Review My Second Wife - Box Hill

I've lived a 5-10 minute walk away from this place for 5 years and never knew it was here haha. Definitely a gem hidden away, me and my partner had the Benedict waffle and the wife's burger with grilled chicken. Have to say great food and great coffee with good service. Will be coming back.

We had a mixed experience with the food. The breakfast and the waffle were great. The burger was a bit disappointing. The fried sweet potato accompanying the burger was soggy. We didn't have a good experience with the service. The waitress seemed unhappy.

Lovely presentation but unfortunately the quality of food could improve a little more. The taro latte tasted very watery, the Shakshuka had a really watery consistency and the portion of meat was little.

Loved this gem of a place!! I used to frequent for coffees, tried their brunch today and it was so delicious. Seating was cosy and decor was clean and stylish. 🧇 We had the pulled pork waffle benedict and Japanese bowl with Salmon 🐟 The waffle was flavoursome and the ingredients for the Japanese bowl were so fresh! Presentation was super pretty as well. The owner was so lovely and chatted with us, thanks for a great time and I look forward to visiting again ☺️

Came on a freezing cold Sunday morning, and for some reason the door was wide open with no heating inside. Needless to say it was not cosy or comfortable! With that being said, the coffee (Industry Beans) was delicious and reasonably priced. Worth coming back and trying the food or on a warmer day.

Must try this beautiful Japanese bowl!!!! Veg. Option is not available on menu, but you can ask the friendly staff for it! Loved it!

Me and my husband were in the area when I searched for breakfast and the closest was the second wife cafe. When entered the cafe I wasn’t sure about my choice but when we were served…. oh I could say it was one of the best breakfasts I have had in a cafe. We had “Smashed in Japan” and “Real Wife’s Breakfast” which enjoyed both of them. The taste and also the look was fantastic. I would say they know what they do in the kitchen. Capuccino was also perfect and if the poached eggs were not overcooked and the long black was not too watery, I would have given them full marks. Any how we really enjoyed having breakfast in this rather small cafe, will go back whenever we get a chance and I strongly recommend it to others. Go for it, you won’t regret your choice😊.

Nice little place with cute decor. Food was ok, waitstaff very nice.

Had brunch here over the weekend for our xmas party, the food was awesome and the staff were all really friendly, I would definitely recommend paying them a visit!

Loved the service the ambience and the food. A great place to get away from the troubles of the day and reflect on what is important in life.

Never heard of this cute little cafe before, but I’m so glad I’ve found it now!! Service was quick and the staff are lovely, and the food... my goodness, the food was so good. I wish I could go back in time to before I ate so I can have it all over again. I had the real wife’s breakfast with haloumi and avocado. The serving was generous and perfectly proportioned, cooked to perfection with just the right about of spice. Long black was just as I like it, and the music and ambiance was perfect for a slow winters morning. I will definitely go out of my way to come back soon! Thanks.

Had lunch here today, lovely food, great service and lovely venue. Just around the corner from the hospital; wished we had found it earlier.

The best, BEST, freshest and most delicious poke bowls in Melbourne. Coffee and service also gets five stars ⭐️

Food was Yummy, Coffee was brilliant and the Service was top notch!! Looking forward to breakfast with the Second Wife �

Great coffee, milk lab almond � really nice friendly service which made us feel so welcome �

Found this great cafe in box hill. Lovely fresh clean tasty food and the service was awesome 10 out of 10 will definitely be back�

We had a deliciously innovative breakfast here yesterday (the beef bacon is amazing!) with welcoming and attentive service. Great job guys, the only fault is that you're not closer to where we live, otherwise you'd be our local for sure! Looking forward to trying The Foreigner soon. Great to meet you Joey! :)

Loved it! However one small problem... what to order when you want everything on the menu?

Great food and coffee, lovely service too

Cute cosy hidden gem. Service was friendly and good was fresh and delicious. We both enjoyed our coffees too

Super lovely people and I love the interior decor of this place. <br/>I only came for a cup of coffee but I definitely have to return for the food

I stopped in on Second Wife (again with my second wife) but this time only to grab a quick coffee to break up our early morning walk. Good to see this cafe still going strong and that the coffee standards are as we remembered. The almond milk in my second wife’s latte was creamy and delicious and I loved the overall taste of the coffee. <br/><br/>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br/>Previous Review<br/><br/>It pleases me to see new cafes of high calibre opening in the Box Hill area. I went to Second Wife with my second wife on the fourth weekend of its opening. Stylish interior with white ribbed walls and a central smokey mirror. The lovely matte gold cutlery and rimmed plates also created appeal.<br/><br/>We arrived just after 11 when the lunch menu started so opted for two items off that menu rather than the breakfast menu that was also tempting. We ordered the Japanese bowl with the seared salmon tataki and the Turkish lamb burger with pickled vegetables and sweet potato cinnamon chips (crisps).<br/><br/>Both these dishes were visually stunning when they arrived and tasted as good as they looked. <br/><br/>The lamb burger had a delicious mid strength spiciness about it which was helped along by the inclusion of radishes and pickled carrots. The sweet potato crisps were not overly sweet but there was a subtle cinnamon flavour that really worked. <br/><br/>The Japanese bowl was full of flavour, not so much in the brown rice/quinoa, but everything else on top. Salmon perfectly cooked for the masses but I do prefer mine a little more under done when cooking at home for myself. I would love to have this dish again. <br/><br/>I also ordered the coffee and found this to be a little bitter for my taste but it had rich dark pour about it so the right level of extraction. I generally don't have sugar in my coffee but felt it needed just a touch.<br/><br/>The staff were friendly and attentive. Service was quick despite having only just started up the lunchtime menu which is commendable.<br/><br/>Warning: Parking is nightmarish around here given Second Wife's close proximity to Box Hill Hospital and we ended up having to park on a construction site opposite. Perhaps walk or tram here to avoid circling the block or having to pay for off street parking.<br/><br/>Second Wife had quite an exciting breakfast menu which we will be back to try and certainly more than a couple of healthier options for those who feel like a lite start to their day.

Coffee nice & service brisk <br/>Orange & choc muffin dry, tasteless & only about 3 choc chips

Quite disappointing. Lamb burger was dry. Pulled pork benedict was not great either. Pork itself was tasteless, waffle was bland and dry (comparable to packet mix), and the mint mixed in was an unusual flavour profile.

The ambience and atmosphere was great and it was a gorgeous little spot, the service was a little rushed but not too bad because there was only one person running the place. The food was quite good and the wait time was okay, quite reasonable :)

[Overall Rating: 6.5/10]<br/>Convenient and quiet location if you work or live in the area. It is a simple cafe with simple food that I believe is slightly over priced. Nothing fancy but caters consistent quality, honest and clean food.<br/><br/>[Recommended]<br/>✔️Japanese Bowl with grilled yakitori chicken: it's nice and light on the stomach. I wouldn't say it's an unforgettable and amazing dish, but it's good for days when you're not up for making your own healthy bowl and need something that gives you a "home cooked and healthy" feeling to kick start your day.<br/>✔️Warm winter salad: again, this dish is not a heavy one and overall gives me that "home cooked and healthy" feel. It gives me inspiration to what I can most likely replicate at home.<br/><br/>[Not Recommended]<br/>❌Nil<br/><br/>[Service/Restaurant]<br/>Hidden little cafe at the end of a no through road street. Given there's less traffic, I'd recommend sitting outside if weather is warm enough. The surrounding is quiet enough to hear birds chirp through the nice cafe music playing from the outdoor speakers, which I thought was a nice touch!

Popped by here with a mate for a bit of brekky and had the real wife’s breakfast. The dish was nicely presented and the elements of the dish was well treated. However, I was exoecting something a bit more substantial If I’m being honest. I left the feeling still a little hungry. I should have probably read the menu more carefully but thought it was more of a full hearty breakfast. Service was good and prices above average for what you get.

Nice little cafe in the corner of Box Hill neighborhood. The Okonomiyaki pancake really worths the try 👍🏻

Comfortable environment for brunch. We ordered the Granola - it was pretty dry, Beef Burger with eggplant was good, Real Wife’s Breakfast was average. It’s located in a secluded place, so it was a bit difficult to find a parking for me. But the staffs are friendly and their service is good!

Got the smashed avo and okonomyaki. Smashed avo was a bit simple and the okonomyaki was really good but I find it quite expensive for what it is. However, the taste of each item was great and I can't complain much as I came to a cafe, not to eat a budget meal!! I also got the iced matcha latte which was a pretty big serving. Unfortunately, the matcha taste wasn't very strong.<br/><br/>However I gotta warn you, if you're coming here by car, it's very hard to get car spots as the location is close to the hospital and you're most definitely going to need to pay for your parking.

Everything was really good. The staff nd the food, it was really tasty as well... portion sizes are excellent. Light was perfect for the photos

Came here today for lunch , we had the wife burger ( lamb) , grill salmon, strong latte and matcha latte . Highly recommend the grilled salmon , especially the fried egg is so delicious! Great coffee , great food . The salmon is very well cooked. Just delicious.

Small restaurant just under the apartment building, specially if you are a group of 4 , service is a bit slow, as looks like only one person serving, cleaning and make coffee, however the food a nice, will come back if not too hungry at the time.

1.5 Pricey. Skimping on ingredients. Disappointing. The manager even insisted that’s how it’s done. Seriously?<br/>Would Penguin Eat Again?<br/>$5 for a glass of warm milk? No.

I ordered the açai smoothie bowl (even though I really wanted the charcoal one but they didn’t have any left :( ). It was really fresh and smooth and hit the spot perfectly however I’m not sure if it’s worth paying $17.50 for. It was probably one of the most expensive açai bowls that I’ve had in Melbourne. <br/><br/>We also tried one of the DIY bowls and everything was super fresh and the presentation was very nice !<br/><br/>Also parking is really hard to find around the cafe so make sure you have a look around nearby streets<br/>

Chic and beautiful cafe with impeccable service! <br/><br/>FOOD: I went in hopes of trying their charcoal smoothie bowl but unfortunately they don’t do it anymore :( So I opted for their acai bowl instead! The acai bowl was good, though not the best and I felt more granola would have been appreciated! The smoothie also had some unblended ice blocks so that was abit strange but I used an EatClub so it was $14 and I can’t complain! <br/><br/>SERVICE: Here’s what took the cake for me. I may be abit biased but I’ll be reviewing based on my experience! I actually fell down on the pavement before I came and when I arrived, the waitress there brought me Bandaids :’) Sweetie, I don’t know your name but I hope you get a raise ❤️ They were incredibly kind and friendly and the waitress was sweet enough to let me alter my smoothie bowl!<br/><br/>Second Wife is a gorgeous cafe with an array of unique food and options! I’d definitely return but I’d try their savoury options next time!

Great food & coffee, but I think may have changed hands as pork as well as beef bacon being sold now on premises. Recommend to try. Nice cosy atmosphere & beautiful simple decor.

Nice little cafe. Not easy to find if you drive.<br/><br/>Settings is nice and simple;<br/>Stuff were friendly;<br/>Coffee was great;<br/>Meal is ok...<br/><br/>Don't mind drop by for coffee next time.<br/>

Second Wife is a Japanese inspired cafe tucked away in a side street off Whitehorse Road in Box Hill. <br/>The service was very friendly. The food was tasty and interesting without being spectacular. The highlight was the Japanese bowl. Worth a visit if you are in the area. <br/>There is ticket parking on the street and there were plenty of car spots on Saturday lunch when we visited.

What I love about this cafe is that it’s located in Box Hill which isn’t too far from where we live. Its quite the hidden gem! When I first went into the cafe, I notice how nice the decor really is. It’s very modern with black touches and white marble themes. I also really liked how the cutleries were gold as well. These really nice touches takes the ambiance to another level! <br/><br/>We ordered the Okonomiyaki with poached egg and smoked salmon and it was delicious! It had a breakfast/lunch touch to it. I liked how it had Bonito flakes and mayonnaise all over. The mayo was on point! We also ordered the smash in Japan which was very similar to another cafe we’ve tried with the mushroom skewers. Still good but. <br/><br/>My bf really enjoyed the coffee here as well. <br/><br/>Overall, food was really nice and I would defs be coming back for more.

Great coffee (definitely the best I’ve had in the area) and service and food is nice. I had the nourish salad. Could do with a few more options but a really nice option near the hospital.

The food is alright, 4 out of 5. Hopefully can have more options in the menu. The location is great, not as crowded as I expected. Even though the cafe is quite small but the atmosphere is amazing.

Still my fave brekkie/lunch place in the east! Great coffee beautiful fit out easy parking but best of all the food is brilliant. And you can book! Love it.

What a great local find! Small and modern dining space so get in early as parking is also limited.<br/>Despite the size and intimate dining area, Second Wife takes bookings so I booked for Father's Day breakfast.<br/>We had the okonomiyaki and the Real Wife's Breakfast. Both were generously sized and full of flavour with a great Japanese and Middle Eastern fusion. My 5yr son loved the okonomiyaki!<br/>Hubby enjoyed the coffee too so he was quite impressed with breakfast even though he's not a breakfast person.<br/>I'll be back to try more of the menu....the lunch bowls sound so good!!

Came here twice in two weeks because this place is really a hidden gem! I had such a good time here and the food is brilliant. Will definitely be back!!

Good coffees. Excellent location down a quiet apartment-lined street, near Box Hill Hospital. Easy enough to swing by for quick takeaway coffees and the occasional quick bite, due to having to visit the hospital often in recent weeks. Visited Second Wife so often I filled up one of their loyalty cards in less than 2 weeks. Yes they actually have a loyalty card, where the 10th coffee is free. Wish more cafes would have this system!

Almost 3.5 ⭐️ , but not quite.<br/><br/>Zomato gave Second Wife a really good score, so I thought I’d give it a go. I had the veggie wrap with grilled eggplant, avocado, haloumi and quinoa and it was very delicious and very fresh.<br/><br/>My problem is the mocha. When I got it I can feel that it’s really hot, and when I tasted it I felt the milk was a bit burnt.<br/><br/>Also I had a slight issue with their toilet. One of the staff finished using it and there are no toilet paper. If I was the manager I would ask the staff to occasionally check the toilet, and if they were to use it, even more the reason to make sure the toilet is well stocked with toilet paper. I had to go in to their utility cupboard to help them get the toilet paper out. Hence 3 ✨

A very nice cafe serving up some delicious warming food and very nice coffee. The cafe has a lovely industrial decor with plenty of soft touches. The staff are exceptionally welcoming and attentive. In terms of price, a latte is $4 with eggs on sourdough costing $10.5 without extras. The menu has some interesting food combinations that come together beautifully. Absolutely worth a visit. I will be back here to eat and drink my way through the menu.

Trendy little cafe in box hill great ambience love the black suits it. Cutlery gold. They have healthy options and a great menu. Staff friendly coffee smooth what more can you ask for

Food: 3.50<br/>Ambience: 3.50<br/>Service: 5.0<br/><br/>The service here is great. Lady who works there checks up on us frequently and is always smiling. Makes me and my partner feel welcome.<br/><br/>

Japanese inspired cafe below an apartment near boxhill central. Coffee is good but food is overpriced and lack of variety. Very small cafe so it is not pram friendly.

Came here on a Saturday morning and loved the Açaí bowl . Mum also loved her dish. Friendly service and small intimate area . Was also impressed with the coffee. Great choice for a Box Hill cafe, though hard to find

Occasionally my work takes me to Box Hill hospital and I wouldn't be caught dead eating at a Zouki, so I found this little cafe. I'm a big fan! It feels like an odd location but it does get full quickly at lunch, luckily I've always managed to get a table inside. Service can be on the slow side but the food is huge and fresh and delicious. I love me an acai bowl and this is the best and prettiest one I've ever had. It's hard for me to order anything else each time! The Mexican bowl was huge and such a good combo of all things you'd expect to see in a Mexican bowl. I look around at the other tables and everyone is always commenting how huge their meal is and how great it tastes. Two very big thumbs up 👍👍

Although the menu is limited and often meat is an add on option, the food that I have had there has been of high quality and left me satisfied. The staff are extremely friendly and as they are still fairly new they are open to suggestions from customers in order to improve. Overall a nice cafe that I would happily visit again!

Trendy cafe with healthy options. Appreciate the subtle design thingos like the gold utensils and the mural wall. Good coffee, and the açai bowl is 👌

Fairly new brunch spot close to the Box Hill Central which located under an apartment building. The place was not big with some outdoor seating, and simple/modern decoration. I liked the painting on wall very much, added more Melbournian style into this place. <br/>#drinks-the match latte I had got nice latte art, without sweetness, but lack of strong match flavour. The cold brew was served in a Martini cocktail glass and looked very elegant. Sometime, change is good. <br/>#smashed in Japan#-smashed avocado with Feta,lemon juice, on the sourdough with a poached egg served with yakitori style mushroom skew. To be honey, I didn’t find this dish special at all. According to my husband, this was just another smashed avocado on toast...yeah, I have to agree with him. But I do enjoy the grilled mushroom skews, they got nice sweet sauce glazing and added the Japanese feeling into the dish. <br/>#okonomiyaki#-Japanese style cabbage and spring onion pancake topped with smoked salmon, poached egg. Simple, homey, lots of cabbage, nice Kewpie mayo and lots of thick barbecue sauce...all those things made this dish taste good! It had the traditional taste of Japanese pancake but turned into Melbourne cafe dish by adding little twist. Highly recommend.<br/>As a brunch/cafe spot in Box Hill area, Second Wife deserves a visit. <br/>

Great new addition to Box Hill’s growing cafe scene. Not the most convenient location, tucked away in a back street close to the hospital. The space itself is also quite small and cramped and can fill up quite quickly. That’s where the complaining ends though. <br/><br/>The service is always excellent - staff are genuine, friendly and service is efficient. The coffee is always very nicely made. Have now tried a few things on the menu including the Mexican Bowl, Smashed in Japan and Moroccan Eggs and haven’t been disappointed. Will keep coming back!

Food here was really different, it’s not often you get to create bowls of food which makes it really novel. Flavours were really good (apart from the dry and bland tofu)

What a great little find! I took my 3 kids here twice for breakfast! They were so lovely and accommodating to the kids tastes. The kids declared it to be the best cafe ever! I had Smashed in Japan and Real Wife's Breakfast, both amazing! The 2 older kids had the Coconut Porridge between them and loved it! My youngest had the Cheesy Vegemite Toastie and ate it all up! Coffee was on point! Friendly, lovely staff. Easy parking. Thanks again guys!

TL;DR: Nestled inside Box Hill offers some delicious Japanese inspired dishes, stay clear of the Charcoal Smoothie bowl though. Prices are on par with what you would expect at a brunch joint.<br/><br/> We decided that it was time to check out brunch places a bit closer to home. <br/><br/>A quick search on Zomato landed us a pretty cool cafe with a name that stood out amongst competitors. Arriving on a Saturday, we were quickly seated by a host of friendly staff. <br/><br/>We ordered the Okonomiyaki and the Charcoal Smoothie bowl. The Okonomiyaki brought back nostalgic memories in Japan and now comes highly recommend to anyone looking for a stand out brunch dish in Box Hill. The Charcoal Smoothie bowl though does not. It was too cold to eat / drink and lacked flavour aside from the peanut butter balls that you could lick between sips of the Charcoal smoothie. <br/><br/>We are excited to return to try some of the Japanese inspired dishes.

Cute little cafe.<br/>I had a beet carrot and celery juice which was lovely and large.<br/>I also had the gf vegan chia waffles which were a bit firm for me but otherwise lovely.<br/>They have plenty of vegan options on their menu.

Putting the word ‘wife’ in any eatery is pretty brave, but naming a cafe ‘Second Wife’ is downright crazy! What were owners Semir Elmazi and Reiji Honour thinking when they came up with this name!?! Turns out this attention grabbing name derived from the fact that this was the second cafe they opened together, their first one being ‘Dosage’ located in Burwood.

Very unique cafe experience which stands out due to its bowls. <br/><br/>Girlfriend had the Japanese Bowl. It looked spectacular and tasted very nice. $24<br/>I had the bowl my way - brown rice, sweet potato, roasted cauliflower, black sesame avo, halloumi, grilled chicken and the first sauce on the menu. $20<br/><br/>Overall, would definitely return and definitely recommend to friends.<br/><br/>5/5

Food is really good, staff is super friendly and it's a pleasure to be here. Only down side is the waiting times. Generally it'll take a minimum of 20-25 minutes before they serve food, if they're not busy. I would go here all the time for work lunch if it wasn't for the waiting times, meaning i generally won't be able to.<br/><br/>Haven't had a coffee so I can't comment on that.

New stylish cafe at Box Hill, the food and drink was great. <br/>The cafe have very comfortable sitting and friendly staff. The only down side is the parking. You need to pay for street parking as is near the hospital and have time limit. But that something the cafe can't control.

Walked in at 10.40 in the morning but after looking at the menu, the lunch menu looked more interesting. However lunch menu starts at 11. Since the cafe was reasonably empty still, we hoped the staff would be more accommodating and start lunch menu slightly earlier. No luck. Had to wait till 11am to order the food. Coffee was decent. Ordered the Japanese bowl. Food was good, a lil pricey, but the serving justified the price. Very generous portion. Overall nice decent place tucked in Boxhill. Will check out the menu and timing ahead of time next time!

UPDATE<br/><br/>9/10 on their exquisite Japanese inspired small menu, amazing stuff from its mini kitchen ... 6/10 on latte and 5/10 matcha latte ... 9/10 on ambiance and set up, very nice place to hangout, one of the best in Box Hill. JT-18/05/2019.<br/><br/>PREVIOUS<br/>Hhhmmm - 18/09/2018.<br/><br/>Anyone for a second wife?<br/><br/>A lot innuendos there ... the cafe, the food, the coffee or the good looking woman mural on the wall or what? 😁😆<br/><br/>Either way, not the easiest cafe to find but ingeniously set up; behind Spotlight on Whitehorse Rd, dead-end st, ground floor of a new apartment block, glassed windows, natural light, chic, tiny, limited indoor and outdoor seating area, semi-open kitchen and just comfortably fitted.<br/><br/>6/10 $4.00 latte, a combo of Industry Beans and a good looking White La Marzocco sitting on a dark Grey tiled bench.<br/><br/>Must revisit their Menu; if the food is any good, it can be my second wife #loveislove. JT-24/11/2017.

The food was perfect, everything was absolutely delicious. Service was very friendly and the aesthetic was also very pleasing. Highly recommend!

Top notch customer service, food is not bad, just a little pricy but at least it is substantial. Coffee is OK, especially taking the neighbourhood into consideration. The place is a bit small so it may get filled up very quickly during peak hours.

Great addition to box hill. Staff are always so friendly. Fantastic menu with something for everyone. I've tried the Mexican bowl, okonomyaki and acai. Delish!

Beautiful little cafe tucked away in a no through road between Box Hill hospital and Spotlight/KFC on Maroondah Hwy. Parking is definitely a struggle due to the proximity to the hospital so come with change as a lot of it requires a ticket. <br/><br/>The cafe itself is beautifully furnished with white marble and gold accents contrasting with dark walls and pillows. The menu is very interesting with Mediterranean and Japanese vibes interpreted into modern brunch dishes. <br/><br/>I had the Real Wife’s Breakfast substituted with sourdough as they were out of Turkish bread. I initially thought the serving was quite small but it was actually quite filling. The eggs were perfectly cooked and the garlic labne was divine; luckily the bread is there for you to soak up all the sauce! Our latte and orange juice were also delicious. Definitely recommend and keen to return!

I have been meaning to try this cafe for sometime, very small I would hate to be here if it were any busier and food took 30+ minutes. Had the okonomiyaki ($21), it was OK, hard to compete with the impeccable penta. Farmers wife breakfast ($18.50 + $3 for sausage) paid $3 for 5 thin slices of sausage. Can’t imagine how anyone could be full after eating this. $21.50 for 2 eggs on 2 pieces of eggplant and some bread is daylight robbery.

A lot of hype and nice decor - and that's where it ends. Food is overpriced and looks pretty; but lacks taste. The menu seems nice at a glance, but the quantities and combinations don't really work. Space is quite cramped also.<br/><br/>Won't be returning - seemed like it had potential sadly.

Second Wife is the sister café to Dosage in Burwood and The Foreigner in Ivanhoe. I’ve been to Dosage in the past and enjoyed my time there, so I wanted to give Second Wife a go.  The café was pretty quiet when we arrived and therefore we didn’t have to wait for a table. But as the morning went on, the café became quite busy. I would recommend getting here before 10 am on the weekend to avoid waiting for a table.....

When Ms Traveling comes back to visit, you’ve gotta make time to have brunch of course! So I was in charge of finding a place and I found Second wife, because well, Mr D might need a second wife after all these brunch dates I was having! Located near the Boxhill hospital, parking was limited but if you do get there early, there’s quite a few parking spots in front of of the cafe. Once you’ve found a spot, snag a table, looked at the snazzy decor and met with your buddies and finally got the menu in front of you, you’re ready to take in Second Wife.

Loved eating here. The owners were so friendly and eve explained why they called the cafe second wife (just ask them). The food was presented beautifully and the portions were a good size. I got the smashed in Japan with smoked salmon which was absolutely delicious! Have recommended friends to go there!

Second Wife is second best. Be warned their Instagrammed food is not the food you will be served. I saw nothing come out of the kitchen the day I was there that looked anything more that average. My bowl of rice and salad was tasteless even with the "pickles" which were raw not pickled. Disappointing especially after their hype.

Highly recommend Mexican bowl and matcha latte！The Tataki salmon is also one go-to dish！！！Great atmosphere，friendly staff. It's the only brunch that I come 3 times！

Had a delicious breakfast with a friend. Coffee was well made and the menu had plenty of delicious options. I had the Panko eggplant with poached eggs and it was amazing. Service was great and the decor is lovely too. Will definitely be returning!

Belinda and I came here for brunch today. The cafe is quite small but it doesn't feel cramped. The lattes we ordered were strong and sooooo creamy. We both ordered the Real Wife's Breakfast and thoroughly enjoyed each mouthful! Taste-wise it's a great example of fusion cuisine, well balanced in each element and cohesive as a dish. I'd happily come back here to eat it again! ...The only downside to this place is parking. I don't know if it was just a busy day for the hospital nearby or Box Hill Tafe but I found it incredibly hard to find a car park :(<br/><br/>TDLR; great coffee and food, carpool here with your mates.

A Friday morning brunch.<br/><br/> Ambience - 4.5/5  <br/> *A small, modern, bright cafe at the corner of Wellington road. Love all the marble stuff they using. Black, white and gold color make the small cafe elegant. The big logo on the wall is pretty cool. And it doesn't look like a cafe that will be located in Boxhill. It is too pretty to be there.<br/><br/> Service - 4/5  <br/> *I guess the guy who served us is the owner of the cafe. Anyway, he is very attentive and friendly. I can see that he talks to every customer.<br/><br/> <br/> Food - 4/5  <br/> *I had the Hot Chocolate and Bowls Your Way. My boyfriend had the Real Wife's Breakfast and Cappucino. The drinks were okay. The foods were so good! I usually had sweet stuff for my breakfast or brunch because in the morning I don't have much appetite. I have struggled between the Chia Buckwheat Waffle and Bowls Your Way. This was so rare, I choose a savory bowl and I think I make a good choice. I had chosen Mix Quinoa as a base, Steamed Brocolli, Yakitori Mushroom, Roasted Capsicum and Roasted Pumpkin as toppings, the sauce was Sweet Soy Tare. I like my combination! Is healthy I guess? The Yakitori Mushroom is a must try if you order the bowl. It was so juicy and rich taste that makes me don't want to share with my boyfriend. Haha. There's a lot more option that you can choose. I definitely want to create another bowl again. The Real Wife's Breakfast was pretty good too. They served Afghan bread instead of the boring sourdough. <br/> <br/>Overall - Thinking to go back for the Bowls Your Way or try the Waffle already!

We ordered the Japanese bowl and the Mexican bowl along with matcha latte and OJ. The bowls looks beautiful and flavour is very delicately. Matcha latte is good but I have definitely had better elsewhere... OJ was a disappointment because it came mostly pulp and ice... Would love to actually get more juice since it is a drink, not a blended whole orange.

100 years on little green earth you cannot imagine in one of the back streets of box hill there is fabulous cafe with a such carefully designed menu, high quality food and fantastic service. Strongly recommend.

Down the end of a no through road near Box Hill hospital you will discover Second Wife at the bottom of a fairly new block of apartments! Parking is a little tricky and you will need coins for parking ticket. The menu is quite innovative 😁 and if you are there after 11 you have a choice of breakfast or lunch items. We all loved our choices, maybe only one negative the Toast under the avocado 🥑 was a little on the cool side and the knife serration made cutting a little tricky! The coffee (cap & filter) were top notch as was the hot chocolate 😍. Staff lovely and friendly, very attentive. It is a smallish space but well worth seeking out!

A contemporary and stylish café in a side street close to the Box Hill Hospital. It resides at the base of a block of units, and features a large glass façade. Inside, the colour scheme is black and off-white, with and exposed ceiling and suspended lighting. The polished concrete floor is complemented by a formed concrete counter,  backed with a large planter stand, and the kitchen is partitioned off with an interesting timber panel construction. A large "second wife" silhouette adorns one wall. The cafe has a smallish dining space inside , with a few outside tables under a large awning. The table settings comprise faux marble tables, accompanied by modern designed coloured steel chairs. Some funky grooves played gently in background, and there was a casual and relaxed ambience. The service was attentive and genuinely friendly, and I was welcomed in with a smile, and promptly provided with a menu and chilled water. The menu was very interesting and creative, with vegan and vegetarian options for both breakfast and lunch. I selected the chia buckwheat waffle, a vegan item, which was attractively presented and very nice. The coffee was also very good, well prepared, with just the right temperature and strength. This establishment is very new, and worthwhile checking out.

Visited this new quaint cafe today for lunch with my brother as we were in the area. I decided on the build your own bowl option, given there were only 4 options under the lunch section. Definitely no regrets! I chose steamed brown rice as my base, then topped it with roasted tumeric cauliflower, roasted sweet potato, black sesame seed crusted avocado, sautéed greens, smoked salmon & beetroot tzaziki. It was like a delicious poké bowl! I would probably only change the sautéed greens next time as mine were overcooked & smothered in a vinegar-like sauce which took away from the overall taste of the dish. The only other minor thing was that the beetroot tzaziki was listed as a sauce, however it was more like a dip placed on top of the rice - not really what I had imagined! Overall had a nice experience though - the staff were friendly and attentive. It would have been nice to have taken my time eating this dish, but felt like I rushed it as the parking meter was running out!

We had planned to go to Terror Twilight Collingwood on Sunday as we had been told it was very good, but plans changed and off we went to Second Wife in Boxhill. Its behind the Hospital in small court underneath some new apartments. Its a beautifully designed Cafe with a lovely mural on the wall. They have a lovely menu and i decided to go for the Okonomiyaki Pancake which is a Japanese Cabbage Pancake, I am used to the massive ones you get normally but here you received 4 smaller ones but they looked very pretty.  They are juicy with a crispy outside and they have a lot of flavour. The smoked salmon added a bit of saltiness but worked together well.

I dined at Second Wife with colleagues for lunch. The food and service was fantastic! We ate a variety of meals which were all delicious. <br/>We will definitely be returning!

We visited last Sunday morning. Everything was spot on. Excellent table service, great options on the menu, good price point, top coffee and stylish interior. Best cafe in box hill area by a long shot. Very much hope they keep this standard up. Box hill and Mont Alberts best cafe by far.

Another amazing local cafe in the eastern suburbs! Second Wife ticks all the boxes: marble tables, gold cutlery & ample natural lighting. The cafe was quite small and the tables are rather close to each other, hence crowd noises may make it difficult for conversations. Nonetheless, the cafe has a range of breakfast & lunch meals with a lovely twist, which made it difficult to choose a dish.<br/><br/>For drinks, I had an iced chocolate & my friend had the red boost juice. I decided on the Okonomiyaki (Japanese pancakes) which included the prettiest folded smoked salmon. It was packed with flavour and I thoroughly enjoyed my meal. My friend devoured her moroccan eggs too. Just be aware that it is ticket parking in the street & it only takes coins.

The staff take great pride in caring for their customers, and everything works well here. The coffee was one of the best I've ever had, so will be a return customer.

Yes, yes, yes! Just what Box Hill needed - a place that knows how to make great coffee and serve it in a cool environment. <br/><br/>This place is a good sign that Box Hill is finally attracting the attention of cafe owners as I think the supply in this area has not even come close to matching the demand. <br/><br/>I think they are onto a winning location here, with easy access for those at the Tafe, hospital and surrounding office buildings. <br/><br/>I found the staff friendly and the decor very appealing without trying too hard. The gold spoons and ceramic sugar bowls are a nice touch.<br/><br/>When the weather gets warmer, the outdoor area should be a great place to catch some sun. In the mean time I think some outdoor heating would be a wise investment.<br/><br/>I haven't yet tried the food, but look forward to doing so.<br/><br/>Parking can be tricky around here - best trying nearby Poplar Street.

Ambiance: has a nice Melbourne cafe look and feel which isn't overly squishy and comfortable seating. Nice, clean and simple decor.<br/><br/>Service: very friendly and quick. Greeting upon entry with smiley faces.<br/><br/>Food: delicious food that has plenty of flavour. We ordered the second wifes breakfast and the smashed avo in Japan with pulled lamb shoulder. Both were delicious and would highly recommend the haloumi as a side treat.<br/><br/>Coffee: one of the best I've had. They use Industry beans (Rose street blend). Smooth taste with no nasty burnt aftertaste. Ordered both Soy and full cream lattes and they were both so splendid that we ordered another.<br/><br/>Location: little quiet street in Box Hill in which you have to pay for parking but free on Sundays.

Deceptive location for this quaint little cafe, which i love. Staff were great, very friendly and accommodating. This was one of the best vegan breakfasts I've EVER eaten. Beautiful, perfectly cooked waffles with fruit and a caramel sauce and they didn't disappoint.

Love this Cafe! Boxhill needed it! Food is great (amazing fusion of flavours), great service and most importantly great coffee. The Real wife's breakfast is a must try for first timers.

Love this recently opened little hidden nook in Box Hill! Staff were very welcoming, friendly and efficient. Coffee 5/5! Best coffee in Box Hill! The Real Wife's Breakfast: poached eggs on panko eggplant with labne, leek and Afghan bread was simply amazing. The granola looked pretty as a picture and my dining partner stated it was equally as good as my dish. Will be back!

First of many visits to come <br/>Tucked away at the end of the street second wife is a hidden gem<br/>From the moment I walked in The staff wer very friendly and on top of everything.<br/>The decor is great! everything works the gold cutlery,the marble look tables and the art on the wall all looks and feels very "Melbourne cafe" and I loved that <br/>The coffee was perfect very nice aroma and perfect temperature <br/>I chose the smashed in Japan and added the pulled lamb shoulder and it was just great! the flavoring in the lamb was amazing and perfectly matched to the meal <br/>I also had a juice which was super fresh and a hit too<br/>Will definitely be back <br/>10/10 experience <br/><br/>

Delicious healthy food and super friendly serving staff. It's a great new addition to the box hill area. We will definitely be back here. Thanks!

Friendly staff, fantastic quality coffee and a menu to suit everyone - nice to see so many tasty healthy options. A good spot for weekend breakie.

Fantastic porridge - made with coconut milk, cinnamon poached pears, almonds and dried mulberries - can't believe it was vegan :) would have liked to submitted a photo but had to get stuck in! A hidden gem at the back of box hill.