Review Snow Pony Cafe

Parker

On the outside, it is quite unassuming. On the inside, it’s an adorable cafe you wouldn’t expect to sit along the busy Whitehorse road. We had a great experience. Tasty food and nice environment. The coffee was nothing to write home about, but in the suburbs you can’t complain too much. I thought their menu had a nice array of attractive options. What we chose didn’t disappoint. I would go back and try something else. I can definitely recommend this place for a nice, fairly priced brunch in a relaxed setting.

Vincent Choi

I haven't been back to this place for a while. Standard maintained. Great coffee.

Edwin Centurion

Great coffee, good food, lovely ambience and attentive services. What else could you ask for?

Adriana None

Love coming to this place. Their B.L.A.T is so light and tasty and so is the chips ,service is quick , always a friendly smile from staff especially from Fen. Ooh and their coffee is one of the best in Melbourne.

Two Sheds

Broad menu. Service was good too. Lovely place for a catch up. We had the toasted foccacias and they were delicious. The coffee and tea was terrific too. Really good place. We would happily return anytime.

NR Anderson

Excellent service, great coffee. I love this place, always fast and some nice food options as well. Parking can be a hassle but the tram is right ot the front. There is some outdoor seating as well.

Henry L

Great coffee, delicious matcha and chai lattes. As a builder, I normally get the coffees for our skilled trades here, as our developments are nearby in Balwyn. The coffee is made from excellent quality beans and is consistent every time. Today, we had the Pony Benedict and just a brownie as we weren't feeling hungry The Pony Benedict was unctuous and delectable, with the fatty pork belly delivering on taste and flavour - comforting and yummy. The amount of meat is generous and the pork is of good quality. You can taste the different cross sections of meat from the irresistible fatty cuts to the meatier portions. The poached eggs and croquet combine nicely to give a trifecta of flavour. Would recommend. The brownie was rich, densely delicious and special. Sweet, slightly bitter flavour and some sour notes. This is the kind of brownie to have over 30 mins of chatting and drinking their delicious brews. I highly recommend this place. It is a true hidden Gem in Deepdene. Do give it a go and see for yourself. They are always consistent and the quality is high.

Sergii Kantemirov

We love this place. Very nice food, perfect espresso and friendly stuff ♥️

Tass Klepkas

I had the scrambled chili eggs. Nice, however didn't get much of the heat from the chilli I was hoping..

AngeLuvFood8

I was intrigued to find out what interesting food was served at Snow Pony as the name of the café is so unique. Unfortunately I was left a little disappointed. 🔆LOCATION🔆 Snow Pony is situated along the quieter strip of Whitehorse Road in Balwyn. As you walk into the café, there is a long counter which serves as coffee making station, register and a cabinet lined with lots of different types of cakes (many are gluten free). On the right hand side of the café, there are tables that can set up to approx 20 people. As you walk through the back there are more seating in a covered area, and on the right there’s a large dining table which can seat up to 6 people. As this room has a fire place it looks like you’re in someone’s home. 🔆SERVICE🔆 A waitress wearing glasses served me, however she was very robotic and not very welcome. She had no smile and was quite rigid. Customer service is so important and I was left feeling a little uncomfortable. There seems to be a number of local customers, as the guy making the coffee seem to be able to acknowledge a lot of the customers by their name (which is a good thing)! 🔆MENU/PRICE🔆 Nothing really popped out at me when I looked through their standard breakfast and lunch menu, so I decided to try one of the two food options on their "special's menu" Halloumi Roll, $20.00 (Grilled haloumi cheese, fried egg, grilled mushrooms, beetroot marmalade, topped with fresh spinach on a brioche bun with battered chips) 🔆VERDICT🔆 The supposed highlight of my dish is the halloumi, but when it was delivered to me, I looked at the brioche bun and it seemed like something was missing. I opened up the top bun and I could see a lot of mushrooms, a fried egg and a few small pieces of spinach but there was no haloumi at all. I wasn’t sure what was going on and I called a waitress over and asked her if I was meant to get halloumi in my halloumi roll? She apologised and took it straight back to the kitchen. After a while my order was delivered again and this time I could see 2 pieces of halloumi cheese poking out of the bun. Yay! Unfortunately I think the halloumi was cooked in a haste because it didn’t taste that nice and also as there was soo many mushrooms it was quite overpowering. I don’t know why its called a “roll” when clearly it’s a bun that I got with the halloumi. The beetroot marmalade was nice but I didn’t think this dish was anything special. The battered chips was cooked very well and tasted great but had too much sea salt sprinkled on it. I was quite thirsty afterwards.

Two Sheds

Broad menu. Service was good too. Lovely place for a catch up. We had the toasted foccacias and they were delicious. The coffee and tea was terrific too. Really good place. We would happily return anytime.

Browngirl

I ordered the grilled salmon bowl which was delicious as well as colourful and beautiful. They have a warm, cozy, friendly environment and drinks and food are catered for both sides of the health spectrum leaving people with satisfying choices. Snow Pony is a great place for breakfast, brunch, lunch and afternoon tea!

Laerimie Lyew

I honestly love this place so much, the staff are super and the food is probably the reason why I keep coming back! I always order the Avocado Addiction & Ricotta Pancakes alongside with some coffee and I couldn’t be happier. Very lovely place!

Archie Sanchez

I am new to the area and discover this cafe in my local . Interior and back yard is okay-ish. Varieties of menu ideas . I had a special vegetarian bowl which was very nourishing . Coffee is “all press” which was nice smooth and creamy . I would definately be back to try other meals and recommend this place .

AaronN

We found the food here a bit confusing. The menu items are a weird combination of flavours (some work and some don't). For example, I still can't decide what to make of the eggs and roti.

RunnyYolko

Headed to this local cafe for quick bite to eat. Lovely service, quick arrival, light and fresh dish. Nothing to fault. Enjoyed my experience immensely well done snow pony 5/5.

Piggyeatalot

Hrmmmm I remembered Snow Pony being better in the past :(. This time I dropped by for a coffee and muffin. The coffee wasn’t great at all and the muffin has all the size but it wasn’t yummy at all. Disappointing.

Nicole McLean

It’s been a while since we last popped into Snow Pony for brunch. Staff are friendly but overall the experience is let down by the coffee standard (too milky), the basic menu and lack of atmosphere. Not the same Snow Pony the locals enjoyed in the past. Bring back the vibrancy, high quality menu options and barristers.

DaniB @eatmystreet.net

One of my favorite spots in the area for a coffee. Definitely don’t miss the cakes cabinet; Nutella bombolini, lemon slice, house made muffins & more. The bright yellow door is as warm and inviting as the people who work here.

MmmmmJ

Worst takeaway coffee. Waited for 15 minutes and coffee was cold. I have not been here for years it was a favourite when I lived in the area seems to be change of management as coffee was terrible

Snowflower

Great cafe with friendly and accommodating staff. We are regulars here, and the staff do not chase us out even when we overstayed a little bit past their closing time. Appreciate the flexibility. Great coffee and ice chocolate. Will recommend.

🍀

3.5 Stars ⭐️ Saturday 3rd February 2018 at 11.30am. A pleasant cafe. Friendly staff. Service was so so quick 😁 I had the Red Chilli Scrambled Eggs - a satisfying meal. The coffee was average

Explore.Melbourne

Balwyn takes its cafe culture seriously. If you find that Balwyn is a central meeting spot for a catch up, we recommend trying out a brunch at Snow Pony at 95 Whitehorse Road, Balwyn. There are several dining spaces, including a covered courtyard – a nice, well-lit spot for a long chat. If you like these photos of the corn and zucchini fritters (with salmon, herb dressing, poached eggs) and fries, you are going to enjoy the taste of them even better – flavours of the fritters are interesting and unique. The service was attentive but be prepared to be patient if Snow Pony is packed.

Followthefoodmelbourne

Located on Whitehorse road (towards the corner of Burke) Snow Pony is in a prime location for the morning coffee drive-by. This was my second time this week getting almond lattes from here and I was very impressed! The coffee flavour was rich, sweet and strong.

Kathleen Madafferi Di Rago

We were seated straight away however, waited around 20 minutes to place an order. Coffee was terrible & tasted like dirty water... Food was okay, my poached egg may as well have been hard boiled 😟😟 Was able to fit the pram in & bought a sandwhich from home for the little one Wouldn't go back in a hurry.

Sophie Pappas

Good little cafe for the locals. Popped in as we had an appointment nearby and arrived early. Decided to have some brekkie. Average breakfast good coffee. Pleasant staff.

Natwoodhouse94

Great cafe with a wide selection of options on the menu. The smashed avocado is delicious, definitely give it a try. Service is good. Highly recommend.

Wedders

Coffee is decent but the food is average. Ordered eggs benedict (eggs medium) and it came to me at room temperature, eggs hard and with a barely noticeable amount of hollandaise sauce. Pretty ordinary.

Two Bears And A Fork

Super cute little cafe that you'd drive right passed if you weren't on a mission to go there, or a local. We were early for an appointment nearby so plonked ourselves down for a little brekky while we waited. Hubby bear had the poached eggs on toast - standard, good, eaten. I had the berry yogurt muesli type thing that was waaaaaaay to sweet for me. But I should've known, we're living in the age of the sweet tooth right now LOL! It was good, just not for me. Soy flat white was very nice. The little side-way we sat in was cozy and cute. A great spot for the locals I'd say!

Papapon

good service serving size is appropriate we ordered cheesy toast, pasta, chicken pie and big breakie:) coffee is nice and they offer bonsoy too for those that drinks soy:)

Fig Jam

Snow Pony has a well-placed location, if you would like to grab a coffee if you are in a rush. The food here was ok, until recently, when the menu was changed. Now, the eggs are runny and there is certainly nothing on the menu that looks appetising. Overall, Snow Pony is a poor place to eat, and is very inconsistent in the flow of food, although if you are in a rush you may like to pop in and buy a coffee.

Cards And Cafes

Welcome back to Cards and Cafés! I hope you are ready to join me for another food adventure around Melbourne. We were very lucky when we arrived as it was relatively quite and managed to find a nice quite spot away from other people. With that parking in the area can be a bit challenging as the street parking along Whitehorse Road can go quite quickly. We parked in the parking lot just up the road and from there it is just a short walk to a heavenly meal.....

Evelyn

Hadn't been back to Snow Pony in a while and was so impressed! The staff were lovely and even though our entertainment book voucher had expired they still gave us the discount! Will definitely be returning! The muffin of the day was pear and white chocolate and it was light, fluffy and delicious. The Bombay Eggs were INCREDIBLE and would highly recommend!

Good Food Good Mood

Ventured to Snow Pony to try their impressive looking hotcake stack I'd seen on Instagram. Not sure if it's all in the angles or zoom but the real life dish wasn't the towering delight plastered all over social media. It was still delicious though though topped with yummy berries and pistachios. My partner had the golden folded, the same dish they have an offer at their sister restaurant Friends of Mine which is super fluffy and utterly delightful. A cute spot if you are a Balwyn local but the menu is very similar to Friends so I wouldn't go out of my way to come here instead of there. Then again it's not as busy so wait time is much improved (there wasn't one).

Jani Sutisna

A very cute and nice cafe,with outdoor seatings as well. Very good service, staffs were very friendly, food also very nice..I had ham cheese tomato croissant. Very yummy. Definitely will be back soon.

S.

Came here for a late brekkie with the family for Mother's Day, from the outside it looks like your standard small cafe, but extends out the back to a lovely decking area, great atmosphere and staff are attentive and loverly! The food did take a little longer to come out, but was worth the wait, fresh, different and all cook well with good flavours! Also very good coffee!

Hungry Polar

This is a great find in Balwyn, love the banana hotcakes! Definitely their signature dish! We also had some poached eggs with dukkah. Usually packed on the weekends and might need to wait for a while.

Bertram Daniel

I had a breakfast business meeting here and although you would not think so from outside, there is plenty of room inside. As a consequence the noise level is quite loud, so we chose to sit outside under cover. The service was attentive and pleasant. We only had two meals which were both good and the coffee was excellent. Parking on the street was plentiful on a Sunday as well. All up a good experience

Feed Me

Well known local spot with new owners from end of last year making for fresh service and improved quality. Coffee ordered: Have had several takeaway coffees here. The coffee has improved since new owners took over but is more suited for the suburbs with a darker, bolder flavour. I do prefer a more subtle and balanced coffee but at least the barista is good! Ambience: The staff are great. Honestly so improved from last owners. I remember walking in last year and sitting for almost 10min without anyone coming to the table.... however more recently was greeted warmly and served promptly. Always great to see new life in an established cafe. If you live locally, there is a lot of choice, but you won't be disappointed dining at the pony.

Hello. Imnikki

Snow Pony used to be one of the coolest place to be seen and tables were always at a premium, especially on the weekends. Fast forward s few year and a gazillions new cafes later, Snow Pony has been relegated to the sidelines. The management might have changed but the menu remains the same. The famed Golden Scramble Eggs and Banana Hotcakes are still on the menu, same for the usual suspects such as smashed avo and big breakfast. It has stayed true to its origin without changing with times, and this may be the reason why customers have slowly stopped returning. There's nothing inventive or new or to attract new customers or retain the old ones. The dishes lacked that hit of flavour and that special something that leaves you wanting more. Despite losing some of its cool, the coffee is still pretty good. The Asian fellow makes a mean latte - strong and very smooth, but I'm not sure about the Asian girl so I can't vouch for her. The service is somewhat aloof, there's no genuine warmth or friendliness. Everyone is just going through the motions, and no one remembered to take our drinks order until I reminded them. However it's not all downhill from here for Snow Pony - they now take card and EFTPOS.

Gigi

Really yummy chai latte! A great place to catch up with your friends for a lazy brunch. It has both an inside and an outside sitting area - both which are lovely and buzzing. I'd go back anytime :)

Mia

I remember this cafe being so much busier about 18 months ago...may be the hyped has died out. It wasn't particularly as busy for a Saturday like how it was before. I remember waiting for a table here once. Anyways I do like the place. Service can be improved at times some staff are not that attentive. Took a while to get the menu or to poured water and check if we are ready to order. The coffee is great here still. Poached egg on smashed avo, how can you go wrong with that! Presentation is always amazing and it tastes good as well. Atmosphere of the place isn't as 'buzzing' like how I remembered. But may be if could had just been one of those quiet days

Ronnie

Ever since Bernard Salt fired shots about young people and their irresponsibility in consuming smashed avo during a housing affordability crisis, there have been mixed responses amongst the young people of Australia. Some have simply turned a blind eye, continuing to "recklessly" consume the classic brunch dish (who couldn't forgive them for doing so?). Others have become more budget conscious about how they do their smashed avo. The smashed avo at Snow Pony, which I had one Saturday afternoon, would definitely not appeal to the latter group, clocking in much closer to Salt's exaggerated costing of smashed avo, unless it really had some stand out quality to justify the cost. The serving size of the dish was generous, with a good thick layer of avo, and although the relatively smallish piece of bread made the dish look small, the ingredients were stacked up high. The mix of ingredients was what you would expect from smashed avo. Importantly, it was fresh and well presented. My only complaint about this dish, other than being a bit pricey, would be the way it was seasoned: I found my serve a bit too salty, even with the piece of lime sprinkled on top. The coffee was also good: my long black was just the way I like it. The restaurant itself wasn't extremely busy for a Saturday lunch when I went, though this might just be due to the ample seating: outside on the footpath watching the trams whiz past, inside where there was warm lighting and a calming atmosphere, and a rear courtyard for nicer weather, away from the bustle on Whitehorse Road. Service was friendly and very attentive. Overall, Snow Pony is a good local cafe to sit down and catch up with a friend or just have a nice brunch.

Gord

Has Snow Pony changed management? It's been a great local venue for quite some time - good coffee, good food and friendly staff under the latest owners. But on my last visit, yesterday, it was all as if I'd entered a different venue. The coffee was still good but the staff all seemed unfamiliar and seemingly less experienced in working in a cafe of this kind, and the food was lousy. I ordered the golden folded scrambles - a Snow Pony staple - and received a very standard scrambled eggs with a couple of dollops of chilli jam and cheese dumped on top. Within an hour of leaving my stomach was telling me that something was wrong. Hoping that this is just the Xmas holidays crew and service will return to normal in Feb. If not then that's one less local cafe to visit, and it's not like we're flush with quality options in the Balwyn area.

Theknifeandforktalk

Something just seems different... Snow Pony used to have this vibe of hustle and bustle. Busy, loud, vibrant. It just lacked that this time around. Food was average, could get the same thing from any cafe in the area possibly for a cheaper price as well. Wasn't horrible but wasn't amazing either.

Rosie

Worst experience ever! I had sand in my muesli!! I talked to the manager they gave me a refund. However, when we paid, they tried to justify themselves by saying "actually it's normal to have sand in muesli. It's part of it." I was like "what?! I had never had muesli with sand somewhere else!" Should i expect to have sand again when i have muesli?! If you have this sort of attitude, your business won't last! And i am pretty sure they have changed the management and the entire team. Any i will never ever come back! Think twice before going to snow pony!

MHW

Have been here many times, I believe the food standard and service has deteriorated through the years. Most recent experience - staff were not very friendly or caring.. bread was a little hard and dry Overall flavour was too salty and strong Oh yeah the "cash only no credit card but we have a ATM machine which charges a fee" really shows something about this store... Too many good cafes around to come back again.. tsk tsk

Jianierrrrrr

Booked a table for my friend to have brunch together through phone, nice and easy! Snow pony had seating inside and out, with red bricked wall and industry decor, and lots of sunlight. My coffee was ok. The menu items were pretty classic with few Asian infused dishes such as glass noodle salad and prawn+salmon pancakes. #golden omelet#-omelet topped on toasted bread, with soft goat cheese, chili relish and pesto. I added some ham off the bone as side. The omelet was soft, airy, the sweet chili relish and pesto added more flavors to the omelet and made it stand out. The quality of the ham was just ok. #salmon+prawn cakes#-smashed salmon+prawn mixed with potato. The only thing I can taste was the strong flavor of salmon. The creamy base sauce was pretty good though. Snow pony was a good place to go for brunch if around the suburb.

Athas

The snow pony is now under new management! Everything is changed up there, I don't really know from which way however I would like to say to my lovely customers barista "Arthur" it's over for the weekends,no more coffees with passion.. good luck to all!

T

Details: My friend showed me this gorgeous little cafe near her house not too long ago and I fell in love! It was the day after our law ball so it was the perfect hangover meal. I had the eggs benedict 😇 and we shared fries! Great size portions ♡ Decor: Traditional Melbourne style café ❤ [which means it is ridiculously cute] ☆ Service: Meal came out promptly.

Lynn.Law

Brought my mother here one Thursday afternoon after receiving good feedback from friends. The backyard seating area was lovely with a peaceful atmosphere although tables were placed a little too close together. A selection of pastries and baked goods were arranged tantalizingly in a glass cabinet mext to the cashier. Unforunately the food did not meet expectations. My pea, ricotta and quinoa fritters were nicely crunchy on the outside although doughy in the centre. The poached eggs were average and the beetroot relish was not what I expected - it was too one-dimensional in flavour, and came in mushy pieces, like chopped beetroot that had been boiled too long. I really liked the green yogurt though, it added a nice creaminess to the dish as well as an impromptu dressing for the baby shoots. The poached eggs retained a vinegary aftertaste and were slightly overdone. My mum's bacon cheeseburger looked delicious with a bronzed, well-toasted bun, but unfortunately the wagyu patty was so well-done it had become rubbery (!!) The tomato relish, like my beetroot version, was bland. The relishes could be improved to add brightness to the dishes they adorn. The bacon was way too oily. Had they been crisp this would have been less of an issue, however it sat flaccid on the dish. The shoestring fries were crispy but of the frozen supermarket kind, which was disappointing as we expected much better quality for the price of the meal. Not a coffee connoisseur but we agreed the soy latte was pretty good. Overall I don't see myself returning here anytime soon - my dish had more misses than hits and my mother was less than impressed with her burger and fries.

Spirited Stardust

They veganised the smashed avocado on gluten free bread with hummus lime and corn for me - it was lovely and filling. I also had a green ayomo juice

Karla Herschell

Every time I have been here I have thoroughly enjoyed myself and my meal. The banana bread is to die for! Lovely little place and really chocolatey hot chocolates, made as they should be!

Gdkf

Snow Pony absolutely delivered on taste and presentation!! Was super delicious, with what seems like an indian influence through some dishes. The pea, quinoa and ricotta fritters were super tasty. Their coffee was pretty spot on, despite ordering the mugs the quality was superior(in my opinion coffees often lose goodness the larger size you go). My only criticism was the group of smokers who came through the courtyard and lit up. Whilst everyone should be entitled to do what they want, that really ruined the atmosphere and brought their ratings down slightly.

"JT" Jeffrie Trika

They had it for a while .... It was a hip then a dip and a few changes later; owner/s(I think), repositioning of the Espresso machine, Menu, etc and still they have not capture it back, sadly. Pricey too.

#alwayshungry

Came in for a quick sandwich at lunch. Had the chook sandwich, nothing special. The bread was as hard as rock. It's cash only and there is an atm inside the cafe which charges a fee. This cafe is too focused on the money instead of the food/service.

Kathleen

We've been here two years ago and loved it! We came back and both ordered similar dishes to the ones we ordered two years ago. The dishes didn't taste amazing like how I remembered it to be. Nonetheless, the coffee was amazing, and if coffee is great then I'll definitely be back !

Mrs Lavender

We came here today for lunch , it's in a quiet location but pretty popular for the locals . I would love to give the credit to the staffs that they warm the tea cup before the tea serve. It's really professional and thoughtful, the cheese tart is stunning ! Super delicious. Love my mc pony , the scramble egg is good too . Looking forward to come back again to sit in their backyard when weather gets warmer. Friendly staffs and good food / cakes !

Alex

Pork belly and scallops. I think it was a ripped off for a 24 dollars/plate. 3 small square pieces maybe with the diameter of 1 to 1.5 inches. Gluey skin and not even "some" crispy. Meat considered cooked (by chef) but couldn't be chewed and "pink" in color and, also taste the "stingy" porky smell. 3 scallops were ok. Tiny bit of salad with very chunky bitter leaves and, salad dressing or sauces were a bit bitter too. Coffee Too hot. Milk not frothed properly, it was Over frothed or thick for my flat white even my friend's latte. Not even a basic coffee art there ... Service Not very good in general but some of the staff tried very hard. Can be improved in this type of beautiful cafe. I heard a lot of good things about snow pony but rather disappointed this time.

Jessie1079

Best coffee I've found in the area and staff seem lovely. Food menu doesn't do much to excite me but what I've eaten there has been nice. Down point is they don't do eftpos but have an ATM that charges $2.50 per transaction (almost as much as the coffee itself) which is frustrating and means when I don't have cash on me I don't bother going here for coffee.

Susan Rep

Cool cafe in Balwyn. Great food, great coffee and nice service. Food was out pretty quick and waiter was nice. Worth stopping bye :)

Saff Ar

Decor = 8 Food = 5 Coffee = 5 Price = 8 Service = 8 Walking into this café I thought it was rather small, but then there was more space down the corridor heading to the back as well as another room and court yard. The décor was very good and I felt comfortable being in there. I ordered the Bombay Eggs or something similar (couldn't find it on the menu on Zomato) which tasted really good (if you like the taste of different spices), but there was a big issue…the food was just not hot enough! The portion size was good and the price was reasonable. Adding to this, I ordered an almond latte and when I received it, the temperature was only lukewarm, therefore it wasn’t enjoyable and was finished within a minute. The service was good as they were efficient as well as being professional.

Mark

Snow pony is a pretty nice place for brunch but one thing I found is that the sourdough bread is always a bit tough to cut. Really just a minor thing though and otherwise a nice experience

April

Came here for lunch and the pumpkin, goats cheese, capsicum and mushroom ciabatta roll is delicious! Quick service and my only criticism is that the coffee could have been a little hotter, otherwise a lovely cafe :)

Emma Harding

Been here a couple of times. Snow Pony has excellent food & coffee! Had the "Pony's cheese & bacon burger" -which I was apprehensive about ordering- but am so glad I did. It was delicious! They also made alterations to my meal with no fuss which is a plus in my books. Will definitely be returning here soon.

Brunching

Food was great! They make very good lentil, you have to try the Bombay eggs (Divine!). Coffee was as good, overall very satisfying. The only problem is that they don't do eftpos, so cash only. Other than that, staff are friendly, it's child friendly and food is yum!

Sandranewcombe1964

used to come here all the time for the banana bread French toast. I have always loved the cafe aesthetic, and I have missed my regular visits here! I noticed there was new management, and I think they are still adjusting, however the time I went was not too busy so everything seemed to run smoothly. Will be back again next week!

JM91

I have been here many times - I feel that there is new management.. The food was good, coffee was great.. However service was a little bit slow and we had to confirm out order with the waitress multiple times..a cute place to visit if in the area

Gem

Absolutely delicious food!! Came here with mum and dad, and inside the small front section was very busy, but to our surprise there was a court yard, and a corridor leading to it with chairs and tables. We sat there, right next to the kitchen window, so we got to see all the delicious concoctions coming out. Made me want to come back and try more. Parking in the area can be quite hard, but worth the effort!

Loulou

After hearing great reviews this has been sitting on my "to eat" list for a while now and I was not disappointed. We sat in the courtyard out the back and were quickly given water and menus. The staff were efficient, even asking us if we wanted blankets to fight the cold weather. We ordered the banana bread and wagu burger - both were spectacular! The banana bread topped with berries and mascarpone wasn't sickly sweet and was of perfect portion size. The burger was also tasty, the wagu party was juicy and the burger its self was filled with bacon, however fries portion was small and thick cut chips would have been preferred. Another negative was the regular coffee size, with it being on the very small side. Will be coming back to tick off other meals on the menu though!

Johnmv888

Another great local cafe. Great coffee and a nice quiet place to have brunch. My eggs were perfect. Love the courtyard with its atmosphere. Will be back.

S M

I went there with my wife, son and a couple of friends a few weeks ago. It took a long time to get a menu and get our order taken. The food ok and so was the coffee. The music in the venue was very loud and made everyone anxious. I felt like I was having a seizure! The worst aspect of the brunch was when it came time to pay. THEY DONT ACCEPT CARD! IT'S 2016. To top it off they have a ATM machine which charges you a extra $2.50 so that you can get cash to pay. I'm sure they would be receiving rent or even a commission off each withdrawal to keep the ATM there as they know there is no ATM close by. I wont be going back.

One Piggy & A Bear

Snow Pony has been on my waiting list for as long as I can remember. Then I heard it went under new management and received quite many bad reviews which put me off a little bit. Last week hubby and I were wandering around the area and had an hour to kill so we decided to visit this place. The coffee shop offers both indoor & outdoor seatings. The side area is under cover but still receives of natural light which makes it more welcoming. However on our arrival, it was quite full so we sat inside. I wasn't too hungry and didn't feel like anything fancy, so I decided to order the Soup of the day which happened to be my favourite, Pumpkin Soup. My husband went for the Pony burger as expected 😝. The food came to our table after about 10mins, which I found quite fast considering the place was full of customers. We both enjoyed our meal very much. The Pumpkin Soup had a hint of nutmeg and was served with 2 slices of parmesan toasted sourdough. It was just exactly what I wanted to have on that day, such a comfort dish. My husband said his burger was on point. The wagyu patty was moist and nicely cooked. Every ingredient just complements each other very well. Especially the buns were not greasy. It also came with the fries and aioli dipping sauce. I was trying to steal some hubby's burger and while I was struggling cutting it with a knife (and it was because my knife skill had never been great), one of the waiters came to offer me another knife as he thought I needed a sharper one. I was very impressed of him noticing even just a small detail like that. Overall, we had a very good experience at Snow Pony. Not sure why many reviewers commented about their bad service, perhaps we were lucky, or they really improved from all the feedbacks. We will definitely be back in the future, as I really want to try out their Bombay Eggs, it looks delicious 😊.

CityWorker88

Another local-ish cafe to me that we go back time to time and is pretty distinctive with the white horse on top, so pretty hard to miss. Trying for a healthier option without any meats, processed or otherwise, I opted for a smaller folded eggs and grain toast. Pretty simple and the eggs came out nicely, with some of it still runny. Coffee here is also of a good standard and tasty.

Johnathan Yue

We used to frequent this joint a lot whenever visiting the in-laws on weekends. The past three times we've visited, they send us out in the back, which is fine. However, the music is louder than inside a night club and we didnt get any table service, despite walking up to the front counter asking nicely. The coffee was luke warm when it finally arrived. The eggs benedict was what triggered me to write this review. The English muffin was hard. The one I was at work from woolies tasted better. There was barely a splat of hollandaise sauce. Oh, here's the kicker, they didn't bother draining the poached eggs properly. The muffin was soaked with the vinegar solution used to boil the eggs. I'm sorry, but that was by far the worst breakfast I've eaten in my life. It's also very convenient that they charge a surcharge on public holidays (but you don't get any service) oh and it's a cash only joint. They do have a dodgy looking ATM upfront that conveniently charges a $2 fee. I did raise the issue with the buns being soaked in vinegar solution, but we were told that they have a new chef and this was the first poor feedback received. You have been warned.

The Brunch Club

A long time ago since i went here... but all i can remember is how amazing the smashed avocado was!!! not stingy on the avo which is important. great coffee. I really want to go back, but the comments below are not inspiring me.....

Steph A

Don't mind this place the food is delicious and the coffee is good. Although the staff seemed a bit pushy for us to leave once we had finished our meal even though the cafe wasn't busy which was pretty annoying.

Soph

I've been a regular for years, however I went last week and was so disappointed. Most of the menu had changed - I only recognised two dishes, and one of them was slightly different. The meal I had included mushrooms and potato hash. In the past, I loved how they did those ingredients, but this time they were really unenjoyable. The mushrooms had a lot of asian mushrooms through it, which is nice in general but tasted odd on toast with eggs. The normally delicious hash had been replaced with a bizarre, solid rectangle full of hard super pureed potato. I actually left half of my meal there it was so bad. I had made plans for breakfast at Snow Pony this weekend, but have already suggested a new location to my friend. It was so tasty - why would you change it?? :(

Thyxb

Used to be a regular for lunch when you needed to book a table. The service was never that great but it has deteriorated with disinterested waitstaff who don't know the menu. The food however was always good. Not anymore. We recently tried the lamb piadini and roast pumpkin (lunch menu items) and both were very disappointing. No-one asked us if we enjoyed our meals...do they care?? Wont be going back after a few substandard lunches.

MelbourneFoodie

Snow Pony is a great cafe in Balwyn perfect for a coffee, breakfast or lunch. Always delicious food with fantastic customer service. I have only ever eaten breakfast/brunch there thanks to the all-day brekkie menu and outstanding quality of the food. Be prepared to wait for a table on the weekend. Just remember to have cash with you as they have no eft.

Mike McDowell

Great breakfast menu which changes quite a bit. Service is hit and miss although the food and coffee is consistently good here. Haven't eaten here for lunch but the breakfast menu is fantastic. Can't go wrong with this place, a must visit.

Mags M

We dined here on Monday and had such a terrible experience. Our girls were giggling playfully in the near empty courtyard, mid-morning. When the owner took it upon herself to remind us that the sound of our girls giggling was 'disturbing' the other customers. Oh boy what a sad comment on our society, when the sound of children laughing is a burden to those around. We won't be returning. Parent's this is not the place to take your kids for a treat.

Duty Manager

Very disappointing. Staff were distracted and inattentive. Food was incredibly slow and really poor qualitly. Cold and looked as though it had been a 2 minute job. Our order wasn't correct and glad we got a discount for the fuss as it wasn't worth the price displayed on the menu. The coffee was quite good but i wouldn't drive out of my way to come back.

Emily

After giving up on the food here a long time ago, I stopped by to grab a small coffee and muffin to go, totalling $8.80! Adding insult to injury, the muffin - advertised as banana, pear and dark choc - literally had no banana taste, 1 bit of pear and NO dark chocolate. Last time I waste my money here.

Danni Staley

Brilliant! We have hunted around Melbourne for a great breakfast cafe and the snow pony is spot on. The service is friendly and prompt. The coffee is good quality and well made. The food is tasty with high quality ingredients and beautifully cooked and presented. If you are looking for a consistent breakfast, this is the place for you.

Sean

I have been a regular at Snow Pony. Been there over 10 times previously, but I had brunch there with friends on Sunday. It was absolutely different, the menu has changed, the food is NO longer the same. Food was NOT as nice as before, Coffees are still good. Not returning any time soon. Their Banana bread breakfast dish was not nice, the Corn Fritters and salmon was average. Giddy Up is not the same as before too. It might have been sold or changed chefs along the way. They need to buck up or will be losing a lot more customers.

Louise

Very disappointed by my visit to Snow Pony this morning. While a bottle of water was delivered to the table, glasses were not given - we could not drink the water. The waiters were also not super responsive and we had to get their attention so they would come and take our drinks order. Finally, it is extremely disappointing to visit a coffee shop that is unable to serve coffee - a tea just isn't the same. I feel that SP has gone down hill from what is used to be.

Lachlan Chan

Sat down in this dark area with not much lighting. Went on New Years Day and was busy. Didn't receive service right away which was disappointing. While they were busy it was disappointed to be ignored as we were in a dark area so easily forgotten. Definitely need to change the layout of the cafe to help with this problem. After 15 minutes we finally got some service. I ordered the wagyu beef burger while my friend ordered the corn fritters and the truffled mushrooms The wagyu beef burger came and no tomato sauce or any condiments with the shoestring fries so asked and said that they ran out. The strawberry milkshake I ordered was small and sub-standard as well. The beef patty was undercooked/raw and the flavour of the burger was very sub-standard, many places that offer better burgers. The only thing which was good with the burger was the pickles. Even the relish had a salty taste, usually sweet and the bacon too crispy for a burger, needs to be softer so can bite through. However in spite of all this the corn fritters partially saved this review. Good soft texture although could've had a bit more flavour with the sauce. Even though we had to wait an extra 15 minutes for the mushrooms my friend got a free ginger beer on the house which was quite nice. The truffle mushrooms were the real saver with fantastic flavours and good texture of the mushrooms. Excellent dish and would come back just to have that. Overall the experience was sub-standard and definitely could've received much better service. Will not come back here even though there were good truffle mushrooms as this experience was just not good enough with disappointing food and drink and plenty of alternatives to choose from!

Laurashenshaw

This was honestly the worst service I have received in Melbourne for a long time. We waited 15 minutes for menus and they then mucked up our coffee order. Both tables on either side of us also had their orders completely mucked up. And they still don't take eftpos. I know it's a busy period but if you can't offer any service then don't open.

KatMmm

Great vibe, with an extensive back country yard. The rest of the offering, service, food and coffee, was all ok. A solid cafe, with nothing especially inspiring about the menu offerings.

Tales Of Rose

Service was poor, bacon was room temperature at best. Dish was different to what was described on the menu and i couldn't eat the type of cheese they served it with instead. The true test is what happens next, and it was poorly handled, leaving a poor taste in my mouth...coffee was alright, but would only swing in for T/A at a pinch...

Kirsten

Disgraceful and extremely disappointing experience. Unfortunately went to this establishment a few days ago. Service was non-existent and very abrupt on the rare occasion we were spoken to. I tried to order a particular menu item only to be told it was "out of stock". Staff are too young and have a blatant disregard for their customers and were happy to turn away potential diners rather than accommodating their small requests. Setting is dark, dirty and uninviting. The music is blaring so much so you will leave with a headache. Food was bland and uninteresting and certainly not worth the overinflated prices they charge. Their CASH ONLY policy is totally backward for this day and age. It is not well noted or publicised so customers are aware of it. The ATM in the corner is off putting and plain ugly. Not only that, it charges a surcharge to withdraw funds. Don't waste your time with this half-assed establishment, go home and cook beans on toast, 100% more satisfying any day.

Gary

This place hasn't disappointed us. The service is great, the coffee even better, the food absolutely delicious and very friendly staff...can't ask for anything more!

Sophie

One of my favorite places in Melbourne to come for breakfast. Love the pancakes and the Bircher muesli. Coffee always great. Good work guys keep it up.

Michfish

The staff is very friendly and the coffee is not bad! I would definitely recommend the place for brunch but the food comes a bit slow. However the service make up for it, they really attend to your needs and the sandwiches is very filling and high quality

Rena Zhu

Food is served promptly & looks great! They had fantastic customer service to make sure your order was correct. Although the food is not that superb, the portions were more than enough. Beautiful in the back, overall pleasant experience.

TresHungry

One of my top spots for brunch in the suburbs. Their famous toasted banana bread lives up to its hype. I've also had a simple fare of scrambled eggs on toast, and I think I can safely say that its hands down the best version of the dish I've ever had in Melbourne. So creamy and perfectly folded and placed ever so neatly on toast. The presentation of the dishes here are faultless. The scones are also lovely and come with a cute little jar of jam. Edit: Came here recently for weekend brunch. I really enjoyed my Bombay eggs with deli dukkah, poached eggs, Dahl, spinach, pickled caulies, green yogurt + flat bread. The dahl was deliciously warming on a gloomy Melbourne day. The eggs were poached perfectly! Puncturing the white and watching the yolk ooze out into the dahl was oddly satisfying :p The only negative thing I have to say about the dish was that the flat bread was a little too greasy for my liking. I would have preferred something more similar to naan bread, or maybe even turkish bread. My dining companion ordered a grain salad with added chicken. It came at a very generous serve and the ingredients looked fresh. I spotted the mashed avo on the table next to mine and had a moment of food envy. Can't wait to come back to try that dish!

Marnie Bodin

I absolutely love the giddy up breakfast. Despite its size i always manage to finish it! Can't really comment on other items because I can never stray from my favourite. Good coffee but its a shame they don't accept credit card - definitely stops me from coming back more often because I dont always carry cash

Melbourne Foodie Lover

Been here a few times now and I can say yeah the foods okay but the service leaves little to be desired, it needs some improvement on how to treat and speak to customers

Out & About

This place was hugely disappointing, what was on the menu wasn't what we recieved, my wifes bacon came out cold (the waitress then told us they pre cook the bacon then hold it at temperature for speed reasons) then burnt. My food & long black were very good but the whole experience was well below average. We won't be returning ever. To many issues & way to many excusses.

But First Coffee...

Disappointed, Ridiculous and HUNGRY- Ordered the Dr Marty Crumpet with eggs chives and some speck. Sounded absolutely delicious - I was thinking fluffy eggs on a moist toasted crumpet and some tasty speck. So what did I get? Two plain dry crumpets a slobber of egg with chopped chives on top. like ONE egg and no more like 5 tiny match stick pieces of speck, there wasn't even enough egg to have with the two pieces of crumpet. WTF? It was so pitiful that I couldn't bring myself to take a photo of it. At least there should be 2 scrambled eggs on there and some oil or butter to dress the crumpets and for $18.50!!!!!! AND the food was luke warm! Liar Liar serves the same crumpets and for I think about $19 or $20 there's so much food on the plate that you would worry you couldn't finish it! Worst experience ever - leaving brunch hungry! I used to be a big fan, but I definitely won't be coming back again or telling any of my friends to go! There's so many better cafes now that serve reasonable servings for what you pay...I might add - the new cafe next door looks great - would be going there instead if I'm in the area.

Micka

I'd like to like Snowpony. But the service is dreadful. I sat there for ten minutes and no one offered me a menu or asked if I wanted a coffee. Not the first time either. So, I walked. There are plenty of places where the coffee is at least as good and where the service is much better.

JCK

Have been here dozens of times and it has always been great, but it has definitely gone downhill. A couple of weeks ago we headed there again for brekky on a Saturday morning. I was seated and waited for friends to arrive. Water glasses and half empty bottle of water from previous customers were not removed, but instead 2 further glasses were put on the table. Menus were torn and barely hanging together, and stained. The food was, as always, very good, except that I only received 1 egg and was told that another would be coming! The same old problem with payment. I can sort of understand no split bills, but cash only? This is the 21st century, and to add insult there is an ATM in the corner of the cafe to enable you to get cash. When we said that the cash only policy was not customer friendly, staff were very rude and defensive. I asked if there had been a change of management and was told there hadn't, but I'm not convinced. Won't be going back. Suggest you walk a little further up the road to Scarvelli which was lovely!

Joshua Wu

Been going here for a feed the last few years. Now under new management it has definitely improved and staff is better than before. Food and coffee was fantastic as always.

SW

I went to this place a while ago but still remember about how great the food are. Really enjoy it and the atmosphere is good for a Sunday chill with friends. Will definitely come back if i am around the area

Dkaylah

Won't return here service was pretty poor right from the start, I had the shashed advocado with poached egg, mushrooms & salmon which came out cold & tasted pretty awful. Expensive breakfast for food that was bloody terrible. Definitely won't return here.

Tzi-Eu

A bit overpriced, food portion is small and somewhat not that special. I ordered chilli scrambled eggs and it wasn't very filling. Taste wise is not a wow, but acceptable. The coffee is not bad though. However, the Italian restaurant next door makes extremely delicious croissants but they don't make many so you'll have to try your luck.

Torie Ryan

Delicious brekky here with a friend. Coffee was superb and strong enough without bowling you over. Meals were delicious and looked excellent however my haricot beans with gruyere and a hash brown came minus the poached egg I added and with bits of bacon in it that were not listed on the menu. I'm a vegetarian but couldn't be bothered with the fuss so just ate it, however, I'm sure many vegetarians would have sent the dish back (and wasted the delicious food!). They don't take card but there is an ATM on site. Would have got 5 stars otherwise.

The Cravings Never Stop.

Nestled in the heart of Balwyn, we have one of the worst kept secrets – Snow Pony. Easily found, especially with the scary looking white horse on top of cafe, you are welcomed into a small chic cafe. Having great experiences here in the past I had to come back, especially after finding out that it’s ‘changed’ in some way with the locals.

Helen

This is a beautiful place to have brunch , the croissant I recommand and I love the coffee better than any other place. Enjoy the sunshine at the back garden with high quality food and coffee, that would be the best time in the life.

Matty T

My fiance went out to Snow Pony this morning and brought home for me this stunning pistachio cupcake! Snow Pony have gone to tremendous effort here with the freeze-dried raspberry on top. But it doesn't stop there - with fresh raspberries in the soft and delicate pistachio sponge topped off with a sensational vanilla creme. Yummo!!!

JA

I came into snow pony today to get a take away coffee with a friend. I ordered a long Mac and unfortunately it was so bitter and therefore undrinkable, such a shame because they use Allpress (my favorite coffee). I work in a cafe myself where we sell Allpress and just thought I'd pass on some constructive criticism - please adjust your grinder or machine guys!

Svdh

Fairly overpriced for the serving size. I ordered the banana bread, which was overpriced and didn't even fill me up. Quite disappointing.....

LittleMsEden

I visit Snow Pony quite often because it's close to me and is one of the best cafes in Melbourne. I love sitting at the pathway inside, bright and beautiful, like having breakfast in the middle of a garden. The staffs are extremely friendly, which is a definite plus. Now for food, this avo smash is my favorite. I don't really eat meat so this is the perfect breakfast for me. The best part of this is the hint of chili jam that matches the avocado perfectly and gives it a special flavor.

Gengi Jay

I was recently at Snow Pony which was an old favourite of mine but not anymore! This used to be the BEST place around for a great feed 2-3 years ago, but in the last few months ive noticed no resemblence to the cafe that I used to love. Average food, overpriced, TERRIBLE service with staff only interested in enteraining eachother and you would think after 5 years they would have stepped out of the dark ages and installed an eftpos machine! But no, they STILL insist on cash only and have actually now installed an ATM in the the cafe..what the hell!!! I can't think of any other reason they would install an atm instead of an eftpos machine then tax evasion and dodgy dealings. Definetely save your self some time and don't bother with this one anymore! There are a couple of great cafes down the road.

Emily

Good service, good food, good coffee.. Lovely decor and reasonably priced!! Had the smashed avo, with a poached egg.. Yummy! Nothing outstanding but it's still a great little cafe!!!

Little.miss

Much like its sister restaurant, porgie and mr jones it never fails to deliver the classic brunch dish- smashed avacado with thyme buttered mushrooms. Would stay clear from their fried chicken though. Stick to the classics and you'll be happy. Also, consider the banana bread

Delightfullytasty

Snow Pony is a popular cafe in Balwyn, easily accessible by tram 109. The cafe is probably most well known for its toasted banana bread with a berry compote and topped with pistachios, which I had on my first visit here. The atmosphere was quite lively as it was very busy when we went on a Saturday morning, with upbeat music also playing in the background.

Big Jim

Living in Deepdene now for 8 years the biggest disappointment is the decline in this cafe. The attitude of the staff is borderline rude. Now the food has gone the same direction. Sorry guys we keep walking now when previously I would have spent $60 on breakfast weekly...

ManjaManja

Working in Deepdene I've been going to Snow Pony since it has opened. The first few years, this cafe was the bomb and the queues out the door speaked for themselves. However over these past few years Snow Pony has steadily become delusional with the way they operate this establishment . Decided to have lunch today and had to wait atleast 15 min just to get a menu as all staff were just standing behind the counter gas bagging and absolutely showing no interest in the customers. Avo smashed arrived and while it looked nicely presented it arrived with a poached egg which we never asked for and the serving was clearly not worth $19++ I'm not sure if management has changed as the food menu is not the same and there seems to be a few changes that don't make sense. Still no eftpos machine but now Atm machine in a middle of a cafe? WTF?? Who does that. . C'mon not fair on us patrons in order for the owners to hide some tax free money. Anyway rant over.. Don't bother. . Heaps of better cafes in the area!

TheSkinnyFoodie

Love the decor. Super cute & cosy! The brekki and coffee was up to the typical standard expected in Melbourne! Would go back again if I was in the area.

Biscuit Musca

Great coffee and food. Wish they have more cakes selection, and allow eftpos rather than put an atm machine inside. Service was ok. Had red velvet lamington and Nutella donuts, they taste so good.

RordonGamsay

Food is getting worse and worse, with the menu so different from its glory days. The only thing consistent about this place is the service. Every time I come I have to wait ages to be seated, and not because the restaurant is busy, simply because the staff are inattentive! After finally being seated I am usually forgotten about for at least 20 minutes, unless I grab a waiter or waitress to tend to my order. The only reason I continue to come is because of the coffee.

Hip_brunswick_gal69

I have been coming to Snow Pony for around 3 years and have noticed the staff becoming progressively ruder, and after this experience I will not be returning. The man who appears to be in charge comes across as thinking he is above his paying customers and is extremely unfriendly. After ordering poached eggs with sides of roast tomato and a hash brown, I received poached eggs with half a roast tomato (which cost $4) and half a plate full of mushrooms but no hash brown. After letting the staff know about the mistake, a hash brown was finally brought out, however sadly it was not worth the wait. The toast I got was very hard and one piece was the same size as the half roast tomato. Very disappointing. Say No Pony to Snow Pony

Sam

This cafe is interesting. It has some great food and the coffee is fantastic, but the service and friendliness of the staff is terrible. Walked up to the counter and was meet with a 'What do you want?' The young girl has no manners and really needs to work on her people skills. She served me both my coffee and lunch, slammed it down on the table while talking to someone behind the counter. Seriously bad attitude, and not just the one time, I used to be a regular and this was the case daily. The barista is nice and seems to be the only one that cares about customer service. Really disappointing, if the management fixed this, it would be a really highly recommended spot!

Paulfoodie

Ordinary. Hasn't really changed since our last visit. The place looks nice but the staff don't look happy. Very cold service. Bacon in the muffin was dry. Must say I half expected it coz I saw a tray of baked dry looking bacon rashers sitting on the kitchen bench as I walked past. Pan breakfast was really just a dry chorizo with 2 fried eggs, a bit of vegetables and some cheese. Cash only policy is a bit backward these days.

Brod Asakura

The dark front of house is matched with a surprisingly smooth yet clearly dark and full bodied brew of allpress supremo. Or you could step in the back where you'll find, in stark contrast, a quaint light-hearted alleyway of small tables under natural lighting. The counter top houses some tasty looking pastry and an assortment of biscuits and lollies for the kids. Having not much time I had a pre made blt slider which was delicious, and despite the other reviews, coming in on a Thursday morning I found the staff pleasant and attentive. It is, cash only. In the end, I judge a Cafe on it's coffee, and to that, I will be back for some more.

Jess Z

Snow Pony on Whitehorse Road. Even the name seems to be as thoughtful as this little place that serves a perfect range of breakfast. A great little place, always busy and loud with conversations happening all round. The smashed avo is good, but the giddy-up is the winner. I also love the pony pan breakfast. The banana bread is also delicious! If you go as a group, you can probably sure one after a main. The coffee here is great, although sometimes it is a wait. Last time, we'd almost finished our meals by the time our coffees were served. The coffees are always artistically and beautifully presented...I'm waiting for the day they start doing pony latte art. :)

Amy

The majority of previous reviews said the food was good and service was bad, thought I'd give it a try anyway for the food. The service really was quite poor, no one bothered to come take our order. I had to go to the counter to grab someone and when the "waiter" (if such a term can be used) came, he treated me like I owed him something. The order itself came quickly enough and the food WAS quite nice. I had the "Giddy up" (mushrooms, bacon, roasted tomatoes, smashed avo and poached eggs on sourdough) with a side of the Basil & Parmesan hash brown and a croissant. The Giddy up was very tasty, elements were cooked well. The hash brown was nice and crunchy and the croissant was obviously freshly made because it was light and buttery, with that perfect light crunch when you bite into it. I wouldn't come back due to the poor service as you can easily find equally delicious food elsewhere with good service. Well done for the food tho!

Keeper89

Food was really yum I had the open lamb sandwich, would recommend it. Shame it took 10mins to get seated and then another 30mins to get served.

Shing Lau

1. Pony pan- greasy sausage/ strong smell/ very salty, greasy eggs. 2. Mc pony- muffin was so flat and hard ,scrambled eggs so dry / over cooked /not creamy at all, bacon again so greasy. 3. Basil hash brown- doesn't taste great, asked for some catch up- catch up taste like watery spaghetti sauce which made the hash brown taste worse. 4. Coffee- large amount of coffee dregs 5.Will never return to this cafe again, I felt like vomiting afterwards.

Stephmas

Didn't think the cafe lived up to its hype as the food was just as good as any generic cafe. I ordered the Giddy Up, poached eggs and avo were nice but there was way too much mushroom overpowering the dish. The service was good but wasn't overly busy when I went. Also not a fan of places that take cash only.

The Dreamer

Snow Pony's chefs make everything in their own kitchen using as much organic, free range and local produce as possible. And for $16.90 I loved my organic fresh oj served in an amber glass bottle and bircher muesli, in a cute Bonne Maman jar.

Racheldavis

Good food, bad service. The first time I came here the staff forgot our order. We ordered coffees and food. The coffees came and after about 45 minutes of waiting some finally came up to us (this is after a group of about 3 staff were blatantly discussing our table between themselves, pointing and talking) the person who took our order said - are you waiting for anything else? So we said - yes the food order you took. He had no clue, he tried to convince us that we hadn't ordered anything with him and he said he took no order from the table, even though he wrote it down. He seemed a bit dazed, maybe he'd had a big one the night before because he was obviously not with it. We finally got our food and we ordered one more coffee, it didn't arrive so when they collected our plates, we told them and they made us a takeaway coffee for free. Fair enough. The second time I came here (we came back as the food was good the first time and we thought we'd give it a second chance) I ordered the 'creamy dreamy' scrambled egg and bacon muffin with tomato relish. It was terrible, flat and hard like someone had left it in the toaster for too long and forgotten about it, the eggs were so dry and far from creamy or dreamy. We didn't say anything as the other food was good, we just paid and left. The third time we came (we were passing by and were really hungry) we waited 10 minutes at the 'wait here to be seated' sign and several people walked past and looked at us but no one came, so we left. We came back for the fourth time today (we had a voucher for money off so thought we would use it as we were passing through Balwyn) the same thing happened, we waited at the sign and four members of staff saw us and carried on doing what they were doing. I get that they were busy but no one even acknowledged us. So eventually I got someone's attention and she was rude and dismissive. She took our food order once we were seated and continued to be rude and dismissive. She also seemed out of it and super confused. Perhaps she'd been getting stoned out the back before her shift as she has no idea what was going on. There was one girl who was really nice (long brown hair) but that was it. The food was good but be going back because of the service, we've given it enough chances now. -----31 May, 2015----- Good food, bad service. The first time I came here the staff forgot our order. We ordered coffees and food. The coffees came and after about 45 minutes of waiting some finally came up to us (this is after a group of about 3 staff were blatantly discussing our table between themselves, pointing and talking) the person who took our order said - are you waiting for anything else? So we said - yes the food order you took. He had no clue, he tried to convince us that we hadn't ordered anything with him and he said he took no order from the table, even though he wrote it down. He seemed a bit dazed, maybe he'd had a big one the night before because he was obviously not with it. We finally got our food and we ordered one more coffee, it didn't arrive so when they collected our plates, we told them and they made us a takeaway coffee for free. Fair enough. The second time I came here (we came back as the food was good the first time and we thought we'd give it a second chance) I ordered the 'creamy dreamy' scrambled egg and bacon muffin with tomato relish. It was terrible, flat and hard like someone had left it in the toaster for too long and forgotten about it, the eggs were so dry and far from creamy or dreamy. We didn't say anything as the other food was good, we just paid and left. The third time we came (we were passing by and were really hungry) we waited 10 minutes at the 'wait here to be seated' sign and several people walked past and looked at us but no one came, so we left. We came back for the fourth time today (we had a voucher for money off so thought we would use it as we were passing through Balwyn) the same thing happened, we waited at the sign and four members of staff saw us and carried on doing what they were doing. I get that they were busy but no one even acknowledged us. So eventually I got someone's attention and she was rude and dismissive. She took our food order once we were seated and continued to be rude and dismissive. She also seemed out of it and super confused. Perhaps she'd been getting stoned out the back before her shift as she has no idea what was going on. There was one girl who was really nice (long brown hair) but that was it.

Kezza

Arrogant staff....never again!!. Went into buy a simple take away coffee...Never again!! Very arrogant, rude staff....took my order and that' s it!!! No conversation..too busy talking amongst themselves discussing who chose the loud banging music!! Think these waitressing , barista people forget that without customers, they wouldn't have a job!! Try elsewhere...save yourself your time!

Perpetuity Of Food

Every time I visit Snow Pony I simply can't go past their folded eggs. They are always cooked to perfection, complemented by just the right amount of fresh herbs. I ordered the eggs as part of the Giddy Up breakfast, and the other elements of the dish did not disappoint. It was, however, disappointing to see that the Bang Bang Eggs no longer feature on the menu. On a side note, it is best to avoid using the bathroom on premises.

KathK

I like the Snow Pony menu and courtyard, but had to change plans today because I forgot they don't do EFTPOS and couldn't find an ATM near by. Good thing there's another nice cafe close by.

Gretchs

Disappointing experience. Very disappointing , nothing special. Service good. Toilet disgusting , water or whatever on the floor old and generally unclean . I have never been to a cafe/ restaurant before which insists only on cash payments. Would not go back, lots of hype, not sure why. Food average, not presented well at all. Such a shame, was expecting good things from a well regarded place such as this. Unfortunately I will not be returning!

Cheezles

OK Food Does Not Make Up For Poor Service. Had the displeasure of dealing with 4 staff at Snow Pony, 3 of which were just plain rude. The attitude the barista came to our table with after a mistake YOUR WAITER made left me gobsmacked.

Unimpressed

Poor service, bad smell, smoke-filled courtyard, rude staff and they only accept cash. Among the very worst I have experienced.

Jakes A Hun

Cash only?. Used to love going to snow pony regularly, however the fact that it's cash only just for them to avoid tax is extremely annoying for customers. not like they care. scarvelli up the road is a much nicer, friendlier, cheaper place. and they take card. and snow pony putting an ATM in their cafe is just stupid.

Lisa

Below average service and food. The wait staff were rude and made no apology when they got both mine and my partner's coffee orders wrong. They didn't even offer to remake the coffees. My scrambled eggs were rubbery and tasted like they had been cooked in an unwashed pan (a mix of indistinguishable flavours). I told the waitress when she took my plate and she just shrugged. What's worse is that I emailed the restaurant with this feedback and they never responded. I understand mistakes happen, but neither the wait staff or back office took any accountability.

Omnomnom

Love the Giddy Up. Recommend the Giddy Up breakfast.

Xaviernatacha

Amazing breakfast. I have to say that I read all the negative reviews and I was a little apprehensive about going here for breakfast. I was pleasantly surprised and extremely happy that they were all wrong!! The service was awesome and the food came out really quickly and it was really delicious! We had our 3 yr old with us and he really enjoyed his pistachio cupcake!!!

Davidlees28

Average food, ridiculously horrible service. The waiters here are kings of the earth. Arrogant and proud without a care for patrons. How this establishment is still in business is beyond me.

Tedsmail

Rude and arrogant staff - how is this place still in business?. This place is full of either extremely arrogant staff or they are completely just too stupid to know it. The staff don't care, tell you to wait, and never come back to you unless you chase them down. Good quote for this one, "When someone dies, everyone around them suffers and they are oblivious. It's the same when you are stupid. By Unknown"

Lokiesk

Rude and pompous male. Came and asked to be seated for 3 plus dog. The big arrogant male said 5-10 mins. 30 minutes player, this same big, arrogant and pompous male said you just need to wait. Dont know how long it will be. Theres nothing wrong with what he said, its howhe said it. Like he doesnt need customers. Rude and arrogant, the guy looks like the typical high school drop out who thinks going to the gym makes up for his lack of intelligence and below average iq. Will never go back to this below average cafe.

Vicisatwok

Rude and pompous male. Came and asked to be seated for 3 plus dog. The big arrogant male said 5-10 mins. 30 minutes player, this same big, arrogant and pompous male said you just need to wait. Dont know how long it will be. Theres nothing wrong with what he said, its howhe said it. Like he doesnt need customers. Rude and arrogant, the guy looks like the typical high school drop out who thinks going to the gym makes up for his lack of intelligence and below average iq. Will never go back to this below average cafe.

Stephanie Marii

Pleasant Breakfast. Had breakfast here this morning, couldn't fault the experience. Coffee order taken straight away, and then we were asked a couple of times if we were ready to order before we had made up our minds. Due to allergy to nuts, my friend had to ask about a number of items on the menu - but the waitress was lovely and very helpful! Reasonably priced for a breakfast in Melbourne! Will definitely be back!

Snow Crab Nebula

I have wanted to try the coffee at Snow Pony for quite some time. It gets quite high praise for its hot drinks and pastries so I thought I would stop by for a quick morning coffee. So, it was OK I guess, not amazing. First, the coffee. There isn't a photo because it wasn't worth it - there was no crema and so it just looked like a black puddle. Crema is one of my favourite parts of the coffee experience, and a long black without any suggests that the crew manning the coffee machine was just too overworked. Not to mention it took ages to arrive, although I guess the place was pretty full.The flavour was up there though, so I would definitely like to check it out again sometime. Or at least I would have, but for the pastry. So, I get that in cafe math, a pastry is automatically $4.50+. That's fine. It should cost more than my coffee. However, when it is the size of a postage stamp and tastes like... nothing, that's just criminal. Anyway, if I happen to be passing by I might stop for another coffee. Otherwise, no dice.

ByTheSpoonful

Today the boy and I dropped in for a meal as a long time visitor, first time blogger. It's easy to spot Snow Pony by the giant white horse and the yellow door. Unlike my previous visits (maybe because it was almost 1:30pm by the time we arrived), we didn't have to wait long and we were seated straight away.

Francesca Distefano

You could potentially miss this little cafe, hidden on a modest strip of shops and offices on (fittingly) Whitehorse Road. The only real indicator of its existence is a giant sign in the shape of a horse, which we could assume is the Snow Pony. Snow Pony, created by Mr Jones, is apart of the same herd as Porgie Mr Jones in Hawthorn and Friends of Mine in Richmond, and whilst its menu shares the same DNA, Snow Pony still has a sense of individuality. Mum had already been to this cafe once before, and had really enjoyed the coffee, so we decided to head on down to grab some breakfast. The space has at least three very different seating areas - a modern seating area in the front room, with a long communal table, a converted outdoor passage, where you can enjoy the feeling of being outside without being affected by the elements, and an outdoor courtyard out the back. And, despite it's secret location, Snow Pony needs all the seating it can get. We arrived at around 9am on a Wednesday, and

A Chronicle Of Gastronomy

The mushrooms were balanced well with the thyme, which wasn’t too overpowering, and the acidity from the lemon juice and feta helped cut through the heaviness of the avocado.

Melissating

I've always wanted to have brunch at Snow Pony, Balwyn after hearing and reading good reviews regarding the food. There was no doubt that it was a very popular spot, as we had to queue for about twenty minutes in the cold before we eventually got a table. Here's the mandatory shot of my hot chocolate (I swear I am accumulating enough photos of hot chocolate to publish a photo book). My choice for the morning was the 'Giddy Up', a beautiful medley of brunch essentials - poached eggs, slow-roasted tomatoes, smashed avocado, buttery mushrooms and double smoked bacon, all resting on a slice of toasted bread. The dish tasted as good as it looked. What set it apart from other similar brunches I had was the bacon. Oh, the bacon. Its smokiness just made it that little bit more indulgent. A lot of reviews on Urbanspoon raised concerns about their customer service, but I didn't encounter any problems during my time there. I would see how the cash only policy would be an inconvenience, though.

Good Food, Good Mood

I've had a lot of big breakfasts in my time, and this has got to be one of the FRESHEST I've ever eaten!!!!!!!!! The serving of smashed avocado was too large, I would have much prefered a bigger serving of the mushrooms because they were delish! The organic toast was a bit too tough for my liking, I couldn't even cut it with my knife so I wasn't sure how my teeth would handle it.

Flho

Service was good, the only small downside was that we had one menu for the four of us so we did take a while to order.

Confessions Of A Little Piggy

Let's see, where's Snow Pony ? .... on Whitehorse Road of course ! Very clever. This cute little hipster cafe just so happens to reside in the suburb of Balwyn, somewhere I would have never guessed it to be. We arrived at 2.50pm, and according to the menus, just in the knick of time before the kitchen closed. We were warmly welcomed by a trendy waitress alongside the heavenly aromas of coffee brewing. We requested to sit in the courtyard, in which the waitress happily led us to. As soon as we were seated, she asked for our coffee orders. No more than 5 minutes later, my skinny flat white was sitting perfectly before me. Coffee in hand, I was ready to get my piggy on. My eyes went straight to the 'Snow Pony Classics,' and straightway, I decided I wanted to smash some smashed avocados. Smashed avocado with thyme buttered mushroom , marinated feta torn basil on wholegrain toast with poached egg This dish of awesomeness did not fall short of the high expectations I had. The wholegrain t

Joanna Chan

Snow Pony may be a bit of a hike from home but it’s warm and inviting and will always come to mind if I find myself journeying out eastwards.

Naomi0886

Because it’s smaller in size, it feels cozy and the service is quick. The stand out here for me was the coffee...

Miss Sage Sugar

Now this cafe certainly has had mixed reviews... some people love it while others were not happy at all. So today I thought I would see for myself what Snow Pony is actually like.

RebeccaW3534

The service was ok, but I didn’t find it as outstanding as I have done at FoM. The fact that we were initially seated out in the freezing cold was probably in the forefront of my mind when forming this opinion though! All the food was great and the menu was very similar to FoM (although maybe not as extensive). I love that they source local and organic produce and that their eggs are ‘from happy chickens’ (cute!!).

Melina Han

My Piadini was delicious, Smoky scorza cheese melted into slices of pork belly and fennel sausages with spinach, chutney and some chilli flakes to add a kick.

E L I Z A B E T H A N N

... food is decent and the coffee consistent, the decor is cosy and there is an outdoor courtyard area perfect for summer. The one major minus is that it is cash-only, but as there is a service station right opposite with an ATM it is not a massive hassle. But some technological advancement would be good. Also highly recommend the McPony ($4.90) with egg, ham, and cheese, which is like a McMuffin really, but fancier.

Brunch Addict

Walking into Snow Pony, you may find yourself a little confused – in a good way. The street itself has a prominent business-park theme, with a lot of grey coloured structures and industrial workshops. Once inside, it’s like you have been transported into a cool inner city cafe. The décor comprises of a dark wood theme which runs throughout the cafe, highlighted by carefully positioned light fixtures. There are even paintings on the wall to give some much needed culture. On the weekend the place is buzzing with people and their chitter chatter.

Expensive Delicious Habit.

It's the sister to Porgie and Mr Jones in Hawthorn, which I always enjoy. Hello, good coffee! I was relieved when we got a park right out the front and were immediately seated, as I needed a caffeine injection pronto.

Eve

Snow Pony is one of quirky little brunch places you find in the suburbs among a generally quiet dead area. We stepped inside and there were no tables available, so we sat in the middle of the restaurant in a bar type area. By the time my coffee arrived, a table had become free so we were kindly moved across by our waitress. It happened to be the first table near the door (don’t sit here on a cold winters day), every time the door opened, I felt an uncomfortable chill of wind. Now I can’t remember whether I order poached eggs with bacon and had an extra side of smoked salmon added, or whether the dish was poached eggs with smoked salmon, but this is how it looked: Poached eggs with smoked salmon The meal was beautifully presented and nice but probably one of my less memorable brunch meals. I probably won’t make an effort to come back here, it was nothing special. Service 9/10 Food 7/10 Ambience ad 9/10

MissyNess

Overall I was very happy with Snow Pony. I would give it a 14/20, I also had 25% off from the Entertainment Book which made it even better! Thumbs up from me, and if you are in the area, definitely check this place out!

One Fat Cow

Snow Pony is my favourite breakfast cafe and I dream all week about the 'Smashed avocado with thyme buttered mushrooms, marinated feta + torn basil on wholegrain toast with a poached egg'. My mouth is watering now..

Syqia3

A most excellent and satisfying brunch. Will be back for a more detailed perusal of the menu when my mind is a little less distracted!

Kish Kish

I’m more into chocolate than orange. So this one would get my vote and a re-order.

The World Loves Melbourne

Other breakfast options are amazing! ‘Bang Bang’ eggs - poached on toasted grain bread w/ fresh spinach, roasted pepper salad, hazelnut dukkah is almost a health option! An absolute winner for those not wanting a big fry up!

WTYT

another nice, chill place – and due to the suburban location, slightly closer to home than the other brunch places:) food wise, not bad! i ordered the classic banana bread – yinan said that the one i got was miles smaller than her serving a few weeks ago though=[ SNOW PONY WHY U NO GIVE ME SAME SERVING??

Hold The Peas

It may have only been small but it was packed with flavour and I really enjoyed it.

William Fam

As soon as we sat down we were greeted by a smiling waitress who quickly took our drink orders as she gave us the breakfast menu.

Peach-Water

Of course there’s no way in hell that I would travel all the way to my usual brunch places like in the city for breakfast, so I decided to choose something locally…. And yup…if you want something hip, trendy and good food, then count on the owners of Friends of Mine, Porgie + Mr Jones! They now have Snow Pony in the Eastern suburbs:D Which is only a few suburbs away from where I live!

The Bake-a-nista

The boyfriend opted for the Mc' Pony – English muffin stuffed with ham off the bone, emmental cheese and creamy dreamy scrambles.

IronEaters

Snow Pony is a popular brunch spot that doesn't take reservations (because they clearly don't need to - hopping busy all the time), we had to wait about 20 minutes before snagging a table out in their little covered courtyard. It was a GORGEOUS day so the spot we had was really awesomesauce.

CC11

This was rather good. The banana bread was a touch crumbly but that didn't matter much as you just scoop it up along with the mascarpone and tart berry compote. It is overall, on the sweet side.

Katherine Chiu

It is on my way to Box Hill from the city. I was going to Box Hill for the Japan Festival and needed a coffee on the way. So I decided to visit Snow Pony for takeaway coffee and the so called McPony (by the way I was starving). The McPony is a breakfast muffin just like the Bacon and Egg McMuffin except it is bigger and fresher (it was made freshly with organic eggs and they even put a little bit of chives in there which I love) They are a small cafe so they are hard to spot. And yes it is in between two stops on the route 109 (stop: 43 and 44). Despite that they have seating outside and inside. They are a dog friendly cafe. They were busy at 11.20am so my coffee and McPony took a while to come. Altogether I paid about $8.40. Whilst waiting I went to the bathroom which is out the back. They do have an offer of 25% off the total bill in the Entertainment book and the Meld Book (Mondays-Fridays only). Service was pretty quick and the staff was friendly with a smile. The McPony was really

Gastrology

Snow Pony is a trendy little café in Balwyn. The menu features brunch and lunch items alongside a few sweets (of particular note is their famous banana bread with coffee mascarpone and crushed pistachios). Spiced roasted cauliflower, chickpeas and organic quinoa salad with almonds and feta Slow cooked shoulder of lamb with carrot and mint salad, harissa dressing, grilled flatbread While the food is generally of a good standard, the service can range from friendly to downright rude which is a real pity.

Fanny Njo

...all signs pointed to the toasted banana bread…. and just looking at it makes me drool!

Sweet And Sour Fork

The crisp, salty rashers of bacon were the highlight, but it would be remiss of me not to mention the creamy avocado mash and plump grilled mushrooms. And just look at the way those eggs oozed.

Eat.Play.Shop.

...A comforting arrangement of ham off the bone, emmental cheese, and "creamy dreamy scrambles" between 2 perfectly toasted english muffins, this was very pleasant.

Moving

I went with a big brekkie, the ‘Giddy Up’. It was well cooked, well seasoned and, although a tad oily, really hit the spot.

Ichigo Shortcake

Coffee wasn't the best I've had in Melbourne, although it was by no means bad. I would return just for the environment and friendly staff which makes up half of the experience at any restaurant or cafe I think. The food was also fantastic, although with a few tiny tweaks, it could become something even greater.

Al' The Picky EAter

Rating: Yummy. No doubt a local favourite around Balwyn...

Petit Miamx

Snow Pony is the offspring from the owners of Porgie & Mr Jones and offers a very similar menu. The cafe is modern and bright with the pendant lights hanging, which all the Melbourne restaurants and cafes seem to be loving at the moment. They also have a courtyard out back which would be great for the warmer months. My friends who live in the area have recommended this cafe for brunch and I couldn't help but give it try myself. My breakfast was basically a big breakfast and was a very large portion - so big that I kept unloading more and more onto Mr A's plate. The scrambled eggs were still slightly runny and had a creamy consistency which was good. The addition of smashed avocado, tomatoes and mushrooms were fresh and tasty however I would have liked my bacon more crispy and with all the elements on top of the bread, it became soft and almost soggy. Giddy Up – scrambled eggs, bacon, slow roasted tomato, avocado + thyme buttered mushies Mr A went for the simple scrambled eggs with fres

Ashley

Hmm, Golden Palomino a few weeks ago and Snow Pony today, go figure. But hey, I love them both. Mum's really been in the mood for cafe's for lunch lately, so naturally I was more than happy to accommodate her with her ideas. We both had a make-up thing on

Kencarshapiro

Five friends out for lunch. Attentive staff and lovely food served today. To top things off we had 4 serves of cake brought to our table free of charge. Never had that happen before. I'll definitely come back and recommend Snow Pony to others.

FoodieLover

Thought it was gonna be better.... I thought I'd love this place and whilst it looks great, the service was average. We had to catch the staff in order to order our meals and to have a second lot of drinks. Plus its hard to tell who the staff are! The food was beautiful, an absolute joy to eat - but it was a little pricey...

Foodie

WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO SNOW PONY??!! Came here at 11:30 on a Saturday and to our surprise it was quiet and now we know why. My fiancé and I walked in and was pretty much ignored until we asked for a table for 2. No one behind the counter or any of the wait staff acknowledged us at all. Everyone was just trying to walk around looking busy doing nothing. We finally sat down and the waiter didn't ask for our coffee order and just kind of left us there. Whilst sitting there we noticed other tables were either waiting for their orders to be taken or waiting for food to be served. We also saw 3-4 plates of food just sitting at the kitchen counter waiting to be taken out to customers. No one came over to take our order, the table we were at wasn't even wiped down with crumbs everywhere. In the end we just walked out. I can't stress enough how quiet it was with more than enough staff working. This use to be our go to place, the staff use to be so friendly and attentive but now they just don't give a s***!! Goodbye Snow Pony, the time we had together was great but I think it's time to end our relationship and just so you know it's you not me!

C Jane

We went on a Saturday morning around 9:30 and got a table as soon as we arrived. The morning went down hill from there. Terrible service. We waited 20 minutes for them to take our order. My tea arrived with no milk so that took another 10 minutes to arrive. It was over priced for the food that was served. Upon fixing the bill, we were ignored for a good minute before the lady at the register decided to grace us with her attention.

Jospp

Too busy!!. WAY TOO BUSY!! Cant move around without running into someone else!

Scarlet39

Waited too long for our meal very overrated staff didn't seem to care, ask how I wanted my steak cooked I said medium we waited a while for a meal after i thought fair enough it will take a while too cook it came out basically blue after 40mins disgusting. I let the staff know they did offer me a free drink but didn't really seem to care. Dont go here is my advice waste of time and money!!!!!!

Unravelled

Bored, so wouldn't return. Thoroughly confused about the long waits for this brunch spot. The cuisine is very standard and the service quite abrupt. We waited 45 mins for a table, my meal was extremely small and expensive for the amount given. There was nothing on the menu that couldn't have been executed elsewhere to the same or better standards. Disappointing.

Memphis

Don't believe the hype. Great atmosphere, but the food is average for this style of cafe. The wait staff are reasonable, but a cash only policy is unacceptable these days.

Chow Chow Eats

If you're after a standard breakfast, then Snow Pony will be fine. If you're after something you can't make yourself at home, then I wouldn't recommend it. Overall, food was good but the service definitely needs improvement. Had to ask for our latte three times, with no apologies and still didn't arrive. Ended up canceling the latte and going elsewhere.

A M

Overall nice place, good food and fast service however to be cash only is not only inconvient but a deterrent (we had to drive to an atm after discovering this)

Panddsmith692008

Very disappointed. I went there as my usual cafe was closed over Christmas break. I heard good things about it. Ordered two cappuccinos to have in. Coffees served 10 minutes apart, in small glasses, the standard of the coffee okay comparable to a McCafe coffee!! No cold or chilled water available to have with coffee. Also had a muffin, small, overpriced and very dry. Very disappointing experience. , First and last time,

Liv

Banana Bread. So delicious and not too sweet

Cmac100

Not sure why I went back. Great food but there is no guarantee you'll get what you ordered. Not sure how it gets stuffed up but tell someone and they have no idea what to do with the information. And considering you probably waited 30-40 minutes you end up eating what you get given. Any chia lovers don't order a chia latte.. they ruin it for you (trying to be creative I think - but failing). Also the cash only rule is an unnecessary inconvenience in today's day and age. They seem to use a supermarket enviro bag as their bank and it's just awkward. Too many rules listed in red on the menu too. If you want a relaxing "sit back and relax" breakfast or lunch this probably isnt the place. The set up also means there is constant foot traffic passing you. This place is very popular now, but something will replace it soon enough... and you wont miss it.

Elissacalapai

Bad customer service. I went there with a couple of my friends for a brunch, their coffees are very nice, customer service is horrible, the employees wear baggy clothes like they just got out of bed and are very dismissive, their food is average, nothing special about it. I got the bruschetta and it was covered in avocado which to my knowledge isnt even supposed to be on bruschetta, they try to make it all fancy and it just works out wrong, and was WAY OVERPRICED!!! wouldnt go again

Balwynfoodie

Yummy food, stuck-up service. I live near Snow Pony and so you would think that I would frequent it often because of the yummy food, however, I have only been twice this year and no more because of the inconsistent service: - Pros: Giddy up breakfast is satisfying and delicious Breakfast burrito is yummy and fresh - Cons: Some of the waitresses are nice Sometimes we get the most stuck up waitress who is blonde and seems to think she's too awesome to serve people (honey you're a waitress not a doctor, do your job with a smile :) and get over yourself)

Ozkeye

Awful staff. The ONLY thing I can fault about this place is the service. very disappointing considering its an integral part of all restaurants. When i first came here I thought everyone reviewing the bad service was just exaggerating how bad it was... but they weren't! The staff were uninterested and extremely rude- they made all requests (like for another coffee) feel like a chore, and almost made you feel guilty for wasting their time. Service aside, coffee is good and food is extremely good, little bit exy but very worth it. Unfortunate that such a good cafe is tainted by unpleasant staff

Brian

Went Monday morning for a coffee, coffee was ok, but staff were grumpy and disinterested in us, we would have ordered a 2nd cup, but we're too scared to ask. Won't be going back, too many other places to choose from....

Aneeta Abzatz

How can you rate a cafe/restaurant fairly when it has such great food but such awful service? The staff are young and unfortunately untrained who take their lead from management. If you go to the cafe on your own you are practically ignored. I love love love the smashed avocados with poached egg but that's all to thanks to the kitchen staff. Kudos kitchen, shape up floor staff.

Paulie

Had the steamed mussels with tomato and chorizo. Way way salty, hardly any tomato and chorizo undercooked. A meds really. A young waiter enquires 'and how are the mussels?', when I reply 'actually the whole thing is very, very salty'. Waiter simply does a slow blink and shuffled off aimlessly. Rude girl on cash register too but big bright smile from manager....yeah right. Won't be a next time.

Jmw

Rude staff. All I can say is that I don't go to a café to be so rudely treated. have been here a number of times before but will not be back.

Momokoroboo

Bad coffee, worse service. I went here with my family today, we have waited our coffees for 20mins and a waitress told me there is no our order when I was asking. Very sad, that was a very quiet time there and the girl who took our order was chatting in the counter without put our order through. Never be here again.

Moose

Heard the avo smash was a smash and it was. Mushrooms were soooo delicious! My friend got the granola with fruit. Disappointingly, you needed a search party to find the granola. It was essentially a fruit salad with a sprinkling of granola. Not sure if they got the order wrong or the menu description needs an update. Good food though. Worth driving 45 mins to try it out.

Ally

Great coffee and breakfast selection. Perfect poached eggs and worth going back for more!

Mike's Reviews

Recently opened for dinner as well as breakfast and lunch so we thought we would give it a go. We were not disappointed. The four of us shared a range of platters and loved each one. It is such a great way to eat and find out what the chef can do. It is BYO but don't forget your cash as they do not accept card. Prices were very reasonable. Will be back.

Jan Flanagan

Went there for dinner tonight- lovely food, relaxed happy atmosphere, attentive service- loved it and will be back!

Amy.stephenson17

Best Coffee in Melbourne. Breakfast salad is AMAZING - although not on the menu anymore :( Coffee never disappoints! Manager is always friendly and very good at what he does, however other staff (mostly the blonde females) are rude and disinterested - almost like it's an inconvenience to them that you're there. It doesn't stop me returning because the meals and coffee are always exceptional, but it definitely dampens the whole experience.

Dom Todaro

I HEAR YOU. I'm a local and frequent this place and I just want to say that I hear those who complain about the service. One thing that you need to remember is that the staff are not trained in servicing diners and the reason I say this is because I was in there the other day, waiting to be seated (as per the sign) and there was no-one except for the owner behind the bar with his back to the door talking to the manager. I waited maybe 1 minute when the owner turned around and saw I was standing there and turned back to the manager to continue talking! Fancy that, an owner not caring less and/or not even calling someone to greet and seat me, or better still have him serving me. So I just went on in myself! So spare a thought for the young staff - they're only doing what they've been taught from management - NOTHING

Lauren

Great breakfast spot. Delicious breakfast, perfect coffee and cool fit out. Will definitely return.

Tihara

SNOW PONY WINTER WARMER. If you want delicious freshly made croissants that just melt as you cut through them this is the place! The serving size is quite big and the prices are reasonable! The Latte I had to match was perfection! Decor was warehouse inspired with hanging globes and the service was really good every 10 minutes someone made sure we were happy with our meals. The only downside is its cash only and it would be good if eftpos was added to this cafe but other than that I give this place a 8.5/10. Remember to look in the cake display before you pay as you might want a little yummy something to go ;)

Hotty_franch

Very disappointing. The food was great but the workers were rude they did not care less!!! I will not be back very disappointing

Jess

Great vibe at snow pony - were greeted by the manager at the door and he had a table for us straight away (when it was very busy too!) smashed avocado is a must - highly recommended for breakfast lovers!

Mattscravat

Tired old hack. The potential of this cafe has not been realised. Front area is gloomy, chairs are hard and uncomfortable, tables are too small, music is too loud, and wine and beer prices are what you might expect in a fine-diner. However, it is the staff who are possibly the cafe's biggest drawback, appearing rather uninterested in the concept of customer service. Food is okay and coffee good, but that is not enough. There are many better choices in the area.

MummyCino

What happened? This place used to be awesome. Went in today (when it opened, so there weren't many other people there), and while the food is still delicious, service was appalling. Staff were more interested in telling each other what they were doing this weekend than actually serving customers. We had to go to the counter to place our order because nobody seemed to care. Plates were cleared before they were empty (not kidding that they took a plate away as we were literally eating off it). I really really love the food there, but that's not enough to make me want to come back for a long long time. Shame - this place is now just a shadow of what it used to be.

EdSnails

Great food - terrible service. I have eaten here many times over the past few years. The banana bread is a must-try! I also enjoy the McPony (McMuffin) and the goats cheese scrambled eggs. The service today was just awful (first time I have experienced this). The staff had no interest in taking our order or getting us anything - until we were done and they wanted the tables for others. Twice my plate was cleared before I was finished, and then they only cleared a random selection from the table as it suited them. We had to ask for everything. Several times we got up to order coffee or drinks. We ordered the famous banana bread to share at the end of our breakfast. They brought out the banana bread, nearly walked off and then said "oh, do you want some spoons?" How else were we going to eat it?! We brought friends with us today as we had raved about the place to them. I have to say I felt embarrassed. Snow pony - get some staff who have had some basic training. A Cert III in hospitality for everyone maybe? We would have ordered more and been out quicker if the staff had been in any way attentive. It wasn't even busy and there was an abundance of staff, so no excuses there.

Brntmcalister

TERRIBLE Service (if you could call it service). Overhyped and horribly rude staff. Will not return

Spikeycat

TOO LOUD!!!. If your music is so loud that you can't hear a customer shouting at your wait staff then you just might think it is too loud in here! Food was not memorable, coffee was lukewarm, and not getting 2 items that were ordered was just pathetic. No idea why it is packed... ah yes, it is trendy.

Jessamy G

Nice food and good coffee, but the service was underwhelming. I had the smoked salmon, which was okay - the soy mocha was nice. However, what will keep me from coming back is the staff. They failed to assist my friend and I after we accidentally spilt a glass of water on our table - instead, one waitress seemed to feel it was more important to chat with her friend at the table next to ours. We were forced to mop up the spill with some spare tissues we had. Not worth the hype, and I won't bother going back.

Roger Ramjet

Good food, bad service. This cafe is smart and a little funky, the food and coffee are delicious but the service was a little impersonal. I don't know if the 20 something staff are rude or just a little contemptuous of the patrons. If you're not in with the crowd - the service was ok but we always felt as though the staff fitted us into their otherwise busy day. Too bad because the food would have us coming back sooner rather than later - but we wouldn't want to get in the way of the staff's busy days. It's a shame because other cafés seem to get both aspects right.

MMM

Nice setting & food, staff seem disengaged. Worth noting also this is cash only

Christopher

Decent cafe with potential but it wouldn't be my go-to brunch place.. I went to Snow Pony for the first time with a friend for Saturday brunch. It was a pretty good start because we were seated straight away and given an option of sitting in the front of the cafe or in a brighter area in the back next to the kitchen. We chose the brighter area which I think is a lot nicer. I ordered the ‘pony’ golden folded scrambles along with a soy latte. The eggs were swirled on the plate and topped with goat cheese which made it taste really nice. However, the wholegrain toast that was underneath it was quite soggy from the get-go and my knife was just compressing the crust despite me sawing it forcefully. That's my only gripe with the dish but I can't say that it completely ruined the dish. The soy latte that I had was good so thumbs-up to whichever barista prepared it. In terms of atmosphere, it was decent. I can see that Snow Pony is trying to emulate the trendy cafes that are out there but it isn't quite comparable. First of all, the staff weren't that friendly. I mean, I don't expect the servers to have huge smiles on their faces but some of them clearly had no interest in being there. Also, I'm not sure whether it was the kitchen door or the door to the bathroom but the loud slamming noise was annoying and should be something that can be fixed easily. I did like the actual tables and chairs though along with the exposed brick walls. A last note just as a warning, it's cash only. Overall, Snow Pony is okay. There's definitely room for improvement and I reckon it could be a great place since Balwyn/Deepdene doesn't have that many good cafes. I wouldn't go back just yet even though it's close to my house but I'm willing to give it another go in the future.

WG

Wendy G. I've lived in Surrey Hills for 21 years and the Snow Pony is my new favourite cafe. Great menu, friendly service, love the decor. Went on a Sunday at noon and they were packed but it didn't take too long to get seated. Brekky all day is a plus. One caution: cash only but worth it. Can't wait to go back.

Sheryl W. Liem

Me and my husband used to come here on most weekend last year when we live around the area. Since then, we have moved to the other side of the town. This weekend, we thought that we shall give Snow Pony a visit. First of all, the renovation is amazing, and the menu beautiful as always. Great to see some old staff are still around. However, the experience has completely changed. The new team completely oblivious to the idea of service, ignorant. I had my usual Giddy Up, however a rotten grilled tomato with unmistaken black hole completed the qhole experience. Poached eggs were hard as a rock and subpar coffee. Not worth the visit!

Victor

Steak Sandwich!. I had the steak sandwich it was so delicious! It was satisfying and original. I also loved the coffee. I believe it was excellent value for the amount of food you receive. I love the updated look!

Lily

It's as good as they say! H.... It's as good as they say! Hands down best smashed avocado I've had so far. Wasn't the biggest fan of the overall atmosphere of the place but nonetheless, an enjoyable experience.

Melissa Nasser

Great Concept backed by terrible people. I am a big advocate for Victorian sourced produce and am happy to pay for it. The menu is beautiful and has a lot of potential and I would be lenient if it was a better experience but unfortunately it was not. I was told to find my own table even though it has a sign to say please wait to be seated. I was ignored for 15 minutes until I called a waitress to order a coffee while my guest arrived. When I received said coffee it had been spilt all over the cup so I couldn't hold it properly. We ordered breakfast and my eggs were well undercooked to the point that the whites were still clear. I only ate one quarter of my meal and the waitress collected without asking whether there was something wrong with it. My friend and I were literally hip and shouldered as we walked through the restaurant and there was no smiles or any sense of happiness in this place. For an inspiring concept it is run by rude, disrespectful wait staff who need to start enjoying their job or get out of customer service.

Sweet And Sour Fork

Soured by service. Had brunch today here for my birthday, and whilst the food was impeccable, the service was appalling. Several waitresses were intent on avoiding my eye, and all but one of the staff I spoke to were dismissive and rude. The food may have been good but I'm not sure I would come back.

CTW

I'm unsure if I like the new 'fancier' reno ? must say that the service was 'cold' when 2 of us met there for breakfast last week after school drop off. The coffee was good but there was a small piece of (soggy) paper in my food !

Matt Malone

Great Food Overshadowed By Poor Service. I would be back here every week because the food was good - but the service staff really destroyed it. I can't blame all of the staff though. There was one guy who looked like he "ran" the place but all he did was run around, distract his staff and made them feel incapable of running the cafe front. If you want to fix the obvious service problem - start with that guy by teaching him some deep breathing exercises.

Julie T

BEAWARE of them overcharging you! Great food ruined by terrible service.. Food was fabulous despite being a bit on the pricey side but the service was dismal. We waited way too long for for our waitress so my husband had to get up and find the waitress to place our order. I also noticed the table hear us had to do the same too (and they arrived before us) Then we paid the bill only to find that we had been charged for 2 coffees we did not order. OK, mistakes can happen so I'll let you off but the waitresse's excuse was inexcusable "oh, the other table behind you ordered the same food". This is a big fat LIE as the table behind us did not have the same meals as I was checking out their eggs. IF she thinks she was telling the truth, then that's even worse as it goes to show you that she had even less idea of what was going on with her tables!!! I feel very sorry for the chefs whom are cooking great food as it is ruined by their 12 year old wait staff. Hope the owner reads urbanspoon as we won't be back and we will be telling our friends in the area not to go. There are plenty of other cafes in the area which are welcoming. p.s. check out the view of the greasy exhaust fan that you get from the courtyard. Gross.

I-eat

Smashed Avo Heaven. I would come back a thousand times just for the smashed avo dish. Everything on the plate was perfection! My favourite breakfast in Melbourne. It was so good that I left happy despite the horrendous service. The servers were only concerned about their weekend plans and how many mutual friends they had between them. When we went to pay the girl didn't even crack a smile, or ask us how our meal went instead just glared at us and stated our bill amount.... I guess it depends on who you get but our experience was not too pleasant.

Kfood

Unfortunately. I love snow pony, it used to be a regular cafe I would visit with family and friends. Food is always great. I took my boyfriend there the other day for his birthday lunch. We had a very rude waiter who then made us feel as though we were an inconvenience. As we were given our water and then food both times I said thank you and got no response. Not once were we approached to see how our meal was going. We quickly ate and left. Don't know when I will be back....

Brunch101

Have been a few times and it's quality food, pretty pricy but the downside is very unprofessional staff, lousy service and not at all welcoming really.

JSP

24 carat experience. I dined at snow pony this morning it was great food wine and service. My 2 yo left my gold ring on the plate that was cleared away and I thought I'd lost a very precious ring forever. Thanks to the efforts of the team they recovered my ring in the dumpster. A truly amazing effort and honesty well done snow pony. I highly recommend and see why it has such a grt reputation.

Strawberry

I'm not sure what all the fuss is about? The acoustics of the set up mean that you have to shout in order to be heard over everyone else shouting and the music, which is up too high. The food was nothing extraordinary, there are no sweets on the menu except for a couple of cup cakes out front, and the service was almost non-existence

Nn

Fff

Lisa Chiu

A weekend surprise. We came to try Snow Pony for Saturday lunch and coffee, when we walked in the whole place was packed and very noisy, we walked to far end courtyard then chose to sit next to fireplace in a small dark room. We quickly order the food and coffee, worrying it would take a long time before we could get our food. Surprisingly it did not take that long when we got our coffee first(which we did not mind), then food arrive about 15 minutes after. My Tuna Nicoise salad ingredients were so fresh and full of flavours, tuna was sealed outside and raw inside, it was melting in my mouth, loved the beautiful combination of dressing and salsa verde, it was one of the best salad I have had. My hubby had steak sandwich, it was also nice, the bacon and steak was so fresh, the flavours was totally different from the ingredients you could buy from supermarket. Snow Pony is a true local favorite, we will do more weekend lunch there.

Beefolahi

I like!!. I've been there a few times but always full. Food is nice

Jane Mil

Great atmosphere, staff are always lovely I come every weekend for my coffee and always walk away very satisfied with snow pony!

Afoodholic

Horrible service! Food ok but overpriced, and seriously, cash only??

Aleesha

Love the breakfast menu. Always guaranteed a great, quality meal.

Steven

Fantastic for breakfast. Great coffee, a small but in depth breakfast menu with well cooked produce. Smashed avacado with mushrooms, poached eggs and house smoked salmon a favourite. Will continue to return as it is hard to fault. 8.5/10

Kylie

After reading the reviews I was a little skeptical of visiting snow pony. However upon my arrival I was welcomed with a big smile from the blonde barista, who made me the most fantastic coffee I have ever had, complete with a beaufiful leaf on top. The great service did not stop there, the waitresses were also spectacular. I highly recommend snow pony and their beef salad!!

Puzzles

Got a take away coffee from Snow Pony and it was utterly disappointing. Charging $4.20 for a regular Allpress coffee which is tasteless is ridiculous. Snow Pony is obviously trying to create a hipster image by hiring all these "cool" kids who don't really know how to provide good service (I didn't expect that for a take away coffee I had to wait for like 5 minutes before the barister came out from the back to make my coffee). I don't mind paying more for quality and substance, but in this case neither was there.

Brodie

Great food really good coffee only problem was staff was chewing gum while serving tables which was mildly off putting also my short black had sat on the Counter too long before it reached my table losing most of its crema but luckily was still hot enough to have a well rounded flavor Over all a good lunch with few criticisms and will be returning.

Nicole Raynal

Tasty. Lovely courtyard out the back decorated tastefully. I tried one of the most popular dishes - the smashed avocado with thyme, buttered mushroom, marinated feta + torn basil on wholegrain toast with a poached egg. The egg was perfectly cooked and the dish was very well balanced flavour wise. Very delicious. My partner had the caesar salad with chicken and he enjoyed it very much. Good presentation and nice touch to have the anchovy sauce on the side. The customer service was pretty good. We'll definitely return.

Paulos

Poor & unfriendly service. It is very difficult to enjoy the food when the service is so poor. Great atmosphere when your custom is made to feel like an inconvenience to the establishment. Some staff were simply rude.

Annaliese

Awful, arrogant service. Never even sat down because after being on their waitlist for 10 minutes we were turned away saying there was no table. Waist of our time and Sunday morning.

AH

Been to Snow Pony a couple times and both times the food was enjoyable, however be warned, it is very overpriced. The chai however, is not so impressive, as it tastes like dirty dish water. The staff are also rather moody, as they seem to think that they are above being pleasant to customers. Would not recommend Snow Pony at all, as there are so many better options in the Balwyn/Kew area.

Tezza

First time at Snow Pony and enjoyed our breakfast. Coffee good and efficient service. Meals came out in record time. Music abit loud though. Will be back!

Yummy Bag

OMG, worse service. Seriously? Cafe or girlie joint. Waitresses wandering around in shorter than short shorts that reveal butt cheeks when they bend over. Push up bras are fine but not so in a see through racer back singlet!! Guys what are you operating. Staff are so much more interested in getting their attitude on and the cat walk look happening that they forget they are their to provide customer service. Nope never going back!

Lstart

Disappointing wannabe hipsters. I stopped in at Snow Pony for a few takeaway coffees and arrived just before it opened. I was the second customer in the door, the first being seated at a table. I waited while the barista drank her coffee and ignored me. After about 5 minutes I was asked what I wanted (I was the first person to order). I was then astounded as the barista gave 2 takeaway coffees to another person (clearly a regular) who walked in the door after me. Another 2 people were served their takeaway coffees as were a number of tables. After 25 minutes of waiting I was close to giving up on ever receiving a coffee. I eventually complained to a waiter at which point my coffees were finally ready. This was possibly the worst customer service I have ever had. Having eaten and had coffees from Snow Pony previously, I would now never return there or recommend it to anyone. The wannabe 'hipster' staff from the local baby boomers are typical of generation Y.

Dg

Too loud. Vibrant café with reasonable service. Not a huge fan of the coffee. House music under all the conversations doesn't help.

Rosie

Always a good choice. I love Snow Pony. It's a little bit on the pricey side, but I would rather pay more money for good food than to pay a couple dollars less and be displeased. The coffee is excellent and the vibe is awesome! The only thing I find that lets this place down a little is the customer service. They need to be slightly more organised with who does what section, but overall, an awesome place with great food, coffee and people. I will be back!

Ryan Dalton

The food and atmosphere at snow pony was great. Only thing that bugged me is it seemed the staff were far to efficient. I was asked for coffee twice. The meals came out in record time. I finished first and one waiter took my plate within seconds while my mate was still eating. A separate waiter a minute later tried to take my mates plate while he was eating and he declined. A minute later a third waiter swooped past and took the plate while he was still chewing. I believe the owners operate a few other restaurants through out Melbourne.. I haven't seen this at their others.

Jaylady

Delicious food, terrible service. I can't speak highly enough of the food at Snow Pony, but the service leaves me out in the cold. Customers behind us in the queue at the door were acknowledged before we were, the waitress rolled her eyes when I said I needed a few more minutes before I was ready to order, when we went to pay we tried to ask whether they had at last introduced eftpos facilities but the person behind the register kept saying 'where were you sitting', rather than let us ask our question. If customer service is important to you, don't bother.

Erm

Music was too loud. If i wanted to feel like i was at a nughtclub i would have gone to one. Couldnt even escpape the music outside. Our booking was forgotten about so waited 15 minutes for a table. Though we did reveived complimentary coffees. Which were delicious. Some staff may need a wakeup call. They looked as though snow pony was the last place they wanted to be. Food was okay

Georgina

Appalling bad service. Very difficult to get anyone to take your order. I saw the manager yelling at staff in front of the customers.

Foodie

Wrong Address!. Urbanspoon says this cafe is in Blackburn so I called ahead and confirmed with staff that the address is 95 Whitehorse Rd. I was told "Yes". So my partner & I drove down for breakfast only to discover that Snow Pony is NOT in Blackburn, it is in Balwyn! 95 Whitehorse Rd BALWYN!!! Can't review the food as we ended up buying food from the supermarket to make our own breakfast :(

Meeneeq

Hit or a Miss. Likes: The food Dislikes: Service (hit or a miss) The coffee beans they use are amazing and the organic orange juice is so refreshing. The croissant is very nice also and the banana bread is to die for. If you don't mind the service issues, you can enjoy the good cafe food. The service issues are; non attentive staff, wrong orders and long waiting times (this is based on several occasions/visits).

Matt McRobbie

Average and pricey. Went for breakfast, waiting staff unfriendly. One of our party ordered a large cappuccino, when a small arrived queried this. The waitress said "no you didn't" despite 4 witnesses to the contrary. Breakfast- meh - average nothing special and quite overpriced, but nothing a bit of competition won't fix. They don't take eftpos nor credit card and there are no nearby ATMs - so this is a major turnoff. 2013 and they don't take credit card? There can only be one tax avoiding reason I can think for this. Won't be back. Friendlier cheaper tastier options abound.

Chickywowowo

Just like the other ones. Food is just above average, staff at any of these "well to do" style venues have the same attitude, of either being too cool, or just not interested. Coffees been a consistent ok, so there's a good note to end on.

Arb

Very rude staff, everything was a hassle. Even a simple order request of removing mushrooms from a meal provoked an annoyed attitude. The food is great which is why I keep going back but the service is very disappointing. I work in hospitality and we are always gracious to customers requests. Snow pony could do with some etiquette training.

Smith_kp

Appalling. I don't know what it is, but i suddenly felt like a victim of misogyny despite being served by a female waitress. All the males were great. But this female waitress gave us grief for requesting a slight change in the menu (scrambled eggs) and making her walk the 5-10 metres to the kitchen to consult the chef. After this, she actually forgot two of our meals altogether and offered us free orange juice. Cool. Wouldn't go back despite all the things I've heard.

Brickparty

Cash only for a place this busy!? what a joke!. I keep going back here because the food is great, but seriously GET AN EFTPOS TERMINAL. Cash only in 2013 is a joke! Especially since there is no ATM nearby. The staff are often super rude too. But as I said, the food is pretty great.

Corinne

Food: flavourful but slightly overpriced, portion sizing inconsistent between different meals, was left wanting more. Coffee: excellent, no complaints about quality. Ambiance: industrial chic decor, loud lounge music which was a little off-putting for brunch. Service: Staff were upbeat and enthusiastic but slow, unobservant, and seem unable to multitask. When you see many servers rushing around often empty-handed but long long wait for any service, something is wrong. Ordered two lattes with meals, one arrived after 10 minutes, the other after 35 minutes. Ordered a third latte, waited 20 minutes but gave up and cancelled at register only to be told snidely by barista that there wasn't an order placed. Cashier was flippant about it as well, and no apologies made. Perhaps better front of house training and review of prices/portions might leave customers more satisfied.

Britt Jacobson-Mills

Terrible Terrible, not going back. Nothing worse than waiters that treat you like an inconvenience. Very glad I didn't take my daughter with me. I look forward to trying new places but this was disappointing. Only thing I can say that's positive is they make good coffee.

Pyro

Foods great, service needs slight improvement. We ordered bang bang eggs, steak sandwich, pulled pork sandwich, presentation was fantastic, taste of food was great, service was slightly below average, the waitress we had seemed like she didn't even want to be there which threw off my vibe of the place. I'm sure they know that alot of customers are annoyed about the cash only issue cause there's no atm around Snow Pony which makes it quite annoying and inconvenient. So overall foods great, portions are reasonable, service needs improvement, pulled pork sandwich, you need to order two if you want a decent feed fyi

Peter B

Bad. Bad service, water wasn't even refilled. Aoili was like clag and tasted strange. Sardine dish was grossly overpriced and lackluster. Pulled pork buns were dry and the claimed chipotle sauce was seemingly replaced with a thai salad like dressing. Staff were flighty and didn't care about lateness of meals and the manager was rude. Will not be going back. Only good thing was the coffee though it took 15 minutes to arrive.

Tomatosauce

SO RUDE! Still eating my breakfast at 12:30 and a waitress puts down a reserve sign saying you need to be out by 1! I get that you're busy but I was still eating!!! I still like this place and the food is worth the wait but pushing out your customers ?! Me and my friends could have been after coffee and dessert?! That's not right guys come on, I felt really rushed and it's left a bad tase in my mouth.

Sarah Gallagher

So I have really tried to like this place the waiters are lovely but the manager is a prick! Do not go there with a pram! Or even ask for a can of coke it's only for people who want alcohol and coke combined. Seriously too many chances and all due to a bad manager. I feel sorry for the staff.

Catherine Bonadio

I went to Snow Pony with 3 other mums and experienced the worst treatement. It was 10 am and they had the music pumping so loud that we couldn't even hear our own conversation. When asked if they could turn it down they smirked and ignored us. Would never go back again!

Suzanne Gatti

Dinner review. Dined on a Saturday night. Positives great food nice venue easy parking. Negatives front staff very slack had to ask for everything & only 14 people dining that night. Hate to think what it would have been like if it was busy & they had 2 staff on as well. Cash only BIG put off in this day & age come on guys get with the program. Expensive for all the hassle but again amazing food so I guess you have to weigh up if you can cope with the good out weighing the bad?

James Cameron

Snow pony is definitely my favourite breakfast place around the eastern suburbs. It is expensive, yes, but so so worth it. I've taken so many friends there (mostly after big nights out) and have never heard a complaint! Pro tip: Go for the Giddy Up. The best!

Joe Lesley Black

Mediocre at best! Don't waist your time

Prenda_a77

Cracker. Still the best smashed avo in the district. Good coffee. Sure, no effpos is a hassle, but at least you know you're in for a treat every time. Just be prepared with cash and your problem is fixed.

Daisy

Same delicious fresh food as sister FOM. Unfortunately same rude stuck up staff attitudes as FOM also! Such a let down to the awesome Food coming from the kitchen staff! Lose the attitudes front of house.

Naroo

Get some wi fi snow pony & i will be there every day also arrange eftpos payment

Maxwell

Went there for lunch recently. Very busy and obviously popular as had trouble getting a table. No card facilities only cash which Is inconvenient and a bit cheeky. Had to drive back to shops to get cash. Not happy!! Food and atmosphere good tho.

Cristina

Horrible. Didn't even get to eat because of the poor service upfront. Told them we had our grandmother coming, made to wait 25 minutes for a table next to the toilet/kitchen. Very loud, squishy, too pretentious and then I saw it was cash only (in an area with no ATMs - you can get away with it if its in a place where you can pop out to get some cash but not in Deepdene)

D

Gone downhill - staff are very patronising, food is nice but overpriced, music loud and be prepared to wait, and wait.... Cash only is a big drainer!!! A shame as it used to be good. Better cafe competition in the area means Snow Pony really needs to step up...

Jgcarter

Not good at all. This place has really gone down hill. The waitresses were incredibly condescending and seemed to ignore us until we finally beckoned them over and the food was nothing special after the wait.

SK

Overrated. I agree with last few reviews. Snow pony does not live up to the hype. Coffee was so-so. Very few morning tea options and none gluten free. Biscuit options on front counter seemed predominantly commercial biscuits by well known brand easily available at supermarket for $2.50 per packet. Stables area was so overheated... Maybe a high gas bill is the justification for high menu prices given the location. Staff overhead up selling breakfast options to a nearby table... If taken up by the customer would result in a $24 breakfast main meal which is a bit beyond the pale. Sorry but I won't be hurrying back.

Tash Pool

Disappointing. Pretentious staff and extremely slow service. Although the food was good, staff looked like they didn't want to be there and seemed to get annoyed at every request. Also cash only and no split bills, so be prepared when coming in a big group!

Jackie

Not worth the hype. I recently visited for brunch with a friend after she'd been raving about this place. The food was great, albeit overpriced. We were sitting out the back and the music was playing way too loud, not conducive for good conversation or those of us nursing a sore head.

NickS

Service still as slow as always, hence the nickname "slow pony". Staff would rather not be there . Nice food but very overpriced for breakfast considering other places in the immediate area. Very dark inside. Cash only massive turnoff. And no split bills - what the? Dinner menu nowhere to be seen even if I wanted to go there for dinner. Glad there is new competition for them.

Jacqueline O'Connell

Food is delicious but is overpriced and service is poor. didn't receive coffees until half way through our meal, even though we asked about them twice.

John

Rude service and loud music

Miguel Mendoza

Bleh..overpriced and not worth the trip.

Keith

Deliciously Awesome!. Awesome food, good sized portions and good pricing. Orange Juice was a delight. Rather skeptical about other reviews commenting on bad service, as staff were very warm and welcoming!

Belle

Good food. Nice coffee. Cash only is the worst idea for a popular cafe.. Having to walk up the street to get out some money is a joke! Staff seem a bit full of themselves and seemed to have a little giggle when I returned from my cash withdrawing expedition! Rude! There are plenty of other cafes around with equally as good food, but better priced with a friendlier, more relaxed atmosphere!!

Kevin M

Disappointed. Rare day off thought have a nice lunch at local cafes. Coffee meant to be good. Not. Too cold over steamed milk and weak. Service was fast and causal. So casual they forgot my order!! Tried to attract their attention almost impossible. Never again!

Ray Raymond

The young girls working there think they're too cool and pretentious and can't even crack a smile when they serve you. Amazing food though and great set out for all seasons!

Olivia Calvinita

Super slow service especially on weekends! when they say "i'll put you three on a table for two and we'll move you to a bigger table when it's available" it is not gonna happen! an hour for the meals? come on, snow pony.

Renée Danger

Dinner was stunning on a Saturday night at snow pony. Cosy, dim lighting and super lovely staff. Had a fabulous meal off the winter menu and a rockin' Ice cream sandwich for desert. Get here for dinner. Do it!

Jane Campbell

Seriously need to get EFTPOS!!!!! Major inconvenience to have to leave at the end of our meal to go and get cash. Great food and great service, that is the only key down

Cheryl

Disappointing again!!!!!! We got to snow pony at 8.15, doors don't open till 8.30 on a sat , which is no problem, waiting with a few friends we decided to give it one last try after last time the breakfast was cold. Walked in to see it refurbished which looked great but the rookie mistake dark blue walls and ceiling, should be white ceiling to give it some light! With pendant lighting which looks cool but you can't see! Def needed downlights, the place is dark and disturbed. Order our coffee and food , coffee was great , but again the food comes out cold , eggs , bacon etc.... And not getting the right food to come out. , how could this be? We were the first people in the joint! And to top it off ordered another set of coffees and they don't even arrive just on the 81 dollar bill! That was sorted , but def not coming back now , they used to be great, but now they think they are too good! Chef needs replacing, but the manager try's his best! Just can't get other staff to get the right orders. It's just another place .

Jterlato

Coffee. Good coffee, depending on the barrista, but a bit overpriced now for anything other than a std coffee!

PurringGirl

Yum Food... but loud and cash only?. Enjoyed my visit today - the food was delicious (Smashed avocado). However my 'poached' egg was not really poached, was a bit solid :( Also - why put on such loud music? It was hard to talk! Not good if you have a hangover! Lastly - Cash Only is so 1999... C'mon I bet you make a fortune so I cant believe you don't bother with EFTPOS... I came prepared however reading the reviews below some previous patrons have been very much put out by this archaic policy.

Melissa

Turn down your music!!!!! I couldn't here myself speak or anyone else I was with. I won't be coming back.

Penny

Pretentious staff full of their own self worth. Ordered coffee when first arrived it never came. Breakfast tasted good but one poached egg was overcooked, mushrooms cold and bacon obviously precooked as it was rubbery. Went to pay and they only accept cash so had to leave my friend there whilst I drove 5 minutes up the road to nearest ATM. Overpriced and poor quality.

PhilYA

Heard good things about this place and by the volume of people filtering in and out you would think it was... however I wasn't overly impressed. Went on a Sunday midday for coffee, and couldnt help but feel I was a burden by just ordering coffee. It was quite noisy, and staff were hustling and bustling constantly. It wasn't a very pleasant atmosphere, and my advice would be if you're going to give this place a go, go for a meal so you can at least feel welcome.

Fitfoody

Over-priced for average meals. Didn't like the atmosphere.. black wall paint makes it dark and dingy inside and music too loud.

Brittany G

This place is great! Good service even better food and great atmosphere! We had breakfast and it didn't dissapoint, the chai latte was incredible!

Omnomnomnomnom.

Let down. I've heard so many people rave about this place, I finally decided to try it out. I asked the waiter if I could have the Bang Bang eggs without capsicum. Turns out the tomato and capsicum components listed are actually combined and cooked - so I ended up eating raw, gritty spinach, overpoached eggs and dukkah on toast. I was really disappointed that no one explained how the meal was served. I wanted to order a side like avocado or something to make the meal more enjoyable, but could not get a single staff member's attention to do so or even order another coffee or more tap water. Would have received better service from Balwyn Maccas down the road. Won't bother going back.

Convivialsins

Tried this place out on recommendation despite not so gd reviews received of late. Tested the smiley thing.. that passed. All waitresses smiled today :) food wise... hmmm We tried the giddy up and lamb shoulder. the G up was nothing special. Rhimini's do much better mushrooms. But I do have to say that the lamb shoulder.... I like!! Meat was tender and very flavoursome. The pomegranate was a gd touch. Atmosphere wise hmmmmm it could b better. The music is quite loud so if u want to have a decent conversation or a catchup over brekkie... this is not the place. WIR? yep to try out some of their other lunch menu items. Eyed some on other tables. They looked gooooood!!!

Jaidith

Visiting business nearby so had brunch here today. Very noisy and service cold and indifferent. Yes they were busy so understand the wait, but friendliness and a smile goes a long way girls! Food ok but coffee definitely needs some work.

Happy Dumpling

Awesome brunch spot. Love going to Snow Pony! The 'smashed avocado, thyme buttered mushroom & feta cheese on toast' is a must-try! Our other order, salmon on toast with poached egg was pretty good too - if just a tad too salty. The guys & girls that works at Snow Pony are pretty chilled too! Will definitely be back for another weekend brunch!

Ben Trovato

Standard.. Visited: Sunday morning. Coffee: flat white tasted fine but way too much foam, like a cap. Food: poached eggs with chorizo, mushies and goats' cheese – food was excellent apart from one of the poached eggs which had an almost solid yolk, not sure how you can do that to just one egg? Service: really friendly and unhurried (three different staff), despite being incredibly busy which was impressive. Cash only: the nearest ATM is about 10 mins away by foot, so don't forget to bring cash. Not sure why this is still happening, merchant accounts are really not that expensive anymore. Summary: 6/10 – a nice menu that would be a delight to explore on subsequent visits, but seriously, just get an EFTPOS machine.

Melbournefoodie

Food yes service meh. Had brunch at snow pony today, would not have found the place if not for the pony on top on the building. The breakfast menu was a bit more pricey than usual but well worth it for the 'giddy up' & 'banana bread' we got. Coffee was a bit small however Had to ask for a seat when we came instead of getting served a seat which was a bit rude therefore service was a bit of a downfall. But overall great would come back here again!

Chloe

Love It!. Yes, the service was probably below average and the cash only was annoying but adequate warning was given about that and personally I found all the staff very friendly which almost made up for the fact that they were a little slow. The food itself was beautifully presented, delicious and worth every dollar. I've never been a fan of mushrooms but Snow Pony's side of thyme covered mushrooms are to die for. If you go I would recommend sitting in the courtyard, it's beautiful and sufficiently warm due to the outdoor heaters! The menu was a bit limited for traditional "lunch" foods but I would definitely recommend popping in for breakfast or brunch.

Renaeashlea

I went with a friend a few months ago. We seated ourselves outside and waited about 10 minutes for menus. I then had to call a waiter over and ask for menus. We then waited another 15 minutes and I had to ask someone else if we could order both coffees and breakfast. Food and coffees came out reasonably quick. The coffee was OK. There are plenty of other places out there that do allpress the way it should be done. Food was nice but honestly I don't know why this place is so popular, there's plenty of other places locally and so much better!

MrsHill

Waited to be seated & decided to sit outside. Waiter said someone would be out with menus. 15 minutes later still no menus. So we left. Shame as we had cash ready!!

Ed

Ordinary coffee. Haven't tried the food but coffee is just ordinary. Service normal too.

The Cat

Do believe the bad reviews because they are true! What is it with CASH only..... this is 2013! was told to go to the milk bar about 100 m down the road and spend over $5 so I can withdraw some cash via the counter, nice little trade going on here! Damn that stupid request just on principle. So I walked out of the cafe & asked the milk bar owner if they had an ATM & the answer was no. Back in the the cafe told them I need to drive to an ATM in the heart of Balwyn because that's the closest spot, so they ask me to hand over ID such as a Drivers Licence, they trust me first to walk out then on the second time now request ID. Refused to give them my Licence so gave them a basic card with just a name. Coffee very very average, food was good and initially staff were friendly however as soon as I mentioned to tell your owner it's ridiculous how its cash only the rudeness from the staff began to show. The change I got was slammed into my hand. The arrogance from the owner & the staff to continue to operate this dodgy trade after reading all the reviews it's obvious they don't listen. It might help to sit down with your staff and read these reviews and say to yourself "something is wrong, lets fix it" AVOID this place, lots of better coffee, EFTPOS facilities & friendly staff at many others cafes.

Feed Your Fancy

It was incredible tasty and beautifully presented! I really enjoyed it!

Edwina Devine

Beautiful food and coffee. Fair warning about no eftpos so no hassles there. There are a lot of negative reviews about the services, I found it great. I took my elderly dad there and they were so accommodating, helpful and friendly. Get there early to beat the rush!

Snailmail

Waste of space. I agree with the post below – SERIOUSLY NO EFTPOS – 2013 get with it! If this is not enough to put you off the pretentiousness of the place surely will. My partner and I were repeatedly ignored by our waiter – instead the waiter was more interested in selling the two ladies next to us a loaf of bread. Why is a restaurant selling loafs of bread to customers in anyway to take away? We didn't get to order the food as service was that bad we just paid for the coffee and left. I would definitely not recommend this place! If you do decide to go, wear your ball gown in the hopes of getting service one probably has to fit in with the pretentiousness of the place.

Rachel

The good: very attentive service (seated upon arrival and water was out on the table), food came out quickly and reasonable value for money. We would both order our meals again: McPony muffin and the toasted banana bread. I only wished that the banana bread was served warm.

David Briggs

Ordinary and noisy. Coffee mediocre, service in attentive and food so so. Sadly it was packed which means we were not the only suckers. I will stay closer to home in the future. For the rest of you, keep driving. Better places abound

Jiffy

Where to start! No eftpos?? Who doesn't have eftpos these days?! Had to go walk about to find cash. Then to return to the worst coffee I've ever had! Very small cup too. My partner sat there for 10 minutes no service. I arrived and waited another 15 minutes with several amounts of eye contact on staff. Literally just walked past like we didn't exist. Yet he waited on the 2 older females right next to us on 3 separate occasions. Then WHEN I was served I paid for my coffee as the 4 girls were having a lovely chat "sorry to interrupt" very disappointed! Will be sharing this around.

Sarah Ball

Maybe my hopes were too high but they take cash only- dodgy! Coffee was average, food took ages to come out and it was nearly cold. Food was good quality.

Saster

Highly priced average food.

Tmw91

Love the food, love the coffee, service needs attention. With the exception of one or two staff members the majority appear to be lost for what to do walking around in circles. Not paying attention to customers. In my opinion waiting 18 minutes to have your order taken is not acceptable. I work in hospitality so I understand it's not always easy to keep service to a high level but when you have 2 staff members wandering around seemingly doing nothing and someone running coffees completely ignoring a comment that you are ready to order that's not acceptable. Love this place but sick of slack staff that don't pay attention to customers.

Jan

Don't believe the bad reviews: try it for yourself. Went to Snow Pony today for lunch to catch up with a friend. I was a bit skeptical after having read some of the bad reviews regarding the service, but I must say I was more than pleasantly surprised. We sat in the front of the restaurant, and although it was a tad noisy (obviously can't be avoided - its a busy restaurant and people love to talk ) we found that it was filled with a good vibe of people popping in from work, or catching up over some great food and coffee (and I mean reeeeaaallllyyyy good coffee!). I had the delectable smashed avocado with a poached egg, and my friend had a quinoa cauliflower salad, which had us both wanting to lick our plate clean. As for the service, I really dont know what everyone is complaining about, its a cafe, not a fine-dining restaurant! The staff were prompt at seating us, taking our orders, and cleaning our plates. We were served by a delightfully bubbly young lass, and all the staff seemed to be having a great time. I think its lovely that they all seemed like they really enjoyed being at work! I will be back again next week! Great job Snow Pony!

BigFatFoodie

If you're looking for a place full of pretentious "wankers" ie: the staff! Then this is the place for you. Had to wait for the two baristas to finish their story before we were given a seat. Wasn't ready to order the first time the waitress came past and after several looks of "we're ready now" it still took a good 5 mins for her to take time out from CHECKING HER PHONE to come and take our order. Food was good and coffee was fine. I have worked in restaurants and cafes and hate uber cool trendies who think customers should consider it a privilege to be served by them. It's a job! Do it and get over yourself!

Kate

Snow Pony too slow. Used to love this place, but gone downhill, same menu unchanged, same bad slow service. How many cups of coffee are we expected to have before the food comes if at all?

Denise

If you like consistency, great fresh food, good service, then this is the place to come! I have come to snow pony quite a few times and the consistency of the food and coffee is that of the best. Every meal looks picture perfect EVERY TIME and tastes equally as good! You can see that a lot of care is taken in preparation and presentation and in the quality of the food. Service is super friendly at this cafe and everyone makes you feel comfortable no matter how fussy you are (I'm extremely fussy) and I haven't been let down once. I don't usually write reviews but this is well deserved and I'm writing this as I witnessed something too cute yesterday. I was sitting next to a table Of adults with a small girl becoming unsettled and bored and then saw one of the waiters (I think the manager) come over to her and started talking to her trying to entertain her so her family could enjoy their meal- he took her hand and took her for a walk around the cafe which I thought was extremely sweet. I HIGHLY recommend the golden folded scrambled eggs. Tastes like heaven!

Alex

There is nothing like walking into a place that lifts your spirits when you're down or have had a bad day. Snow pony is the definition of that kind of place, the staff are always smiling and happy to be working, (extremely rare these days). Happy environment, happy staff, reflect onto customers and make the feel that They're welcome and stay here for as long as I wish! The food is reasonably priced and comes out promptly, but I don't come here for that. It's a bonus in my mind. I love coming here because it always puts a smile on my dial. Excellent customer service and are setting the trend in the way 'modern, funky cafes' should be run.

Don Woo

Quality of brunch food was actually decent, but not worth the pain of incompetent, INEFFICIENT customer service. Rocked up at 9am for brekky, only given 1 Menu to view because they "ran out of them & can't find more". Seriously? at 9am..? Waited for 10mins before got any service, all the while waiters just flitting around doing god knows what. Best of all, waitress then comes over and asks "r u guys ordering food or just waiting for coffee..?" pretty sure when people r seated at a table with menu and water jugs that we're at least gonna have a meal. What a redundant and useless question!! It's no wonder there's always a massive queue outside the joint because they just take forever to complete a simple task.

Janet Bass

I was appalled with the service and attitude of staff at Snow Pony. I have been to Snow Pony a number of times, as I think the food is quite good. However today's service has me questioning if I will ever return. When a friend and I were seated after a 10 minute wait, we continued to wait. No menu's were brought over. A jug of water was placed on the table but no glasses. Furthermore our table had not been cleaned before we were seated and there was scraps of food left behind. Grose! After a 15 minute wait with not even a glance in our direction, we had to shoo down a waiter to bring over menus and glasses. This young boy was so cold and tossed the menus on the table, not asking if we were wanting coffees to start. Another ten mins and again we had to wave down another employee to take our order. Once our food and coffee order was taken we were approached by another waitress asking if we wanted to see the menu.... zero communication obviously between the staff. Our coffees and food were served and both were of a good standard. The rude boy who begrudgingly served us initially cleared our coffees from the table without seeing if we were done. My friend still has coffee left but he didn't seem to notice. Overall I was incredibly disappointed with the service and unapologetic staff. Next time I meet a friend for lunch, I ll be going to Ora. They know how to run a cafe, or even Cru in Glenferrie who seem more component than the staff at Snow Pony.

Intolerance

Bad service

Yumyuminmytum

Can't decide whether the staff are rude or nice!. My friend loves the food at this place so we often come here even though I'm not so fussed about it. If you are coming here I would recommend the banana bread its actually delicious but there is so much I can't even eat it all even though I wish I could. But, the staff are a bit funny. Half the time they're really polite coming over to check on you and then the other half of the time you ask them for some more water and they're really grumpy! Also, the ladies next to use got their food well before and ordered after us. It probably had to do with the fact that they were ordering different food but no one apologized for the wait or anything. The coffee and hot chocolates are delicious :) It's a bit annoying that it's cash only and be prepared to have the person taking your payment wait a really long time and fiddle around with your change until you say no worries keep it (so annoying and I think very rude! If I want to tip you I will but trying to force me to tip you makes me not to want to tip you). If it was up to me I probably wouldn't come back to this place but she loves it.

JoJo

Slow pony. Lunch with the girls(only three) was spoiled by slow, inattentive and unenthusiastic service. Water to begin on a table of crumbs. 40 minutes to take our order for both drinks and food. Boxes of stock left in the front of house for most of the hour and a half that we were in the cafe. Food was ok when it finally arrived after 60 minutes in the cafe but we were over it. To slow to have a coffee, we did not know how long that would take!

Michael Gazzo

Really fresh and beautiful food.. Great atmosphere and delicious coffee.. Reasonably priced

Jane C

Fantastic! Both my fiancé and I really loved our breakfast - we both had the thyme buttered mushies with avo smash and a poached egg. Can't wait to head back here.

Grace Brown

Heard great things but was very disappointed. My yoghurt on my museli was warm and tasted off, and my 'seasonal fruits' consisted of 3 grapes and 2 pieces of watermelon. And way overpriced. I wouldn't recommend it.

Lucy Han

Absolutely delicious. Popped in for a late lunch, the lamb shoulder and the banana bread were absolutely delicious, my partner enjoyed his McPony as well! Good job, snow pony, I'll be back to visit again :)

Emma

Good Gluten Free and Veg options. A cute little hipster cafe with a good menu, with decent amount of options for gluten free and vegetarian diners. The smashed avocado is good, I get it with poached egg otherwise it might be a little small for brunch. Freshly squeezed juice also good! Only drawback? Cash only!

Antoinette

Lovely food, friendly staff and great coffee in Balwyn. My only negative is that they only take cash. C'mon Snow Pony! This is 2013 where many people pay with card and don't carry a lot of cash. It's not good enough to have a cash only rule when there are no ATMs within a reasonable distance. Just set a minimum and get an EFTPOS machine.

Mezzles

Avoid this overrated and over crowded place!. This is one place I had heard a lot about! The build up was huge... no longer do I have to travel into the City to get myself a great cup of coffee! So along I went... and dragged my girlfriend with me. Unfortunately, this is where the good news ends. Below is a snippet of the letter I sent to Snow Pony's management the morning after my visit... I have never received a response. "We arrived at 11:40am and were seated right away, which was great. Our order was taken quite promptly and coffees received within 10 minutes of ordering. Our food on the other hand took quite sometime to come out. I appreciate the fact that you run a busy café so I wasn’t prepared to complain about the wait (a quick mention of delays from staff might do your future service some good however). Once the food had arrived, my girlfriend took her first bite only to find a 10cm hair in her mouth! As you can imagine, she was quite disgusted. We called one of your waitresses and she apologised and said it would be replaced immediately. I, of course still had my plate. At least 15 minutes had passed before the dish was replaced. In that time, we saw several “Smashed Avocado” dishes go out to other people’s tables. Not impressed! Understandably, by the time it came out my girlfriend could barely get through her second attempt at that dish. We were then asked if we would like any more drinks. I ordered an orange/grapefruit juice, my girlfriend another latte. She received her coffee within a reasonable time frame. I on the other hand, had to ask/remind the waitress that took my order how long it would be before I received my juice (by this time, more than 15 minutes had lapsed). Once again, not impressed. In the end our bill came to just under $50.00. No mention, apology or discount was given at the time of payment. That kind of customer service does not make me want to come back again." When you say you will replace a dish immediately, you should follow through with it. Also, if the kitchen is busy (which any great place would be), keeping your patrons informed does not harm your business, in fact, it shows you care. Having had no response or acknowledgment of the above letter, it's quite simple: I will never go back!

Spiro Theodosiou

Went in for a quick coffee and a bit to eat for lunch and was impressed with the whole package! Recommend.

Info

Very disappointing. We rang upfront to make a booking and have been told there is no reservation possible but waiting time is 5 to 10 minutes max. When we arrived with friends and our 2 small children staff weren’t bothering moving any tables to accommodate us and let us wait for 45 minutes without even serving any water. Definitely not going back there.

Maz

CHEF NOT UP TO NORMAL STANDARD. We walked to Snow Pony this morning for breakfast which we do every month or more. Poached eggs were overpowered by the taste of vinegar. My husband asked for eggs "over-easy" and they came out rock hard. If they don't know what "over-easy" is they could quite easily ask. Very disappointed. Coffee still great thank goodness. I am nor sure if they have changed the chef but if they have he needs a few lessons in how to cook Snow Pony's normal standard in eggs.

Brunching Around

Worth visiting. Typically trendy ambiance with typically trendy menu and coffees. I always enjoy my visits, food is good. Would be nice if the menu was varied every now and then. Nonetheless, I can't fault it. Must try banana bread with coffee mascarpone and crushed pistachios... so indulgent!

Bigfoot

Snow Pony = Value. Another surprise in the Eastern suburbs - of all places a quaint stylish 'cash only' cafe - about time! Coffee is good, service is fast and the Piadina's are really good. The owners seem calm as well as the staff. Has a real nice Alfresco area on the rear side of the cafe and I recommend this for young families or for those who just want to chill out! Highly recommend.

Lucy

Lovely coffee, great menu, buzzing atmosphere. Had a really nice lunch, signature smashed avocado and a fantastic coffee, but it was flat out busy, and while the staff kept up, you could tell it was getting to them, which kind of took the edge off the whole experience. I'd go again and recommend, but probably book ahead (can believe 1pm on a friday was so busy!).

Lizzy

Coffee. Beautiful coffee with lovely young staff.

Annabelle282009

Giddy Up!. We visited the Monday of the Australia Day Long Weekend - they were packed out, but we managed to find a table for 2! We had the Giddy Up breakfast - beautifully runny poached eggs, smashed avo, mushrooms, loads of bacon, grilled tomatoes, with fresh parsley and torn basil leaves - delicious and huge serves!! Followed by some great strong coffee. Our waitress who was looking after the atrium area was delightful, but yes there was "'tude" from the boys in the front room.

LOIS

Food average and over priced. Melbourne has so many great restaurants with great food.....keep looking!!!

Rosabarn

Great little breakfast place but big on food. if you like crispy bacon then this is the place. lot of choices. only one critism, coffee cups too small. definitely a must go again.

Hawkeye

Wake Up Snow Pony. Third time I have been here, never again. Service is appalling, too much back slapping, high fiving amongst staff and not enough attention paid to the punters waiting to be served. After sitting 10 minutes being ignored, ordered coffee at counter, waited 25 minutes then asked for money back. Refunded, no questions, no apologies, nothing! Staff have no idea of how to treat customers. Competition desperately required, it's a bit of a dreary neighbourhood, but plenty of custom for a good operator.

Kirsten McMillan

Disappointment. The only way to describe. Told about this place, encouraged to go...total disappointment. $20+ for a small piece if burnt toast with smashed avocado and EXTREMELY SALTY mushrooms. I added a poached egg which came out stone cold. After reminding staff twice for my coffee...I finished my breaky...and was then asked if I still wanted my coffee. Barista was ridiculously LOUD in everything he did! No kidding, he literally bashed and beat up the grinder whilst slamming down cups, sauces, teaspoons, yelling,"someone take out this flat white- it's getting cold!"... It's NOT ALL BAD...decor & musical choice was very cool. To sum up: noisy, overpriced, noisy, average service...average meal...noisy = disappointment.

Deb

Stow pony. Banana bread and coffee are fab, but have regretfully given up on Snow Pony. Sick of snooty service and turning up only to be told there's no tables available (they don't take bookings). Someone really should open a similar cafe nearby to schnaffle all the people who want similar food without the 'tude.

Cynthia Leong

Nice coffee. Too bad kitchen closed at 3:00pm. Next time will try the food.

Cari

Good timing?. I get the impression that my friends and I experienced better luck than som of the other reviewers here! We weren't too sure what time of day would be best to turn up, given that breakfast is a full-day affair and the place seems to be constantly packed...but we probably got there around quarter to eleven. I've learned that showing up at odd times like that sometimes allows you to dodge the hourly and half-hourly rush :) Fortunately for us, a small group was just leaving and we got three seats in front of the cafe window. It didn't bother us in the slightest; the only awkward thing about it was having some girl in the rapidly growing queue outside staring longingly at our plates while we ate! It was a warm day and I wasn't particularly famished, so I went for a green tea with the seasonal fruit, served with yoghurt and rose water. It was lovely! The rosé water was sweet but didn't dominate the real heroes of the dish, namely an assortment of fresh (not canned) strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, mango and peaches. Oh, and the yoghurt was deliciously creamy. Although it was busy at Snow Pony (yes, even on a Tuesday morning) we didn't have any problems with the staff. A bit annoying that it was cash only and we felt compelled to leave quickly because of all he people waiting, but otherwise a very pleasant experience.

Ashley Maree

Snow Pony: More like an Icy Cold Foal. I was determined to make Snow Pony a regular haunt of mine. When I like/love something I remain dedicated to the end. Unfortunately I wish the coffee and food could make up for the arrogance and pig headed attitude of the supervisor who was present both times I visited. Having worked in hospitality I understand what a busy full on day at a popular cafe entails, however, as a customer watching, flailing about the cafe and beating the bell fanatically to cover up a staff members accidental slip up (dropping of cutlery) is not necessary. (it adds to the already unbearable noise of customers squawking over one another) Furthermore, bullying your customers when the wrong order was taken, by hanging around the table like a bad smell (when your wait staff were doing a fine job assisting on there own) is unnecessary, and the condescending attitude will get you no where. - end rant- The wait staff are great, there is no doubt about it, and it remains a popular haunt for the 25+ in the area. The decor is funky but I would recommend trying to make a time to visit when the ambience of outside or in can be fully enjoyed, and you don't have to yell over everyone around you. Finally some familiar breakfast dishes but with unique fusions of flavours and spices make for an interesting surprise. The pricing is a little XXXXXXXy but worth it if you make the right choice. This cafe has a few things to tweak to in order to hold it's own in a race against other cafe contenders.

Green Frogs

Love this cafe! Staff always friendly and attentive . Food is AMAZING! Def not ur average cafe food. For those who appreciate the more than average cuisine. Thank you Snow Pony , keep up the good work!

Espresso

I Feel at home. As an American, I found it hard to find a place that brews great coffee like us. This Coffee blew me away with its amazing drinks and fantastic atmosphere is like be at home. It became a regular stop in my daily routine during my 5 month stay.

Js

Overpriced. Average food that is overpriced. Cash only - unbelievable for this day & age!!!

Forest

Undecided. We like wandering about for breakfast. For 4 it cost just over $100. None of us particularly ate very much. My selection arrived in a second hand jam jar on a plate. Was crowded and we ended up in the back room. Others had just eggs. Again, my museli arrived in a jam jar?

Kiyone Food

Staff are great Love the fo.... Staff are great Love the folded scrambled eggs Giddy up breakfast Herb cheesey toast For a quick snack the mcpony is yum

CJC

Of the good and the bad I've only had great!. Each to their own I guess, I have been to Snow Pony a lot and have never had anything less than a fabulous time with the friendly staff, the food has always been delish and the one time I forgot cash, recognising me as a local they said "just drop it in later!". My favorite quirky place to enjoy some wholesome food and vibrant atmosphere!

Gemma

Good food but atmosphere lacking. Snow Pony has yummy food but not so great service and atmosphere. I came in around 2pm on a Friday, and had a booking for 2 people. The distracted waiter who greeted me told me to 'come through' and gestured vaguely down the narrow side passage. Because I hadn't been there before I was rather confused, but before I could clarify he was off again. I realised that there's a whole section of the cafe through that passage, which seems a bit of an afterthought and was a bit cramped. It was also disappointing that the courtyard door was open so the cigarette smoke wafted in. The service was fairly average. Our waiter wasn't overly friendly and seemed to be focused on getting orders in rather than on presenting a warm, relaxed vibe. Although tables looked cute, ours had only been set with one glass. However, the food was delicious, and I think that's the main thing. We shared the fritters, of which there were only 2 and a basic watercress salad. The beetroot and apple went really well with the yummy filling fritters. We also shared dessert, which was the banana bread with berries. SO good! Glad that we shared because it was huge, unlike the main. Fresh warm banana bread, brown-sugared mascarpone, tasty berries and topped off with pistachio and banana. Really filling and delicious with great presentation. It's not really as much of a cafe-scene stand out as it's made out to be, but all in all, the food made up for the lacking service and atmosphere.

Healthy2Petite

Mushroom Brekkie. For those who would like to have a healthy brunch. This place has one of the famous dish which full of avocado and butter thyme mushroom, served on wholegrain toast. The portion is quite generous, guarantee your fullness. The zucchini fritters is quite special. I will come back to try their banana bread too :) Pretty good experience.

Nancy

Good café, freshly squeeze OJ is delicious however food portions are smaller compared to sister cafe Porgie + Mr Jones in Hawthorn which is a bit weird. Cash only policy sucks.

Paul Donovan

IGNORE the nonsense reviews about this being cash only, it's CASH ONLY, deal with it! From a food quality and service perspective nothing's gone downhill here in the last year, 2 years, 3 months, whatever, both are excellent as always! The coffee's also outstanding. Whenever in Deepdene I'll always head to Snow Pony, and if it means queuing up (reason; it's popular coz it's so good) i'll do that.. (btw I have no affiliation in case you wondered).

Boccadellaveritas

Show Pony?. Actually this is an ok weekday cafe which is usually taken over around 10.30 by mother groups planning world domination or the next art show/cake stall, etc, etc. Coffee is ok, menu is small but accomodating and cash only I think. On weekends it is full of fathers mistakenly trying to read papers while 4 year olds draw on the other side of it. Snow pony is no show pony.

Topsy

Nice food but shame about the 'no booking' policy. Enjoyed the food but, like a lot of people, the 'no reservation' policy discourages our patronage of this cafe. This policy does nothing to encourage our choice to eat here, although we genuinely like the food and have had positive experiences when it is quiet here. There are lots of other options where we will not have to stand out in the cold queuing for 20 minutes as we foolishly did today. Won't be doing this again, particularly when management of the queuing process appears to be compromised by staff prioritizing their friends. Shame that what should have been a positive experience was tainted by this.

Liz

Snow pony - smashed avocado and poached egg, yummy. This was the tastiest breakfast meal ive had in years. The combination of avocado, feta, poached egg, thyme and mushrooms was mouth watering. Shame about the slow service though, we waited too long for a simp,e short black. Staff were friendly and polite and the restaurant was packed at 9am on a Saturday. Great food, we will be back.

G.R.eat

Did not meet expectations. Beautiful little artsy cafe. Very trendy. Banana bread stack is actually a lot smaller than it looks and although plated up beautifully, did not wow my taste buds. Avo mash on toast was nice but alas, was nothing special. Chicken breast w/ corn, pomegranate etc was light and fresh although the dish was small for $21. Service: on average pretty good, although one or two need to learn to smile more. Act like u aren't forced to be there! To be honest I expected more from snow pony given its rave reviews...

Darren

Just a short walk away in the quiet precinct of Deepdene, Snow Pony serves up consistency again and again. Favorites are mushrooms, avocado and bacon - always well cooked. Cudos to the staff for Honesty - left my iPad there and walked out only to have one of the guys chase me down to return it to me. Cheers!

NikBee

I love this place!. I was a big fan of breaky bruschetta they served until they changed their menu... so disappointed.. but we still keep going as my partner loves mushroom n avocado toast... ambiance is good... staff is friendly... good coffee... can't complain...

VolcanoGirl

POOR SERVICE & MEDIOCRE FOOD. This place is SO overrated. There are more and more good cafes popping up in this neck of the woods, and these guys need to be more competitive - on a number of levels. Food is bland, service is sloppy with attitude, coffee is nothing special and the cash-only situation is most inconvenient. Who carries cash these days, really? Give this place a miss. Drive to Camberwell, and go to Collective, Coffeehead or Goldilocks - all a tad pricier, but well worth it!

John De Kever

Mr John of kew.. Great for Lycra trendy mums. Gen y waitress was very ordinary...no milk with the tea and didn't ask what type of tea. Extremely close tables and noisy. Baguettes were tasty..pity about the service.

Caroline Stedman

Food amazing, service not so good. Been to Snow Pony a couple of times now. Food is excellent, especially the smashed avocado and banana bread. Service is not the best due to waitresses attitude. But definitely great food!!

Eatright

Best coffee in Balwyn. I know that's not saying much, but it really has great coffee by anywhere standards. The food is exceptional for a local cafe and the staff are always friendly and well trained. It has a cool retro feel and a changing display of art on the walls that keep it interesting. It is always full though. Get there early if you wan't a week end breaky.

Charles Humphries

Agreed with Other reviews cash only is so ridiculous, service and coffee were very average. Food was okay. Much prefer Studio Movida for a weekend breakfast and you cant go past their coffees.

Justin Langshaw

Poor service - felt like we were inconveniencing staff, or the kitchen by asking for bacon to be placed on side (partner is vegetarian). Also after requesting multigrain were served sour dough. Won't be hurrying back

Matt Roberts

Love this place. Snow Pony is a great cafe in Balwyn perfect for a coffee, breakfast or lunch. Always delicious food with fantastic customer service. Just remember to have cash with you as they don't have Eftpos!

Foodie

Good points and bad. Snow Pony has definitely been a worthwhile addition to an otherwise completed dull strip in Deepdene. Seriously, what did we do before this gem came along?? BUT...Snow Pony has some downsides, which consistently annoy me, even though I am a regular. Firstly, its cash only. WTF? How is this anything but lazy in this day and age, not offering card services when sooo many other places do. With main meals at $18 a pop, who carries that kind of cash around when you've got a group of 4 and...wait for it...THEY DON'T SPLIT BILLS!!!!?? Also, you'd better not want to tamper with the meals, because they don't do alterations on weekends or public holidays. Again, needlessly pedantic (but is it pedantic to care enough to write a review about their being pedantic? LOL!) All in all, I get the feeling sometimes like Snow Pony is just that little bit too big for its boots. While it is a great cafe, and you would be hard pressed to fault its food and coffee, it just comes across as a bit pretentious. Give it a try and see for yourself.

Thatgirl

Don't believe the hype.. Atmosphere -8/10 Food - 5/10 - trying too hard. Had banana bread and although it looked great it was a let down. Drink - 3/10 - how can a cafe not have a decent barista? Small small small. Overall - 5/10

Zander Berends

Rude service. Rubbish service and the menu is boring and never changes. This place has gone downhill in the past 12 months.

YummyKitty

Agreed with Tim Price- cash only is so ridiculous, service is poor also.

Tom Price

Cash only. Really? It's 2012. No ATMs nearby either.

Nomsthetea

The food is absolutely delicious. The folded eggs are delicious and the staff are lovely. You can tell the staff really enjoy being there and that inviting atmosphere is why most people go there

Geeboy

Don't let the service slip.. Been coming here for few years as its the best closest joint to work, great food which maintains its greatness, generally great service, just recently though, perhaps due to change of hands? A few niggles re service, particularly directed at female staff with topsytail pony tails, who spend most of their energy on everything else but service. It's a shame when most of the staff are attentive & professional..

Anna M

I come here almost every weekend! Breakfast is always amazing!! Doesn't matter how cold it is outside.. It's always worth the wait!!!!!

Allan

Liked it- just!. I am of the older brigade and waiting outside for a table for 4 in the freezing cold is not my cup of tea (excuse the pun). Many young things wanting tables for 2 and 3 were allowed to enter before us. Why no idea- it can't be hard to organise. So despite the very good food and coffee I felt a little underwhelmed. I can't see why bookings can't be taken or is it trendy to be a walk up cafe these days. Certainly a trendy crowd was in evidence. Pity about the woman on the table beside me who talked to her friend at about 1000 decibels. Lovely food and coffee but ever so in and ever so noisy. I will geive it another chance on a weekday when I might not have to queue and the noise may be that little less. Normally I would not give this place a 2nd try but the food was good. I will let you know!!

Chris Fraser

Best breakfast in Melbourne. Love the flavours of their mushrooms, tomato. Smart use of fetta, avocado in the Giddy Up. Stay long enough to make room for the Banana Bread so good!

Anki Linchausen

Food was delicious. However, there were too many bad points so I won't be returning. First of all they're cash only, but no ATM closed and it's not advertised outside so you can get cash beforehand. When we asked to move to the table next to ours to be closer to the heater, they said no because a big group was coming. No big group came, and they seated groups of four there instead. Can only assume the staff weren't bothered

Sweet&Sour

Some good, some bad. After coming here about 5-6 times there are some good and bad points but the good trump the bad!. Not so good: watery chai and very small glass (I don't drink coffee do I wouldn't know, but apparently it can be hit and miss), don't ever order the Spanish tortilla it is very small and dry. Also it is cash only which for me is a bit annoying. Great points: friendly (and good looking) waiters!, good location, nice atmosphere (whether inside or outside) and they have by far the BEST scrambled eggs I have tasted- golden with goats feta - so good, sometimes it's best to stick to the simple things :)

Tashy Nom Nom

I visited snow pony this morning to celebrate my mum's birthday. We frequently visit Porgie and Friends of Mine, and thought we wouls try somewhere new. Overall, the food was average. My Spanish tortilla was very dry, as my grandmothers fried egg. Smashed avo was nice and so were the chai lattes. Having said this, the absolute worst part of our visit was the waitress that served us (not sure of her name, but she was blonde). She had an attitude from the moment we say down and practically threw the food at us. She was abrupt and rushed us to make a decision with our meals. She is the reason we will not be returning.

MaggieMay

The long wait.... I don't know why I went back there however last Friday I went to Snow Pony for a coffee. After being seated by the waitress she never came back. I waited 40 minutes & ended up walking out. On a previous visit I waited 30 minutes, on yet another visit my friend's pork belly was cold and raw inside. Is someone at the Herald Sun mates with the owner? They are always giving Snow Pony a good wrap - they must have been lucky enough to have their order taken & be served cooked food on their visit. There is a delightful cafe on the opposite side of Cotham Rd next to Inset Kitchens, I had my coffee and was out of there in 10 minutes, they get my money and my custom from now on.

Alex L

Most of my components of Giddy Up were bearly warm. Bacon was cold and rock hard. Only the slow roasted tomato was hot. You would expect precooked breaky for $19. Huge dissappointment.

FaveCin

Rudeness!. I haven't even been to Snow Pony yet and it has a big black mark against it. Just called to find out if they were open and what time until. didn't get to finish my question when I got a curt response of 'yes we are, thank you (phone slams)'. What??? So you're busy but are people on the phone not customers as well?

Celeste

Very modern, highly recommended. Food is lovely ( but I really hope they give a thinner toast, as the thick slice is really making my mouth sore) and coffee is a bit burnt. But I'll still come back. Their lemon and coconut cupcake was delicious

Louise

Reliably Disappointing. Every time i make the mistake of coming here i regret it. Don't get me wrong i love the food, but the service is incredibly average and the coffee is worse. Now they have upped the prices... the big breakfast costs $23 or something? and each extra you add is $4.70.... speechless.... When r Porgy's and Mr Jones is 5 mins away by car. They have exactly the same menu but for some reason the prices haven't gone up, and you get and UPGRADE in service. I don't know why anyone would bother going to snow pony.

Gigi

Waiting, waiting..... Been here several times for coffee, which is good & I found to be quite consistent. However, service is bad. Last time I sat waiting for more than 15mins while it seemed the staff ignored me. I don't mind waiting if need be, but after looking around like a dork & no one responding even when they weren't busy, I got up & left.

Snowy

3out of 4. Great coffee, staff and food...but the loo needs a Reno....and a good clean.

Sam Marwood

Eat like a king. I feel like a big fat king in his castle at snow pony. Love it

Goodcoffee

Coffee!. Could be in my top 3 favourite cafe's in Melbourne. Went there again yesterday and enjoyed polite service, a hot latte and a very nice lamb piadini!

Doug.lau

What pony? Snow Pony!. Went here at 11am on a Saturday morning and it was packed!! It was decided then and there that the food must be good and I must say, I was not disappointed. The decor is warm and welcoming and the wait staff were very polite and helpful. The food? GREAT! The banana bread that I had with berry filing was so warm and soft that it just melts in your mouth. I will definitely be back again one day. Try it!

Nicoleg

Delicious!!. Thanks everyone at Snow Pony for another delicious breakfast! We love the Banana bread with berries, marscapone and pistachio; and the Smashed avocado with poached egg. Your coffee, juice and service is fantastic. I highly recommend Snow Pony if you love good food. I'm be returning again in the near future.

Nikki

Good coffee, staff still need a little work, 3 strikes and out, I'm up to strike 2.

WeeMadAndo

Far below expectations.. I know that expectations shouldn't be a real guide, but when a place is far and away so well reviewed by UrbanSpoon you can't really help it. And this place was a let down. Dirty glasses (detritus still stuck to the lips) for the water was the first hint. Their hot chocolate tasted like chocolate syrup was used - and not a nice one either. Our breakfasts were by far the most disappointing aspect. Don't advertise a "roasted pepper salad" if your roasted peppers are from a jar. And, if they weren't from a jar, you were doing it wrong because they tasted awful. Smashed avocado can be done fresh - it shouldn't be old, discoloured guacamole from a tub. Flavours were utterly overpowered by various elements and the dishes were confused messes of strong flavours (mmm, dukkah over nasty jar pickled capsicum, it goes so well with poached eggs). It's not the worst place that I've ever visited, but it most certainly doesn't deserve a place amongst the best.

Lachiem7

Great cafe, great location, staff are friendly, coffee is top notch.

Courtney

Just what Balwyn needed!. Love heading to Snow Pony when I have a morning free! Tasty breakfasts and lunchy things, good coffee and a great buzzy atmosphere. Just remember it's cash only!

EatingOut

Service is fantastic. The staff are super friendly and remember what we ordered last time so that they steered us in the right direction. They make their own GF bread. Amazing! Coffees are okay and the spinach is gritty so watch out!! Still we will be back for more

Tune

Went for lunch today. Service was terrible, such a shame because the food was great! 45 min wait for food when not overly busy, arrived 15 mins after asking, maybe a forgotten order? Would expect a free coffee or gesture but nothing. Food finally arrives and was really yum!

Michelle

Great food, service could be better. I went there for breakfast on Friday and I wanted something light for my 4 year old. She loves banana bread but it usually comes with marscapone cheese, berries etc. Which is lovely but a lot for a kid. So I asked if they could omit that. The waitress came back to say yes they could but it would still be $14. I asked if they could include the condiments but serve it on the side and was told the kitchen was too busy to make variations. I didn't have the strength to argue. Since when is putting things on a different plate a variation? How much effort does this take? It's a nice cafe, but there's plenty of them around and the coffee isn't that fantastic for me to bother going there and being annoyed at their inflexibility.

Ems Review

Lovely little cafe. Best steak sandwiches ever! Topped with all the trimmings. Would return just for these and also wanted to try the burcher muesli next time, looks and sounds really good.

Eton's Mess

Delightful staff - attentive and helpful and enjoy a laugh. Breaky menu is extensive and has plenty of healthy options - organic and veggie choices are all great. Yummmeeee !!

Fusspot

Coffee & service hit n miss. I have been here several times over the last couple of years. Although the food is generally nice some menu items are overpriced. Lately my coffees havent been the best and I have had to return them (strong skinny latte wasnt strong enough and/or no hardly any crema). What makes it worse is I repeat myself several times that I would like a strong one & when its weak I get attitude by the waiters, which Is not on. Recently I got a take away coffee- it wasnt busy but took 8 minutes as they served all the dine in orders first. Hmmm there must be a system where the take away coffees have some urgency rather than waiting for the entire backlog of orders to clear first. Overall a nice cafe- love the cupcakes/slices however I havent been impressed with the inconsistent coffee & overal attitude over the last few months I have been there.

Kate Van Der Lit

Good but not great. I went to Snow Pony for brunch on the recommendation of several friends. I'm not sure if I was just expecting too much but I was a little disappointed. We didn't have any problems with the service that others have reported, I was offered a coffee as soon as I was seated but it was then a while before our order was taken. I had the Giddy Up which was good but nothing special. I don't like pepper and find it frustrating when everything comes out with pepper on it - yet I always forget check on this when ordering. My friends had the smashed avocado which looked good. The coffee was okay. Lastly, they don't do alterations to the menu on weekends nor do they split the bill on weekends. I understand this makes it easier for the cafe, but how hard is it really? I think that Snow Pony is a decent local cafe but not worth travelling for. I'll go back if I'm in the area or it's close to whoever I'm meeting up with but won't go out of my way to go back. I'll also order something a bit more interesting next time, the Bang Bang and Smashed Avocado looked good.

Andy Douglas

I come here probably every second week now. Have been there well over ten times. I used to work hospitality for four years and am always happy with the service - it is prompt, professional and friendly. Food and coffee are good too. Obviously it's a pity they only do cash but that can be overlooked. Prices aren't cheap but not frightfully expensive either. Worth paying a visit here. I get the golden folded eggs with goat cheese, nice!

Judyphey

Little gem among the quiet streets. Ate here yesterday with my boyfriend - first thing I noticed was chalkboard writing on the wall that said 'Cash only'. Luckily the pharmacy nearby allows you to cash out as long as you purchase - So number 1.. bring cash. My boyfriend chose the Hopkins River Eye fillet steak sandwich and I chose the Spanish tortilla with frittata and chorizo. I would say the steak sandwich was definitely the winner, those being the priciest item on the menu. It was presented so well, meat was so succulent, topped with a perfectly poached egg. Such a winner. Spanish tortilla was not too bad - it was drizzled with lots of rocket and balsamic sauce which really helped as I felt the frittata was slightly dry. We were then recommended to try the toasted banana bread with marscapone and berry compote - seeing we had a bit of room and I'm such a sweet tooth. Result? SO WORTH IT. Banana bread was so soft and moist, also not too sweet and the addition of fresh bananas just makes it even tastier. It was definitely a large portion for one person so we managed to share between two. It was more than enough and was a really great end to an already wonderful meal. Bring the entertainment voucher if you have it to get a good discount off your meal! Staff were super friendly and always love to know what you think of their meals. The place is always bustling but they never keep you waiting too long for a table. Would definitely visit again. :)

Ados

Best coffee!. Loved Snow Pony today! Best coffee I have had in Melbourne - smooth, creamy, just awesome! Fantastic atmosphere outside in the courtyard and beautiful food. We had the McPony muffins with scrambled egg, the steak sandwich and the best of all - the banana bread with mascarpone and berries. Stayed for about 2 hours and just wanted to keep eating and drinking. Highly recommended!

Lilmstidy

Terrible service, rude staff. Really off putting attitude. Been there twice and staff attitude had been consistently poor. While coffee was good, not enough to compensate for the service unfortunately

Natski

Giddey up. If you're looking for a perfect brunch spot on any day of the week, then look no further than Snow Pony. This delightful cafe in Balwyn is an ideal place to catch up with friends and treat your taste buds. My personal breakfast favourite brunch item is the poached eggs (delicate whites, and beautifully runny yolks) and the smashed avocado. But perhaps the best thing about the menu at Snow Pony is the range of gluten-free options. For someone like me, who is gluten intolerant, it's often hard to find good options, but not at Snow Pony- you can still indulge in a cake or two, albeit a flourless option. The vibrant atmosphere at Snow Pony only adds to your dining experience, with the always smiling staff very attentive to your every need. In fact, I've been in there so often they even know my name and how I like my coffee! So if you're in the market to try a new cafe, definitely check out Snow Pony. And while you're there....order me some banana bread (it may not be gluten free, but it's worth the consequences!)

Kha

Ordered two croissants with ham off the bone... They used ham off the package, which tastes terrible. Told the guy who came to clear the table and he said he will tell the others but then he just ignored it and acted likes nothing happened.

MASTgirl

Snow Pony - it's all about them. Having been to Snow Pony on more than one occasion and with more than one companion, I was prepared to sing their praises, and in fact, the food is very good. I have no issue with their menu. Or their coffee, long blacks being reliable is a must, and their are. However to say you are open for breakfast, and then be turning people away at 8am on a Saturday or Sunday morning and telling them to come back in half an hour, shouldn't that tell you something?? OPEN EARLIER!!

Naomi George

We waited 45 minutes.for our lunch and when it came it was tiny and bland. The service was slow and the wait staff indifferent. Certainly won't be back.

Gabriel Michael Carey

Always busy good coffee, fruit toast is great and now I want to work my way through the rest of the menu! Worth a look, and another....

Melbournian

Love this place. Food and coffee always spot on, staff are all really nice and anyone who says otherwise must have been the ones being rude and then wondering why they didn't get the best service. And whingeing about not taking cards.. Seriously, get a life. Smashed avo, banana bread, prosciutto piadinis are all highlights. And for those soy drinkers out there, they must use a very good soy milk because it's delicious!

Jerome

Food is pretty bland (Sounds great in the menu, but it really isn't). Staff are quiet good. Can't believe they don't accept cards - the reason given is that they try to be a bit alternative - stop kidding yourselves!!

Lavet

Went today, my friend had a ham baguette she said the bread was crunchy, I had the french lentil salad which was a great vegetarian meal. Skinny latte's were very good.

Local Foodman

Popped in for brekkie with my wife and was very impressed. The place was packed but we were swiftly welcomed and seated. Food was great although coffee was pretty bad. Will definitely go back.

Vi

Local breakfast fav!. Since making this awesome discovery about 2 months ago, I've been back 3 times and never been disappointed. The food is great value - nice big serves and fantastic flavours (the thyme mushrooms are amazing!). Great friendly staff and the place is always busy - don't be put off the 10 minute wait for a table, the staff make sure you're never waiting too long and it's well worth the wait for the food! If you have the option, opt for a table inside or in the narrow back alleyway rather than the backyard section though!

Nicole Hill

This little cafe is always busy it seems, but the staff work hard to manage expectations and accommodate your needs as quickly as possible. The coffee is fabulous and the gluten free breakfast was enormous and delicious (I'm a breastfeeding mum with a 9 week old which means I can EAT like a horse these days - I was totally up for the challenge, and darn well nearly finished!!). The coffee certainly put a sping back in my sleep deprived step and was so good I got a takeaway when I left! I'll be back!

Jen

Good food but thats it.. Great breaky, slow service.

Chai Sipper

Pony on a Snowy Day. Very busy place on a Saturday afternoon. Great place to hangout with friends. Food is rather bland and coffee is ordinary. Yet to try McPorgie but wonder if it can beat my all time favourtie, McMuffin :)

Cafelover

Love snow pony! Discovered this place a few months ago and have been back atleast twice a week ever since! Best coffee! Fast and yummy food!! The friendly staff and the funky interior give this place a great vibe!

Loz

Yum.. Heard about this place from a friend and had an entertainment book voucher so i thought i'd check it out. had the smashed avocado, YUM!! and stole a few bites of my partner's banana bread which was delicious. cute decor, coffee was top notch and nice 'trendy looking' staff. will be back for the banana bread.

Greeneggsandham

Winning!. Just moved in around the corner and i've already found my local. had the bircher - it was handsdown the best bircher i've had in melbourne! strong latte was good but the barista recommended a short mac and it was amazing! he looks like willy wonka and i didn't understand what a nude basket is, but it was delicious. service was friendly and relaxed. i will be back tomorrow :)

Nicole McLean

Shame about the excuses.... It is often very difficult to find a place with great food and good service so my husband I were delighted when we stumbled across this place a couple of months ago. We have been enjoying weekend brunch here at least once a fortnight and had never encountered the bad service we did today. My husband worked in the hospitality industry for 15 years and we understand that places can be rushed off their feet. What we do take offence to is when we inquired how much longer we were going to have to wait because we had been waiting for 45 minutes for breakfast we were rudely corrected and told that it was 35 minutes and that they were very busy because of Father's Day. Now I understand places are very busy on a special day but we have been there before and it seemed no busier than usual. After the waitress went inside she quickly came back out to offer us complimentary coffees (perhaps instructed by the supervisor). A real shame because the food is always pretty good. Oh and I hope the waitress who brought our food to the table washed her hands after she patted our dog!

Crave4coffee

Good breakfast, good coffee, service okay waited too long for one coffee but otherwise top little place will be back

CTKD

Service is the issue. I too have had the problem of poor service here. Also I felt that the food was a little overpriced. We were seated fairly quickly but food took a long time to arrive, and not all at the same time. Staff seemed really overwhelmed - perhaps they needed a couple of extra people to keep things running smoothly. As much as I enjoyed the food, I doubt I would go back because of this.

Eliagybur

Simplicity works. Great coffee, splendid service and reasonably priced. Most of us ordered either the Giddy Up or the Smashed Avocado; both of which looked awesome. Oh and I also ordered a chocolate brioche - equally scrumptious! Sometimes all you want are the staple ingredients of a big breakfast - nothing more, nothing less and nothing fancy.

Mona

Ambivalent ... We were regulars from when it first opened but then quite a few staff changes, and unfortunatley the coffee went from superb to really inconsistant--sometimes very good although been a while since ive had an excellant one, and sometimes really quite ordinary. the food is lovely and gf toast, but some of it-snowie and croissants are a bit disappointing. nice atmosphere, very school mumsy at 9 and on weekends we avoid it. also have this awkward thing where if you are a regular they charge you $3 and if not 3.50 so with all the staff changes, the whole system doesnt work -----01 Aug, 2011----- Ambivalent. We were huge regulars the first year it opened-but then with all the changes of staff, the coffee is now inconistant-sometimes very good but rarely lgreat and sometimes quite ordinary. the food is lovely--gf toast, but also some of the food is ordinary--ie snowies and croissants--i wonder if the size of dishes have got smaller. atmosphere lovely except for yellow trendy seats that everyone avoids..very mumsy group at 9, and we avoid it on weekends as it is so crowded and noisy

Beegirl

Try the banana bread, you won't regret it. The best I have ever had, and believe me I've tried a few!

Michael

Just had breakie at the snow pony. There were 3 of us and we were all disappointed. 2 had the mcpony and both of us thought it bland. Another had the crossiant- ham & cheese. It was ok, but nothing special. Service was slow, but they were busy. Should get the coffees out faster Will not go back.

BellaItalia

Perfect Breakfast & Coffee. Now here is a place that is doing all the right things.....top shelf breakfast and perfect coffee every time. This is how a local cafe should prepare breakfast, using only the best ingredients.

K3food

Lovely ambience. friendly staff. will try again.

Lachlan

Great Atmosphere, Great Food. Went Sunday morning, around 9.30, was lucky enough to get a table for 6 straight away (I don't think I'd have got one 10 minutes later though). The atmosphere was good, with friendly young waiters and waitresses offering coffees and drinks straight away. Unfortunately though, those drinks did take quite some time to get to us, as did the food, but it was well worth the wait. Everyone absolutely loved the food, and the drinks, and even the coffees were superb. It's not fast food, but it is fantastic food, and well worth the wait. I'll be coming back again, and again....

Sangee Food Love

Some Cafes out there could take a lesson from Snow Pony on how to do a good breakfast. Excellent!! When you can perfect the basics you know your onto a winner. The coffee is done to perfect as well.

Michelle Oh

Love it! Went for the first time this morning, had the avocado and mushroom dish, was one of the best breakfasts I've had in a long time. Excellent service too! Definitely will be going back.

Zoe

Sonwy Pony Noey. Love love loved the banana bread tower! and the webiste http://www.snowpony.com.au/ is so cute!

Sheena Crawford

Horrified. A rat ran out from behind a cutlery cabinet upon my visit earlier this week. Enough said.

Empressroast

Pony Tale. If you drive too fast you will miss this fabulous blip on the Balwyn radar which is tucked away in a valley of non descript shops in a suburb formerly called Deepdene. If that's not enough to dissuade you, I suggest you forge onwards as this little gem of a place is the sister to Porgie & Mr Jones and Friends of Mine and it knocks out one of the best brunches I've ever had. Sticking to the formula of it's slick sisters, the menu wears it's hand me downs but no one is complaining because it looks just as fabulous and fits all three of them. The smashed avocado on toast with zingy thyme/balsamic mushrooms and crumbly goat's fetta is truly a champion. And there's also the toasted banana bread all warm and crumbly beneath a decadent dash of gooey mascarpone and berry coulis, perfectly finished with lime green crushed pistachios. Their coffee is Allpress and it's good but often served a little cool during their busier periods. I'm full of forgiveness though as they rarely stray from brilliant and I'm consistently greeted by fresh, young staff who are attentive, polite and look like they belong in an MGMT video clip. They are Gen Y that care, which is rare. Snow Pony get's busy and there's frequently queues out the door. There's limited space inside with a large communal splicing the room and a little boardwalk with church pew stretch seating and a few little tables dotted in the read courtyard. The style here is New York meets the Hamptons with exposed brick, splashes of yellow, fresh flowers in jars and countrified snacks that your granny would make, tucked away in the glass counter out front. This is my GO TO cafe that is consistently good, reliable and has me tear up when I can't get a table when the tummy rumbles on a busy Saturday morning. A ball of fun for Balwyn, kittens...

Georgie Stephens

Simple and delicious. As a vegan, the two things I look for in a cafe are 1. Staff not grimacing when I mention the "v" word" and 2. A decent long black. The coffee definitely hit the spot. I went with simple advocado and roasted tomato on toast, but the quality of the ingredients and extra basil leaves left me more than satisfied. My friend went with the "McPony" egg and ham muffin, which was very cutely presented in a little wannabe-fastfood paper wrapper. The staff were attentive and helpful, and very apologetic for a small delay in my toast when they realised they had accidentally buttered it! Would be more than happy to do make a return visit.

Gamax

A little good, a lot bad. The little good is the coffee and Tom Cooper's smoked salmon. Both are excellent (well done barristas and well done Tom). The lot bad is the remainder of the food I've tasted. The bruschetta was soggy. The snow pony scrambled eggs were more like a dry omelette rather than creamy scambled. The lamb meatball panini was flavourless and oily. The steak sandwhich was overcooked and a little chewy. The Giddy Up breakfast wasn't terrible, although the smashed avocados and mushrooms were a little oily. Overall, the staff are pleasant but not astute and I won't be rushing back. I'm still a little unsure why there are so many queuing for a brunch/lunch spot here on the weekends, and it surely should encourage another operator to see that the appetite for a weekend brunch lunch venue in the mid eastern suburbs is huge.

Alexandra B Duguid

To die for.. Just came back from having breakfast here and it was amazing! Smashed avocado with sauteed mushrooms and torn basil on thick multigrain bread is to die for. And the coffee is great too! Not just a satisfying meal, but one I will be forever craving.

Ella

Banana bread has shrunk in size since my last visit but it's still best. ever.

Jodee

Terrible!. Today I had lunch with two friends at Snow Pony - it was ghastly! Two of us had the chicken salad which was watery and tasteless. There was a pile of chicken pieces floating in liquid and soggy sultanas. This had been taken straight from a very cold fridge and plonked on top of a mountain of plain couscous. There were 2 or 3 spinach leaves on the side with a slice of orange. Hardly a "salad"! My other friend had the lamb mince balls in piadini which she said was bland and unappetising. The majority of people there were middle age or older yet we were subjected to LOUD awful music which, as is so often the case these days, providing entertainment to the young staff but making interaction for diners a challenge. The only saving grace was the good coffee. The prices were outrageous for the quality of food. There are far better options than this place for a much smaller dent in your wallet. Definitely wont ever go back there!

Forever Hungry

Love it. Ambiance and staff at snow pony are top notch, only to be beaten by their coffee. Smashed avocado is one of my absolute favourite brunch dishes. Try to avoid weekends as service can be a little slow in the peak brunch hours.

Hungry Biddy

Coffee was fantastic - best I've had in a while. Breakfast was average though. The 'bang bang' eggs were cooked well but lacked a sauce or something to pull the different elements together... With the thick toast as well as the seed and herb mix, and the red peppers were not great. The toast was delish though, would have preferred to order that on it's own. I would go back to try the banana bread, my friend had it and it was pretty yum! I would recommend giving it a go.. As I'm hopefully thinking the bang bang eggs were the runt dish of the menu...

Fat_kid

No treats for this pony.... Thought the breakfast was preety average here despite everyone's rave reviews. Coffee was amazing and staff were super nice....maybe next time i'll try something from the lunch menu and it will knock my socks off! Fingers crossed because i really wanted to love this place and its only a 5min walk from home!

Epicure

Needs fixing.. They have a good product but it is very very overpriced. and whats with the single toilet? coffee was excellent.

Sarah Dee

Not as lovely as I remember. Coffee was medocre, but used to be the creamiest, smoothest soy cappuccino out! The staff were attentive today and girls were lovely, but honestly didn't really feel the coffee was worth paying for.

Eeyore

Delicious breakfast and coffee it is a bit on the pricy cafe. Service is a bit slow but I feel they are just relax and layback but not slow

Rohan Cooke

Giddy up!. Great little joint in balwyn, i used to work there back in the day, still whips up a ripper breakie, and can't go past the poached eggs!

Iheartfood

Neighbourhood Gem. This place is always busy - on more than one occasion I've had to wait up to 10 minutes for a table. For good reason. The food here is really good, albeit a tad pricey but I don't mind paying a bit more for the quality. My favourites are the banana bread and the lemonade scones. Last time I was there I tried the McPony - liked it. Didn't love it. It's like a fancy McDonald's bacon and egg McMuffin. The hot chocolate's really good and I'm told the coffee isn't too bad either. The staff are all really nice and friendly too. It's definitely worth a try - I go back just for the banana bread :)

Anonymous

The best. It's no wonder this place is alwaaaays busy. The food is excellent and the waitstaff are both friendly and attentive. The restaurant itself has a nice rustic feel, making it quite a pleasant breakfast place. Overall Snow Pony gets a 10/10 from me.

Figjam

Good find. Stumbled onto this place the other day. the coffe is to die for, service was amazing. had a great chat to the manager. suggested the banana bread, omg, it was extraordinary and i don't normally like anything with banana's in it :S. Only thing to complain about was it is too far out of my daily drive to come back every morning! When i came back today I even got my car cleaned and had the steak sandwich while i waited. can't wait to come back in the future!!

The Hungry Badger

Delicious. Fantastic food, great coffee, friendly, happy staff and a good crowd on a weekend. I had the smashed avocado with thyme buttered mushrooms, a poached egg and the largo bacon and left feeling very full. Melpoda had the Bang Bang Eggs and left in pretty much the same condition. We're most definitely leaving this place on the top of our list for a follow-up brunch. They have a good selection of cakes, preserves and relishes on hand as well.

Tracelowe

$$$ more important than customer service. I dined at Snow Pony on a Sat morning. Whilst the food was very nice the service left much to be desired. After being seated for 50 minutes and having just finshed our breakfast we were told it was time for us to leave because there were people waiting for tables. We had not been advised that there was a time limit to remain seated. At 39 weeks pregnant it would be nice to think there would be time to order a drink after your meal and that you would not need to stand out the front to catch up with friends!!! Disgraceful! I won't be rushing back.

Tee

Food is great, coffee is good but service & staff attitude, particularly from the male manager/owner is just awful. He would do well to remember that he works in the hospitality / service industry. There is a huge turnover of people coming in and out but I'm wondering how many are repeat customers. Porgie & Mr Jones in Hawthorn ( the sister cafe) runs rings around Snow Pony.

Easternsuburbs_explorer

Not just a cute name!. I have been to Snow Pony on a few occasions and I would have to say the earlier in the day you go the better the experience you will have! Thankfully some of the initial hyper of Snow Pony has dissipated. Snow Pony has some fantastic breakfast items - which of course you can also get at Snow Pony's sister sites in Hawthorn and Richmond. I have tried the Banana bread, smashed avocado, moroccan fruits and golden folded scrambles. The cafe uses great quality multigrain bread, yummy goats cheese feta and can cook mushrooms to perfection! Coffee is also really good :D

Chanet

Yes for Banana Bread!. Went to Snow Pony for Sunday brunch and we loved the banana bread. The bread itself to me was almost perfect -- moist and fluffy; the pistachio and berry compote added lots of texture and layers to the dish. The scrambled eggs with goats cheese was another delight. The eggs were very smooth and satisfying, but I thought the bread was too hard (?overcooked)for my liking. Unfortunately the coffee was burnt which is probably why they were looking for baristas.

Comfort Foodie

Just another cafe. Extremely noisy, (why can't cafes and restaurants use a few soft furnishings and accoustic tiles to absorb some of the noise), uncomfortable seats and very average service.

Comet

Nice find!. Getting the car washed next door went for coffee. Can do coffee! very smooth:) Looked at what other people were eating and decided to have second breakfasts!!! ha life is so short. Had moroccan fruits, perfectly spiced whole winter fruits. Dad had the fruit bread, dense and tasty. $25 Happy price too. Went back for lunch later that day, too easy to park near, Soup was amazing. Great place.Great service.

Champagnebubbles

Suburban cool. Hip and trendy brunch spot in the suburbs! Great atmosphere, staff were attentive and food/coffee was served promptly. Loved being served fresh orange juice in the medicinal brown bottles! Some of the items on the menu seem a bit pricey for a casual cafe, though.

Dumplings For Breakfast

Cute little place. Coffee only OK. Highlight was the food, I had the smashed avo which was great. Booked a table out the back but when we turned up it was boiling back there, so we moved. It took the wait staff a while to even realise, they were very busy having a good chat behind the counter. You go for the food not the coffee or the service. Could be a great little place if they picked up the slack in those departments.

Will88

Unexpected. loved.. A little slice of brunswick in balwyn? could this be? it seems master chef and entrepreneur Jason Jones (of Porgie + Mr Jones fame) can do no wrong with his gastronomical exploits. walked into a busy front room with funky lighting, colourful and edgy artwork all over the walls and Roy Orbison playing - scoring points before i even sat down. the coffee was consistently good (admittedly i had three) from two different young gents on the La Marzocco. a surprising and well received use of Allpress organic and a delicious single origin from south america. didn't try the food but looked to die for. hope you enjoy it as much as i did.

Carol Sheldon

Fantastic cafe, coffee always gr8 especially iced coffee. Have never had issue with service & meals! Have been for breakfast with group 8 & all got our meals within mins of each other :-) funky decor xcellent 10/10

Abennett

A good growth of good.... Awesome little place, yummy coffee, delicious food (banana bread and smash avo!!!) good fun staff. i work in hospitality and i appreciate and love what they are doing. a very well run show and i will be back... ALOT!

Kate Davis

Slow and Confused. We called in for some lunch at 1:30pm on Sunday and all being rather hungry ordered drinks and food straight away. The coffee came in a staggered fashion, when I eventually got mine it was strong but good. We started to get a little concerned when after about 40 mins our food had not arrived and we overheard the man at the next table telling the waiter not to bother with his meal now as his girlfriend had finished. We inquired as to the where abouts of our meals to be assured they were just about to be brought out. Reassured we agreed to wait for the meals but alas only 2 of the 5 meals arrived. We left rather disgusted and hungry only to bump into a group also unhappy with with the extremely slow service and the kitchens incompetence .

Spooner

Potential. Coffee is just ok. breakfast is not great.lunch items are good.

Rob Gell

It's a Mother's Club from 8am - 10:30am Monday to Friday! Either that or a daily 4WD club meeting.

Frank111

Hallelujah. Decent coffee has arrived on Whitehorse Rd. This place is a gem in a sea of burnt and bad coffee that I've had from almost every other cafe in the area. I think it's a former hairdressers'. With one large space at the front a smaller room near the kitchen and a small courtyard. Music selection is eclectic, everything the "flower duet" to Ella Fitzgerald (standard cafe music) and some Dusty Springfield. Food is from another world, I had the smashed avocado with a poached egg, this was certainly enough for breakfast and to get me through lunch. Coffee was so outstanding and ordered a second. Staff are friendly and attentive, even with the occasional joke... all in all, an outstanding. I think I may become a regular

Libby Margo

The Box Hill-Doncaster corridor is not normally where you'd find a decent café so when Jason Jones of Porgie and Mrs Jones fame decides to set up a café in Balwyn, a stone's throw from Box Hill, he was onto something. Snow Pony, his second café, nestles comfortably on Whitehorse Road yet far away from the hustle and bustle of the Balwyn Maccas-library-restaurants part of the same road. Still, the fact that Snow Pony is out of the way does not detract happy brunchers from rocking up to pretty much the only cool café for miles (correct me if I'm wrong, guys) and queuing up for a table. When Adam and I went, the wait was 10 minutes which is nothing when it comes to hot brunch spots in Melbourne when you think about it. But when you're sitting there in the freezing cold for that long, every second feels like forever, especially if all you have to keep you company is one grumpy Adam and Hendo's battered cop

Eat And Be Merry Crew

She looked like she had done herself up nicely, touched up her roots and applied a bit of lippy. No not Snooze, my breakfast companion for the day, but the blonde haired ruby lipped filly that sat atop the entrance to Snow Pony. Actually, on the other hand that just does sound a little like Snooze.... Anyway, Snow Pony is part of the same stable as a couple of other fleet footed thoroughbreds, Porgie and Mr Jones and Friends of Mine. Similarities in style betray that they obviously share a common racing philosophy, not surprising given they share the same stylish trainers. At least three very different yards in which to sit and dine, a modern Melbourne cafe at the front, a plush more old world room towards the back and an outdoor courtyard, complete with dressmakers dummy and red wicker light fittings. After looking at the menu the odds of our breakfasts being good appeared to be short-priced chances without necessary being odds on winners. The form guide listed a few long time punter

Kat Spatula Spoon And Saturday

The eggs were perfectly poached with the white just set and the yolks rich and runny. The bacon was smokey and crispy. The mushrooms were flavourful. Right down to the Noisette thick cut toast which Min

Adrian

During summer, there’s nothing better than dragging your weary self out of bed to gobble down some pan fried mushrooms, poached eggs, ricotta pancakes, corn fritters and a shameful serving of butter filled hollandaise sauce- especially if the eatery has a

Iron Chef Shellie

The berries and the pistachio are a great accompaniment, and the fresh banana helps to cut through everything. The banana bread itself was light and fluffy; seriously an all around perfect dish.

Review Snow Pony Cafe - Balwyn