Came here for an early lunch after going to Questcon. The ambience is lovely which is highlighted with the beautiful stain glass windows.
I got seated immediately and was told to go to the counter to order. The menu had your classic cafe dishes but the specials were something else. I got the pork and fennel sausage with a ratatouille and mash side ($24). It was amazing!! The portion was generous and the flavours were bursting. Would totally come back if it was a regular item. The coffee and cakes look delicious too but I was too full to have more.
3.6. Terrific little cafe located at the National Library. It’s a charming spot. We felt instantly at home here. And it wasn’t just the presence of the beautiful Leonard French stained glass windows either. The cafe itself is nicely appointed and just feels right. The coffee here was sound. I enjoyed it. Strong and inky will usually work. Service was a little constipated here I thought. There was just a little bit of high handedness about it. But, we were still laughing from the Inked Exhibition here at the Library - an exhibition of top Australian cartoons over the years - and just let it ride.
Really beautiful seating area outside with heaters above. Chilli scrambled eggs and regular scrambled eggs were perfect. Coffee was excellent and service was prompt and pleasant.
This cafe was hidden inside the National Library. Such a popular place for locals and tourists. I loved the decor with several large colourful stain glass windows and beautifully presented cafe name bench.
Felt a little bit weird that you need to order your drinks and food at the counter... maybe that’s more efficient.
We didn’t get the chance to try their brunch menu, but the coffees& carrot cake we had was pretty good. It will be a great place to chilli out and have a decent brunch with friends and enjoy the nice vibe.
My first ZOMATO review goes to - Bookplate Canberra.
Absolutely must go in Canberra!
It’s located in National Library and has an outdoor area, stoning view and family friendly:)
Staffs are smiling, seats are comfy, foods are nice, relaxed and peaceful spot.
Great view for brunch. The food comes in large portion and the wagyu burger was quite tasty. It’s great to just site outside during lunch and enjoy the beautiful site and weather in summer.
What a stunning outdoor dining area on a sunny day. Stopped here for lunch before leaving Canberra, it was beautiful and sunny, service was fast and my meal was fresh and delicious. Topped it off with an amazing refreshing Watermint drink, icing on the cake!
Nice setting beside a wall of stained glass windows. Sign said wait to be seated but I stood around for some time before anyone paid me attention, and I noticed another diner who came later help themselves to a seat. Place is counter service, with self service water available. Ordered a chicken chimichanga (fried burrito) and it came out within about 5 minutes! Pretty happy with the meal, happy to revisit if I ever find myself in the area again.
The clientele here are...well...old. It's a nice enough spot and who doesn't love the library? It's probably good for an in-venue cafe but it's really expensive. With the 10% Sunday surcharge, it was 35 bucks for a salad and juice. The meal cake out so quickly that it's clear it was all pre-made and plonked on a plate hastily. It was ok but nothing flash.
Bookplate is a popular spot for lunch (served 12-2pm) that’s close to major Canberra tourist attractions. While it gets busy on the weekends, weekdays it’s quieter (although parking can be tight). Choose between a shaded table outside with a great view of the lake or an indoor table where you can admire the Leonard French stained glass windows.
Great spot for a quick bite, even when they are busy. Staff are really accommodating. We came in after they closed the kitchen but they still did toasties for us. I like that they have a water station well stocked and that you can grab your own.
The carrot cake was excellent. The cream cheese frosting on that cake is worth every penny, and the tea is loose leaf which is great.
Lovely cafe adjacent to the National Library. It has a large indoor area which can be accessed from inside the library and a beautiful large outdoor area over looking the lake. The menu is concise but offers a good array of sweet & savoury dishes from lighter to more substantial dishes. The cakes are yummy, coffee is well made and the chips are so so good! Loved the lighter dish with brie as well as the togarashi cauliflower dish. The ham, cheese & tomato toastie was on lovely three mills sourdough and the barramundi dish was delicious. Burger was thoroughly enjoyed although the meat was a little on the dry side. Chairs outside should be cleaned more frequently as most had bird poo but as to be expected being outdoors. Overall a lovely spot with good food and service.
Stopped by for a brunch and sat outside in the sunshine.
The waitress mustn’t have known how to communicate effectively, I had to approach and prompt her to give us a menu. When I then went back to the counter to order, we weren’t greeted and had to initiate the process.
The food on the other hand was fantastic. The zucchini and carrot rösti was superb with the molasses. Smoked salmon ordered as an extra was generous and beautifully presented.
A real find at the National Library. Really great food and service in a fantastic setting. Really enjoyed lunch and coffee here.
What an amazing location to have a cafe situated within the National Library. The stained glass windows create a unique atmosphere. The quality of the breakfast is great and the coffee really hit the spot. If you don’t feel like a big breakfast check out the cakes that are available or if you are game have breakfast and a cake. This location was a great recommendation from a local to the area.
Great coffee, great location, retro furniture and fantastic stained glass windows. The staff were very courteous. The lamb burger which was fresh, delicious and loaded with sauce. And the scrambled eggs were light and fluffy, crispy bacon and the sourdough toast wasn't too heavy. The only problem we had was the plates were too small for all the food.
Had a lovely lunch today at Bookplate. My friend and I shared this lovely heirloom tomato dish with what must have been the most delicious homemade cruskit-type biscuit I've ever had. Honestly they should sell that by the box! We also had the pork which was lovely. Coffee was strong, by Campos. It was very busy at lunch time, clearly for good reason, we will definitely be back.
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