t clarke
What a find!!! This cafe is just brilliant. A warm inviting atmosphere on a cold Ballarat day. The coffee is no less than perfect and you won't be able to stop at just one. Devine cakes and pastry made freshly on premises. The savoury menu is extremely well thought out, complex while fresh. Sardines with potato rosti for me. Polite, friendly and attentive staff. Music themed for added interest.
Bollybroad
As always L'Espresso is terrific. Friendly helpful staff, excellent coffee and a mushroom bruschetta to die for. It's my Ballarat go to and it has never disappointed.
Split the Bill
I’ve visited here after reading the positive reviews. Great to see that they are adhering to their Covid plan. I wanted a takeaway cafe and was served outside. Inside was reserved for people who were eating or having a sit down coffee. The food that was being served looks delicious. They had savoury and sweet takeaway meals at the window as well as our side in containers. Coffee was good.
Ian S
We have had many visits over the years and always very good. Great coffee! Very good food. The only problem is that they are often so busy that I can't get in to check out the music. Oh well. Picky, I know. Sorry.
SALLY NG
We came here for a coffee break and the cafe was quite busy. The Portuguese tart was nice and not too sweet. However, the service was really bad. I stand there waiting to be served and the waitress just walk in front of me back and forth without telling me that they are table serve. Bad service
Flavourlicious
Simple, classic cafe in Ballarat
Ham, cheese, tomato and pesto toastie: The toastie was nice and warm, the fillings were average but the bread for toastie has got to be the crispiest bread I have had till this date, which made me go in for more bites
Coffee: If your like your coffee strong, this is the place for you
Vibe/environment: The fresh pastries at the front to the vinyl records and CDs transports you to the simple times. The aesthetic may not be for the younger generation, but you can see the place has history
Service: I was serviced well but nothing more than that.
Trent Cliffe
Pretty top food. I had some chilli prawn pasta which was amazing. Such good clean food. Really taste and really fresh. I also had an apple cake and a coffee with was also really great. Worth travelling to Ballarat for! Amazing service staff as well. Super friendly!
Ian Woodruff
ABSOLUTE GEM IN CENTRAL BALLARAT
We went out hunting for breakfast early on a Sunday morning and found L'espresso open from 8 am :)
It's Italian themed and is very cozy inside (it was 6 degrees the early spring morning we ate there!) and would be equally delightful at the al fresco tables in the warmer weather. Menu is very expansive with great options for vegetarian and vegan customers. Coffee is about the best I've had outside my usual haunts in Melbourne! Staff were really bubbly and attentive.
People with mobility issues will be fine as its all on one level floor.
Sandra O'Malley
L,espresso delivers without doubt the most consistent quality in service , food, coffee wine, ambiance, and music , and has done forever. It is an icon in Ballarat and revered far and wide
Anyone in hospitality appreciates how hard it is to deliver this consistency for such a long time
It's fabulous and I never tire of visiting this place
Morgan Wise
atmosphere is good however it’s cramped if busy. I had the Dukka poached eggs and I wouldn’t order it again. Beetroot, poached eggs, nuts, broccolini and feta and avo - lacked carb, some toast would of been great. Service was quite slow (an hour till meals arrived), but the coffee and cake were great. If you are undecided on the menu the ragu and rissoto are spot on.
Gordon Tansey
Great little spot in Ballarat- perfect place to watch time go by. Fresh tasting food - linguine prawns were great brunch. Nice wine selection and very friendly staff.
Linda Bentvelzen
I don't know if this is the best coffee and breakfast place in Ballarat. When you have found such a quality venue there is no need to go elsewhere. Sadly since being diagnosed Coeliac I am unable to eat the amazing toast.
Angela Abramley-Stanczyk
Traveling around the country and went here on a recommendation. Totally on point! Food was amazing, delicious, plentiful and well priced. The freshly baked bread was by far some of the lightest and most delicious bread ever - as rated by my dining compatriots. Amazing. Change your coffee beans from Vittoria and you'd be the top contender across Brisbane and Melbourne! Will absolutely be back!
Luigi Athalie Bazzani
The best food in Ballarat, pity it's only open on Friday evenings and no other. love visiting l'Espresso.. the service is amazing, atmosphere enjoyable and menu always totally delicious. Plus they also have outstanding local wines ...
সামারা তিন্নি
amazing coffee and breakfast! the atmosphere is great too. Loved the place!
Kevin Tan Nguyen
Awesome food, coffee and service! Would highly recommend to anyone visiting Ballarat. Staff were helpful and the wine list very impressive!
Kathy Niejalke
tasty breakfast. worth driving to. Coffee was so smooth and yum.
Warren Wiggins
No place like it.....great coffee, great food, great staff....
Bec DeLacy
Definitely worth the drive from Melbourne.
Great coffee, delicious food and friendly service are hard to come by.
L'espresso is the triple threat :)
Michael Van der Velden
Simply, best Coffee and food in Ballarat!!! My go to breakfast every time I'm in town.
Susan Pelling
Great lunch and great service, quirky place to have a coffee or lunch, definitely come again 😊👍
Chris Andrew
This is the nearest place to heaven. The coffee is excellent. The food is sublime and the staff are the very best.
Rae Malloy
Love this place. Great food and excellent coffee. Can't ask for more
Cheryl Ford
Very nice food and great coffee pleasant staff sat outside in sun very nice great location very welcoming
Sophie Abbott
The best thing about driving to Melbourne from Adelaide is lunch right here or breakfast the other way round!
Georgina Reed
My all time favourite place to eat in Ballarat. Great food, great customer service, great atmosphere, the perfect place to just sit and relax!
Rachel Clarke
Beautiful. Nice and cosy, but not claustrophobic. Great food freshly cooked on site (not pre made and microwaved).
Gorgeous. Will be back.
Only negative is the tall glass coffee isn't much bigger than the regular.
Arun Dutta
Amazing food. Always have my breakfast and lunch.
Janine Sanders
The staff were very pleasant & helpful, the food was great but the eggs could have been a little hotter, over all I'll be back next time I'm in Ballarat
Charmaine Peach
Beautiful food. Great coffee. Loved the fit out. Can't wait to go back there next time in Ballarat.
Leah Heinrich
I'm eating my smashed avocado and lemon goat's cheese breakfast as I type - had to tell you all how amazing it is. I've always had a superb meal here and the coffee is faultless.
Annette Evangelistis
Need a coffee break, breakfast, lunch or dinner? Worth trying.
Barton Porter
Probably the best coffee in Australia and has been since I can remember. Just passing, again.
Sally Fitts
Hey l'espresso, I always come to you when I am in Ballarat; love your lunchtime gnocchi, love your coffee. But disappointed this morning - ordered field mushrooms and got those piddly little champignons - NOT the same thing!
Kay Macaulay
Love Saturday morning breakfast with my daughter. Great coffee and food.
Freeda Vellios
Too two long to get serviced and it was not. Busy.
Ann Wpk
Love everything.... atmosphere, service, food and coffee!
Dayna Hoskin
L’espresso has been a key feature on Ballarats Sturt Street for as long as I can remember. It’s a quaint little space that’s very cleverly laid out with the entrances leading to separate sides of the cafe that are divided by shelves filled with vinyl records, CD’s newspapers and magazines. The age of the building shows in the ornamental roof, moody green wall paint and the 70’s look wooden tables, chairs and front counter, but the creative decision to have low lighting really plays into the retro feel of the cafe in a very clever way. It feels warm, and cozy, and, and even on a random Monday morning.. the place was PACKED! Everyone was chatting away, even if they didn’t arrive or dine together, which tells me that this place is filled to the brim with locals (which is always a great sign) but not only were they locals, every single person in the cafe, besides my sister and I, seemed to be regulars! And THAT is a very good sign, a cafe with an army of regulars is always, without a doubt, no questions asked, serving great food. The atmosphere can be as warm and cozy as can be, but if the foods not up to scratch, people won’t come back, and I can safely say that L’espresso does not have this problem! Read on via the link below
Ngocolat
Living in Ballarat for 5 years, this was always the local favourite for food and coffee. Not a typical brunch place (which is great and nothing super innovative and fancy) but just solid good food and coffee. Brunch is overdone, I prefer going to a place that does a good shakshuka to good eggs benedicts. I remember having this amazing black squid ink pasta years ago that has stayed in my mind since then. I was back there last week and it's still the same quality!
La Ola Es Mia Cocina.
Fantastic cafe that I’ve had the pleasure to eat and drink at twice now.<br/>Love the quirky side of them selling CD’s and vinyl records also.<br/><br/>Definitely work trying this place, in the beautiful area that is Ballarat.
Luisafdsanchez5
Definitely the best place to have breakfast or just to have a coffee. The almond croissant was delicious. The pancakes were fluffy and the bacon was crispy and zero-greasy.
Rachael
Love the atmosphere of the restaurant and it was open nice and early. Filled up quickly. Servers were nice but came too early to take orders. Lambs fry was so utterly disappointing though, tasted like rendered fat and stuck in the throat. Very nice thick bread with lots of crunch but the meat really let it down, bagged salad on the side was nothing to write home about. Coffees and hot chocolate on the table were okay, and presented at a drinkable temperature
Espy Eats
3.5<br/>We had breakfast and the cosy quirky L’Espresso cafe today in Ballarat. This little cafe was cluttered with tables and also sold vinyl records so my interest there was more than just the food. Food wise there was a good selection on their menu and we would both have normally jumped in the pancakes or French toast but feeling savoury today so had bacon and eggs on super thick bread while Kellie had salmon and feta on toast. Coffee was Vittoria, so old school but I surprisingly enjoyed the blend and we had no issue with separation of almond milk like we’ve sometimes experienced with this brand. Really quick turn around which was<br/>Good with only 1 hour parking out front.
Saxon Quinn
I love L’espresso, it’s been around for years and has kept its authentic cool. Great coffee, dinner and an interesting music collection. I’m not sure if they still serve the pistachio ice cream, but it was a crowd favorite growing up.
Srslyfoods
This seems to be an institution amongst the locals and it's not hard to work out why! It has the feel of a prohibition speak easy bar and a touch of the cozy Italian and French cafes. The food is great and the staff very friendly. And they don't mind splitting bills.
JJB
My boyfriend and I came up to Ballarat for a weekend getaway. We came across this cosy cafe and we absolutely loved it. Food was great, coffee was great and the staff were all very friendly and welcoming. Will definitely come back here if we’re ever up in Ballarat again!!
Eat. Sleep. Create. Repeat.
Coffee with lovely aroma. Breakfast Florentine Egg simple and has the needed favour and cream with porch egg done just right. French toast has home made raspberry source. Resturant is set in a old record store and the owner display a range of music record selections that would possibly be interested to the music fans.
Rose
We came here to visit from Geelong.<br/>Setting was unique;<br/>The way to go to the toilet was to walk through the kitchen, that way I got to see the kitchen, which was very clean, I was happy as I am a chef myself, I am very fussy with cleanliness:)<br/>Quinoa dish was great, the freshness, taste balance, texture, amount....just right.<br/>My friend had confit duck, presentation was very good.<br/>Soy latte was average;<br/>It would be better to see more smile on service people (whole time there was only one girl serve with smile on her face, which was a bit disappointing)<br/>Great place, worth recommend.
Chey_ct
We've been here twice for breakfast, a few years apart. The first time, we thought the food was very good and we loved the decor and the records. Both times were very busy and the service has always been good. This time around though, we were disappointed by the food. It tasted like it was cooked in a rush which is fair considering how busy this place gets but we remembered how good it was the first time and we were disappointed by this. The quality of the food and the ingredients did not feel great or fresh either, it felt like the average stuff you can buy from the supermarket.
Giovanna Marino
My partner and myself ventured into the cafe on our way through town. The food was good but the service was haphazard, even getting water was difficult. It was a long wait for a cold drink that we ordered, we chose to get it ta as we had to hit the rd. We stood at the counter for about 5 minutes before anyone attended to us, eventhough we were the only ones there and there were 5 workers behind the counter. Will not return, but again the food was nice.
Bear Noms
Dropped by this cosy cafe on our day trip. My partner had the risotto which tasted good but we felt it could’ve been accompanied by something else on the side. I had the steak sandwich which was mouth watering! Definitely worth the visit
Deep Animesh
A busy and crowded happening place for breakfast in the beautiful place Ballarat . A must visit place breakfast . A very nice cozy place with smiling staff at ur service .
Hanah Penrose
Day trip to Ballarat and popped in for breakfast. Cool decor with the vinyl on the walls. Simple, mis-matched furniture. The only problem with the vinyl is you can’t get to it as the tables are blocking it, so I imagine it’s hard to sell. Cramped restaurant, probably more comfortable sitting outside. I had the smashed avo, which wasn’t very good - boring and lacking in flavour. My partner really enjoyed his dish, though. Family friendly.
Brunch Diaries
A busy cafe in Ballarat, I hear it’s been around for many years. The service and coffee was good and the food had flavour. It’s nowhere near the standard seen across Melbourne but I’m not trying to compare. I found the tables were packed in a little tight and my fritters although tasty were more of a soft pancake texture but overall a nice experience. Oh and when you go to the toilet you walk straight through the kitchen so close to the stoves that the chefs have to move out of your way! What fun. Worth a visit just for that!
Rob Anthony
Service was friendly and lively, the set-up of the cafe is cool and eye grabbing. My breakfast was delicious and fresh, and coffee was perfect.
Jocelyn
Great café, really good coffee and a great range of CDs to browse through and buy. The food is very good but not a great range for vegetarians (hence a slightly lower rating than a carnivore might give!). Staff are lovely and despite the vegetarian issue, would recommend.
Zomatoaddict
No wonder why it was so packed around lunch time on Thursday not even weekend ! A lot of delicious choices in the menu which made it difficult to decide what to order ! I had the calzone and it was very tasty. Friendly staff and pretty good service!
Michelle
Fantastic food, great ambience, friendly and accommodating service!!All are reasonably priced and yummy! We love the food and the service so much that it is our regular family eat-out. we will back for sure
Kittiya
So sad to walk in and find Vittoria as coffee used here.. looks like the food is nice though. <br/>...................,<br/>.......... <br/>.....,,,,, ...... .
Alex
L'espresso is one of my favourite cafes in Ballarat. Always busy and great coffee. Today, I had one of the best almond croissants of my life here. A little crowded on the inside, but apart from that amazing vibe.
JP
Nice coffee. Didn't need to wait too long before the food was served. Really nice scrambled eggs, and the prawn pasta was quite nice too. Good service.
Kieren ORiley
If you’ve made it past the title of this post, then congratulations! You’ve reached the beginning of what I describe as my ode to my favourite cafe ever. ‘L’espresso’, which when abbreviated to Italian means ‘The espresso’, is so much more than purveyors of caffeinated brews. Solid lunch, warm service, a vibe bordering on mass conviviality; make no mistake, this is a solid cafe and had been my favourite for a while now. It begets the question “why’d you take so friggin long to write about it Kieren you egg?” The answer is that there have been so many trips to this cafe, that words couldn’t capture the amount of times I’ve gotten a coffee or eaten within L’espresso’s walls.
Amychamberlin
Excellent coffee, great service and lovely French feel. The records and cds were a nice addition too. Will definitely come back next time I'm in Ballarat
Elicia Hajis
Awesome place! The interior (although being slightly dark) is well decked out. The walls are lined with old vinyl records, portraits of artists and all things music related. The food is great with portions being generous and delicious. Being right in the centre of town on Sturt Street L'Espresso is close and open early for those needing a quick and easy breakfast location. Overall, a fabulous place to eat drink and listen to great music
Yip Wing Sally
both overrated and overpriced, $6.5 for a small iced chocolate which was too sweet, portions were little for the price, and food took so long to come, also the plates and knifes were dirty.<br/>service was the only thing that was good.
JiTe
Detour to Ballarat for lunch and L'Espresso was a pleasant surprise! The confit duck was really delicious. The cherry almond cake just came out from the oven and it was fluffy and moist. Coffee is not bad. Their pasta are also pretty good. Service is friendly but just it does not take the volume very well. There were a few misses but since we are on holiday, we are easy. Overall I am glad we came here and will definitely recommend to any friend who wants a stop over lunch to Grampians (they take bookings too!)
Kieren O'Riley
L'espresso is my favourite local cafe (as can be seen by the wide variety of food photos over this year) for a numerous amount of reasons.<br/><br/>For one, being a cafe the coffee is expected to be good, in which l'espresso delivers on this front. But the food is also sensational and a definite cut above for both breakfast and lunch! My all time favourite dish would have had to have been off the winter menu, which was 'Cheesy Polenta with Winter Mushrooms'. Other favourites have been Pumpkin Rissoto as well as Croquettes with Caponata!<br/><br/>Service wise I've seen numerous staff come and go. But for the better part, the staff at L'espresso are amazing, always looking after customer needs whilst being friendly to boot!<br/><br/>The ambience is dark, intimate and all around classic cafe! It's the kind of place were you can easily bump into someone you know, or even make new friends!<br/><br/>Overall, L'espresso has continued to be my favourite cafe for multiple reasons, but the main factor tying it all together is its sound quality and cut-above service! A Ballarat instution+
JeannetN
Desperate for a coffee on the way through Ballarat, we found L'Espresso quite packed still at 4.45pm on a Sunday. Coffee and croissants were lovely. It was exactly what we needed.
Timinmelbourne
I went here today as I found this place on Zomato 😊<br/><br/>I'm not a fan of Victorria coffee but today was the exception. I had a really good latte, and a small but reasonable croissant, albeit a bit doey. Is that the right spelling? haha<br/><br/>The breakfast looked good and although my take away wasn't that cheap it was worthwhile. <br/><br/>
Judene Messi
This cafe is so cute! They have cd's available for purchase and a little library if i remember correctly. Pretty good vibes! My friend and I were not hungry so we ordered a latte,blueberry friand and hot chocolate. Friand was abit hard and wasn't as good as it looked. However, Coffee and hot chocolate was nice. Would recommend dropping by if you're in Ballarat!
Gale
I do not think their coffee is fantastic as other reviews. We ordered mocha and was served by default in tall glass (with only 1 shot) of coffee that was super mild in coffee taste.
Chantaldamico
Great food and service, perfect for the kids very accommodating they cleaned their plates. The. Gnocchi was delicious, would recommend it for a good easy evening 😃
Zainab
One of the good cafe in Ballarat<br/>I like the latte they do, nice service and welcoming staff<br/>They serve a limited but very nice menu for brekkie<br/>If you are in Ballarat, you must consider it for brunch !
Noey Natnaree Triamkedsub
Good food, great service and affordable price!!! <br/>I ordered a crispy skin duck it was fantastic the duck cook to perfection and i aslo ordered a squid ink risotto it was so yummy. <br/>The cafe itself is a bit tiny but they have cozy atmosphere. <br/>Ps. I love them freshly squeeze orange a lot. Its so refreshing
AJW
Best place in Ballarat. Amazing coffee, brilliant wine, delicious cakes and a wonderfully curated record store with hard to find CDs and vinyl releases from often overlooked artists<br/><br/>I can't rate this place highly enough
Zooniewoonie
I love me a good French toast whether it's paired with sweet or savory ingredients but this one was such a disappointment. The bread was extremely thick, lacked in the crunch factor and absolutely tasteless. The accompanying savory sides were also meh and nothing to rave about. Ordered a coffee, 15 mins or so later reminded the waitstaff. Got told they forgot to put the order through- no apology given. Don't think I'll be rushing back any time soon...
Coffee Snob
Was recommended to try this place ........ And it didn't let us down . Beautiful coffee , great little vibe and very warm welcoming staff ☕️☕️👍🏻
Grome
We've been coming here for years every time we're in Ballarat and it just gets better. Friendly staff and great food and coffee and a nice atmosphere.
James
My favourite cafe in Ballarat. I purely go there for coffee and cake, it's got that really nice warm feel that makes for a relaxing cozy experience. The coffee itself is fantastic, I've been going here for years and I have to say it's consistently the best around Ballarat, no hesitation in my mind. The cakes on offer do change regularly so really can't comment on any particular type as you might find it won't be there when you arrive, but as far as quality, they have delivered sensationally delicious cakes every time. You want some breakfast? No Problems, they have an impressive breakfast menu, the Eggs Benedict is really yum, can't speak for the others, but going by this dish you'll be fine :)<br/><br/>Staff? Lovely, always welcoming, friendly even when the place is packed which in the morning, it usual is :P
Bubble O
Ordered Baked eggs, the eggs were way overcooked, made the whole dish dry. The toasts were overly slathered with butter. The new place is dirty with flies flying everywhere and the cup is filthy with lips marks, seems that they forgot to wash the cup or simply grab a dirty unwashed cup to serve. The only positive is staff are friendly and that's it
Dani Buhari
Ordered the croque madam, under seasoned, tasteless, uniquely mediocre. The egg was overcooked.<br/>My sister got a tuna sandwich, the tuna tasted good, but the lettuce was black on the edges.<br/>Got two macaroons, that were old...
Lexie
Some of the best food and coffee in Ballarat.<br/>Difficult to get a table sometimes and its for good reason, the food is exceptional.<br/>Staff are always very friendly even when it's crazy busy
Lorie Jean Granger
Pleasant staff but terrible coffee. I have no idea how this is one of the most popular cafes ratings wise in Ballarat. It's also super cramped with an awkward front entrance
Love Food
Ordered French toast and Parmesan egg. <br/>French toast was one of the best I have ever had. We had a very good experience here. Coffee was good too. Ordered 3/4 strength flat white. <br/>Service was awesome!!
Wine Not?
<br/>Never a let down. The steak sandwich is the best I have had in Ballarat and the coffee is always good here. I am a big fan of the chia pudding they have for breakfast with a slight sweetness and topped with seasonal fruits and yoghurt. I always drop by in before work to have some!
Mark From Melbourne
Have been enjoying coming to L'Espresso about once a year for the last decade or two.<br/><br/>The atmosphere is always buzzy and friendly although at times the chatter overpowers the music. (The Cd and LP collection for sale is very eclectic with some real finds).<br/><br/>We had a couple of the pasta dishes - lamb ragu with pappardelle, and prawns with linguine. Both were very tasty and good size serves for the price.<br/><br/>Service was good although I had expected to get some bread to go with our pasta and had to ask for some. It did turn up but was toasted bread which seemed a bit odd. The oil and balsamic on the side was lovely.<br/><br/>Had the house chardonnay and Tar&Roses shiraz by the glass which were both. Minor point - would have appreciated a description against the house wines so we knew what we were drinking - it was a Warrenmang I believe. It was poured at the table which is good sign.<br/><br/>All in all an enjoyable lunch.
Nelly
So my husband ordered corn fritters with poached eggs and capers. The poached eggs were over cooked, unfortunately no oozy yolk. My daughter poached eggs on toast, same outcome again for the eggs. Given my 7 year old and husband are massive fan of the gooey centre they were not a happy campers. <br/><br/>My youngest got fruit toast which looked freshly made from a local bakery. Myself I ordered the French Toast. Now this upped my score significantly as it was just gorgeous. But I do stress the need to get the poaching of the eggs with that lovely oozing centre!
David Lew
Came for Breakfast. Ambiance and service nice.<br/>Coffee - ordered strong cappuccino and came with nicely dense foam.<br/>Salmon, horseradish cream on corn fritter with poached egg - nothing to write home about. The flavours themselves were very nice. Unfortunately the egg was overcoooked and the fritter was more a pancake - no crispy element.<br/>My wife's French toast was amazing, but unfortunately for me, eggs at a cafe are a big deal and they were overcoooked also in my kids meal. If they can fix the eggs, that's 0.5 points right there. If they work on the other textures and get the dishes as good as the French toast, that's another 0.5 points.
LittleM
Good atmosphere and the staff were friendly here, however it is very cramp inside. Would have been better sitting outside. Had the open steak sandwich which was really delicious!
Mmmfoood
Gets very busy here .. Use to be my family's regular but now go to olive grove. Staff are always soo nice but cramped and very busy so makes you feel like have to rush to make table available when I want to just sit back.. Enjoy... And relax
Laura Parker
They don't do all day breakfasts. Straight away they're off my list. It's also a very small, over crowded cafe. I don't get why people rave it about it. The customer service isn't even good.
BlueberryHill
I asked a workmate for food suggestions in Ballarat and L'Espresso was one of them; turned out to be good advice. Good was very good, coffee was great - seriously I had a second coffee just based on quality. The service is very good - someone has clearly sorted out their processes - and really genuinely friendly. And there were a good number of staff meaning the looked happy rather than harried and customers were happy as a consequence. There are 3 cafes almost next to each other here: L'Espresso and Cafe Europe (I think) with the paleo cafe in between. Not sure about the paleo place but the others had plenty of custom; obviously enough to cover Sunday penalties!
Kim Wildheart
Food was quite nice. But OMG! Tiny, crowded, noisy and hot. Pure relief to get out if there. It may be trending but give me peace and quiet for breakfast, please.
Evelovelle
Howdy ho saying a big good morning from Ballarat! We fueled up at perhaps the most popular brunch place in this region before visiting Sovereign Hill. Chia And Almond Milk Pudding, Seasonal Fruit, Meredith Yoghurt And Superfood Sprinkles, 12.50AUDThe Chia pudding was supposedly a lightweight meal but in actual fact a really filling option. The Chia was not bland as the sweetness come from the fruits. The fruits added were kiwi slices and some Granny Smiths.
Sam
If you love the Brunswick St vibe and love music then this place is for you!! The moment you walk through the doors you find yourself surrounded by records and CDs {which you can purchase} Service is fast! Order the chia and almond milk pudding topped with seasonal fruit! Very enjoyable will order again.
Jonnybgoodston
Popped in for a lovely breakfast this morning. Had good old fashioned bacon and poached eggs, with some delightful Tuki sausages on the side. The eggs were poached perfectly, the rest of the food was great, however the toast was a bit overcooked and therefore dry. The coffee was faultless, i can see why many Ballaratians use L'Espresso as their morning coffee stop. Greg and the team continue to do great things!
Frances Mona
Just bad. I can't understand how this place is so busy.. If you like burnt bitter coffee and painfully slow service every time .. This is the place for you .
JA
Blah blah blah. Make your doorway accessible!
Angela Sidea
Clean your knives. Went there and got a cheese plate. Firstly, it took almost 40 minutes for it to come out. Then when I did finally get it, the sliced pear tasted like onion and to accompany my savoury cheeses, I was given a combination of raisin toast and regular toast. The regular toast to cheese ratio was way off. I won't be dining here again...
Anthea Stevens
A favourite!. Best coffee and food in ballarat. attentive staff and awesome atmosphere
Kab
Nice place. Food was good, slightly fancier menu and on the pricier side but my breaky was yum. Was hard to sit in there and enjoy the atmosphere tho as it was extremely hot & stuffy
Macca
Amazing Experience with brief dissapointment. Went here for breakfast and was amazed. The atmosphere was excellent and despite how busy it was the staff went out of their way to find suitable seating and were always attentive and friendly. The coffee was exceptional and was surprised when I found out it was Vittoria considering I've never had a coffee that good with that brand, they worked wonders. Was extremely disappointed when I got the orange juice though, pale orange, watery, no pulp and did not taste that fresh. I noticed behind the counter there was a juicer and fresh oranges so wondering if they just use really bad oranges and juicing methods and I've noticed earlier reviews commenting on the same issue. The breakfast I had Fried Eggs & Bacon, Tomato, Sausage & Hash Brown and it was amazing, the tomato was so juicy and sweet and cooked to perfection, the sausages were tasty, the hash brown was home made and cooked perfect. The Eggs and Bacon were cooked just right and the toast was great as well. I must say one of the best breakfasts I've ever had but soured by the orange juice, I hope they read these reviews and work on improving it. ;-)
Judyl55
Diners from mornington peninsula. What a fabulous night we had last Friday...French in spired food...the zucchini flowers fabulous..confit duck yum...a must if in Ballarat...great service..chatty happy pleasant waiters...loved the torch to see the menu as we were in a dark corner...
LauPi
Fresh food friendly staff BUT. Went in the afternoon, had the Beef Ragu with Linguine - fresh hearty yet light at the same time. My partner ordered the salami focaccia without tomatoes. Unfortunately the cook had to re do the focaccia as he/she put tomato in it the first time around. When it did get to the table it was a ham focaccia, not salami like ordered. My partner ate it and having some myself it was nice and fresh. For drinks we ordered an ice-coffee and a latte. I asked if the latte could be in a mug but they didnt have mugs so i got it in a tall glass - the same as the ice-coffee came in. It was not very tall, a bit like a kids glass idk :/ - the ice-coffee nothing special - at all. The latter was nice, when i got up and got the sugar jar.<br/><br/>I would go back but only if I had too.
Sam Lovibobd
First night of the summer menu. Fantastic! Best French inspired food in town. Great wine list- all well priced. Great atmosphere.
BlueJay
Lovely Breakfast. Passing through Ballarat on a Sunday and quickly realised the options where limited. We stopped at L'espresso and were not disappointed. Excellent breakfast, lovely service, good coffee, and the ham on my bene' was just divine. Wouldn't have the fresh squeezed OJ again as it tasted like it was perhaps squeezed too many hours ago, but aside from that would stop back again next time for sure.
LFD
Great meal on a busy Friday night. We loved it and I'm struggling to understand a couple of these negative reviews. We rocked up with no reservation on a fully-booked Friday, they offered to fit us in and serve us a meal on the beer & snack tables outside (which I gather they don't often do). The staff still looked after us fine. We got our food on time, and our glasses topped up despite a big crowd inside. I was impressed by the level of knowledge of the food & the wine from quite young staff. <br/><br/>Now - what I really came here to to say: The food was exceptionally good. A small menu but done well, interesting choices and interesting flavours. The portion size was spot on too. We made it though entree, mains and desert and felt perfectly satisfied. That was $128 for two, and I've paid way more for grub of the same high standard in Melbourne. We paid up happily and left a big tip. Will definitely be going back next time we are in Ballarat.
Kish393
Utterly shocking. Absolutley horrified...shocking customer service. Pls do not waste your money or time by going here, it looks like a cheap down graded pub with a horrible pub like smell coming through. The owner was an absolute *****... Very rude and unhelpful. So upset aa we were lookong forward to a great evening...in the end we ended up going to pizza express!
TonyMokbel69
I think that L'Espresso has shocking customer service, and that they look down on customers which often leaves people with a bad taste on their mouth (and not just from their lacklustre food). Also too dark and dingy in there.
Ella.saturday
Not up to the hype. My latte on a was very average! Definitely not the best in Ballarat. Disappointed.
Princess.m
Brunch Favourite. Always head here for Sunday brunch when in Ballarat. Last time it was the beetroot risotto with goats cheese. Bit of a wait till our order was taken, but from then on all fine.
May
Terrible. The service was great, but the space was tiny and mostly taken up with CDs. The menu display was outdated and full of things I couldn't pronounce, when all I wanted was eggs and bacon. The coffee was bad, and there was no signs stating there was a minimum eftpos? Dim lighting and listening to the table overs conversation made for a quick experience. Update your menu and rearrange your tables, I might come back.
MsVyv
Lovely service. A last-minute and very impromptu overnight visit to Ballarat had us hunting for somewhere to breakfast, and we somewhat randomly picked L'Espresso. For 9 am on a Sunday it seemed pretty packed, which might indicate that the locals think it's one of the better places, but service was prompt, efficient and super friendly. They were very accomodating of our request to veganise their menu options (the housemade beans, minu bacon, and with mushrooms or avocado substituted), and when the mushrooms arrived separately (and a little later) it was explained that this was because they had had to make them specially so that they would be butter free and vegan. <br/>Coffee was great but not superstar (something to do with the brand of soy milk used, possibly? My long black was pretty decent, and exactly what I needed on a frosty morning), food was delicious, servings were more than sufficient, and did I mention the service? Service was great.<br/>L'Espresso seems to double as a music shop, though we didn't look that closely, and it's in a lovely older style building, pressed tin ceilings and pleasantly dim lighting. <br/>Highly recommended.
Lisa Farrell
Ordered the breakfast bruschetta this morning and it was terrible. Poor ingredient combination with a huge unnecessary slather of butter underneath the smashed avocado.
Kristian Rough
Excellent!
Hipsta85
Great coffee. Awesome, friendly service. Poached eggs were a little overdone but everything else (bacon, avocado, ciabatta) perfect! And sitting outside in the rare ballarat sun was a real treat. Highly recommended!
Emmasgardengrows
Best dinner in a long while.. My partner and I went here for dinner on Friday and were so pleasantly surprised we are hurriedly planning our next visit back.<br/><br/>Pan fried scallop entree was perfect, and so was the beetroot risotto I had for main.<br/><br/>Anyone who has criticised this place obviously hasnt been here for dinner!<br/><br/>Perfect.
AH
Good. A solid choice that delivered on taste, efficiency and customer service, would recommend for a good breakfast in Ballarat
Love_food
Hmmm pretty average coffee for a place named 'lespresso' it seemed busy so they must have been in a rush, little bit disappointed
MrJan
Good as usual - great service - fantastic food.... Keep going like that
Woodymcdonald
The best in the Rat. My first stop if I return to my old hometown. Great food, coffee and possibly the best music collection i've ever seen.
Janetcastles
Icon for Ballarat .. This restaurant was my favourite place to eat when I lived in Melbourne for many years. Now I live here was so looking forward to going there often . Have found most times for breakfast very disappointing . Lunch is good, coffee once was all ways the best, not so anymore . Take it or leave it now.
Katseb2
Lovely dinner. My husband and I had date night (have 2 little ones!) and decided to try L'espresso for dinner. It exceeded both our expectations. We enjoyed entree, main and dessert alongside a great variety of beer and wine. The balance of flavours, presentation and portion size for each course was outstanding.<br/>Thank you. We will be back :)
Z.L.
As the name suggests, they do good espresso, which is the most important thing in the universe.
Timothy Sengsouvanh
Horrible. Salty pork with Salty coleslaw on stale bread for 14 dollars. Worth the money.
Lizzy Keenan
Yesterday was my wedding day and my bridesmaid and I walked in for a coffee. The server was welcoming, but the barista looked so miserable and annoyed to have customers. Should have gone elsewhere. If you can't smile, then don't work in the service industry.
Brunswick Gal
Came here for lunch today and we were very impressed. Coffee was great , the antipasto dish the eggplant capsicum provolone with olive pesto and the prawn linguine were just devine !! We also had a piece of the rhubarb and sour cream cake and a choc slice, they were both worth driving from Brunswick to have. A great place to visit when in Ballarat. I must mention that the waitress who looked after us was fantastic and what an asset she is to L'Espresso.
Rebecculous
In Ballarat for work and was worried about where I would get a decent coffee. Coffee is good but be prepared to wait. Not the best service but they have been pretty busy each time I have been here.
Woofman
A wonderful visit and late lunch coming from Halls Gap. Just don't bother with Ararat and head straight to Ballarat on your way to Melbourne. Great menu, service, and ambience. Check out the jazz records, too! 4 stars!
Sim
Yummo just like any cool cafe in Brunswick great ambience generous portions lovely coffee - for lambs fry fans best lunch menu item
Nate
Great food and coffee. I ha.... Great food and coffee.<br/>I had the French toast with poached pear and wow. Not to mention the table service was great! We don't get anything like this in perth!
Steve Zissou
Flawless coffee. Great breakfast and lunch. Lovely service. Very impressive music collection on display for purchase. Worth travel to for any of the above! This is the only cafe I've been to in the 'Ratt and I'm positive it's the best. In fact, I'll probably never know for sure because when I'm in that city (which luckily isn't that often) I wouldn't go to anywhere else.
Peewee44
Over salted soup of the day. And don't order an extra slice of bread with your soup unless you want to experience bill shock. When this was raised with staff, did they care? No. Overrated.
Kel Phlips
Consistently good. A real institution and for good reason. Perfect coffee, interesting wine list, wonderful food, efficient and friendly staff. No more to say!
Lena
This was the worst coffee I have ever had. I bought a hot chocolate first, and all I could taste was milk. Then bought a coffee, was the same story. <br/>So disappointed after the good reviews on urbanspoon.
Kris
Best Breakfast. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed breakfast today at L'Espresso. Would highly recommend
Matt
I've not found a better lunch in Ballarat. Excellent if very cozy. Probably time to lose the CDs ;-)
Chris
No Bacon and Bread was not toasted. A party of four went here. The food smelt great and the atmosphere is lovely. My bacon and eggs on toast went wrong as the bread was not toasted, it was also a poor imitation of sourdough. One of our party did not get his bacon. We did ask for it and it never came. The bacon we did get tasted great however.
Sophiee8327
Crowded and a touch chaotic but what a seriously delicious breakfast. Perfectly poached eggs on GF toast with roast tomatoes and the most INCREDIBLE mushrooms. Great coffee to boot. Highly recommend.
Mark C
Nut tart to die for. Stumbled across this Gem during a weekend away at Ballarat. Chose it based on how busy it was. Good decision. We shared a nut tart with cream and the next day went back and ordered one each. I will return to Ballarat just to have that nut tart again!
LizzieB
L'Espresso serves a decent coffee but it by no means the best in Ballarat. There are more than a few places in town that serve great coffee.
KaraokeKlazzik
Breakfast, Linch, Dinner ... Anytime ..!!. Agree with all the positive reviews - As for the others, maybe they could've visited somewhere else! Was in Ballarat 2 weekends ago - had lunch, and breakfast on 2 different days. Suitably impressed on both ocassions!
Al
Best meal I've had in a while. Went there for dinner on a whim as we were just driving through. The ravioli gnudi in walnut sauce was so tasty, and the serving size was perfect. The staff were great and very helpful. The space is a little cramped, but the food and atmosphere more than make up for it.
Robert
Dissapointed. Unforturnately; two very cold hot chocolates combined with $5.00 per plain croissant was a dissapointment. My partner and I attempted to catch the eye or wave to staff for their attention without any success. A pity with so many staff available
Caitlin Luder
A lovely reprieve from the drizzle on Easter Sunday. Great breakfast and coffee and lovely staff!
Hilary Gregson
Good food, average coffee. Tables and people squished in like sardines. It's not bad food, but does seem to attract pretentious wankers.
Debs Mercer
Outstanding food & service. Hubby & I took his parents (visiting from UK) here for dinner before they headed back home and we all loved it. The service was outstanding - very attentive. The mains were delicious, although hubby's rabbit was slightly overcooked, we did inform the waiter and it was removed from the bill - thank you.<br/><br/>Overall a wonderful evening had by us all. We will definitely be making the journey back to eat.
Lizzie
The Best Breakfast!. I came to L'Espresso once in the afternoon and turned my nose up when I found out they didn't have chai lattes. But I gave them a second chance by stopping in for breakfast, and what can I say...they won my stomach over. <br/><br/>This is seriously one of the best breakfasts ever. The eggs were done beautifully, the hash browns were unlike any I had before (in a good way), and the bread was thick and delicious (though I'm sure it was packed full of an outrageous amount of calories.) <br/><br/>I do have to say that the green tea is actually pretty bad, but they make up for it with their fresh squeezed orange juice.
Susie Stroud
What a wonderful evening of good food good selection of wines and srumpous desserts. Service was attentive and helpful a really great evening
Fly On The Wall
Pretentious staff, order totally disregarded so therefore screwed up. Had better hot chocolate at McCafe
Brent Clayton
Best coffee and breakfast in ballarat, I lived in ballarat for 12 months and this place was my favorite hands down
ILove2Eat
One word describes l'espresso - lovely. Good food, service and the iced coffee was delicious. Family friendly and really lovely staff. Can't wait to come back!
Toorust
Best coffee in country victoria. Do not go to, or through Ballarat and miss having coffee, breaky or lunch at L'Espresso !<br/>Coffee rich and smooth, wait staff super efficient and friendly.<br/>Highly recommended !
Mr Tiger
Best breakfast in Ballarat followed by bibo down the road, not a bad lunch too. Just read the critic review, they capture it all
Robin
Sensational breakfast. Do try the pancakes and the Parmesan scrambled eggs are delicious
Jane Doe.
Good.. Great staff and yummy spinach.
Lach
Top class coffee and great breakfast food in a nice atmosphere..
Shona Hunt
Quirky place but food not great- eggs came out cold and bread not very nice. Also have to walk through the kitchen to the toilets.
JB
Patrons have to walk through a bustling kitchen to access the bathroom, not good. Thought of at least 20 different OH&S issues in the moment. Food was good but you're constantly being bumped into whilst sitting at your rickety table. Funky CD display and nice design but not worth the stress of the experience. Wouldn't recommend especially after the grill flamed as I walked past it, not good!
Two Bears And A Fork
You were right Urbanspoonites, this is definitely the hot spot with the locals! Reminded me of a Melbourne-type cafe, with quirky surrounds and squashy seating arrangements.<br/><br/>Eggs florentine was lovely - poached perfectly and covered in a velvety hollandaise - totally hit the matk for me, but I suppose at $19.90 (that includes the extra $3 for a 1/2 grilled tomato) I expected it would! :) My husband's Parmesan scrambled eggs with smoked bacon was nice, but the salty flavor got a bit much after the first few bites. The freshly squeezed orange juice was refreshing, but the real star was the coffee!<br/><br/>Rich, smooth and just strong enough to cut through the frothy milk...with yummy hidden chocolate notes rising through each sip. Heavenly!!<br/><br/>If you love a good coffee, and don't mind rubbing elbows with other patrons, then make a pit stop here - just the cup of coffee will make it worth it!! :)
James
James. From 7am without doubt the best breakfast in Ballarat. Great coffee, freshly squeezed OJ.
Love2eatout
Great cafe! Coffee was spot on and the food was fab. The risotto I had was cooked to perfection!! Great balance in flavors and rice at perfect concistancy! Something that a lot of places really struggle with!! Well done to you all!! We will be back for sure!
Denis Farney
Coffee here is as good as it gets full flavour and very smooth.<br/>Do not believe the previous tweet, I drink coffee here almost everyday and it is far superior than the other cafes nearby. <br/>I Dined here with my wife and a friend on Friday night, meals were excellent as always as was the wine. 10/10<br/>We were well looked after by manager<br/>Angela. <br/>Highly Reccommend(will not disappoint)
Stanley
Terrible Coffee. Went for a coffee and they sure don't know how to adjust the grind according to the humidity and temperature. Wont be back!
Koko T
A winner!. Absolutely great coffee, I had the soup of the day - cauliflower and blue cheese and it was divine. I shall be back.
Sue Osborne
We are from Melbourne and this place serves coffee worth travelling the distance for! Enjoyed a yummy breakfast of zuchinni fritters (me) and toasted house muesli with sheeps' milk yoghurt followed by a toasted croissant with butter and raspberry jam. Perfect. Will definitely return when we are next in the area.
Sincerity
Nothing could be finer for this diner.... It's the nicest thing in Ballarat and the only thing stopping me from driving to Smith St on a Saturday morning is L'Espresso.<br/><br/>Nicer and nicer.<br/><br/>Their coffee is the nicest. Their cakes are scrunchy munchy wunchy. <br/><br/>On a nice day you can sit outside and still get service.<br/><br/>Try the Hugel Gwertztraminer. If they've still got the Vintage 1996 you'll be in for a special nicety.<br/><br/>Just nice.
SarahR
Ace. Easily the best coffee in Ballarat. Yummy food too, prawn pasta is always a winner.
Netherz
Nice coffee, but the food was on par with something I could whip up in 5 minutes at home... If that
Georgina Dircks
Best in the Rat. Our favourite place for coffee, breakfast, lunch or dinner, or a late night dessert after a movie. The food is always excellent and the service friendly. Favourites are the parmesan scrambled eggs for brekky, duck confit for lunch and anything on the menu for dinner. The coffee is the best in Ballarat and the ambiance is lovely. Only criticism is that it's a bit dark inside, which is nice for an intimate dinner, but not quite the right feel for breakfast on a sunny day. Definitely our favourite place!
Scaramanga
Quality option. Good coffee, friendly service, tasty food. We had the prawn pasta and the ham focaccia. There were a couple of other interesting things on the lunch menu too. We were daytrippers from Melbourne, this place hit the spot.
Megan
Hands down the only decent place in ballarat for a decent bite to eat. Wish they would use better bread in their foccacias though. Good coffee. Fried haloumi salad is killer.
Frank Jorgensen
Helpful staff opens Cafe to the World!. I recently wanted to send a gift to some friends in Ballarat, Australia. Being from the US, it was a bit of a challenge as postal rates can be prohibitive for many items.<br/><br/>I hit upon the idea of buying them something local so fired up google maps (street view) to see what was interesting in the area. <br/>I soon happened upon a local threatre show and decided to pair it with a meal beforehand. Based on other reviews I decided on L'Espresso.<br/><br/>Let me first say that I'm amazed that I can use google maps to literally walk inside the restaurant O.o<br/><br/>Angela, the manager couldn't have been more helpful. She quickly processed a gift certificate and she made sure the staff would be ready when my guests arrived.<br/><br/>My friends have since reported back that they thoroughly enjoyed the food and experience at L'Espresso, having both opted for breakfast selections.<br/><br/>+1 to Aussie/American relations :-)
B.rattydiner
Consistently good. I often meet a group here for drinks and/or food. And its always great!
D.T
Service and layout are good. However the food was so average and didnt reflect the 90% like rating. A bit disappointed
Nack
Best Ballarat Cafe. After moving to the Ballarat area from inner-Melbourne, I've been very glad to have L'Espresso in the neighbourhood. The best cafe food and coffee in Ballarat.
Chris Hall
A little gem. This cafe was recommended by a local, it is funky and breakfast is excellent.<br/>After a series of breakfasts over 3 weeks there were no disappointments, well done,<br/>Coffee is of high standard too!
Lal Lal Bois
I always get this place and Europa mixed up. This is the good one with good coffee, good service and good food! Go to Europa when this place is full!!
Meg Rayner
A Ballarat icon. Great coffee, amazing potato rostis, great selection of CDs. Only thing missing: chai lattes!!
Adam
Yum. Great place. We had the sausage & mushroom Ragu + lamb kofta with tzatki, bread, salad. Coffee And service was nice just couldn't find room for any sweets. Next time I'm in Ballarat I'd go back
Brad
Amazing country cafe. I've moved to Ballarat from Melbourne, and love going out for breakfast, coffee, etc. I have to say this place rivals any inner Melbourne Cafe.
Nick Rivers
Always. Every time we go to Ballarat, this is where we head. Great coffee and great tunes aplenty. Cool cafe - better than most in Melbourne - a true standout in a country town.
Eat Drink Anon
Cold rainy day in Ballarat. Stopped in for lunch. Orecchiette with Italian sausage chilli broccolini, mushroom risotto, limonata, English breakfast tea. $42.... Delicioso!!
Ellen Burns
Classic. I live in Melbourne, but there was a time where I had brunch at L'Espresso every Sunday. It's always good food, good service, good atmosphere. I had lunch here the other day and got a pizza slice. I was a bit worried it wouldn't be very big but as it had all my favorite ingredients on it I took a risk and ordered it. For $16 I got two huge rectangular slices piled with tasty things. It was amazing, taste sensation! and completely filled me. I haven't had dinner here in a few years but I remember it being good. All in all probably my favorite place to eat in Ballarat.
Anthony Stewart
One of ballarat's finest. Simple and delicious food complimented by excellent service. The rabbit stew on Friday evenings is delicious and it's the home of my twice daily joe.
Juicy
Excellent breakfast. Creamed rice a little undercooked but coffee great, zucchini fritters were an enormous and delicious start to the day. Recommended
Helenh
What a lovely place. Enjoyed a late, leisurely lunch here and service and food were faultless. Lovely greeting upon arrival, beautiful ambience - love the jazz CDs lining the walls. The service was friendly, prompt and impeccable and I found this with my interactions with all staff members. They catered for my food allergies without raising an eyebrow and unlike many restaurants didn't make me feel foolish or stupid for needing to be a bit picky with my menu choices. Instead they bent over backward to help me out and the meal was absolutely beautiful. Really impressive.
Daryl
Love it. Great place for a coffee, breakfast, lunch, dinner or supper.<br/><br/>ever changing menu. attentive service.<br/><br/>am heading there for lunch today :)
Mfga
Just had a nice lunch at this vibey place. Lovely confit duck, although they should of cooked it skin side down in the oven to ensure a crisp skin, apart from that, quite faultless, lovely French Brie, and dessert wine. Good on yer guys!!
Geepicurean
Brilliant!. It's always a pleasure exploring the Italian-inspired menu at L'Espresso. The ambience and service inside are outstanding. The only problem? it's very difficult to leave without buying a CD or five from the great range of albums always in stock. Enjoy!
L'esspresso Devotee
Best Breakfast in Ballarat. We breakfast at L'Esprssso every week, have tried others but always come back. Food always wonderful with friendly service too. Pear and Ginger cake to die for.
Chuckee
Great food every time. This cafe feels like it could be in Fitzroy in Melbourne. We've never had a bad meal here, and the freshly squeezed orange juice is the best I've had anywhere in the world.<br/>The croque michelle is excellent. They should bring back the croque madame (which used to be on the menu) as well. This place is always a joy to visit and the food is always delicious.
Omnomaliciousfood
The coffee was great but the food did not leave us wanting an L'Espresso closer to home. It was hard to get the attention of a waiter to grab us some sugar for our coffee so we ended up getting it ourselves. In all, I would come back for the coffee but will probably scour around to see if Ballarat can offer something better.
Eclectic Taste
With a cabinet filled with delectable pastries and cakes to complement any cup of Amanti coffee for next time, I left this place with anticipation of my next visit here when I am back in Ballarat.
Bitingtravels
Scrambled free range eggs with smoked salmon - "served on Irrewarra sourdough". A simple but delightful dish. Fluffy eggs, and it worked well with the smoked salmon
Natalie
L'Espresso in Ballarat is my absolute favourite breakfast spot in Australia. We stay in Ballarat every time on our way to Melbourne just so we can wake up and go straight to L'Espresso
Gastrology
Sitting in the café, the jazz and blues CDs can be quite distracting as the musically inclined folk browse through the collection. You see, L'Espresso is also a music store, tailored for the peckish crowd that are in need of a jazz CD.
Melbourne Glutton
I’ve never near Ballarat except on a school trip to Sovereign Hills many years ago. My grasp of Victorian geography is pretty rudimentary and I can’t say that I haven’t confused Ballarat and Bendigo. But there is nothing like a long drive and an actual visit to the town to get my bearings. In a way, Ballarat is exactly how I imagined it to be. There is a main street, around which the town seems to revolve. There are also many side streets which are a lot more busier than I had been expecting. LEspresso is situated near the town clock. Even with my very rudimentary understanding of regional Victoria, I knew that meant it was located on some prime Ballarat real estate. The place was abuzz with activity when we came to visit on Boxing Day and we loitered around to snap up a table outside. Now at this point, I must confess that apart from being the best eatery in Ballarat, the other reason that we chose LEspresso is because T's sister H works here. H set us up with menus, water and left us with some rather sound recommendations as we pondered over our choices. Both T and I heeded her advice, to great effect!
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