Review Urban Pantry - Canberra

This could have been a delightful lunch but failed on too many levels. Whilst the fish I had was delicious and the burgers were good, the experience was let down by front of house greeting, stone cold chicken wings which were returned after our complaint hot but dry and chewy. Fries were lukewarm and the salad looked like yesterday's left overs. Really not good enough especially as our order was taken 15 minutes before the kitchen changed over from breakfast to the lunch menu so at least should have been fresh and hot off the grill.

False advertising in the email you sent to me. I booked in, not knowing about your Lakeside Lovers ‘deal’, for a table for two on 14 Feb, only to be emailed after booking, that this ‘deal’ was available on Valentine’s Day for $120, the email included the full menu available and all other inclusions. I queried whether one of the mains could be swapped for another on the standard menu, and was happy that you could accommodate me, and booked it in thinking it was a great deal. I was shocked at the bar when I was told it would be $180. Big jump from $120 to $180, and I wouldn’t have booked it in had I known it would be $90 per person. I told them while trying to pay, that I was under the impression that it was $120 for this, only to be told that I must have read that price elsewhere on their menu. I even showed proof of this price on the email sent to me, and was told that it ‘it was a typo’ and that it would be $90 per person. I’m the kind of person that avoids confrontation and I hate to cause a scene so I just paid because I felt like I was locked into this choice. Never been to Walt and Burley before, and will likely never go again. You didn’t charge me for the extra drink I ordered (a coke), because I think you knew you were in the wrong, but honestly, really not cool. Food was okay, but the duck salad was dry and the one dessert really missed the mark.

My husband & I have been to Walter cafe a few times. Our experience have always been very pleasant. Staff members are friendly & polite. Especially, Sharan, the bar manager, thank you for taking care of us, greatly appreciated. We will tell our friends… keep up the good work!

Do you seriously expect the entire restaurant to line up 10 metres across the restaurant to order from the bar? We had people standing on top of us all night because your staff are too lazy to do table service. We waited 25 minutes in line to even order drinks let alone our meals. We also showed up and you somehow lost our booking. Absolutely poor service Edit: we’ve been waiting for 90 minutes for our food only to be told that they don’t have any chicken left for schnitzels and Parmys. Why could you not tel us this 90 minutes ago. Not only that but they tried to charge us extra for our meal replacements. An absolute bloody waste of money and time. Worst experience of my life

The ambience & location is great! The wood fire on a cold night…bliss! But honestly, so disappointed by crab & chorizo linguine. The $50 antipasto was so minimal. Just felt that the whole thing was overpriced. I think we were happy to pay the prices for a girls night ($20 cocktails etc) but just wrecked it when food isn’t up to par.

Food was really good, ordering from the table is a bonus. Took a while just go get some olives though which was a shame. Really loud too, the music was fairly loud which meant everyone else had to shout to talk so really hard to have a conversation. Really nicely presented interior, would def revisit but most likely for a lunch as opposed to dinner.

Went here to have dinner for my 5 year anniversary and let me tell you that it was extremely disappointing. Female bar staff were rude and the food.... when youboay $52 for a steak and chips you expect it to be good right? Frozen Luke warm chips and the world's smallest steak... oh wait and we waited an hour after we ordered.... what a shame. You clearly pay to look at the water out the window and not get decent food or service. Word of mouth spreads like wild fire in Canberra =(

It's ok... slightly expensive for what you get. They don't accept cash.

Overpriced and poor service, we had to ask a waiter to take our order (place was half empty) and for glasses for the water. When our meals eventually arrived the waiter then had to go get the cutlery which occurred at every table. Perhaps bring the cutlery after an order is placed. Food was okay but not worth the cost. It’s a shame because the atmosphere is lovely and could be great.

Such a gorgeous setting, I love the style of Urban Pantry, but today, on a bustling Sunday public holiday, they really showed they have substance as well as style. After enjoying milkshakes one quiet afternoon last week, it was great to come back and have brunch. We had a short wait to be seated, but the staff were super quick to sort out the table, and promptly returned so we could order drinks. Taking note of the crowds, we had already chosen meals, so ordered immediately. Pleased to see gluten free options (& other allergens) clearly labelled on the menu. Prices seemed reasonably good value (we certainly had enough food & good quality for what was charged). Drinks came out quickly (the coffee was really good), and the food not long after that. Very quick considering they were full & had take away orders waiting too. The staff were friendly and professional, despite being so busy. The whole place had a nice bustling Sunday vibe. The kids were possibly won over by chocolate eggs appearing on the table. The pulled pork burgers were good, including quite good gluten free buns on two, and an interesting but delicious potato rosti cake on the side. My Breakfast Bowl special was really good, with the salmon, boiled egg and asparagus cooked perfectly, though the kale was a little oily, especially given the sourdough bread also had olive oil on it. There was loads of tomato and chilli jam/ Relish. The swipe of cream cheese and sprinkle of chilli flakes and black seeds on the side were a nice touch.

The food was exceedingly expensive. We were sitting beside the kitchen watching our food just sit there until we helped ourselves. I’ve never seen bacon sprinkled with olive oil and put in the oven- needed a bit more time in there methinks! Not worth the money on the long weekend.

Overpriced food and careless waitstaff. The girl who served us was disengaged, forgetful and seemed upset about the fact that we were there. At no point in her brief, yet nonetheless severely uninspiring, service did she ever: 1) make eye contact; 2) raise her voice beyond a pissed-off mumble; 3) attempt to welcome us or inquire about our day or anything that even closely resembles behaviour that would make us feel welcome, or even slightly emulate the sort of behaviours that come to mind when you consider the words 'good service'. She evidently had more worldly and pressing conundrums to mull over than our order so numerous things were forgotten. I had to enquire first about a side that I ordered and *double checked with her before she left*, which didn't come. This was remedied relatively quickly by another waitress, fair play there. We also ordered two drinks, both of which were forgotten. I asked about them and, 15 minutes after that, one of them came. At this point, the food had also come, which was about as interesting as the colour beige. I left for the bathroom for 5 or 10 minutes and returned to find no smoothie, and a burgeoning disappointment. I found the manager and asked yet again for the smoothie, only this time was somewhat more prompt service given. During this entire process, our original pseudo-waitress walked past us 8 times without checking on us, checking on our order, or apologising for any of the mistakes she made. I won't be coming back and I urge you not to either. There are far better and less painful choices, such as flagellation, papercuts, eating cereal with no milk, or forgetting to redeem a coupon for a thing you like before the expiration date. At least the table water was ok.

To be honest, I had expected much more of what looked like quite a sweet cafe. Sadly however, I was seriously underwhelmed. I, along with three others ordered the Burger ($15 - its one of the cheapest items on the menu which is probably why we got it in the first place because who wants to pay $23 for eggs and some sides?)... the burger came out and one word that jumped to mind was... 'quaint'. For $15 you certainly aren't getting what you pay for and that's an understatement. Tiny little thing with a potato rösti square sitting next to it that almost looks the same size, bit of a joke. Add to the fact that it was cold and the bun may as well have been non-existant as it literally drowned in the sauce that it was smothered in, it was NOT an ideal breakfast experience. The kicker though was the nice lil surcharge for Sunday service that was added to the bill rounding it all up to a $70 breakfast. I didn't realise Sunday surcharges were even a thing anymore, I mean step off, its not a public holiday guy's, think you're already charging enough extra on your basic menu items. In addition you've got a barista pumping out coffees the standard of a 7/11 machine with an attitude that reeks of narcissism and the skills of a basic af Gloria Jeans student employee working for their weekly allowance.... not great. Didn't like. Would not come back and the only reason the meals were even finished is because we were so flipping hangry it was do or die. Thanks, but nah.

Food is average. Smoothie is nice, too expensive! My partner ordered the breakfast burger, it seemed nice enough. I ordered the French toast, yuzu jelly is too bitter!! Had to spit it out and push all bits of jelly aside. Put me off my meal. No blood orange in sight or taste. Vanilla bean house curd is just cream/marscarpone..

Visited on a sunny summer afternoon - first impression was a well presented cafe. We ordered three cold drinks - after almost an hour we had only received one (a very weak and warm 'iced tea'). By the time we followed up we were told they were closing. No apology or explanation offered. Lots of staff about, but they seemed to be busy chatting to each other. Then we were charged a hefty surcharge on top of our bill. Would not recommend this cafe.

Nice location, pleasant staff and decent coffee, but not the kind of place you would go to if you're after value for money, or generous portion sizes or traditional recipes etc.

It was ok but the service wasn't very good and with the club sandwich I ordered, the chicken wasn't cooked the whole way through and he bacon wasn't properly cooked. Not worth the prices on the menu. Shame

Food OK, service poor. Wait staff were disinterested and very slow. Wouldn't recommend it if it's busy, plenty of other better options nearby.

Steffan and the friendly staff make this place a breath of fresh air. We had a delicious meal, quality ingredients and creative combinations. Highly recommend! I'll definitely be back next time we are in town..... ❤

Visiting from Sydney, and had a really enjoyable breakfast experience. Would definitely return! P.S. If in doubt; order the Sicilian eggs!

Sensational coffee, food and atmosphere. Love it when I get to come to Canberra and spend time here. The team are welcoming and just listening to how they treat everyone is superb! As a cafe owner myself I couldn't fault a thing. �

What's happened to this cafe? It was so good. They are not serving. They are not delivering food. The staff appear to be messing with each other and ignoring their customers.

Great coffee. Happy, viberant, friendly atmosphere. Obviously lots of regulars popping in for coffee pickup. Had a great breakfast. Did I mention that the coffee was great?

Everytime we visit my son in Canberra, we at least visit urban pantry once. $4.50 for extras is a bit much. My son had pouched egs with tomato, salmon, and patato rosti. $4.50 for a small tomato, patato rosti was not worth $4.50. My husband had grill barrumundi with fries, I had poached eggs with patato rosti, a serve of polenta chips which were so bland. 2 coffees and a smoothie. Total bill $102.35. Very expensive for what we had. Not going back.

Good food, although I'm not really sure it's worth the price - the coffee certainly wasn't. Nice atmosphere if a little loud and squishy.

Beautiful cafe lovely space and decor. Noticeably very young staff and doing an amazing job! Absolutely delicious coffee which come hot and quick. Food was okay, it is exactly as described on the menu, very average potions and plating. Would come again.

The staff were nice and the venue is nicely decorated. The food is interesting and very tasty and if “slightly pretentious” is the worst I can say about it, that’s not a bad thing. It’s slightly on the high side of average prices but it’s worth it.

This was my first time at Urban Pantry and I was pleasantly surprised upon arrival. I came here for breakfast. The staff were very friendly and were quick to get us seated and present us with menus. The menu provides a wide range of food from fruit bowls to sweet meals as well as savoury. I ordered Summer Fruits and it was delicious. There was a good balance between the fruit, yoghurt, panna cotta and granola. My only issue was that there could have been a little bit more yoghurt. The cafe itself has a great ambience with natural light flowing through the cafe. There is also an outdoor area for people to sit in as well. Top hits from today are played in the cafe which adds to the social, light and friendly atmosphere of the cafe. <br/><br/>Overall, the cafe is amazing for dining at any time of day. It is located away from the main city of Canberra but is not too far from the city centre. The food is delicious and the atmosphere of Urban Pantry is very welcoming. Service is quick and efficient. The staff working at Urban Pantry are very friendly. I would definitely come here again.

We were in Canberra for a weekend and looked up cafes to visit via google & Instagram. This café caught our eye and we are glad it did. We headed down to Mankua area, which is thriving with cafes, which we were pleasantly surprised about given it was between Christmas and New Year’s.

I went here for a Saturday brunch around 11am. There were heap of people but we didn't have to line up and wait to get a table. It's a very spacious restaurant and the food came out pretty fast despite the number of customers. Food looked really good and I think it's the best brunch place I've been to in Canberra.

This is the second time I have been here and it is just fantastic. We ordered the muscles and the halloumi salad with a side of the polenta chips. Oh my goodness it was all 10/10 and amazing. The halloumi salad was so fresh, flavoursome and beautiful. I just love the feel of this place and the staff are just so efficient and professional. A must visit when in Canberra.

The ambient is ok with the music being too loud, couldn't quiet hear friend's words without shouting. Kids friendly on the big bench tables. Staff service was below average, serving plates and glasses were gross with someone's else last meal.

Lovely ambiance, service was good. Loved the lychee homemade soda with gin. Ordered the salmon, a bit over cooked but the dish was nice. Eggs were also in between and felt like they should've been either hard boiled or soft-poached. Wasn't a fan of the bread on the sandwiches, sort of an odd brioche and was quite soggy. All other parts of the sand which were fine and so were chips. On second visit breakfast was really disappointing. Small portion size, pot of cold mushrooms and greens, 1 egg and some tough toast. Smoothies were good. Hollandaise was average and lacked tartness. $70 for 2 breakfasts and 2 smoothies is very unreasonable considering the standard. Bit overrated

Uber cool spot in chilly Canberra last weekend. Loved the staffs relaxed and friendly service. Great coffee and Italian donuts. Really good fitout, with a variety of seat settings to choose from (if they were not packed) we were happy to sit outside in the courtyard, with quick service with a smile.

I love the classic white vintage chic vibe this place has got going on. It definitely catches your eye when walking past. It was super busy when I came here for breakfast but was seated quickly. There is a mixture of both indoor and outdoor seating. Wait for food wasn't too long. I had a mushroom bruchetta and absolutely enjoyed it. I also tried some of my friends hotcakes which was fun with the interesting toppings. Warning, their mocha was sickly sweet with a lot of thick sludges of chocolate and powered chocolate.

We ordered the avo on quinoa toast with mushrooms with almond milk lattes - the brekkie was great but the coffee was undrinkable. Lost half a point for that sorry! This cafe also has outside seating but doesn't get as much sun as Ona across the court.

Good food. Excellent and efficient service. Nice surroundings on the Lawns at Manuka. Free parking on Sunday. Particularly enjoyed breakfast there.

Urban Pantry....Being from Melbourne, we have a certain exception and you kicked some serious goals.  Welcoming staff, great coffee, a very tasty bircher muesli and a very funky ambience.<br/>My only gripe is the music.....Its such a cool place and aussie rock doesn't suit the image. Overall a great place to visit whilst in Canberra.

We went for a causal lunch as we were having a walk around the area. The cafe was busy as there were many celebrating Xmas lunch. The cafe had a good vibe. The wait staff were very young and seemed a bit lost. In my opinion, the salmon Nicoise Salad was nice and fresh. However, the salmon fillet was tiny for the price I paid. My friend had calamari and she said it was nice. We had coffee as well which was made to our taste. I was a bit disappointed with the portion sizes. However, we might go back to try something different.

The Coconut Poached Chicken $23  with compressed melon, mint yogurt, San Daniele prosciutto is really lovely with an interesting creamy coconut flavour that works well with the prosciutto and different melons. The Lamb Backstrap $23 is also a good choice with vegetable a la grecque, goats cheese, port raisins, vincotto reduction.

Today we visit Urban Pantry in Manuka, which has some of the food and feel of a good French bistro. It is located on a shop corner overlooking the square and has an adorable, and very French, outdoor seating area. Inside it is a very pretty cafe, gorgeous crisp white tiles, lots of wrought iron and wood, and lots of hipster faux vintage lights. French without having to fly all the way to Europe. So much win!

A lovely spot in my fave area Griffith - coming up from Melbourne I was hoping to see really unique places and this was one of them! <br/><br/>My gripe is wow what's with all the seafood! It's not a seafood restaurant and fish and fishy friend haters won't have much to choose from for lunch. Would have been GREAT to have the breakfast menu until 1pm or something like most around here as it would have saved me from only eating zucchini chips for lunch. Which were terrific by the way! <br/><br/>The club sandwich my partner and little one had and the bread just fell apart it was a bit weird. Fries good and bacon was too crisp and "done" <br/><br/>Service was perfect and the waitress was super helpful as being pregnant = no soft cheese and a lot of the other meals had soft cheese (or fish which I'm allergic to ahh..) <br/><br/>Breakfast menu looked GREAT - that French toast leapt off the page and I wish I count of had that. <br/><br/>Coffee GREAT - fresh juice even better 💜💜

The place to visit for modern Australian food. <br/><br/>We tried their duck confit and it was the best. Meat falling off the bone and very flavoursome. <br/><br/>Their pasta were also great with good portion and tasteful sauce.

Although we have eaten here frequently in the past and it’s always been good, we left this morning without eating because the waitress was so rude. I’ve has to change my rating from 4 to 1 and delete my previous review

This place is the closest I've felt to Melbourne in a very long time. The atmosphere, the food, the service, it all made for a wonderful dining experience. I had the Coco Chia Rice Pudding which was a delicious vegan brunch option, and the presentation was exquisite. Overall, a wonderful experience I would definitely recommend.

Overall not bad, good food and service but very noisy<br/>

Always lovely for lunch, Urban Pantry again has a relaxing atmosphere good specials like the Creamy Leek, Potato and Gorgonzola Soup $16…. and offer two meals for the price of one to Canberra Entertainment Book holders. The Grilled Chicken Burger with oak lettuce, avocado, tomato, pineapple relish, lime aioli, on a brioche bun served with french fries is good for $21…

Went here on the weekend for brunch. Place was packed but we were seated and served quickly, waitress was very friendly. Interior is nicely styled. The coffee was so-so - a bit bitter for my liking. Our breakfasts were also fine but not that exciting - I had the chef's pan because I wanted some veggies - it really needed more flavour and also a thicker, less teeth-crunching piece of toasted sourdough. My sister had the Eggs Benedict - she liked it, but said it would have benefitted from some spinach to tone down the grease, and also would have been better with thicker bread to mop up the sauce. There are stronger brunch options at this price point in Canberra.

The Coconut Poached Chicken $23  with compressed melon, mint yogurt, San Daniele prosciutto is really lovely with an interesting creamy coconut flavour that works well with the prosciutto and different melons. The Lamb Backstrap $23 is also a good choice with vegetable a la grecque, goats cheese, port raisins, vincotto reduction.

Consistently good food, really lovely coffee, and quick service. Not super friendly, but very efficient - and never rude. Siting outside has a lovely feel because of the shade from the trees. <br/>I can highly recommend the poached chicken & melon for lunch on a sunny day!

Urban Pantry in Manuka went through some renovations late last year with a new look restaurant and menu. The outside patio that used to be covered by plastic blinds has been turned into an official deck attached to the eatery. With a wall knocked down, the space has really opened up. The new menu is more trendy and the word ‘frilly’ comes to mind – chia pudding, a fruit plate, a version of smashed avocado. The only classic comfort breakfasts were the eggs benedict or the ‘eggs your way’ but you had to include a side of toast to the order.

Urban Pantry may be the top spot in Manuka for lunch. It offers both indoor and outdoor seating…. ….good service, an interesting and reasonably priced menu, BYO wine at $5.50 per person and two for one meals for Canberra Entertainment Book holders. The salads are a great choice. The Grilled Halloumi with smoked tomatoes, pickled zucchini, wild roquette, chickpea puree, labneh, za’atar $21 is excellent.

I'll be honest and say that going to Urban Pantry in the final weeks wasn't on my agenda. I really wanted to go to X.O to eat their ribs, but unfortunately they were closed for the holiday period and coincidentally the owner Ken was there finalising their Chinese New Year menu. So the predicament for Wednesday dining came around. It had been a quite exhausting few days and so going to Braddon seemed too much effort. I remember 3 separate occasions of trying to go to Urban Pantry and always realising it was closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Since then they'd also closed down, renovated and re-opened and friends had been for brunch commenting how nice it was overall. It seemed an easy decision.

Urban Pantry has been a Manuka staple for a long while now. It's a casual dining spot near the Manuka lawns, and always seems to be packed when weekend brunch time comes around. Recently, they have had a restaurant and menu revamp, with many new dishes added to the fold. I've only ever been for breakfast/lunch, so during my latest visit, I take the opportunity to try out the dinner menu.

Service is fantastic, food is great and the atmosphere is nice and relaxed. Especially with the new revamp making the space seem a lot more open.<br/>Definitely worth a visit when in the area!

What can i say. Great service yet again. This time my friend and i needed a pre lunch cocktail. And then i asked for the chicken burger on gluten free and with extra salad instead of fries. Nothing is ever a problem. Great food and great service. No wonder i keep going back.

Beautifully set out local with warm service, food is delightful and well balanced. Food is presented in a way that makes you want to leave it the way it is instead of eating it<br/><br/>Can be a little pricey but hey, this is Canberra

Urban Pantry has undergone a refresh – both to its decor and its menu. The fresh, clean-looking space has made presentation a priority (as its Instagram account attests), so I met a friend visting from Melbourne there to try the new offerings. I ordered the Chef’s Pan ($18), with a poached egg, haloumi, spinach, roast tomatoes, asparagus and mushroom, which sounded like a delicious and healthy way to start the day. Our food came out quickly, and I was smitten with my dish before I took one mouthful, it was so pretty! I broke open the egg, which was

Warmer days in Canberra mean wonderful opportunities to dine outdoors in the evening and it’s hard to beat Urban Pantry Manuka, for an excellent mid-range spot. Ask to sit outside at one of the tables overlooking the lawns and if you’re lucky there may even be some great live music that completes the relaxed, romantic mood.

A lovely setting, and some fantastic service.  The staff are always friendly, and one time they cheerfully provided takeaway bacon (i.e. hi, I'm just here for some takeaway bacon for my friend stuck on shift) and they totally got it.   A strong breakfast menu for those who like to be a teeny bit adventurous but not a lot... and kind've strong on the bread... but then that just makes sense for this place.  Coffee that can not be faulted.  I have since moved on to more unique menus, however it will never lose a place in my heart for being solid, quality breakfast with a little edge.  Not for those who always want to try the next big thing, but a charming, well supported breakfast place.  I apologise to them that I haven't tried lunch - I'm the kind of girl who wants breakfast at 3pm, and that's perhaps doing them a disservice.

While Urban Pantry shares much in common with Me & Mrs Jones, The Public Bar and Cream, it really does have the nicest setting (especially in the good weather) and arguably the best menu for lunch. In fact it’s hard to pick from so many delicious sounding salads, gourmet burgers and grills, and  that’s without even looking at the great changing specials on the wall inside.

There is plenty on the menu with salads, pastas, burgers and grill options. There are also specials written up on the blackboard that all sounded tempting. After viewing the menu online, I really wanted to try the Urban Affogato that had coffee, caramel gelati and violet crumble. Our waitress repeated my order, however, a regular affogato came out instead. I was so hungry that it didn’t actually register that it was a regular affogato until I was halfway through. When our waitress came around to see how we were going, I mentioned that the order was wrong. She was apologetic but said that the cafe only does one affogato with vanilla ice cream. Wrong. She went into the kitchen to double check for me but never came back.

History, history<br/>This lovely place on the edge of Manuka Lawns is filled with promise - and if you value a warm, sunny location and good company more than good food, then it's the perfect place. <br/><br/>Seduced by the good looks, it sadly tired out to be filled with the same promises that make the character or Canberra. The wine was badly treated and soured, bottles left open too long had fermented and staff had no idea - the food was awful - calamari fried in some type of rice noodle crunch that became a glob of oil in the mouth - even though the calamari was tender. <br/><br/>Fish and chips presented well but fish overcooked, and salad dressed only in lemon juice...<br/><br/>My companion had the burger which she said was good, so at least that was something positive - but not enough to get me back there.<br/><br/>They do have the excellent cannoli's from Mawson Bakery, so at least that was one good thing.<br/><br/>I will go back, but only with friends on a sunny day.

Absolutely amaze. I read all the bad reviews and was a little turned off from the place but thought to try it for myself anyway. My partner and I went there for breakfast and I have to say I would ignore all bad reviews on this place, the service was fantastic, coffee was amazing and food was delicious! <br/>I would recommend this place hands down to anyone!

Appauling service for the price.. The atmosphere is really lovely and makes for a great little spot for date but it ends there. Ordered a bottle of wine that didn't arrive until after the appetisers and only because we reminded the waiter of it. Food was ok but not representative of the price and the main challenge was the service. It seemed that we were putting the staff out of the way to get plates, cutlery and glasses. Overall, I probably would not recommend compared to other options in the immediate area.

Disappointing. Went for brunch in a small group. Coffee took ages; it came after chasing it but annoying (and it wasn't that busy). $4.50 for a mug and weak. I looked forward to the smoked trout tortilla but expected more for $18 than a few tiny flakes mixed in the scrambled egg, which was dry and grainy. Tortilla was more like a large spring roll than a... well, tortilla. My friend had bacon (not crispy) and eggs (scrambled, dry). And $5 for a side of haloumi! Overall there's nicer and better value elsewhere.

Worst service in manuka. Been coming to this location regularly for many months but obviously there is a new crew running the show. The customer service is non existent. The waitstaff were disengaged and made me feel as though they were doing me a favor by giving me a menu (I was not acknowledge for 10 minutes upon arrival, despite the cafe being less that half full). No friendliness, not even a smile. They seem to be oblivious to the fact that hospitality is as much about leaving customers with a memorable experience as pumping out the coffee, which took 20 minutes. Very disappointed.

Appalling service. Have eaten here before and it was ok but not great but the location is pleasant. This time we were there for just coffee and cake, a simple transaction you would think, but not so for the Neanderthals working there. We dealt with about three different wait staff, all of whom acted as if they were above it all and didn't even bother to make eye contact - one of the guys walked off as I was asking a question.... It took a good 20 mins for our coffees to arrive, fine, but then we had to remind them about the croissant. We waited a bit but the coffee was getting cold so we drank it and went to go pay. Only as I was going up to pay did they come out with the croissant on a plate. I told them we were leaving so to cancel it. No apology, no nothing, barely recognition of what I'd said. This place does not deserve to survive. There's a funky looking cafe that's just opened across the way that seems worth checking out, or better yet go to Kingston where they value your business and are happy for human interaction.

Pub food at a boutique price. Parts of my meal were still cold from the fridge on the inside, my main had more sugar than a chocolate factory. Even the chips were bad, totally undercooked, would've been better off at McDonalds.

Great place. Great service, went out of their way to make a cake platter for us, friendly staff, fantastic coffee A+

Great atmosphere and brilliant service. We enjoyed a second lovely evening here tonight. Cute setting on Maunka lawns, alfresco on a mild night was lovely. The staff are very friendly and hospitable and went out of their way to make sure we were comfortable and enjoying ourselves. The Tasmanian oysters were really special and super fresh. All the Staff were super accommodating and very understanding (even when my partner ordered the wrong dish, the staff went out of their way to make the experience enjoyable). We will be back.

Extremely rude and aggressive head waiter made for a VERY unpleasant visit. Not only did he intimidate us, he embarrassed his staff. When we asked for the boss, he arrogantly shouted "I AM the boss!" Avoid this venue...

I've had some good dishes here. I recommend the porridge and the usual fare involving eggs and bacon. Frappes are great too. Service good be better, can be patchy and slow.

Breakfast. I do not recommend this restaurant. Visited for breakfast and the wait staff were barely awake. The food was terrible. Three of us each had something different and there were problems with all dishes. We definitely don't plan to return again soon

I went to Urban Spoon for breakfast this morning on the recommendation of a friend. In hindsight I should have ignored a restaurant recommendation from a Greek who doesn't like Greek food! Urban Pantry was terrible. The only positives were the atmosphere and the service. Initial service was ordinary. I had to ask whether I needed to order at the counter or wait to be seated. But once I was at a table the young waiter who served me was very good. Unfortunately, the food was a disgrace. I ordered poached eggs on sourdough toast with a side of smoked breakfast sausage. The eggs were overcooked, the toast was thin, dry and definitely not sourdough and there was only one slice! The smoked breakfast sausages were tiny and over-processed. My guess is that they were bought in, not made in-house. My coffee (a strong flat white) was bitter and cold and had a very poor crema. I decided to order a sweet pastry to dispel my disappointment with my breakfast. The lemon brûlée looked good. My waiter asked if I'd like cream or ice cream with it. I said no, just the tart. It came out ut in half and smothered in a sickly sweet blueberry compote. The lemon curd was well done but the pastry was soggy and the brûlée had been covered in some sort of clear jelly, which meant the toffee taste was obscured and there was no crunch. This jelly on the top of tarts seems to be the in thing these days and I assume it's done so the custard/cream/etc filling doesn't dry out. It's not necessary if things are made fresh and it certainly shouldn't go over the top of a previously crunchy brûlée.<br/><br/>Urban Pantry seems to have a reputation for good food but poor service. My experience was good service and shockingly bad food.<br/><br/>Massively overpriced given the small serves and well below average quality. <br/><br/>I would probably never eat (defintely not breakfast) or have coffee at Urban Pantry again.<br/><br/>Well done to the waiter though. He was the only redeeming feature of this over-rated eatery.

Good food, very poor service.<br/>I've eaten here a few times now and each time the service has been very poor compared to other restaurants in the area. The food is good and I would eat here regularly if it wasn't for the slow, inattentive service.

Excellent!. We came here for our first lunch in Canberra and loved it. Service was a little inattentive and slow to start but was absolutely fine once we got menus - very friendly and helpful. My husband had the 3 grain risotto which we would highly recommend and I had a gluten free version of the chicken burger with polenta chips - amazing gluten free roll! We shared a GF chocolate almond brownie for dessert which was really delicious and came served with a mixed berry coulis and cream. Good wine and beer selection too - the pinot gris from nearby Lake George winery was lovely and went well the risotto. Nice decor and very light and bright.

I ordered a risotto; they gave me a salad.. There was literally one vegetarian option on the entire menu, which was a risotto. Instead of actually being a risotto, it was a pretty bland quinoa and rice salad with vegetables and feta. You could make this at home with no effort or experience. Definitely overpriced for what I got.

Ordinary at best. Attended a large function on Monday night. Attitude of the staff was pretty ordinary. The food was ordinary at best. Certainly not a corporate function location! Would not go there again - far better locations.

Great Food and Service. Had dinner there on thursday night and it was really good. the most impressive part of the night was the salmon on mash potato with a butter sauce (I'm not doing it justice i just can't remember whats in it the bill said fish special) so happy with this place hopefully be back soon

Consistent. Having been here twice within 3 days, I can only say the very best. A delicious lunch and a delicious breakfast. I love the buzz of the place. It’s busy but doesn’t feel distracting. It’s busy, but unlike mentioned by other posters, service was great, very attentive, in fact. I enjoyed it and would definitely be back again and again.

Breezily arrogant service. While the food is ok, I join many others in saying the service is appalling. The attitude of the staff is breezily arrogant. They make you feel like they are the client. Do not go there.

Always yummy food, one of my favourites.

Great food and service. We came in on a friday night and really enjoyed it. They had a jazz band playing out the front which is why we decided on dinning here. The place was packed and i guess we were lucky to get a table. We had both entrees and mains which were really good and came in a timely manner which was surprising considering how busy the place was. The service was great and we shall return see you soon urban pantry

Good for gluten free. I'm surprised at all the negative reviews. I haven't visited for the past 6 months so perhaps things have changed. I have always found the staff to be friendly and helpful. They have an amazing gluten free dessert and are really good at gluten free mains too (plus I am vegetarian and dairy free and they could accomodate me). We usually go for breakfast or lunch so perhaps breakfast is the one to avoid as per recent reviews. It's still on my favourites list though!

Coffee was good but arrived long after the food did. Pretty good eggs Benedict but served on dry and very tough toast.

Dreadful service along with overpriced menu items which try to be a little too clever makes for an ordinary experience.

Disaster. I used to come to this place and love it. Whilst most of the menu options sound delectable to read, the reality was dismal.<br/>My sister ordered the falafel burger. It was dry beyond belief and failed to have appropriate moisture on the bun.The accompanying tabbouleh quinoa was under seasoned and due to its lake of ingredients (other than quinoa, few few leaves of parsley and five pieces of tomato), failed to make for anything other than bland. At $20 for a burger, I recommend you go somewhere else.<br/>The roasted chickpea and halloumi salad was also another huge let down. It did not come with the roasted baby carrots as stated on the menu, and instead came with some shred of a normal carrot in the salad. Add the two measly broken pieces of halloumi I received made this $17 salad another disappointment.<br/>This place used to be mind blowing, now its just terribly flat and embarrassing to have wasted my time with.

Don't go there!! Terrible service with a side order of attitude, made me feel like an inconvenience just by being there, why have a cafe if you hire staff that think there are to good to serve you? oh and thank you for charging me $18 for 1 big of bread with an egg!!!

The worst welcome I have ever received in a cafe ! My son and I were standing around for at least a few minutes and no one even bothered to acknowledge us ! Had to try several times to get attention from a waitress received a no smile rude answer to sit anywhere we wanted ! The funny part was that the cafe was not even that busy , just a regular Monday morning !<br/>The coffee and breakfast were ok , nothing great !<br/>The one thing we noticed though that none of the staff had a smile on their face ! Not sure why lol ! Life's not that bad is it ....

What an awful experience. My friends and I sat in the middle of the Resturant and we struggled to get service. When we finally ordered our breakfast, not anything complex at all, it took 45 mins for our food to arrive, with other patrons being served before us who arrived after us. Very disappointed.

Horrible service!!! Made .... Horrible service!!!<br/><br/>Made my family feel so unwelcome. Walked out barely 5 mins after we arrived.

Great coffee & breakfast menu and brilliant service. <br/>Highly recommended.

I paid $18 for two pieces of haloumi on a pile of rocket, a total rip off

Used to love this place, but the standards have slide so far below acceptable esp with the wait staff. <br/>As a once a week visitor the last 3 visits bordered on insulting. <br/>Time to find a new local.

Worst meal I have ever eaten - Do not bother!!. Tonight I sadly made the decision to visit Urban Pantry for the first time. Ordering the pork belly (something I regularly order from various establishments), my companion ordered risotto, and we shared a polenta chips (plus a glass of wine and a soft drink).<br/><br/>The polenta chips and risotto were quite pleasant but my meal was absolutely repulsive and disgusting.<br/><br/>The Pork Belly had absolutely no flavour, was accompanied with white bean puree (also no flavour, just a pastey texture) and 4 undercooked asparagus stems. It was topped with 3/4 of a pear. The crackling was gelatinous and rubbery and one of the three pieces of pork belly had no meat, only fat. <br/><br/>We were not asked how our meals were, or even attended to, during the meal. After 2 small forkfulls of the puree, less than 2 pieces of the foul pork belly and 1 asparagus, I gave up.<br/><br/>After explaining my displeasure to the manager, she said she had "reduced the bill by taking off the cost of the soft drink and reducing the price of the polenta chips".<br/>You can imagine how impressed I wasn't, when I received a bill for $75.50, which still included $35 for the pork belly, which had barely been touched. The manager felt that taking $1 off the cost of the polenta chips and $4ish for a softdrink was appropriate.<br/><br/>I regularly dine out and have never been so displeased with any restaurant in Canberra. Very strongly recommend going ANYWHERE but here!!

Manger said waitress was having a bad day and there's nothing he can do....<br/><br/>Worst service ever and horrible bland food which I would be a little forgiving for if the service was good. Young waitresses all stressed out and no manners at all. One in particular was extremely rude and sour faced. First of all I requested my coffee come first then my juice to come with my food. I was then given both drinks within minutes with no eye contact. My coffee was warm and I had to send it back. Secondly the waitress slammed down two plates in front of us without even stopping.....I jumped out of my skin as it was so un expected......felt like I was at a greek wedding! Thirdly our food then arrived cold, over cooked (big breakfast sausages rock hard with plain white beans mixed with tasteless canned tomatoes and poached eggs boiled) once again the waitress slamed the food down without a smile or any eye contact. My partner called her over fed up with the unfriendly and uninviting situation and requested fresh, hot and properly cooked food. The waitress did not offer any apologies or follow up, rather she took it personally grabbing our meals and storming off without a word spoken. Finally when we had to pay we suggested some improvements to be made highlighting our poor experience to the manager he replied "I know what you mean as you are not the first today to complain, she's having a bad day and there's nothing I can do about it" we were given the drinks for free, paid for our meal and walked out disgusted. This is why the reviews are mostly bad for Urban Pantry as the management are not trying to rectify the bad culture and make improvement. One positive note the barista staff (guys) where friendly jovial and at least helpful. 1/2 star double thumbs down. We have enjoyed our canberra stay otherwise.

Overpriced and disappointing. We visited here for the first time recently, and were terribly disappointed. We were told "2 minutes" for a table and then ended up standing awkwardly next to the maitre d' stand for nearly twenty minutes. I then ordered Eggs Benedict with salmon ($18 !!) and an Iced Coffee ($7 !!). I was asked, "was that with cream?" and replied, "sure".<br/><br/>When it arrived, my eggs bene consisted of a paltry serving consisting of a single, small piece of toast topped with two small eggs, a little bit of salmon and a teaspoon or two of hollandaise. It sat in the middle of an enormous plate looking lonely and embarassed at itself. I absolutely couldn't believe that this was an $18 breakfast. I was finished it in under five minutes and was still incredibly hungry!<br/><br/>Upon paying the bill I found that my iced coffee had sprung up to $7.50 with the addition of the cream - something I hadn't been told would happen - for what was a pretty ordinary iced coffee. <br/><br/>I wish I'd just gone to Ona (opposite) instead!!

Overpriced and tasteless food. My friend and I had beef and stout hot pot. Beef was quite tough and overall, it was just tastless. The dish was overpriced as well. It was the second time for me to have a meal there, but I will not go back anymore.<br/><br/><br/>-----29 May, 2013-----<br/><br/>Unfriendly female staff. My husband liked his lamb dish, but my gnocchi was not soft and the female staff was unkind.

Artic Dinner in Canberra. Dinner Date: 18/05/2013<br/>Time: 7:00PM<br/><br/>I have to say it was one of the most uncomfortable dinner ever. It was freezing inside the restaurant/cafe. Urban Pantry had their al fresco area open that night and the door was wide open. They offered to give us blankets but honestly who goes to a restaurant to have dinner and hide under a blanket. Who does that?<br/><br/>Before our food was served we requested to be moved to a table further inside the restaurant/cafe. The Maitre de blantantly lied to us saying there was bookings for 8pm. How can this be when she gave the table to walk ins? Oh Yes I saw her. I watch, observe and lip read.<br/><br/>The Pasta (Smoked Salmon Pasta with Creme Fraise Sauce) was dry. It lacked sauce. Flavour was alright but it was way too dry.<br/><br/>Would have loved to try the dessert they have which looked amazing but the sheer coldness, blatant disrepect and contempt from the Maitre de made me rethink.<br/><br/>Things going for Urban Pantry:<br/>Ambience - I give the Urban Pantry a big Thumbs up the place had a very nice groovy feeling. Very youthful. Not a place for people who like warmth during winter time. Summer time might be a different story.<br/><br/>Serving Staff - Were polite and responsive<br/><br/>Suggestion: Either close the al fresco area during winter or install a wind curtain that will block the air from outside going in.

Corn fritters at breaky were great and the extra eggs I ordered were poached to perfection. Coffee wasn't brilliant though. All up though, decent place for breaky.

Had poached eggs and smoked salmon on sour dough. Toast was burnt, poached eggs tasted like vinegar and the salmon was just thrown in a heap on the plate. Other diners in my party also complained of unsatisfactory breakfast items. Would recommend going to GUS or Cream in the city instead!!!

Used to love this place to read the paper and have a coffee and eggs. But it seems unacceptable that every Saturday/Sunday morning it's booked out for tables of two. Of course brunch for more than six should be booked but tables of two! What happened to being able to stroll to the corner shops for breaky! I've tried four times in six weeks. I've now given up....

Barista is crap. Wondering why some mornings your coffee is skim and others full fat? The baristas are too lazy to care about your coffee being perfect so they heat whatever milk in a jug and fill two cups and shout out 'one skim' and one regular to table... They can't work under pressure clearly. They are so arrogant they think you won't notice the difference!<br/>Go elsewhere

First wait staff person had an attitude(female). White bait was the worst I've ever had.

Overpriced and Overdone. Overcooked and even burnt mains. Serving sizes average to small for the price. Value for money no where to be seen.<br/>Desserts were by far the best part of the meal.

Beautiful fit out, but wasn't happy with the average yet overpriced breakfast. There are definitely better breakfast options in Canberra.

I like urban pantry, it's consistently good. The staff and very helpful and on one occasion helped us fit in a sleeping baby without too much fuss.

Extremely poor customer service. Saturday lunch time, young female staff with more attitude than skill. Ruined what could and should have been an a great experience.

Urban pantry. Ordinary food, ordinary service! Huge servings of over cooked , cold dishes with no imagination. Charging $100.00 a head - there are many better places to go in Canberra.

$20 Surcharge on a SUNDAY!!!!. Everyone was raving about Urban Pantry so I had big expectations. I took some out of town guests with me on a Sunday and had a decent time. The staff were nice and friendly but we couldn't get our table so they complained to us about the people who wouldn't leave which we found unprofessional. Our meals were nice, nothing to write home about - simply cafe meals but all was good until we looked at the bill and noticed we were charged a $20 surcharge because it was a Sunday. I questioned this later and the response I was given was a whinge about how expensive staff costs were and that most Canberra cafes have surcharges on Sunday. Canberra was one of the first, if not the first state to implement Sunday trading - it was a crap excuse and so unbelievably unprofessional to provide an excuse in the first place. I have also been to plenty of other cafes on a Sunday and have yet to see another surcharge. I wouldn't complain if it was a public holiday!

Good. Went here with my boyfriend, his uncle and his uncle.´s girlfriend for Sunday breakfast. This place was packed so definitely book in advance if you have your heart set on this place.<br/><br/>I cannot fault the place. It is a lovely, cozy cafe that serves up good coffee and good food. I wish there were more places like this in Perth because I would be there every Saturday morning.

Great chilli brussel sprouts!<br/>Caesar salad was good, could use a better dressing, but good<br/>Haloumi salad was great

Im here often for work from WA and I really enjoy this little place. Perth restaurant prices are through the roof so this is quite reasonable. I had the chicken & pancetta risotto which was great. Service is good however watching dealings with other patrons the use of 'thanks guys'. 'hi guys' etc by wait staff should only be used where appropriate. I hate the term 'guys' used in customer service, especially towards older people. Staff need to know how to adapt their language for service. Bar this gripe, I enjoy it & will be back!

The food is not too bad, but overpriced. There are other cafes in the area which are just as good, but less pricey. The service was also ordinary.

Not good value. Recently want to Urban Pantry for dinner.<br/>First, the good points - excellent service. Full marks. Menu has mains at price points from about $24 to $35 which means something for everyone.<br/>Now the rest - expensive wine list, no red wines under $40. Makes no sense to have all wines at this price point. Who is going to drink a $45 bottle of red with a $24 pasta dish. Australia is awash with quality wines at bargain prices. Explains why I saw only 1 other table with a bottle of wine. The rest just had a glass.<br/>Special main of pork fillet was good. Morrocan lamb shanks were very bland almost as if the kitchen had forgotten to add the Moroccan spices - a bad dish.<br/>Gelato desert lacked flavour, and the stickey date and ginger pudding also had no flavour but the butterscotch sauce was good.<br/>Flat white coffee was weak and milky (3/10). Macchiato was strong and good.<br/>Bill was $165 for a very ordinary dining experience of 2 mains, 2 deserts, 2 coffees and 1 bottle of red wine.<br/>Not value for money and we won't be going back. Not many tables on what should be a reasonably busy night so perhaps others feel the same.

Don't Understand the Buzz About this Place. Had lunch here on Thursday. Food was fine - nothing special. We had pumpkin soup and chicken Caesar salad. Coffee was fine - nothing special. Service was fine - nothing special. So I don't really get the buzz about this place - it's nothing special in my book. I thought the prices were quite high for what we got. It was a cold day, and as it was not crowded, I chose to sit away from the open air dining area. Even though it is in a plastic tent thing, it was still pretty cold and making the indoor tables nearby cold too.

Never had a bad meal yet. Great food!

Almost..... Had an almost great breakfast here. I had the ricotta hoecakes which were spot on - light, fluffy, but the 'poached fruit' described on the menu was an SPC special...straight from the tin and put under the grill. My partner had the corn fritters with a side of bacon and sausages. Again everything was right with the dish but the sausage was an average woolworths special for $4.50. Hopefully they can tweak their approach and I'll happily go back.

Don't do Breakfast. We went for breakfast last weekend and had the worst tasting dishes that had ever received at a cafe. You usally can't go wrong with breakfast but the three of us did. The coffee was not up to usual standard and the new breakfast menu did not sound appealing and when we received our meals they did look god, but the taste was the worst breakfast that I had ever eaten.. We had undercooked fritters, tart baked eggs and oil dripping omlet. <br/>As far as this place goes ! I have enjoyed it on the past but can't say that I will go back. <br/>Very dissapointed.

Walked in, 3 staff consulted about table availability, sat down, waited 10 mins to order a drink. Walked out.

Great food but average service. We booked for a Saturday night as we have seen the place a few times in the past but they were always busy which is a good sign. We were seated fairly quickly when we arrived but from there it was downhill, we had to ask for menus after 10 minutes and then ask to order after a further 10-15 minutes. The staff just didn't seem to know what to do with us. Aside from that the food was fantastic, flavour taste and serving size was excellent. It was just a shame that we happened to get a night when the 8 floor staff couldn't handle a normal dinner service.

Great service, however raw food & mistakes with the bill spoilt the evening. Maybe they should concentrate on Breakfast only?

Great cafe that was full on a Friday morning. Staff were really nice and service was smooth. Plenty of outdoor seating in a nice setting. The coffee was great and the breakfast menu was extensive. The Bircher Mueslie was pretty tasty and had great yoghurt on top. It was a bit pricey at $14 but the while experience was worth it. They also sell a good selection of breads. I'd come back in a flash!

This cafe had a nice atmosphere when we popped in for breakfast on a Wednesday morning. The fritters and big breakfast were delicious, however all our coffees were subpar. My flat white ended up becoming a cappuccino when it came to the table... Hmmm. Fortunately our high expectations for the meals were Met as the food items matched their prices. A shame about the coffee though!