 3 of us) to have breakfast. After ordering coffee and a meal, the coffee arrived but the food didn't. After a while I asked where it was and unfortunately the order had slipped behind the fridge. They were extremely apologetic and when I went to cancel the meal they said I wouldn't be charged for it. The food arrived and it was delicious. When I went to pay they wouldn't accept any payment for any of the coffee and food because of what happened. This was amazing and reflects well on the staff and the business. A terrific place to have breakfast and exceptional customer service. I have told a number of friends what happened and all have been very impressed. Well done and it was all very much appreciated. ( it was my birthday as well and to have this happen made my day)

All you can eat gnocchi was the best ever gnocchi and with the best ever service since ever! Thoroughly worth your time and money and absolutely worth 5 stars! Girlfriend and I will definitely be eating here again and again :) :) :)

Frankie Says is a great place to grab a coffee, listen to music and relax by the river.

Great food (the hash browns and kaiser bacon were unbelievable!!) and even better staff. Then to donate the cheque from our 'Oxfam 100km training walk pit stop' to Oxfam.. wow! If only there were more people like Megan, Zoe and the Frankie Says team. Thank you!

Beautiful food and great location. My new favourite breakfast spot in Melbourne.

Awesome outdoor setting, by the river. Great coffee, beautiful food and charming staff. Highly recommend the scrambled eggs with goats curd and truffled mushrooms, totally delicious!! Will go again!

Staff are onto every customer when they arrive to make sure they feel welcome. Food and coffee amazing great place to relax and forget the world

Average at best. A 35 minute wait for coffee, passable service, good food but not good enough to outweigh the shortfalls. �

Lovely tranquil spot outside by the river. They were very accommodating with having a baby.

Amazing! Great food & beautiful location... The chai is to die for!!!!

Great food, great coffee! Fantastic service! Would definitely recommend.

Fabulous food,amazing patient understanding staff �

Fantastic secluded location with beautiful interior and furniture. Been here a number of times and the menu is diverse and delicious with enough options to suit everyone's taste. Would highly recommend.

Delicious food and peaceful atmosphere :) would definitely come back!! Can't wait to try the French toast next time!!

Nice fit out and location but menu is VERY limited and pricey. If this is not their full menu, maybe keep it simple and do some wraps and eggs on toast or something until they are cooking with gas.

While the service was friendly and the coffee was good, the food was not. The smashed avocado (pictured) barely had any avocado... The sherry braised radicchio was not nice and the picture above shows just how much I ate. The fish and chips were below average, with the chips being unseasoned and the fish being small. The side salad was inedible as it was covered in olive oil and served on way too much salt. Very expensive for what it was. The sides on the menu were all extremely expensive and overpriced, which is why we didn’t get any. We will not be going back here.

Great food. SO much flavour! Fantastic service. Beautiful location. Loved it.

Waited an hour to get our meal out. 1 food was inaccurately served (ordered brioche we got a sourdough without being notified). Owner did not want to compensate anything. Shame. Horrible experience.

Live upstairs and have never had a bad meal here. The menu changes regularly so there is always something new to try. The coffee is great, and the service is super friendly. Everything is very reasonably priced, also. A lovely spot for some weekend brunch, and am happy to hear they are thinking of opening for dinner one night a week! Will continue to visit Frankie Says :)

I came here late lunch time and the venue was very quiet, ordered a coffee which arrived shortly, then ordered baked eggs off their menu, which to my surprise takes 40minutes to be cooked... I was expecting this to be good for the amount of time waiting. I was so wrong...<br/><br/>The beans were mush, the tomato sauce was bland, the eggs over cooked, bread wasnt even roasted properly, and some sad looking water crest ... Never again! Please speak to you kitchen staff.

Barista doesn’t even know the difference between lattes and cappuccino! He realised he made latte instead of cappuccino, what he said was “ oh let me put some chocolate powder on it because you ordered cappuccino” what? Does he even know the difference is nothing to do with chocolate powder? So unprofessional!

The menu is very limited eg. no regular toast on the menu. We had the granola which they split into two bowls when we said we were sharing. Decent coffee and friendly service.

Absolutely fantastic coffee. Ideal strength, extra hot and perfectly frothed milk. Calm and relaxing atmosphere by the Yarra river with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating.

The cafe is visually appealing, nice and friendly vibe, the view overlooking the river and trees is great, staffs are very friendly. However, this is the second time I’ve eaten here. The first time, we were waiting for 30 minutes for our food to arrive until I finally asked one of the waitresses where our food was. Turns out they completely forgot about it and had to wait again. They were apologetic and even gave us a free drink which was nice. The second time, we decided to give it another chance.We didn’t have much time as we were about to go to work so we just ordered one of the quiche displayed in front, thinking it would be served quick since it only needs to be heated up. Took about 20 mins to be served even though there were only 4 customers in the cafe. The quiche itself doesn’t taste like a quiche, it tasted more like a fritata, it was overcooked and burnt at the bottom and top as seen in the photo. The price on the display says $8 but when we were about to pay, it was actually $13.50 because they served it with a salad which we didn’t even order. They should have told us that there is going to be a $5 difference for a salad which we didn’t even asked to be added on.

Ordered - pork belly. It was ok. Bread was nice but pork too sweet.<br/><br/>Pork katsu sandwich - pretty good. But quite filling. Chips ok, not the crunch type.<br/><br/>Can either park at IKEA or pay $3 for 2 he at the public carpark at the complex.

Amazing staff, great coffee and food. Really enjoyed brunch here. Definitely recommend the corn fritters and baked eggs. Will be coming back again for sure!

Asked for menu item with poached eggs... received soft boiled eggs! A big miss for a fundamental menu item. Recommend you look for other places nearby for breakfast

How would you like to start your day with? A good coffee ✔ a nice breakfast ✔✔ and a friendly staff that will make your feel welcome, priceless.

Service was great and the staff really friendly. Had the pancakes and they were really lovely, not too sweet the way some do. The portions were great. Will definitely come back again.

Small cafe near the river. A little lacking in atmosphere but food and service quite ok. My house made spaghetti was tasty with a chilli bacon tomato sauce that was a little light on the chilli and little heavy on the amount of sauce. A request for extra parmesan was received and delivered on quickly and without fuss.

Staff are friendly however lacking, especially considering how quiet it was - seated and advised they’ll fetch menus, only to then leave and clean tables.<br/>We had to fetch our own menus and once ordered we watched our food sit on the counter until we asked if it was ours and we could have it.<br/>Chips unseasoned...beef burger patty unseasoned...crushed avocado unseasoned.<br/>Disappointing experience.

I have dined here before but it seems something has changed... After sitting down we had to wave a waiter down for menus. Then again to order food and again to ask where our coffees were. The food wait was close to an hour. The restaurant was not busy. When the food finally came some items on my plate were fridge cold. The rest of the food was average to ok. Some work is needed to bring this cafe back to where it was.

Beautiful open space right along the Yarra Trail and always abundant in puppies and dogs! The service here is always top notch and never disappoints. The baristas are super friendly and know most of their customers by order and name - so personalised! Great vibes, delicious food and a little gem in Acacia Pl.

The cafe is in a great spot to stop for brekky along the Capital City Trail and serves up large portions for hungry tummies! I had the spicy corn fritters which felt a bit oily but masked by the flavour of the sauce. They tasted better than the photo looks, I promise

Came here on a weekday and sat on one of the beautifully sunlit tables. The staff was so friendly and I ordered a squid ink pasta and a Super Foodie juice.<br/><br/>The squid ink pasta with prosciutto and clams. I am not a huge fan of prosciutto and I secretly reckon good crispy bacon would have been better. There are probably 8 or so clams in shells in the pasta. They supplemented it with some mini clams though. Overall it's quite delicious.<br/><br/>Super Foodie juice was delicious as well. I won't mind going back again.

Have a pretty good handle of Frankies as I lived in the building for a couple of years. They do lunch very well, breakfast decently, and coffee okay. It's a nice secluded spot down near the yarra, can easily access by bike along the yarra trail. Reasonable access to paid parking in the apartment carpark. Cheerful service

Honestly quite disappointing for such a beautiful space. We ordered the daily special which was green chicken curry with roti and raita, and the cornflake chicken tenders. The curry was lukewarm when served and... not very curry-like. A good hit of salt and more spice would have done a world of difference. The chicken felt a bit rubbery/gummy. Chicken burger was alright. Bun, two schnitzel looking pieces, dry coleslaw, and fries. No sauces for the burger or fries (which kinda just looked and tastes like maccas style frozen ones). Sorry no pics of the burger at the start, but you can see the fries and coleslaw. I've eaten here before and ordered a seafood pasta which was underseasoned and quite bland too. I think my benefit of the doubt has run out.

Frankie Says is modern and spacious with a relaxing atmosphere. Adorned with panoramic windows, the interiors are bathed in sunlight and and decked out with hardwood floors and modern wood furniture. The space includes a little coffee corner (perfect for getting some work done), a private mezzanine seating area, and a leafy outdoor area full of native trees in addition to the main seating area.<br/> <br/>The service is always super friendly and prompt and the staff are really helpful (mid-week is definitely less busy than weekends). Although the pressed juice options are limited, coffee here is very good, and as a bonus, it's served in some beautiful earthenware. It also helps that every Tuesday, there is a 2 for 1 offer before 12pm! <br/> <br/>I generally enjoyed the food here. The food was always presented very well and the quality of the produce is great. Frankie's French Toasties, with its oozing cheese and béchamel sauce on crispy mustardy sourdough with ham and gherkins, is one of my favourites. Their maple glazed kaiser bacon is also AMAZING - juicy and soft. The banana bread with candied walnuts, banana chips and vanilla mascarpone and maple syrup is another favourite of mine; almost everything goes so well together.<br/> <br/>There were some interesting twists included on some dishes, however, I don't think those interesting twists always worked. The whole pan butter milk pancake didn't work for me; a little too sweet, even when paired with rhubarb. The corn fritters with tomato relish were also disappointing; while the fritters and tomato relish were great, the bacon crumble and snow pea sprouts didn't go with the dish at all.<br/> <br/>A definite recommend. I really enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and beautiful space, especially on those warm days when they open up the windows and get the al-fresco dining vibe going. The menu had good variety, coffee was nice and, with a few exceptions, food was generally good. Everything was very reasonably priced, which helped balance out some of the disappointments.

A somewhat hidden place, really cosy and with friendly and attentive staff! One can also enjoy warmer days in their pretty wide esplanade 😊 We went there for lunch and everything was amazing! I had the super greens with grilled chicken and boyfriend had the daily pork belly special, all tasted great! I really had a great time here, definitely recommend it for meals as well as just to chill for a bit and have some coffee 👌🏽

I'll give them this, the iced coffee was excellent and food looked incredible... key word 'looked'...<br/>Taste... not so much.<br/>I had the croque madame, sorry to say, it wasn't great, infact it wasnt even fine.<br/>Soggy bread, soggy pulled pork, watery bechamel and extremely vinegar-y braised cabbage.<br/>The waiter we had was extremely condescending and really uninterested in doing his job, no cutlery given, (had to go ask for it because he was too busy staring at a wall)<br/>Couldn't remember who ordered what coffees so just dumped them on the other side of the table and left it to us to sort out, also spilled my mother in laws coffee all over her saucer as he placed it on the table and said 'whoops looks like we lost a bit of that' then walked off.<br/>The female waitresses were lovely and very attentive.<br/><br/>

Waited for 45 minutes and no one seem to care to give our food. Just when we were about to leave because we actually have plans on a Saturday than waiting on a table for 45 minutes for food, food came through, but decided to just pay the money for food and leave without eating! Won't go again!

I had the angel hair pasta with lobster, prawns and scallops!! The food was plentiful and delicious! :) <br/><br/>My husband loved his smashed Avo! <br/><br/>Great ambience, peaceful and calm!! Would def go back to try more food :)

Got such a good secret location , however staff just too busy during weekend and not really care their customers ..... coffee is alright , dont order soy pls ! ( i attached pic ) they should know their coffee bean is strong enough and let their customers know , so i will not order extra strong ...Food quality is good ! I like their bake egg !

Delicious coffee in a gorgeous mug. Lovely surroundings. Friendly service. Might become my Saturday morning stopover while waiting for the rowers!!

Had brunch here with some friends. Very spacious and open area; surrounding nature made the ambience really relaxing. Food was decent - I had the Pandan pancakes with Lychees and Strawberries; mostly yum. There was a super burnt pancake hidden in the stack - probably would've been better to just throw that one pancake out and pour a new one. Lychees would've been nicer if they weren't from a can. Wait staff were lovely, though there was one guy who seemed new and lacked a little attention to detail and attention in general - forgot to bring water for the table, and had to wave a lot because he just wasn't attentive enough even though we were 1 of maybe 5 tables max.

Frankie says... Not enough<br/>Didn't appreciate waiting an hour for food this morning with no warning that it would take that long. Seems very disorganised and short staffed

Their rating is very misleading! The food is exquisite and the truffle fries, are my ultimate guilty pleasure and go to meal on cheat-days. <br/>Highly recommend it, the fritters , salads , ice coffee and the fries are just a few of my favorites there.

Fantastic hidden away gem. Attentive, professional and friendly service. Coffee was spot on and every breakfast dish we ordered amongst the 5 of us was delicious. Generous servings too. Highly recommended.

Frankie Says is in a sweet little exclusive pocket along the river behind a block of apartments.<br/>It's a little secret for the locals which I love.<br/><br/>We were seated quickly and promptly had water served to us. Coffee orders were taken too.<br/>It was a great open space which provided a good atmosphere.<br/><br/>I had the Corn Fritters with an extra hash brown and it was a hefty dish. There was a little chutney/relish which was the only wet part of the dish so it was a little dry but tasty nonetheless.<br/><br/>The staff were very attentive and friendly. At one point, a random dog entered Frankie Says and dropped a 'nugget' by our table then walked out!! The front desk lady was furious and so so embarrassed.<br/>We thought it was funny!<br/>The cafe staff were so considerate that the manager said that our meals were on the house due to the unfortunate incident.<br/>That was incredibly nice and not necessary but definitely made an impression that Frankie Says is a place that puts their customers' dining experiences first.

Hidden gem! Location is killer. Sitting out on the paved area in the sun is lovely and it's very quiet. Healthy and interesting menu with wine, spirit and beer options.<br/>Light and airy dining room that opens out onto large paved terrace. Limited parking options but right on Yarra trail so easy to walk or ride.

I really enjoyed Frankie Says. Staff are very friendly and attentive. Pizza was really fresh and delicious. Coffee is pretty good too. Nice place to go and sit outside along the Yarra on a sunny day.

Stopped by Frankie says on Saturday for lunch. I ordered the cheesy polenta with chorizo, a fried egg and toasted brioche. It was quite nice, maybe just needed some relish to offset some of the cheesiness! The thing that knocked this place down for me was how unclean the toilets were, obviously unrelated to the food, but when there is no soap in a unisex toilet it's just not a good start to the lunch experience.

Frankie Says is wonderful. To access you can either walk along the river and go up the stairs near the bridge across the river or go down into the customer parking. The parking costs, a small amount, however can be confusing on how to get to the cafe. Anyhow, the food was wonderful here, I had the burger, which was fantastic and presented wonderfully. The coffee is great as well. There is a nice outdoor seating area for those inclined and the waiters will bring you blankets and turn the heaters on, that work excellently. Really enjoyed this place and will be going back.

I really like this place. Honest food at reasonable prices in a lovely setting. My barometer for a really good brunch spot is how well they poach their eggs and these were perfect. Coffee was good but if you like it strong maybe ask for a double shot. Service was friendly and attentive and very efficient. Great spot in a suburb that has been lacking good brunch spots.

Spending today hanging out at my friend’s apartment in Abbotsford, my bf and I decided to have brunch here as they had already eaten before we arrived. Frankie Says is located under the Acadia Place apartments on Abbotsford divided by the road with Richmond on the other side (google mapping Frankie Says with Richmond instead of Abbotsford will give a location further down the road). Opposite Frankie is another popular cafe Kitty Burns where there were many locals just chilling out with their dogs.

Brought to you by the masterminds behind culinary concepts Hoy Pinoy, The Meatball Company and Café Italia. Frankie Says embodies all the things that we love about food and much more. Located along the riverside, Frankie Says promises to serve up an ever-changing menu....<br/><br/>Read full details on melbourniancritic.com.au/frankie-says-abbotsford

Brilliant lunch at Frankie Says- spinach and watercress pancakes with poached eggs and goat's cheese; pulled beef truffled mushroom burger; beef tomato and lentil stew, and lobster, prawn and scallop angel hair pasta...so delicious and decadent!!! Great portion sizes too...

Great service and the food was great too. The spinach & watercress pancake was divine, and the buttermilk hotcake equally pleased. Will definitely be back to sample the pizzas we saw come out of the kitchen.

Our original plan was to visit Kitty Burns, but when we were told that it would be a 30 minute wait to get a table, then another 30 minute wait for food, we ventured to Frankie Says, conveniently located directly opposite.<br/><br/>The interior decor isn't as amazingly inventive as Kitty Burns, but Frankie Says offers a very clean, simplistic and modern dining space. The indoor seating area is very spacious, and mostly consists of large, round tables ideal for groups of ~6 people (a bit like yumcha!). Since there were only 2 of us, we opted to sit at the smaller tables on the side.<br/><br/>I ordered one of the three specials of the day - a beetroot pancake with smoked salmon, poached eggs and goats curd. We were informed it would take 15 minutes to bake, so I braced myself for a long wait for food. It was a pleasant surprise when the food arrived not long after. The dish turned out to be enormous! A large pancake sat underneath two perfectly poached eggs, with a generous serving of smoked salmon on one side and a huge dollop of goats curd on the other. The colour of the pancake was a little odd and off putting to be honest. I expected it to be similar to red velvet, but it was only a very pale red. I guess I can be rest assured knowing they didn't use food dye! The pancake was really light and fluffy and went very well with the other ingredients on the plate. It wasn't mind-blowingly delicious, but a very satisfying dish nonetheless.<br/><br/>My friend ordered the breakfast burger. When it arrived, the monstrous, beautifully arranged burger with its fillings bursting out certainly left me in a bit of food envy. I didn't sample the burger, but his reaction after the first bite gave no doubt that it tasted amazing.<br/><br/>I really enjoyed the food here, and contrary to the other comments, I don't think the prices are that ridiculous. They may seem higher than other cafes, but I think it's justified by the generous serving sizes. The waitress who served us was friendly and attentive. She came around every now and then to see if we needed anything, because we were hidden behind a wall around the corner so we were out of sight from the rest of the cafe. Overall it was a very enjoyable meal!

Great location, friendly staff too. However small servings and more expensive than most other cafes around. Breakfast was average and the coffee was so-so. Disappointing.

Nice coffee. Very friendly service. Didn't stop to eat but what we saw brought out looked great. Not sure why it was so much quieter than Kitty Burns next door but I'll definitely come back

This place is definitely sporting the low vibes. Wanted to get a table at Kitty Burns next door but the hoard of people waiting for a table forced me into Frankie Says because I'm in patient and hate waiting. Funnily enough all the tables were empty except for maybe one, on both occasions I visited. The coffee both times was average but why on Earth do they serve it in mugs without a handle?? It's like a little bowl, and the coffee is hot! How is my mum suppose to drink it? And the chai latte that I had with almond milk was horrendous. Worst I've ever had. They don't steep the leaves in the milk and the almond milk was awful. What brand do they use? Maybe it was rancid? And they don't have any fresh squeezed juice (market juice does not count as fresh in my book it's fake juice) so I went over to Kitty Burns' take away cart and ordered their fresh OJ. And if you are at all conscious of your health - skip this joint. I reckon if you asked him, Frankie would say "Go next door and wait".

Excellent food and prompt service. The staff here were lovely, not like the arrogant guy opposite at kitty burns, he turned us off hanging around there.<br/>Would definitely recommend Frankie Says.

Brought to you by the geniuses behind Hoy Pinoy and The Meatball Company, modern eatery Frankie Says Abbotsford lies tucked within a jungle of modern apartment buildings

Frankie Says, the brand spanking new eatery and bar brought to you by the masterminds behind culinary concepts Hoy Pinoy, The Meatball Company and Café Italia, is now open along the riverside in Abbotsford. . Huge solid timber pillars frame the exterior while inside a contemporary union of hardwood floors, mosaic tiles, rendered concrete walls, exposed ducting and 18 stunning pendant lights suspended from the high ceilings create a cool and casual feel that is wonderfully inviting.

Great food, first class service definitely worth a chance. This cafe is under rated by locals due to the surrounding cafes and their social media sheeplike followers.

Currently I live at home…with no immediate intentions to move out. Perhaps it comes from being in an Asian family, where it’s quite habitual to get multiple generations under one roof. And besides, mum and dad cook so well, why would I go anywhere?. When I eventually get around to moving though, I can only hope to have an eatery like Frankie Says at the base of my building or near my house (I feel like I would end up in an apartment though).

Food is good however value for money isn't great. A very small salad for $18. Not a viable option for local hungry workers. Atmosphere is also a bit lacking. Clear distinction between offerings at the neighbouring cafe.

Frankie Says offers something different to the Richmond/Abbotsford brunch scene. The team behind Hoy Pinoy, The Meatball Company and Cafe Italia have created an eatery that offers a soothing approach to the brunch experience. Located on the riverside of the latest apartment block, Sanctuary; the 90 seater venue takes full advantage of the natural light with its tall, grand ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows. The floor plan is split into different areas and includes a beautiful alfresco dining area, a semi-private mezzanine and a cozy breakfast bar carved off from the main dining hall. The space retains its natural feel with raw timber posts exposed around the outdoor dining area and soft grey tones dominating the modern interior.

Melburnians, rejoice!  After one tasty teaser that took place just over a year ago at a media launch event, Frankie Says has finally landed. The sibling eatery of Filipino skewer extraordinaire Hoy Pinoy rates highly in many aspects; its location placed in tranquil surroundings next to the riverside and its all-day dining menu comprised of a tasty spread of Italiano. As Frankie would probably say, throw in some of their housemade wines and you’ve got on your hands one truly relaxing and enjoyable dining experience. I was recently invited to a summer menu preview lunch and I would like to thank Frankie Says and Cassette Agency for the invitation.

Frankie Says – relax, have a coffee and enjoy some beautiful views in a sensational setting. Just a stones throw from bustling Richmond and the heady heights of Ikea you can escape the concrete jungle and find this little oasis by the river. It’s peaceful and tranquil and you can even have your breakie!

Part of the new, aptly named Sanctuary apartment complex, it's hidden away, right by the Yarra with pleasant and peaceful view of both trees and water....The pizza bases were thin, light and crispy and paired with simple but flavour-packed toppings like the bresaola with basil pesto, cherry tomatoes, garlic and Buffalo Mozzarella, and my favourite, the Swiss brown mushrooms with caramelised onions, Taleggio and porcini salt.

The vibe the owners were going for was to make you feel as confortable and relaxed as you would in your own living room. Only - small detail - the view from your living room just got seriously upgraded. So you might not spot it from the street, as this restaurant is inside a complex of apartment buildings, but its hidden and privileged location is actually one of the amazing things about it: its wide terrace faces directly the Yarra River so not only you’ll get the great outdoor vibe, which we all crave for in the summer, but you’ll get to be literally in the nature.

Frankie Says is a open and breezy space overlooking the Yarra. Positioned at the rear of the Haven / Sanctuary appartments, this cafe / bar I think is yet to truly shine with construction works still being completed in the nearby area (Nov 2015). <br/>I had breakfast here, and went for the smashed avocado with truffled mushrooms accompanied by a long black (Melba). The meal was quite good and the truffled mushrooms were a feature. I am looking forward to trying out the rest of the menu.

The location is picturesque, the decor is stunning and the staff are as friendly as pie, but after the long anticipated (9 month) wait, this place doesn't really deliver. Yet. The coffee is always scalding hot (and therefore burnt), too hot to hold for any length of time - an obvious problem for take aways. While the food is okay, it's nothing special when compared to surrounding cafes in Richmond/ Abbotsford/ Hawthorn area. Tonnes of potential, but not yet realised.

Sporting some intriguing filling combinations, the panzerotti (a smaller version of calzone) was one of the star dishes of the evening. The panzerotti pastry was deliciously crisp and doughy. 

When?  Set to open in late January 2015 What is it  Frankie Says, the brand spanking new Eatery and Bar along the riverside in Abbotsford brought to you by the masterminds behind culinary hot spots Hoy Pinoy, The Meatball Company, The Melt Shop and Café Italia Who’s behind it?  

The Panzerottis were sumptuous golden pockets with mouth-watering fillings. We loved the pork belly and apple panzerotti in particular which was filled with generous amounts of melt in your mouth pork and slightly tart apple slices.

I’m super excited for Frankie Says to open. To be located out the back of a residential apartment opposite the road from IKEA, it was a surprisingly gorgeous spot, especially on the cool and breezy evening we were getting, right next to the river, surrounded by greenery, in a lovely paved courtyard area.