Review Town And Country - Balwyn

I rarely write a negative review but I feel so disappointed with our experience this morning that I am writing one in the hope that the owners improve their service (not that I’ll be going back to check). We’ve been to this cafe to eat in and take away a number of times and have always enjoyed it. The nursery and shop are nice too. But this morning we were made to feel most unwelcome. The lady at the counter told one of her staff in front of me to check that my children had added their biscuits to our order, which of course we had. We were then made to pay our bill at our table before even finishing our meal apparently because we (4 of us) would cause congestion at the counter. No one else had to do this while we were there. They clearly thought we were dishonest. Maybe they’ve had bad experiences in the past but they should have handled it better. Then a number of times they tried to take my husband’s tea away before he’d finished in what seemed like an attempt to get rid of us. They missed out on another coffee order, a shop purchase and future business from us.

The service was very slow and we waited along time for food. We ordered sandwiches and the bread was stale and we also ordered a lemon tart for dessert which was also stale and uneditable. We we complained about our food our complaints where ignored and told that we still had to pay full price for our food. I was very disappointed and will not be returning to Town & Country again I would not recommend it for food and coffee

Went into the nursery section this morning with our little pup and we were told that she wasn’t allowed into the homewares section and during our time walking around not one staff approached us for assistance. The two staff that were on were absolutely cold un hospitable and could not care at all. Will never go back to the nursery at all

I went there on a bike ride with a group on Easter Sunday. Cafe was super busy, yet we managed to settle, thanks to its spacious venue. Staff are friendly, service was prompt. Now the astonishing bit. I ordered chicken & leek pie + cold coffee. I was charged staggering $22?! Freaking crazy. I didn't know what's costly. Pie or a coffee. I'm not going to eat here again, might come for a coffee.

I'm very disappointed about my visit this afternoon. I arrived around 3:45pm and was told that it was takeaway only, although other patrons were offered to sit down afterwards. I asked for a latte & ham & cheese crossaint. I went to sit at a nearby park and the crossiant was stone cold, did not even bother to heat it.

I enjoy my visits here, the plants are so well cared for (who polishes all those leaves) and all the garden staff are extremely helpful. I just want to draw the flowers, as soon as I walk into the outdoor displays I'm hit by all the colour. The tram passes the door from Boxhill to the City, or another comes up from Camberwell Station. Lots of gifts and decor items including books and-d-d there's coffee and cakes to be had nextdoor.

I took my elderly parents there for breakfast on Saturday.. it was 1130 am when we got there. We ordered breakfast and it did not come out till 1230 pm. Not only was the service poor, But when the order eventually came out, they had got it wrong! They were not understaffed as there were staff walking around, looking for things to do! The menu is also very basic and the food very ordinary. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a nice breakfast experience.

Great place, nice steak sandwich , not so exciting smash avocado , try the place /shop at least once 😊

Waited for 5mins to be served (not to be seated) when we went in.<br/>No one was giving us menu until we ask one of the staff at the door. And then another 10mins for drinks, 20mins for food.<br/>Foods and drinks were average, plain. They tasted alright but definitely not what I expected for the price and long wait (cafe wasn’t full)<br/>All in all, I do not recommend.

Lovely cafe attached to the nursery. Enjoyed the quinoa & brown rice salad which was healthy & delicious. Great coffee. Beautiful smashed avo. Enjoyed a shop next door after brunch!

Attached to a beautiful nursery and homewares store, Town and Country is a family run cafe that delivers irresistible flavoursome food to happy patrons all day long. This gorgeous space is beautifully decorated, has an abundance of natural light and of course, plenty of plants courtesy of the nursery next door. The front courtyard is also an appealing place to sit, and both inside and out were full when I dined here recently.<br/><br/>Our coffees and fresh juices arrived quickly, and were a great start to what was going to be a fabulous brunch. Service at Town and Country is speedy, efficient and extremely friendly; with lovely staff helping to make you feel welcome.<br/><br/>The Eggs Benny were served with delicious croquettes that were beautifully seasoned and had loads of flavour. The crunchy exterior was a great base for the poached eggs; and the Hollondaise was exceptional. Everything was well balanced, and this cafe favourite was a standout dish.<br/><br/>Also standing out was the amazing French toast. A gorgeous poached pear added so much to this dish, as did the fairy floss, berries, cream and syrup. The texture of the toast was fabulous, and it wasn't too sweet a dish, making it great for breakfast. Definitely the kind of dish that I would happily order again.<br/><br/>A visit to Town and Country is a real treat. Fantastic food, an elegant but relaxed ambience, and fabulous staff make it really worthwhile; and I'm quite sure that there are a loads of regulars that consider this beautiful cafe their second home.

We visited this gorgeous cafe in Balwyn, that is quaint and humble serving family and friends for the past 6 years with fantastic breakfast and lunch dishes! <br/><br/>It has a gorgeous exterior, and the interior has plenty of seating. We enjoyed the French Toast, with a poached pear it was definitely a favourite! We then got the Pork Croquettes, these were amazing! With eggs Benedict on top, the flavours were delicious! Finally the Breakfast Brioche, it was a really good option! <br/><br/>Recommend coming here soon! Lovely staff and just a really passionate and friendly business!

We were invited to Town and Country today which was a lovely little cafe nestled in a nursery. I couldn’t believe how busy it was particularly given it is quite a sizeable space. I enjoyed a chai latte as we awaited our order.<br/><br/>I went for my typical smashed avocado which was very enjoyable and my dining companion had the beef burger which looked very appetising. This doesn’t come with chips so make sure you order them separately if you are feeling hungry.<br/><br/>Our third dish today was the yummy French toast with a perfectly poached pear. The vanilla mascarpone went brilliantly here, really nicely balanced. This was a beautifully presented dish and equally delicious. Great little spot

Just had coffee and cake. Scones, jam and cream were wonderful. Although food and coffee were nice the place could do with a good clean. Staff behind the food counter could have been nicer they seemed more interested in serving people placing a take away. Could do with a sign advising it is table service.

Terrific place for a catch up with friends - staff are so friendly and the food always so fresh. Usually a wonderful offer of the Soup Of The Day during winter months.

This bustling cafe provided a interesting experience. A ordering mishap delayed the food but the coffee there was a unique and quite tasty.<br/>A local cafe with friendly and understanding staff, however would not be one that I will be returning to soon.

We found this place based on a recommendation. The food was tasty and we were not disappointed. The chicken burger, and the mixed mushrooms dishes were fantastic. Will come here again. The only improvement needed was friendlier service perhaps as not all staff members were pleasant. It does not apply to all staff of course.

Nice feel and decor and quite busy when i went. Booked weeks in advance only to find out our table wasnt ready when we rocked up on time. <br/> Had the chicken burger. It is unbelieveable that this burger nearly cost 20 bucks and does not come with any sides. Nothing. Burger not too bad, maybe a bit too much sauce, but cannot justify the price at all. Must be the affluent area. <br/>Places reknown for burgers charge no where near this price ($10 - $14,) so to have to pay this much is ridiculous. <br/> I understand this is more of a breakfast place.<br/>Coffee was nice. Maybe just stick to the breakfast options to have a safe, satisfying meal albeit a little pricey.

A nice cosy suburban cafe - but the Melbourne cafe cafe is a savage place - competition is tough and the bar has been set incredibly high. <br/><br/>This cafe is next to a nice home and garden nursery, so the decor, per its name sake, blends suburban homeliness with a hint of country freshness. Its nice and refreshing - a standout from the industrial rustic style decor which seems to be the fad at the moment. <br/><br/>However.<br/><br/>The decor is the only highlight about this cafe.<br/><br/>The food is not bad. The coffee is about average. The service is good enough...<br/><br/>but the kitchen is incredibly slow... it is bearable given the nice decor and the apologetic waitstaff. <br/><br/>So if you have a good two hours to burn and want to sit down at a cafe to read/write/chill with a nice ambiance, then this is the place for you... if not, save it for next time.<br/><br/>3/5 stars.<br/><br/>

A nice brunch experience. While the menu was very descriptive, I felt that the dishes were not true to the description. Unfortunately, I won't be rushing back.<br/><br/>For example, the minted fruit salad did not have much flavour and there was only micromint in the salad as decoration.<br/><br/>The avocado smash was quite bland, but there was a lot of avocado. I did not enjoy the pureed elements of the dish and was disappointed that there was feta puree rather than cubes as you could not taste it.

It felt kind of apt to kick-off the Australia Day long weekend with a leisurely brunch at Town & Country in Balwyn. Sitting in the open front courtyard with the morning light filtering through the canopy overhead, I could have certainly been anywhere else in the world instead of having breakfast alongside a busy metropolitan road.

We sat in a beautiful outdoor courtyard to eat our lunch. My wife ordered a classic chicken sandwich which tasted very nice. However, the amount was very much on the skimpy side. I ordered the steak sandwich which had no sides. The sandwich was Ok but the steak had fat and gristle. So in the end, not great value. The chips were nice together with the aoli. Would u come back. Probably not.

Such a cute cafe with a nursery and a homewares shop. I'm always doubtful of the food in these establishments but I enjoyed my ox cheek dish there. The menu is a refreshing change to the usual brunch culture in Melbourne. The potato and bacon soup was creamy and tasty as well. I heard good things about the mushroom gnocchi but didn't get to try it this time. It was nice to be able to wander around browsing lovely plant pots after the meal too!

We visit Town and Country at least once a week. We are always warmly welcomed. We really enjoy the friendly service, the consistently good coffee and the food always satisfies. We also love the whole experience of the beautiful homewares store, which never fails to present the perfect gift, and the garden nursery filled with inspiration. <br/>

I reviewed this place and gave it a scathing review based on my horrible experience here and I see the cafe has deleted my review? What’s the point of putting yourself on an app that gives people the freedom to rate restaurants honestly if you’re just going to delete all the reviews that portray you in a bad light. That speaks volume. My initial advice stands - avoid this place at ALL costs. Worse staff and management I’ve ever come across.

Whether it is food or the environment is my favorite，and coffee is also great. The waiters were very warm and gave me great advice. I think I will go here again.

My favorite cafe in Balwyn. <br/><br/>Fast friendly service and excellent coffee.<br/><br/>Lovely decor (table outside is perfect if the weather is good!) and once you are done with your coffee/meal - A stroll through the adjoining nursery/shop is great fun!<br/>

Used to live in this area for 3 years before I moved to Perth. Very friendly staff, nice coffee and wonderful food as usual. Will come back every time when I visit Melbourne.

Have always a good experience with both the service and the food here and have visited several times.   The vegetarian options are always interesting and beautifully presented.

Welcome to Cards and Cafés!  This family friendly café is the perfect spot for a quick weekend breakfast with the family while you are shopping for new plants or goodies for your home.<br/> <br/>The menu at Town and Country offers a wide range of mouth-watering dishes to choose from, as well as a kid’s menu to keep little tummies happy.

We enjoy coming here with our children after a play in the playground over the road. The coffee is good, scrambled eggs always soft and the service is friendly and attentive. The wholemeal bread option with breakfast is a real let down imam otherwise good experience. It's sliced sandwich loaf wholemeal bread, fairly tasteless and doesn't even come close to something like helgas. So stick to their white bread if you can bear it. And T&C you might want to re-assess your supplier options and get a decent wholemeal bread option, which would sit well alongside your muffins and other bread options.

Popular place especially on weekends because it's adjacent to Anniversary trail.<br/>Soy chai tea and soy latte were both nice.<br/>The cakes and muffins here are small and satisfying. <br/>Tried the smashed avo last time and it was great without too much feta. <br/>Service is friendly but can be slow if there's long queue for take away coffees.<br/>The nursery next door has lots of wonderful plants and gift ideas.

What a shame. Nice environment but both food and coffee barely lukewarm for both me and my mother. Tried to discretely address the problem with the manager who asked me if I asked for it hot and then bombarded me with all the things they couldn't do. When I eventually told her I didn't want to hear any more she continued and then told me I was on her premises and not to be rude and were then asked to leave! She only needed to say sorry, we'll fix that for you. Very upsetting and disappointing as it was part of my mothers birthday treat day who is 88. Waitress was lovely 😏

i passed this shop before i went to swimming class this morning. i ordered a flat white. nobody noticed me how long the waiting time is. i arrive this shop is 9:36, however when i leave is 9:53, i spend $3.8 and my coffee still in the queue when i leaving. also, i am late for my swimming lesson as well. it is terrible morning. i know this shop is very busy, but i hope the staff can notice customer how long it would take. anyway, there still are many choices around this area. only a few people want to spend more than 15 minutes to take away a coffee.

Good coffee and venue is lovely. The waiters are friendly and efficient. The barista in the other hand needs a chill pill. I ordered a latte and cap and she gave me 2 lattes. When questioned which one was the cappuccino she said I ordered 2 lattes. After she checked my docket and seen I'd ordered a cap she then proceeded to say that they're the same anyway and put cocoa on one of them. My soy milk for my daughter was ordered hot and when I drank it, it was very hot. But I didn't mind as it could cool down with lid off. The barista jumped at the opportunity to say I'd ordered it hot. And I said 'Yes, I did.' I wasn't complaining. Don't ask her for a napkin either. They are given out by the waiters not baristas

We ordered the smash avo and mushroom w polenta, both were pretty satisfying. Service tends to be slow during busy hours but how convenient it is to do some shopping next door! Plenty of carpark by the corner and love its dog and pram friendly as well

A very nice looking place from outside. I had the goat cheese and caramelised onion tart, I thought I was feeling adventurous that day. The salad that came with it was nice. The tart was pretty good and the sweetness of the onion gives a good contrast to the cheese. Next to the restaurant is a nice shop although quite expensive. But it is a good place to have a brunch.

Lovely nursery with wide range of plants and flowers. Cafe with courtyard facing Whitehorse Rd serving all day breakfast. Great coffee / tea and a ranger of cakes are also on offer.

Great cafe, with adequate inside and outside seating. Nice display and food, plus a decent menu selection. Ordered green eggs and ham, plus coffee with didn't disappoint. Would recommend!

A lovely cafe with the calming surroundings of a plant nursery. Ordered the smashed avocado on toast with an added side of scrambled eggs. It was served in a generous portion with a sprinkle of microherbs, with just the right amount of deliciously creamy feta. Thumbs up for flavourful eggs which needed nary a sprinkle of salt to bring the meal together. <br/>The house-baked goods are worth trying - my raspberry and white chocolate muffin had a nice contrast of tart and sweet.

Cute little cafe ... Good coffee and the dark choc tea is delicious! 😋 foods are decent but I feel overpriced... That's ok coz the patrons here seem to be wealthy ... Lovely service 🙂

The burgers here are very very good. Have to say that the quality of the food is excellent. In a nice little cafe with nice ambience, service was good too. Nice variety of food and drinks. The beef burger is juicy and flavoursome. Definitely come back here.

Beautiful setting- calm and serene. Almost made me forget we were in suburbia. It looked like something out of an English novel with the beautiful greenery and rustic shabby chic furniture. Decided to try this place out on Sunday lunch. Coffee orders were quite quick to be taken and arrived quite quickly. Menu selection was decent as were the portion sizes except the side of rustic chips we had. We were maybe 10-12 chips in a little basket and some of them were soggy. Quite disappointed I must say- especially since the rest of the food tasted really good and portions were decent. We also had to ask several times for a bottle of water for the table and second rounds of coffee. It's as if once all the food and drinks were out they promptly forgot about us. Granted it was a busy time being lunch hour but surely they should have put on more staff seeing the weather was perfect and that usually means people will be out and about. We had the burger, mushroom and polenta and smashed avo. All really well done and came out in a timely manner. So am a bit undecided about this place still. Will have to give it another chance before making a definite decision.

Perhaps you know someone with a green thumb? Or even someone with a black thumb for gardening and could do with a little help? Well, Town & Country in Balwyn could be just the place to take them. As well as the well-stocked garden centre, they have a gorgeous homewares and gift shop. After your botanic shopping spree, you can relax in their café with a cup of tea.

I live around the corner of this place so I come here a lot. Their food are amazing, yummy cakes selection always available. Service always prompt. The coffee though a bit unpredictable. The place is really nice, lots of plants and flowers, very relax and refreshing. They have nursery full of beautiful flowers and also homewares shop. It's a nice place to sit and enjoy beautiful day.

Found this little gem on the walking track and stopped to reward myself with a coffee. The staff here were lovely. Every single staff member asked at some point how my day was going and if there was anything I need don't hesitate to ask. This combined with my delicious coffee had made for a great first impression!

That was NOT a Reuben!. I know this is Australia, and some things are done differently here. But there are other food items that ought to be universal. Like how cafes make one of the best-known sandwiches -- the Reuben. Not at Town and Country, though. That’s why I give them a “fail.”<br/><br/>I know Reubens. When I was a rookie reporter in my first career, I did a story for my paper’s food section about the best Reuben in an upscale county outside Washington, D.C. with a large Jewish population. Over the course of six weeks, I ate close to three dozen of those sandwiches, and researched the history of the dish. Rye bread, pastrami, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese with mustard and/or each restaurant’s version of salad dressing -- this is "standard of identity" with these sandwiches. Town and Country’s “Reuben” had NO sauerkraut -- it used mustard pickle instead. There was no cheese and only the thinnest schmeer of mustard. Oy vey ist mir! The pastrami slices were sparse and not flavourful. With a REAL Reuben sandwich, the fillings are piled so deep the bread can barely contain them. With Town and Country's, the rye outweighed the insides! They should be ashamed to put that venerable sandwich's name on the menu when what they serve is this sad imitation.

Very slow. Went here for brunch Sunday it was a revisit to see if standard was better were told problems in kitchen so no hot food that's ok things happen ordered coffee which was nice but took soooooo long to come then told kitchen back on both ordered mushroom dish with poached egg mushrooms cold too much relish underneath would have been better relish in side dish our friends crumpets were lovely he said felt like another coffee but because of the long wait decided not too .

Nice little local cafe. Coffee was good and so was the fare (porridge). Service was very friendly. I liked it and I'm keen to return.<br/><br/>Review confirmed. Coffee was excellent. Nice breakfast too.

Jess Shar - you only like T&C and dislike 22 other cafés within a 5km radius?! Wow that's amazing.

OVERPRICED & POMPISH RUDE STAFF. As you walk through the door of this establishment of overpriced tacky replica in the nursery next door to the overpriced cafe, the staff scrutinize patrons clothing labels and decide whether or not they will say hello to you or ignore you, and decide if they will attend to you or not. Went in and staff didnt even nod to show they saw me and I was the only customer for one hour in the nursery, and not once did he ever bother to attend. Ended up spending my $1000 nursery money at Bulleen Art and Garden and bought al the plants there instead.

Vegetarian eats pork. I decided to have the home made hash brown and unknown to me, as it was not stated on the menu they contained pork. Now I am a vegetarian and once I had noticed pink flesh halfway through the second hash brown I was disgusted. The waitress was also unaware that they contained pork until she confirmed this with the Chef who said they decided to 'experiment' with them. I wrote an email of complaint to the manager and I am yet to receive an apology. I used to be a regular customer but now no longer. Luckily I don't eat pork on religious grounds. I am very disappointed with this experience and management.

Old Trusty. I go to Town and Country once a week after walking the Anniversary Trail with my son and a girlfriend. We always receive polite and friendly service. My son is very "particular" and likes a child's sized milkshake but insists that he drinks it in the old fashioned large metal cup that is for standard adult sized milkshakes. I worried that the waiter would think I was being annoying and quite possibly "just another precious mother" (!!) but he was happy to accommodate this request when I ordered it yesterday. Service with a smile. It is this kind of approach that makes me return. Furthermore, my husband and I randomly visit here for brunch and are always served with "hot" and pleasing dishes - no complaints. Cheers :)

Positives: lovely light-filled setting, reasonable food<br/>Negatives: bland coffee, service can be very slow, including in quiet times

Can't comment on food or coffee because I wasn't given any but they really need to organize their floor crew better especially on a busy Sunday. Waited and waited, asked for service three times to get a menu and order.. Went up to the counter and was told to take a seat because they are "table service".. In the end I just walked off. I must say I have little motivation to go back there.

Come if u have no other options. I'll get to the point. The coffee was bland, the food took over 30 mins to arrive and it was already 2pm. Then after waiting for 30mins, they got the order wrong. Wait another 20 mins for the correct order. Many other better cafes out there.

Great place and yummy food. The cakes are excellent.

Yummy new menu. Smashed avocado with pomegranates, hazelnuts and feta is my fav. Can't go past a classic chicken sandwich as well! Nice relaxing spot sitting outside on a sunny afternoon and it's dog friendly which I love!

A cute little cafe, yummy food and great service. Lovely staff who are always friendly. One of my faves!

Well done Town & Country!!. Just had a delightful brunch today at Town & Country! The weather is awful, it hasn't stopped raining. So unfortunately we were unable to sit outside in their leafy courtyard, opting for the cosiness within the cafe. It was extremely busy,but we were warmly welcomed and shared a communal table. Coffee was just right, and my wagu burger delicious and juicy. My friends both had eggs which they seemed pretty happy with. Perfect way to spend a lazy Sunday.

I give up. After going back for coffee a half a dozen times I am now able to say that the coffee isn't great, not bad but not up to the taste of Scarvelli or Snow Pony.<br/>I had breakfast of bacon and eggs 2 weeks ago and they were hard, I didn't go with the add on's as that would have made it too expensive.<br/>I don't think there is a chef in the kitchen only kitchen hands as the first thing you have to get right is a soft poached egg.<br/>It is obviously marketed toward the seniors as they make up the majority of customers, nothing wrong with that but they may not be so discerning about the coffee.

A garden setting!. This cafe is much better than it used to be. It was revamped a while ago and is now clean, bright, relaxed and spacious . The staff are professional but friendly and the food is good - great scrambled eggs!

Can't wait to go back. Everything and more. Having been here once before with my mum and newborn and had a lovely experience, we couldn't wait to get back. Walked there last week with a pram and a lab and the staff couldn't have been more helpful finding space for us all and getting water for my dog. The kitchen had just closed but the cook still offered to make us roasted vegetable panini's - SO TASTY. I'm heading back tomorrow for brekkie.

They even make bacon taste like gold! Amazing amazing amazing!!

Thank you very much for a wonderful experience today. The food was spectacular. The environment was spectacular. The service was spectacular. おいしい!^^

I had not realised the place had new management when we sat down today, and asked for the delicious corn fritters...so we ordered a combination of poached eggs on toast with avocado mushrooms salmon etc. Coffee and tea were served swiftly but food took for ever, and the eggs were tepid. Worse was a hollandaise sauce looking like a cold mayo...Staff was attentive and courteous but could not help with speed. The place was not very busy and yet...Ordering eggs with add-ons brought the bill to very high level (23 and 26$ respectively), so I believe there are other breakfast places with better value (especially for cyclists along the trail).

Nice spot for lunch. Discovered this little spot while visiting the area today. Lovely set up with beautiful courtyard for al fresco dinning. Dog friendly. Meal was very nice and freshly made - pumpkin and goats cheese tart. Well priced for servings and table service etc. Only suggestions for improvements would be timing, food took over half an hour to arrive for a small tart and salad. Also dinning was a little uncomfortable outside in this cold weather with no outdoor heaters used. Other than that a lovely spot for lunch.

So happy to have discovered Town and Country again! Living locally its terrific to find my local re opened with a whole new look. Apart from now being modern and spacious inside the cafe, the courtyard is inviting with its flowering pots, and excellent people watching potential. So far the coffee is hitting the spot, and I'm enjoying bringing different friends to rediscover My Balwyn. The steak sandwich and my friends full b'fast both kept us happy and wanting to return!

Delicious lemon curd tart, friendly staff and a nice atmosphere!

Bad eggs. The scrambled eggs tasted too creamy, couldn't taste the eggs at all.<br/>The food was generally greasy and fatty, not a place for the health conscious.

Watched refit, pleased it would give Snowpony (service) kick in pants! Lunched today, lovely looking, coffee was really nice. Food took maybe tad too long to come , steak sandwich tasty but little on cool side & delivered before Parmesan crumbed chicken w slaw which was a little on the bland side, maybe some zesty relish on the side ? Sure all teething problems, was busy but cafes have to be able to handle that!

Disappointed. Having rad recent reviews and waiting for the new team to find their feet, we went to the 'under new mgt' T&C for a brunch. It was, unfortunately, disappointing on a number of fronts.<br/><br/>Firstly, on arriving, we noticed that the staff seemed flustered and not sure whether they were to show you to a table or let you work it out yourself. We ordered poached eggs w/ bacon and mushrooms, scones and two coffees. When the eggs arrived they were overcooked, the bacon underdone and the mushrooms not properly drained and were sitting on the sourdough toast rending it soggy. <br/><br/>We were then told there were no more scones and instead we were offered a savoury variety which when delivered was felt stale, were cold and with little flavour. After 10 more mins we enquired about our coffees. An apology was offered but didn't yield any coffees. After finishing our food we again asked after our coffees. Another apology was provided but after a further wait still no coffee. We gave up and headed for the cash register.<br/><br/>While waiting in line to pay our bill I overheard both customers in front of me complain of similar problems re late, cold or no coffee. The routine excuse offered on all occasions was that they were still having some teething problems, and this was offered with a rather dismissive, 'tell someone who cares' attitude.<br/><br/>This cafe has been open, and busy, for over a month. The teething excuse is now tied and frankly shouldn't be the case at this stage. <br/><br/>It's back to the Snow Pony for us!

Nice natural light, big open area and friendly staff. Food more like a cafeteria, coffee was pretty good. This is a place for old people and prams. Cheap finishes, small house heater in corner.

Give time to settle. Hard to review this place as it is so new, so there is definitely room for improvement. Ambience of the place was nice alongside the decor. The service seemed scattered and no structure in place. Once finally ordered food, it was mediocre. For the price, the portion size was average; in particular my meal was luke warm. This place will be popular, it is in a great location, before trying it out though, give it a month or so to settle in and find their feet. It has the potential.

Awakening the giant. How exciting to see this cafe brought to life! The place was buzzing with lots of atmosphere. Yes there were a lot of staff but they were all pleasant, friendly and attentive. We were told there were a couple in training and am sure they will find their feet and feel more relaxed as they go along. The menu had something for everyone. The food we received (there were 5 of us) was fresh, tasty, well presented and timely. We loved the decor and were seated along the bench with the cushions (love a cushion on my back!). I'm pretty fussy with my coffee and this passed the test! The sweets looked inviting and didnt disappoint. I look forward to returning soon with other discerning friends - I'll let you know what they think.

A fresh new addition to Balwyn. What a massive change for T&C.<br/>A well needed makeover for this treasure in balwyn.<br/>The coffee is excellent and the new look menu has soooo many things I want to try!<br/>Sure they have only been open this week but I think they are doing pretty well considering it's a new venture for everyone involved.<br/>The staff are lovely and are doing their best considering the chaos that the school mums bring in every morning and have been desperately waiting for the re-open of this place!<br/>I think this place will get a lot better once the creases are all ironed out.<br/>I think we just need to have a little patience.<br/>Well done! I'll be back!

Bring back Gale!. Overstaffed like crazy. Owner and staff standing around chatting and doing nothing. Changes look good with new chairs, tables, lights and menu etc, however colourful hanging things in the window need to go, they take away from the clean look you are going for. The service is not like it used to be. Gale was the manager who was always attentive and friendly. We ordered a coffee, tea and slice. The coffee and slice came and after 15 minutes of waiting we gave up on the tea. No apology from the owner or staff. You really need someone like gale to take charge and manage all the staff. Might come back to give it another go once you get some organisation happening.

Bad Food. What a disappointment. The food is bland and the coffee is bad. I stopped as it seemed busy and wanted to check out some plants but was so disappointed. I can't believe that people were sitting at this café after tasting the food and coffee. Highlighted to staff and gave my feedback but was totally ignored.

Great atmosphere, but disappointing as I was served tea with cheap tea bag on the side with a glass of hot water, could have atleast put the tea bag in!

Trusted. Reliable and consistent comfort food and coffee. Local tossers who expect a fine dining experience should go elsewhere.

Staff are average at best. Food is stodgy and prepackaged crap. The only think I've had there that was really good was the chocolate shake other than that give it a miss

The home made food is very average and not as described. Ordered apple and rhubarb pie and was served a dry cinnamon soaked apple strudel filled with sultanas and no rhubarb in sight. When I politely asked to change due to my allergy to sultanas I was told they would "lose money" If they gave me another cake, so I paid 8$ for a piece of cake I couldn't eat and was offered no alternative or refund. Would not go back! At least check whats in your meal before you order because things are not as described!

Coffee and service very ordinary. There are many other better options in the area. Only redeeming feature is the quaint outside eating area.

Coffee weak but otherwise great outdoor cafe to enjoy a catch up and light lunch.

Not so great. Used to be lovely--but baristas never stay around and sign out the front says 'hot coffee' which must be a warning to people who love good coffee, the gf range is sometimes available, sometimes not and atmosphere is stressed, food used to average but theres too many good places in balwyn and kew

Service is ordinary, coffee is average. Plenty of better options around but great nursery and gift shop!

I came for the first time on a weekday morning. The staff seemed a bit stressed and vague but we got our order in ok. The wait for food seemed a little long but when it arrived we were very happy with the quality. We also found the coffee to be good quality. The price was reasonable, but a little high for a suburban cafe I thought.

Town country gardens cafe. Their weekend breakfast special was so great , it's consisted of 2 eggs, oven roasted tomatoes, crispy bacon, mushrooms and so fresh stir-fry spinach on Rye toast. and also their awnsome lunch special" LAMB Burger" with toasted turkish bread, sweet beetroot, and their secret recipe sauce with country style salad. u really should to try them. it won't be let u down. i 100% will come back.

Town Country Gardens Cafe ! what a lovely place to enjoy your day!!. One of my favourite's local cafe. Great place for breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea, it's a awnsome place u must try on whitehorse Rd. BTW u can bring your puppy together with u to enjoy your day. it's a totally pet welcome cafe. they also have a nursery just right beside. not only for great food, but also u can shopping around their incrediable nursery. that's so generous. Beautiful food, top service, and it's also BYO. i Would definately come back.