Glass Merchants

The fact that this cafe is constantly busy is a great sign of good things to come. A large open space with an urban, grungey feel and a friendly vibe. The staff here make a great coffee, and it's done quickly. There is a lot of chatter in the background, but it's not so noisy that you can't hear your conversation.

The food menu is diverse, and meals are fresh and tasty. A good selection of cakes, pastries and homemade muffins are on display, and these always manage to tempt me. Overall, Glass Merchants has that cool but welcoming feel that makes you want to make this place your local coffee haunt.

Having moved to St Kilda about a year ago we walked around the area and stumbled across this cool cafe for lunch. Immediately greeted and seated with menus and asked if we wanted any coffees. Had the hotcakes and pulled pork sandwich which both came out quickly. Both dishes were delish and well presented. Coffee was great. My partner and I have gone back for the 2nd time for brekky and didn’t fail at all!

Love chilling at Glass Merchants! They are always so welcoming and surrounds are awesome.
Could you guys please consider using Lactose Free milk though, for people who are food intolerant to soy and almond? (Also it tastes much better in hot drinks!) Then you’d be 5stars :)

Having re-opened its doors 18 months ago with semi-new ownership, The Glass Merchants, located just off the bustling Carlisle St in Balaclava, is quickly establishing itself as one of the must-try cafes in the area. When you enter the seemingly small establishment, you’re met with an open and spacious café with a retro-chic feel. Hanging plants, a neon sign, pop art, vintage signs and even an arcade game featuring old-school favourites pacman and space invaders, there was something funky yet homely about the place, and we felt instantly comfortable- ready to feast!
We were fortunate enough to meet co-owner and head chef, Munish, who warmly welcomed us to the café and introduced us to our waiter, Manu. Manu talked us through the menu, made some recommendations for us, and we were off!!
To start, we ordered the Carrot and Turmeric juice with lemon, celery, orange and ginger; and the Mango and Passionfruit magic smoothie with pineapple, frozen yoghurt and almond milk. The juice was vibrant in colour, sweet and had the perfect level of tang- absolutely delicious! The smoothie was soo creamy but not too heavy, fresh and had a lovely blend of flavours, which luckily didn’t fill us up too much in preparation for the food!
The hot cakes:
The first dish we ordered was the Ricotta Hot Cake plate made with organic buckwheat flour, orange blossom mascarpone, cashew butter, mixed berry compote, orange-infused maple syrup, fresh berries and coconut- yuuuum! The hot cakes were light, fluffy and smooth in texture, and full of flavour. The orange blossom mascarpone was creamy without being too decadent and the compote and maple syrup gave the dish the perfect balance of sweet and fruity. The wonderful thing about these hot cakes were that they didn’t leave you feeling overwhelmingly full or bloated- in fact, you could be forgiven for forgetting that hot cakes are traditionally considered a ‘cheat meal’, because these were as nutritious as they were delicious! We were so sad when we’d finished the plate, but fear not! There was more to come!
The fritters:
Having been disappointed on a number of occasions previously when ordering fritters, we were slightly hesitant yet optimistic when placing our order. Luckily, our fears were unfounded.
The Corn, Kale and Haloumi fritters with green pea and mint tahini, beetroot relish, avocado, haloumi crumb and poached eggs were absolutely sensational! The fritters themselves were perfectly golden-brown, with a nice crunch on the outside and soft and flavoursome on the inside. What made the dish, however, was how each element combined to create an unexpected explosion of flavour. The creamy tahini and avocado, mixed with the sweet beetroot relish and crunchy haloumi crumb created an absolutely mouth-watering experience that we didn’t want to end!
The mushrooms:
As is standard with the Bitsofbites ladies, a side of mushrooms was also ordered. Normally, we would write about this with the main, but we felt that it needed its own tribute. At many cafes, you can spend $5 or $6 on a side of mushrooms and be presented with 3 small button mushrooms that have been cooked with only a slight seasoning. Not here, though. For $4, you get a large portion of mixed exotic wild mushrooms which are marinated and cooked in garlic, thyme and white truffle oil. You also get to taste some of the best mushrooms in your life! Truffle can often be overpowering, but the chef somehow managed to provide the dish with the perfect balance, and we were transported to mushroom heaven (not that kind!)
We had no idea what we were in for when walking into The Glass Merchants, but what we definitely didn’t expect was the level of service and quality we received. Munish and Manu were absolutely wonderful- Munish took time out of the kitchen to tell us about the history of the establishment, as well as himself, and Manu, always with a smile on his face, came to check up on us regularly. The rest of the staff were all extremely friendly and approachable, and made us feel welcome from the moment we walked in.
The food was expertly crafted, and you could tell that each dish was made with love and passion. A big thank you to all of the staff for providing us with such a wonderful dining experience. We’ll definitely be back to try more!