Review Caffe Romeo - Balwyn

Grabbed a takeaway latte here on our way through the area, great coffee, fast service, & friendly staff. Trying to find a decent takeaway coffee in the afternoon is always tricky; so often you find your order for a latte was accidentally misheard as a request for a burnt precis of the day's former coffees, often capped off with thin, split over-heated milk that leaves you wondering why you didnt just save yourself the pain & shred your money instead 😞 Nothing could be further than my experience at Caffe Romeo today; beautiful coffee, clearly crafted with consideration and care; lovely silky, well-frothed milk; a delightfully excellent coffee, and despite the lateness of the afternoon! Thanks for a lovely coffee Caffee Romeo, I'll definitely be back next time we're in the area 😀

Best quality coffee in Melbourne. Music is loud, the staff are louder but that’s what I love!! Traditional Italian atmosphere of ‘everyone is family’. Go for the coffee, stay for the vibes

My Favourite Cafe! Everything you want with your morning coffee… Fabulous service, flavour and Consistency Authentic Italian Vibe!

Would have to be the best coffee in Melbourne. Excellent in every facet, the roast, the blend, the brew, cannot fault it in any way. Not to mention the service by Alesio and the rest of the staff. 10 out of 10.

I personally think it's the best cafe/coffee shop in the general Balwyn area with "excellent tea, coffee and food" options for whatever time of day that best suits for your visit. Definitely try this place out if your in the area.

A secret gem, hidden in an alley. This is a wonderful Italian cafe that serves great coffee and Italian style sandwiches, cornetto and desserts. One you've tried this place, you'll definitely be back. A must try.

Staff was extremely rude and the coffee was average at best. When they got my order wrong they refused to change it. Music was too loud, couldn’t hear the person next to me. Horrible experience.

My favourite cafe. Best coffee I've tried in Melbourne so far. Consistently great food as well. Nice environment. There can be a lot of young people there but I dont mind that.

It's so great to finally find amazing coffee and great food in the one place. Great service and the best lights I have ever seen! Do yourself a favour, get here and get the Royale with cheese OORAH!

Coffee here is super duper Awesome!!! Staff is Superb and so is their food and cakes!! Definately will return for more coffee and cakes.

Sensational coffee, food, staff and atmosphere. Thanks guys!

Just enjoying a plate of house made gnocchi and a cappucino

Great coffee and great services. You all have to try it..!�

Amazing coffee and most wonderful staff to match!!! Thanks guys! ❤️☕️

Awesome coffee&food, great service, pets friendly and best of all, it's local!

Great coffee, great team and the best ham and cheese going around

Best cafe in Greythorn ; always look forward to taking a coffee break here . great job Jurgen

Coffee is amazing every time thanks to Dan! Madeo is funny as and Lelo is the best. After a couple of times you won't need to tell them what you need. They will know!

Best coffee and charm in town.

I find this cafe more of a small eating place rather than a restaurant. Their sweets and treats are quite yummy, but I wouldn't be relying on their mains any time soon. Still a good spot to have a chat and coffee with a friend.

I hadn’t popped into Romeos for a few years but thought I’d give it one more chance. Walking in the interior was all redone and I was pleasantly surprised. Staff behind the counter very chatty and smiley. I ordered my strong capp and it was like I’d gone back in time. Coffee was as good as I’d remembered from years ago when they used to roast their coffee inside the actual cafe! Happy to have this place back

Had a coffee and banana bread toasted. The latte was flavoursome and bread hum drum. Would I come back - probably not. Staff seemed overworked which is a pity. No real spark or vibe there. I’d be surprised if it’s a local coffee institution.

Coffee is smooth and full flavoured. A real mecca for coffee aficionados. The cheese and tomato sourdough toasties are chewy and delicious. Love it!!!!

The original owners are back and so is the vibe! I have been to Caffe Romeo quite a few times in the last few months and have not been disappointed once. The homemade pasta is to die for and their coffee is consistently great!

I have started going back to Romeos after stumbling across it.  It's been fantastic for breakfast.  I particularly love the ricotta pancakes.  The coffee is an outstanding blend and smooth as.  The staff have always gone out of their way and have been really friendly.

I love this little place. It's a bustling little family run local cafe with consistently great coffee and the best ricotta pancakes! I have been a few times and not been disappointed. We have always been warmly welcomed and greeted. Great for brekkie, but haven't tried lunch yet so next time that will be on the list!

Came here for a Saturday lunch. Such a small cafe on the outside all tucked away but is actually quite spacious inside. You came in and feel like it's all authentic Italian owned and run. The salmon special pasta was delicious and they pride themselves on their homemade pasta. Chicken Parma wasn't very big with very little cheese. The schnitzel panini was interesting because the chicken was very slimy which wasn't very pleasing to eat. Overall, would go back to try their other food items. Cute place in the greythorn shops.<br/><br/>Edit: came for breakfast! Great bacon and egg panini and the scrambled eggs looked delicious.

Thought I would give Caffe Romeo a try today and was quite disappointed. Firstly we were pretty much ignored so we went to find our own seat. I ordered a coffee and a cup of hot water for my friend. They gave us milk instead of water, and when we politely corrected them we got a little bit of annoyance from the waitress. They didn't have self serve water anywhere and it took us almost 5 mins to get someone to give us some water and glasses. We just didn't feel like they appreciated our business or valued us as customers, yet they seem to put more effort to serve their regular customers. The froth on the coffee was smooth and adequate but the coffee itself was too bitter. Overall disappointed in the coffee and even more disappointed in the service. Won't be back.

Great atmosphere and really friendly staff who get to know you quickly. Always my first choice coffee house in the area. Great place to meet friends...

UPDATE 07/12/2016<br/><br/>The man, Stefanno is back running this place with Angela ....... what a pleasant surprise before Christmas :-)<br/><br/>PREVIOUS<br/>It's hard to maintain greatness ....<br/><br/>I still remember when Stefano first opened this place to the locals, no one knew about him, well hidden, the space was barely fitted and that aroma of coffee beans being roasted onsite lingers inside and outside this quaint Caffe not Cafe. Simple but GREAT coffee menu, not too many Sweets and add those "imported" Italian men serving with that distinct accents and their super-friendly personalities, it was a hit. Locals and not so locals would lined up for a coffee, trying to find any table, sharing table with anyone that loves coffee and talks about things; politics, the Council, Rotary men, etc. <br/><br/>Two or three owners since the original owner started this place has gone bigger, 4 x times bigger, it has more option with the kitchen attached, refrigerated ready-made food on offer, etc. <br/><br/>So is the price has gone up.<br/><br/>Does bigger means better?<br/><br/>The original atmosphere and ambiance has gone, so is the desire to visit that place you've frequented 3 x per week, where the regulars knows each other to a place where you don't know anyone anymore. <br/><br/>SUPER pleasant service is still there albeit loosing that Italian flair about it.<br/><br/>It has lost its identity, SADLY.<br/><br/>Although it has lost it's identity and that "warm & friendly" ambiance I still do enjoy my Soy Latte there, they make a great one, but not as much as before.

Lovely and warming service, owner is committed to the satisfaction of his customers. All staff are friendly, courteous, upbeat and sincere.  Clean and ambient establishment with fresh food and well made coffee. Still a firm local favourite after many years.

Been in and out of this cafe for a number of years, experiencing the different owners, the changing culture, expansion into a restaurant and the different faces that seem to change every couple of months.<br/><br/>First, the good:<br/><br/>Great coffee as always, perhaps the best I've had (and heard others agree) within a 5km radius. The top-notch service you get from a small number of long-time and regular staff there really makes the shop a pleasant place to be in alone or with friends, akin to 'Central Perk Cafe' in the hit sitcom series 'Friends'.<br/><br/>Food at Caffe Romeo isn't just your standard fare cafe food that exists without much care or passion, or merely just a tick box for that purpose. The current European chef's arrival (Denis) seems to coincide with the cafe now being a BYO restaurant on Friday evenings as well as better quality breakfast options.<br/><br/>Dinner at Cafe Romeo on Fridays is not meant to rival fine-dining or expensive dining places, but does seem to set the standard of food served at cafes as well as modern, yet affordable eateries.<br/><br/>Cause for concern:<br/><br/>It is beyond doubt that the quality and consistency of coffee, food and service varies depending on who the staff are on duty on the day. Coffee is good on certain days depending on the barista, food is extremely satisfying when a certain chef is in power, and service seems to vary a lot with the majority of the newer, recent staff.<br/><br/>A number of acquaintances and friends I've spoken to have said the same, and it is likely that we may revert to take away coffees more often than dining in for a small bite or more if the level of consistency of coffee and service continues to become a lottery.

Great local cafe. Staff and owner make a good effort to make sure that customers are well served. Since they started serving significant food portions the place has only improved with a great outdoor seating area in the laneway to the side. Some of the dishes are a little pricey, but that's to be expected in this part of the world. Highly recommended.

Yum yum yum. Great food, great price, great portions and good service. Coffee was very enjoyable and all 4 mains were more than satisfying. Great for families of all ages or couples. Will visit again!!

Mother's Day Lunch. So the organisation for today wasn't great, with a long wait to be seated. We didn't get menus straight away, I had to ask for some and the order took about 25 mins to get to our table (which wasn't bad especially considering how busy it was). <br/>I LOVED the Corn and Zucchini fritters, with a fresh salsa on top however mum's dish was lacking (Irish Big Breakfast), you need to add in some spinach and mushrooms especially for $18. She had really small portions of bacon and sundered tomatoes. I'd also say push a hash brown in and forget the "potato bread" you've got on the dish! Even though I do have some constructive criticism, I think the overall ambience and the friendliness of staff was great :) but you need to make some improvements to get back to the standard of the old owners.

Great Places To Visit - Caffee Romeo - 319 Doncaster Rd, Balwyn North.. For starters when you walk into this lovely Cafe, the staff greet you with a smile and a friendly chat. Nice! Then you look around and the place feels friendly, warm, inviting. After struggling over what to choose from the good selection on the menu I settled for the Avo Smash. Wasn't disappointed! Delicious. Washed it down with a flat white, great coffee. Highly recommend a visit here for breakfast or lunch.

The owners are friendly and welcoming including the staff, food and coffee exceptional! seen some bad reviews on here and starting to think these people don't go to the same cafe I do... Because at at Caffe Romeo I have never ever had a bad experience will always continue to go and be amazed by the lovely service and great coffee!

Loved Caffe Romeo!. As a newcomer to Caffe Romeo I had heard a number of great things about their coffee and they definitely delivered! The food was delicious and affordable. I was pleased to see that they used fresh avocado on their smashed avocado and gave you a decent serve too! Well done Caffe Romeo, we will definitely be back again!

This Place Is A Joke. What was once a quiet suburban gem, has become the joke of North Balwyn. Unfriendly owners that look confused when running their own shop. Delayed service, inconsistant coffee quality and now they charge for a glass of ice...thats right you heard me THEY CHARGE YOU MONEY FOR A GLASS OF ICE(frozen water) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Romeos is finished. This place was once the best cafe. Now with the new owners it has gone down hill. The food is terrible, and if it wasn't for the manager everyone that regularly goes wouldn't go back. The owner has no personality and does not to look after the regulars at all. This place needs Stefano back.

We have lunch regularly at this nice cafe and are always happy with the food and awesome coffee! Well done Romeos.

Great coffee, great breakfast. Really enjoyed an awesome breakfast (big portion!) friendly service. Definitely will come back.

Coffee is good as usual. Friendly waiter. Food wise, not the best pasta but serving is generous and price is reasonable too! A very hearty local cafe!

Best Coffee. Have travelled far and wide in Melbourne looking for coffee as good as Caffe Romeo. Always keep coming back here. I think it is the best in Melb.

Amazing coffee and Troy hands down makes the best coffee 10/10

Great coffee. Tasty food. I had the chicken and avocado foccacia. Excellent vibe and very friendly staff

Fast friendly service with your cuppa served exactly how you requested.Delicious coffee and hot chocolates and they use bonsoy (the best!) too!

I don't know if it's because I'm a tradesman and they think they can get away with giving me a bad coffee, but what I was served was bitter, overextracted and hard to swallow. I hope it was a one off.

Beautiful coffee... Enough said!

Coffee Ok, Service Not There. The coffee was good, however, it was a busy saturday mid-morning and I had to wait nearly 10 mins for a cup of coffee which is not worth it. Place is noisy and the staff seems to be playing catch up all the time when busy, should employ more staff at peak periods.

Italian espresso bar ??? I don't think so !!!!!. I've read some comments of people saying this coffee shop is very Italian-style ?? I heard mention of it [ Can't remember how ] and had been wanted to check it for a while now. A bit out of my way but nonetheless I made the drive.<br/><br/>OK, I gather those claiming this to be an Italian-style cafe' don't really know what an Italian cafe' [decor/service/set-up] should be like. Sadly the only thing resembling an Italian cafe' are pictures of Italy on the wall, that's pretty much it !<br/><br/>Very ''little'' imported Italian beverages and ''some'' Italian sweets. Oh and some Italian waiter who screams cafe' latte and cappuccini, [ Plural for Italian ] every so often. ;)<br/><br/>This might seem very Italian to non-Italians, but it's far from a very Italian cafe'. The BOMBOLONI, as a reviewer mentioned, [Italian doughnuts] doe's not make it any more Italian. There are loads of coffee shops serving Italian sweets, this doesn't make them more or very Italian than the other.<br/><br/>The set-up/service is very non-Italian, it's very Australian to be frank. There are many things but I'll point out just a few as an example otherwise I'll be here forever.<br/><br/>To begin with the dress-code is just AWFUL and very non-Italian. [ Not easy to distinguish who is working there unless you're a regular ]. In Italy every barista, [ A.K.A person behind the counter ] is dressed sharp, bow-tie vest and all. Also the most common, NO h2o before or upon serving your espresso is absolutely unheard of in Italy, it's a must without even asking !!<br/><br/>Every bar in Italy has an in-built open fridge for chilled h2o, as well as a bench surrounded with stools, [ So atmospheric ] and you are served at the bar if you like, [ Which cost more mind you ] take away is cheaper. The order is placed at the register, you then go to the bar and give your receipt to the barista, [ A.k.a person behind the counter ]..<br/><br/>I'd be surprised that if whoever owns this establishment is ITALIAN because I don't think they were going for a true Italian-style cafe' - either that or they are totally oblivious as to how an Italian-style cafe' should be set up and run. You might not think so but Brunetti's, in regards to [ set-up/serving/style-wise ] is more 'accurate' to Italian-style cafe, but I wouldn't recommend it for coffee. ;) <br/><br/>Anyway on to the COFFEE.., seemed to be quite a bit of confusing upon ordering. Seemed as though they didn't know who ordered what, [ A few frowns behind the counter ] but then again some customers chit-chat and don't listen to their orders being called, so granted in a way but at the end of the day it comes down to the organisation behind the counter.<br/><br/>From my good view the latte's and cappuccino's scattered around looked very inconsistent to say the least .. Some latte's had ''foam'' whilst others had very little as with the cappuccino's. Some very milky/watery others looked ok. Every now and then one of them looked silky and smooth but there were far and few between.<br/><br/>I was going to cancel my coffee but I'd driven a fair while so I crossed my fingers and hoped I would get a silky smooth coffee, but unfortunately the person behind the machine wasn't able to FLUKE a good one this time round.<br/><br/>Honestly I'm not being harsh, I wont go to full details but let's just say it was one of the watery/milky ones - A bit like NESCAFE with hot milk ! I just couldn't drink it, sorry ...! And I wasn't going to order another in the hope he'd finally fluke a good one, but I was so desperate for a coffee ...!<br/><br/>The person behind the counter was a tad inexperienced - A COFFEE SCHOOL GRADUATE to say the least. Not really interested at his work nor truly passionate about producing QUALITY coffee, but he was friendly, so I felt terrible and couldn't burst his bubble nor did I want to upset his day.<br/><br/>So I went back in pretending that I forgot to order a LONG BLACK for a friend. It's far way easier to drink an UNDER-DOSED WATERY EXTRACTION as opposed to that with badly textured milk on top. The coffee BLEND itself had PLEASANT tones but as aforementioned it just wasn't made to it's best at all, very disappointing.<br/><br/>Will I go back for a coffee ? Sorry it's not my cup of tea and not worth the trip in my opinion!

Great coffee and service. The coffee is worth the drive if you're not a local as is the atmosphere. The staff are very friendly and the sweets are delicious!

Best coffee in Melbourne !!!. Very very very good coffee served with pride and a smile as well. You could be sitting somewhere in Italy sipping this liquid gold .........their Kraffens ( doughnuts ) are amazing too.

Best coffee in Melbourne. Get in your car. Drive there even if you live on the other side of town. One is not enough.

Best coffee and cafe in the eastern burbs!. I have been a loyal customer of Cafe Romeos since it opened and honestly believe that it has the best coffee in Melbourne. The service is exceptional and the atmosphere warm and friendly Italian style! Only wish that it were open longer hours.

Some of the best coffee going around. A warm friendly atmosphere that sticks to the basics.

Melbourne's best kept secret. Caffe Romeo is home to Melbourne's best coffee!

Extraordinary coffee! Caffe Romeo is right up there with Brother Baba Budan, seriously. And this is one of THE MOST ITALIAN places I've ever been. My god it makes me embarrassed to not be Italian. :0) This place is a hidden gem in one of the oddest strip malls I've been to in Melbourne, and I do mean hidden. Look for it. You won't regret it.

A taste of Italy. Romeo and his staff serve some of the best coffee in the area.....great coffee, friendly service and it feels like you are in an Italian cafe.

This is our local cafe but it's also where we buy the freshest roasted coffee beans - we love the warm and welcoming staff and atmosphere. They really know their coffee beans here. Enjoy

Caffe Romeo is almost a Balwyn institution and it's well loved by the locals.  Most mornings the cafe serves as a meeting place for young and old and it's rare to see it not packed out. I have been here often and always get the mocha. Smooth smooth smooth with just a hint of chocolate.    I couldn't go past a lovely custard croissant for morning tea.   The staff is friendly and although space is limited, tables outside accommodate prams and pets.   A beautiful local secret.