Review Cibi - Collingwood

Delicious Japanese breakfast. Quite filling but not too heavy. I also had a coffee and a yuzu shortcake. Service was good but it took a while for them to seat me. Otherwise staff was attentive and friendly. The shop was lovely too. Would love to come back and try the other items.

Cute place, nice atmosphere. I love the store as it has lots of unique Japanese home wares, however they are a bit pricey. The food options are fairly limited. I had the More Vegetables, and although tasty, it could have used more zing.

This Collingwood Spot is a fun mix of just about everything! You come for the cafe which serves up Japanese inspired breakfast, brunch and lunch options alongside very well presented coffees, sweet treats everything you expect in a Melbourne cafe experience with the surprise being the Japanese wares section which seems to stock everything Japanese from kitchen basics for making sushi and miso, cooking utensils and dining essentials to even Japanese tiling! They cohabit the space well with the plant store as it very much looks like the one business and owner but they are in fact seperate. very funky and fun, well worth a shot of you would love a little Japanese inspired breakfast and brunch!

Brunching at CIBI was simply an amazing experience. The dishes that we ordered, CIBI lunch complete (seasonal fish, vege, rice blend) and traditional grilled salmon, were elegantly delicious and quite generously portioned. The ambiance was very cozy; loved the high ceiling, the decor and the little shop they set up in the middle of the cafe. Service was very friendly also.

Wow YUM! Ok so miso soup… mouth watering. Breakfast was delicious, perfect size, scrumptious, perfection. Service was so so lovely. All the staff are fantastic, attentive and friendly. Yuzu squash was delectable. Coffee is stunning!! This place rocks!

Great place for a bite. Great place to check out imported Japanese condiments and kitchenware. Sparkling sake! Intermixed with other condiments from other countries. Service is prompt and polite. Pleasant and quiet vibe even though the place was filling up into the "late" Sunday morning (9-ishl

Delicious Japanese style quick, light lunches. Was $31 for a small sandwich and bento but delicious and already made, so most importantly, fast.

Food was good, perfectly cooked and clean flavours. Value for money is however not great: $25 for this platter and on top of that a rather unusual 10% surcharge because it's a Saturday. I know wages are higher on the weekend, but there's also a lot more customers to cover for that.

We've enjoyed coming to Cibi for their amazing traditional breakfast for years...it's worth crossing town for. The staff are so lovely and friendly and always stop to chat to us and the kids. The coffee is great; food is great; service and atmosphere is relaxing.

I love this place. Great coffee great staff and great food.

ちび の たべもの わ おいしい です。 The food at CIBI is delicious!

So annoyed Rang to ask if they had a particular item in stock, assured yes, when I arrived no we have run out I love running around in Spring rain, not!

Loved the food - great place!

Brunching at CIBI was simply an amazing experience. The dishes that we ordered, CIBI lunch complete (seasonal fish, vege, rice blend) and traditional grilled salmon, were elegantly delicious and quite generously portioned. The ambiance was very cozy; loved the high ceiling, the decor and the little shop they set up in the middle of the cafe. Service was very friendly also.

This cafe/deli/shop Is fantastic. I've always wondered what a Japanese breakfast was and now I know.<br/><br/>Dish No 1 was: Cibi lunch complete of seared tuna, pumpkin and spinach croquette, green beans, sugar peas, diakon, broccoli, Cibi white bread, white and brown rice, soy beans and white quinoa w dried shisho flakes & ao-nori. What an awesome dish this was.<br/><br/>Dish No 2 was a traditional Japanese breakfast plate, w a grilled sliced salmon fillet, free range tamayoki egg omelette, seasonal vegetables, potato salad, CIBI rice blend and miso soup. <br/><br/>And my strong almond latte was perfect.

I love the concept of this place, besides restaurant they also have store to sell nice stuff from Japan. The plants 🌱 looks so nice and so tempted to get some lol but due to I don’t have green fingers, I better not.<br/><br/>We ordered:<br/># ultimate breakfast<br/># lunch bowl<br/># kids meal (forgot the name, its rice + minced chicken)<br/>++ coffee <br/><br/>Taste of the food? Healthy kinda food, with no overpowering flavour. <br/><br/>We will definitely be back for more!<br/>xx 💚

What a cool space in typical Collingwood fashion. This open warehouse is part cafe, part nursery and part Asian homewares store. All in all though, the large space is light and airy with plenty to look at, and a comfortable and bustling vibe. <br/><br/>The cafe menu centres around Asian fusion brunch style dishes, which all sound delicious. However, we stopped in for coffee and cake and found the service to be quick and friendly. The dishware is lovely and our coffees were outstanding. <br/><br/>The cake selection sticks to some tried and tested recipes. This time we had the amazing orange cake, which was moist with syrup abd full of orange flavour. In the past we have had the flourless chocolate cake, and it too is fantastic. <br/><br/>It's impossible to come to this funky cafe without checking out the other interesting spaces. In cool and arty Collingwood, this cool cafe is a standout for its fun atmosphere and lovely food.

A little gem of a neighbourhood cafe - or combination homewares, Japanese deli, nursery and cafe warehouse. A fun place serving up Japanese breakfasts as well as the more usual suspects. The presentation is excellent, tastes good and it’s good value. Can get busy particularly at the usual times but service prompt nonetheless. You can see everything happening in the open kitchen and to top it off they have their own roast of coffee! This place has been added to my regular rotation...

What a superb place! I can't believe I used to walk past this place for a month and never knew what a treasure was inside. The minimalistic exterior with very little windows to peep inside made me think it was some kind of workshop. My colleague took me here for breakfast one morning and I fell in love the moment I walked in!<br/><br/>It is such a beautiful and humble space with so many things for the senses to feast on. A fully open kitchen with nothing to hide, a bustling by calming ambience walking in, an indoor plant store alongside homewares and hand-selected pantry items and let's not forget the baked goodies served by such understated but welcoming service.<br/><br/>Oh my goodness, and how can I forget that amazing coffee. I would say the best almond latte I have found in Melbourne so far. Not the cheapest and wait times can be long but oh so worth it!<br/><br/>I can't help myself, I've become a regular!

A rare lunch with my daughter today at a place she had heard was great. I had the salad bowl, pallid chicken with lots of lettuce, no dressing, plus rice. That’s it. Her lunch platter was marginally better but also a pile of plain lettuce. Dull and tasteless.

I have a habit of getting comfortable ordering the same dish over and over again, at CIBI it was the Japanese breakfast Plate. However I arrived after breakfast was over (it was a weekday) which encouraged me to try something different and new. LUNCH COMPLETE OPTION. It was a very veggie-heavy dish which is not usually to my liking, as I am unbelievably picky with my greens.

.<br/>Pork katsu sandwich ($16.50) ⭐️4.5/5 ⭐️<br/>Savoury porridge ($18.50) ⭐️3.5/5 ⭐️<br/>Traditional breakfast ($21.60) ⭐️3.5/5 ⭐️<br/>Matcha muffin ($4.50) ⭐️3.5/5 ⭐️<br/>🍴Gorgeous, quirky and large, open cafe space in this Japanese-inspired cafe that also sells Japanese goods and plants on the side. The food is light in flavour which is pretty in line with the Japanese style but lacks the Japanese finesse which left us wishing for more. Our favourite was the #porkkatsusandwich that had a crispy Pablo-crumbled pork in a tasty sesame bread with tonkatsu sauce that balanced well with the pickled vegetables. The breakfast plate was hearty and filling but we wished there was more flavour while the “zou-sui” was more of rice in broth than congee. The best part of it was the green chilli-yuzu sauce that enhanced the entire dish (and can be bought separately in a take-home jar for $20!). The #matchamuffin had a nice red bean interior but it could do with richer matcha taste<br/>📍@cibi_minanoie, 33-39 Keele street Collingwood, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia<br/>#cafehoppingkidsmelbourne #cafehoppingfitzroy

Had lunch with friends here, the place was quite nice, lots plants around, also selling some interesting items from Japan. However the coffee was not good and the food we had were really average, and the seems was a bit slow.

Pretty Japanese cafe in Collingwood. They sell Japanese food ingredients and tableware in part of the space.<br/><br/>- soy latte ☆☆☆☆<br/><br/>- cibi lunch complete ☆☆☆☆☆<br/><br/>The salad dressing was delicious, so I bought their original dressing after eating.<br/>Specious place, cool interior and cozy atmosphere. Some staff are friendly but some are not.

Easily one of the nicest cafes in Collingwood. The space is beautiful and the food is simple and nourishing and centred around whole foods. There aren't tons of vegetarian options - especially for lunch - but the ones that are on offer are great. I love the vegetable lunch plates with a mix of warm and cold dishes plus multigrain rice studded with soy beans. It's a bit expensive at $20 considering its quite light, but I believe it's because you're paying for quality ingredients. When I visited I was accidentally served the fish plate, but all was quickly resolved without any issues. I haven't tried the coffee but the tea and Kombucha are nice.

Definitely recommend the yuzu cake here! It was sweet and slightly doughy and moist, we really enjoyed it! You could find some yuzu rind mixed through the batter as well! The matcha cake was good also, however ran a little dry, not as good as the yuzu one!

We came here in Saturday. We understood they were busy on Saturday, but from the time we got there till the food came to us, it took one hour!!! Our seats were facing the sun directly, which makes my friend feeling sick during the wait. The food actually tastes okay. It might be better if you came during weekdays.

In general 7/10 ... What's not to like with their new premise; warehouse, huge, rustic, vintage, quirky, eclectic, greenery, well presented Japanese Cafe, easily one of the best representation of Melbourne's rich cafe diversity.<br/><br/>10/10 for the shop, don't be surprise that the cheapest stuff is a pair of Birkenstock klompen, the open shop section stocked with high end Japanese designed products.<br/><br/>Foodwise 6/10, overpriced $21.50 Traditional with its mini Salmon, complemented with one of the tastiest Miso Shiru, $18.50 rusticly presented however bland Baked Eggs.<br/><br/>Coffee wise , 7/10 $5.00 Batch Brew and 6/10 $4.20 latte, 8/10 $4.50 Hot Chocolate.<br/><br/>High-end shop or food?

Homey Japanese cafe in Collingwood.<br/><br/>The place is really cosy, with ample sunlight and sections where they sell things and put plants. The staffs were friendly, and food took a reasonable time to prepare.<br/><br/>Had their Cibi lunch complete with both veg and salmon. They came with sides which were roasted pumpkins and brussels sprouts, tofu, cabage salad which were refreshing and I love the texture of the rice plus the red beans! Salmon was cooked to perfection and the miso marinade was bomb, the eggplant was lovely.<br/><br/>Overall, based on my dish alone and the vibe of this place, it was a great place to grab hearty Japanese meal.<br/><br/>( follow for more!✨)<br/><br/>ｘｘ，ｊｏｅｌｌｅ

I have always liked the coffee, the aesthetic and the prompt service here. Even after they moved to a new premises, the general ethos remained consistent. This morning, however, I ordered a serve a toast and a soy coffee, The coffee was fine but a single, very small slice of toast arrived. When I asked the waitress in surprise how much it was, she said 4 dollars. Ok, I can handle that, I thought. When I went to pay they told me that one piece of toast with butter and Vegemite cost $8.70 (The coffee was $5). I was so shocked I could hardly breathe. I asked if they&#039;d made a mistake. When he said &#039;no&#039;, I told him that I wasn&#039;t willing to pay that much and the manager came over and without saying a thing to me, or inquiring about my experience, made it the price the waitress had initially said it was $4. I&#039;ve looked on the menu online and cannot see the cost of toast anywhere.&nbsp;<br/><br/>However, in all my days, I&#039;ve never seen such an extortionate price for a meagre slice of grainy toast. IT&#039;S FLOUR, SEEDS AND WATER!? I left hungry and shocked. By their logic, two slices would then have cost upwards of $15?! Give me a break. Not sure when I&#039;ll be back, but will go to cafes that bake their own bread and don&#039;t charge an arm and a leg for the 2 slices per serve.

Although the coffee was good, both my friend and I were left feeling disappointed by the food. The salmon breakfast was really flavourless and overpriced for such a small piece of salmon. Unfortunately, I won’t be returning.

Cibi can do no wrong in my books! I love coming here for a quick sandwich, and also for lovely sit down meals. I particularly love their homemade breakfast which is exactly the right portions - enough to feel full but without feeling like you’re in a food coma. <br/><br/>Their ware house surrounds are absolutely beautiful, as are their products that range from homeware to cooking ingredients.

simple japanese food that you think can cook at home but you can’t. grandma’s breakfast is great. i had their udon special once, that was excellent as well. the space is gorgeous. the matcha & yuzu cakes are great as well

Went here with a friend, tried to find the menu online but can't find it, they must update their menu's. Ordered a rice dish which came with poached chicken, greens and pickled beetroot and carrot and my friend ordered I think was a traditional breakfast dish that had some grilled salmon, tomato, tamagoyaki egg, some rice, a bowl of mixed veggies, miso soup and some side of these Japanese beans and seaweed. My rice dish was very bland but tasted super healthy but for the price I just saw the dish as rice with some meat and veggies. My friend said he felt hungry after we left. We ordered a latte and cappuccinos however very small cups of coffee for what you pay. Overall service was great however a bit pricey for what they offered.

Thought the ratings on zomato could be trusted, but this place was a huge disappointment. Aesthetics wise, Cibi had a pretty layout. Staff were nice, but they seemed pretty frazzled when the lunch crowd arrived. The coffee was decent, but too pricey for such a small cup. In terms of food, for someone who has been in the brunch scene for the past 3-4 years in Melbourne, the food was definitely not worth $20. Plenty of better Japanese fusion brunch places around. If they could work on their flavours and quality of their food, I reckon they'd do better. Sadly, I won't be coming back or recommending this place to anyone.

I have to say never been a sandwich person but I woof down the fish sandwich! OMG it was so good! 🤩😋😱<br/><br/>Cibi is housed within an warehouse. The feel of openness matched the food offered. Heavily influenced by Japan. <br/><br/>After lunch you can wander thru the homeware and Japanese food sections. For those that have a green thumbs there is a nursery attached to the business.<br/><br/>Love Cibi and definitely be a repeat customer. 😘

Big fan of the light style of cooking here with really clever vinaigrettes and marinades presenting vegetables and light proteins at their purest . Would recommend the soba salad or the complete lunch plate . The internal store stocks some really great niche supplies as well as some beautiful bowls and cooking utensils.

Had a delicious vegetable lunch plate and soy latte at Cibi the other day. I love the ambience of the cafe, and the staff were very friendly. Looking forward to coming back again!

Absolutely amazing as always! Great environment and tons more space since they upgraded. Always a one to recommend, keep up the great work!!

I really liked this cafe. The menu was simple - not too many options on there, but the food I ate was really delicious and the perfect size. The prices are super reasonable and they made a good coffee. The store section is really cute too - take a look around when you visit.

Love the atmosphere, very cute and bright place. But when it comes to food, it's average for me. I ordered traditional breakfast, the salmon was overcooked, so it was dry inside. And the most highlight of this dish was the miso soup. I didn't mean the food is bad, but when you pay $21 in a Melbourne Japanese cafe, you will expect more.<br/>My partner had the miso baked egg, the whole dish is way too sweet somehow, I could totally understand the butternuts are naturally sweet in AU, but it's not too hard to pair something to make the sweetness balanced?

Ok, the atmosphere is cool, feels nice and well designed/decorated, and so we were expecting food to be satisfying. However, the food was just average if not bad. The baked egg was way too sweet (probably pumpkin was a bit too much) covering all other tastes. Salmon was overcooked (not expecting it from a Japanese cafe). Coffee was fine. There are much better Japanese cafe/restaurants for food. Though it is worth a visit for having a coffee or matcha.

Came here for a snack before having brunch. Grabbed a delicious matcha muffin filled with red bean. Wasn’t so happy they didn’t have any tea lattes but the homemade yuzu was very refreshing.

A cute cafe that sells Japanese inspired-food. Set in a large warehouse and sharing its space with The Plant Society (very much like its sister venue - Mina-no-ie - also situated nearby), the ambiance is airy and relaxing. We found that the taste of the dishes here were much better compared to Mina-no-ie. Staff are friendly and attentive here. <br/>The one thing we noticed about both of these cafes, was that the size of the coffee cups were rather small. For the standard milk coffee priced at $4.2, the portion is just too little when you’re comparing it to most of the other cafes in Melbourne.

Homey, authentic Japanese dishes. Reminds me much of my host family and their meals when I was in Japan. The garden and plant supply stores connected to Cibi makes it even more cuter. <br/><br/>For more foodie goodness follow my ig: emptystomach

My wife and I visited Cibi for lunch. She ordered a traditional breakfast for $20 and I ordered a ultimate breakfast for $24. The only difference between the two breakfasts was a plate of sides which you can see in my photo attached.<br/><br/>The breakfast was delicious. It tasted home cooked and portions were just right. However, my average rating refers to the price. It is very expensive for the amount and content that we got (serving of rice, omelette, small piece of grilled salmon, and a bowl of miso soup).<br/><br/>My wife also ordered a Green tea which cost $5. However, we were told that a refill of hot water was not allowed which was frankly very disappointing for that price that we paid. We weren’t given a full pot and it also seems that this disappointing is shared by others in previous reviews.<br/><br/>Would I come back again for the food? For sure, but only if things were 30% cheaper. I could make the exact same breakfast at home so the question would be whether I want to pay the premium to have someone make it for me.

I love the cups that they use which is perfect size for a small coffee...<br/>A bit late coming this shop however it is a good spot to catch up with people at weekend and enjoy the Japanese inspired breakkie!<br/>

A wonderful comfortable venue for a relaxed weekend brunch. A range of choices from Japanese dishes to Aussie standards. Kids loved their miso soup and rice. Overall it was clean, very satisfying and tasty food. Coffee was reasonable. Service was good and prices reflect quality of the food.

The Japanese breakfast is always a delight, the coffee always good, and I always look forward to browsing through the shop afterwards. Staff are friendly and it's always busy of a weekend. Even though I have to travel from the other side of the city, it's still my favourite breakfast spot.

Cibi // a Japanese food space that serves breakfast and lunch. I went there some time ago and really enjoyed my dining experience there. Food was good; service was good; environment was good too (they do retail just right next to the dining area too). Tip 101: If you are planning to go Cibi for a meal, do check out their weekend menu (which means you have to visit during weekends). More choices, more nomz.

A favourite spot in Melbourne. I visit religiously for the "ultimate breakfast" almost every weekend. Comforting home-style Japanese food, made with love and served in a calming environment. Everything is fresh and the unique offering of drinks seals the deal. I'll never get tired of this place and nothing in Australia really compares. <br/><br/>An excellent selection of Japanese homewares and "Zakka" occupy the other side of the warehouse space - a great insight into Japanese design and perfect for finding gifts.

Other than taking over 15 minutes to prepare fruit toast, this place is the Best!<br/><br/>The time wouldn't be an issue if I wasn't on my way to work and always late, and I just deal with it as the fruit toast is Crazy good and comes with ricotta! <br/><br/>Coffee is great too!

Found here often for the best coffee, lovely ambience, homewares to drool over and a lovely jap style brekkie/lunch. Always good. Never fails to meet expectation.

Absolutely love Cibi! The weekend traditional breakfast is a must and is such a refreshing change from the samey breakfast menus that dominate melbourne cafes. The staff are friendly and welcoming and the place has a lovely atmosphere.

CIBI was recommended to me by several friends, so it was time to try it out. We went for a late brunch on Sunday with some friends. Two people took the chicken sandwich, two wanted to take the Ultimate, but there was only one left, so we took one Ultimate and one Traditional and shared the Ultimate plate that came separate anyway, one person took the Soba Salad. We also had some drinks. The homemade lemonade was amazing as was the lemon ginger ice tea. Personally I would come back for that lemon ginger ice tea (or try to make it myself!). The apple cinnamon ice tea was not nearly as great. The food couldn't convince me. Of course, if you are sick of the typical smashed avo breakfast, this is a great change (they have avo breakfast too though).  It is a very healthy and nutritious breakfast though. The omelette and salmon tasted great and the green vegetables and miso soup were nice as well. On the Ultimate plate there was a  sour plum, home made pickles and fermented soy beans. All of those we didn't like (several people on the table tried it) so I definitely wouldn't recommend going for the Ultimate. The Soba Salad was nice, but not super special. <br/>The cafe looks nice and has a calming atmosphere. We sat outside in the sun which was lovely.<br/>I probably wouldn't go again. It's super healthy and pretty nice food, but just not my thing I suppose.

My 'go to' coffee and chill spot. Calm ambience and sweet staff. The 'Traditional' weekend breakfast (beautifully presented with salmon, rice, miso, egg, and more) is unlike anything else in Melbourne.

You must know how much I love Japanese by now?😛 I’m on a mission to find every Japanese breakfast place in Melbourne!. We stumbled upon this place a while ago. It’s situated in Collingwood down the end where all the factory outlets are. The place is in what looks like an old warehouse. The cafe is out the front and they have a shop out the back which sells Japanese products.

Coffee is not always consistent here, especially when ordering a long black. However their special lunch with the salmon is spectacular. Also their house made mint tea is lovely on a warm afternoon.

Usually I can tell my mate at work's been to Cibi by the smell of burnt coffee wafting from his desk.<br/>In spite of this fact, I thought I'd give the place a chance as the people and the space look very nice.<br/>I was pleasantly surprised by my latte. It was delicious, not burnt, and it came in a handsome cup.<br/>I ate the fish sandwich and I enjoyed it very much for it's taste and for the fact that I don't remember having ever eaten a swordfish sandwich. We sat out the front and the sun looked pretty on my girlfriend's face, but she really should have worn sunglasses.

If I could give zero stars I would. what kind of Melbourne Cafe doesn't serve bacon in their breakfast menu? I won't be back. Plenty of better options nearby.

Cibi is a Japanese eatery located down a random street away from all the usual hustle and bustle of Collingwood. The place is massive, with plenty of seating and places to chill. The food served is a homey and authentic style of Japanese food. Satisfying and healthy. Curry (hungry) $16.50 – home style Japanese curry (mild) with chickpeas & vegetables, served with organic brown rice

A nice little Japanese inspired cafe tucked away in the suburban Collingwood just off the Smith Street shops.<br/><br/>Seating was plentiful and no wait was required. Coffee was nice, with a range of teas and juices to pan out the drinks range. <br/><br/>Known here for their healthy 'Japanese' breakfasts but more catered to the Western expectations. The tamagoyaki was cooked with the correct sweetness (even though it's not as pleasantly presented), as was the potato mash. Salmon was also evenly cooked with the skin slightly crispy. Walnut salad was ok and there was a lot of rice, sprinkled with seaweed seasoning. <br/><br/>

Beautifully presented Japanese food in a beautifully designed space.<br/><br/>We always have the Ultimate Cibi 'Japanese Breakfast' plate when we come here for weekend brunching and it has not disappointed. Delicious.

Looking for something like japanese breakfast? This is the place you should go to! Come over here during the weekend and you will get the amazing civi breakfast. Loving the atmosphere of the place as well, interesting japanese products are being sold here as well. Definitely coming back here

Cibi has a very cosy and welcoming environment. Food menu is simple but good and makes you want to go back for more. Its a bonus seeing the open space kitchen where your food is prepared. Definitely will go back!

Light and healthy breakfasts, although slightly overpriced for the portion sizes. Service is average, could be a bit more enthusiastic. It's something different to the usual eggs & toast choices you see everywhere, and none of that greasy and heavy stuff, which is a great alternative. I did enjoy the breakfast plate and it was just the right amount of food for me, but if you have a big appetite it might not be sufficient. Miso soup was really good and had a range of ingredients in it. Iced coffee was also excellent and worth trying. There is a variety of Japanese homeware in the corner of the cafe to browse after finishing your meal, but quite expensive as they are all made in Japan and of a high standard.

So cibi in my mind should be spelt Chibi, but then maybe it's not the Japanese word I assume it is... But that's not what is important here. What is important here is how good the coffee is at cibi!<br/>Don't let the Japanese cafe make you think they are skilled baristas. Since it opened until now, cibi has been serving darn good coffee to the neighbourhood.

Hidden cute place on the alley! Very serene and inspiring! The food were simple yet tasty. The portion was generous and the Ultimate dish will take you back to the childhood Japanese experience! A must try :)

I had heard so much about their traditional Japanese breakfast served on weekends and it certainly did not disappoint! Each element was neatly presented on the plate, and made for a delicious, nutritious filling breakfast. I also tried a matcha muffin, which wasn't as good as it looked. It was a tad dry.<br/><br/>They sell a range of Japanese homewares at the cafe, which I enjoyed browsing after my meal.

if you like japanesse atmosphere like detailed, caring but simple.  personally, I like concept like gallery cafe but don't expect hearty meals.

Great space with a casual vibe. Excellent place to relax without loud music pumping so ideal for a business meeting. Unfortunately only had the coffee and muffin which were both first class. Will be back for something more substantial.

The Triple Soy Plate was delicious! My dining companion had the Soba salad which looked equally good so I'm going back for that soon. Friendly service and a little bit of retail therapy on the side.

An authentic Japanese breakfast. I went for the "ultimate" breakfast option which came with omelette, Miso Soup, rice and what tasted like mashed potato and it was very well done. Neat presentation and acceptable price of $22. It's nice to also be able to look at their retail store after eating.

Lovely place with authentic Japanese food. We had the weekend breakfast special - grilled salmom, potato.salad, naato, Japanese salad and the best ever miso soup! My 4 years old had a chicken sandwich with lemon mayo which was delicious too. <br/><br/>They also sell beautiful Japanese plates and pots - make me miss those travel and wanders in Japan!

Quality and healthy Japanese food, however I find portion a little small to the price. <br/>Like the kitchen/ pantry items selling at store, but quite expensive.

Really great little cafe. Loved my beans on toast, though the serving was quite small. My friend's Texan sandwich looked amazing! Slightly pricier than the cafes around it, but a lovely treat regardless. The lemon, ginger and honey tea is absolutely recommended. The homewares inside are exquisite.

Love the latte! The asa gohan style or traditional japanese breakfast is a must here. Salmon a bit salty but totally falling with the potato salad

Cibi, located on a narrow offshoot street in Collingwood, offers fresh, Japanese dishes for those seeking a flavourful escape. Set in a wonderfully large, airy warehouse – the owners pay homage to architecture that creates clean lines and minimalistic chic. Here you can also shop for artfully crafted homewares such as bags, porcelain, stationary and glass.

If you’re interested in design, and live in Melbourne, there’s a good chance you’ve been to Cibi. I hadn’t, until last week. But now I’d like to go as often as I can, I’d move in if I could.

CIBI - memories of Japan~. Had the ultimate breakfast, and reminded me of the days with my homestay family, waking up each morning before heading off to class and having this style of food prepared for me. I don't what the other person is talking about (maybe used to high sodium food), but the ultimate breakfast is reflective of Japan's taste, subtle and refined. Enjoy each ingredient and flavour for what it is... contentment~, if I lived closer I would be here often as it is a perfect way to start the day.

Cibi is a cute little place, and it's fusion of traditional Japanese light fare with good coffee, mixed in with a bit of retail therapy is a breath of fresh air in Collingwood.  An excellent alternative when we don't feel like the usual egg/bacon based breakfast.

The curry was so thick that you could really mash them with the brown rice into sticky ball of syrupy richness.

Cibi is a Japanese home style café located in Collingwood.  It has a very homely and relaxing atmosphere which is perfect for weekend brunch.  The warehouse style interior, the homeware and décor are just amazing.. I love them so much and I wish I could have all of them in my new place.   I have ordered a traditional breakfast and it was simply delightful. It comes with soft brown rice + grilled salmon + tamago + mashed potato salad + pickled vegetables.  If you have stayed in one of those old ryokan in Japan, then Cibi’s traditional breakfast will definitely remind you of those good old days. Cibi 45 Keele Street Collingwood,  VIC 3066 Ph: (03)9077 3491 htt

Cibi's decor is very modest and understated. Mismatching tables and chairs scatter through out the cafe, which has a subdued level of noise even during the busiest trading hours. On a nice sunny day I like to sit by the window sipping my Genmai tea and slowly work through a green tea and red bean muffin. On my last visit, I tried their traditional Japanese Breakf

<br/>Great place. Place was very quiet (well it was around 2pm on a Thursday) and had a nice rustic feel with lots of natural light

In the past month, I have been to Cibi quite a few times. The café is well-known for its Japanese-inspired flair, which is refreshing in the Melbourne café scene. We sampled and enjoyed the Japanese brunch of simple miso soup, brown rice, grilled salmon fillet and a few pickles. The food was nicely cooked, with tastes we have been accustomed to. The taste of a home kitchen, if I had to describe. I also enjoy the iced Japanese latte there on those hot summer days. Cibi also has some nice modern Japanese kitchenware to sell in their shop, which adds personality to the space. The best thing from Cibi, for me, was the casual and laid back vibe. Come, as we

If you want a more Western-style breakfast they do a simple but incredible avocado on toast, more specifically “Avocado with lemon and Lucilla biodynamic extra virgin olive oil”. I really wasn’t prepared for how good this was.

Lots of greens, perfectly cooked noodles and the right balance of flavours with the tofu. Perfection.

...wooden spoons instead of metal ones which made it even more of a comfortable dining experience.

The chicken mince cooked with miso and ginger was really delicious. The ginger was not over powering and I really enjoyed the sweetness of the miso.<br/>The soy braised eggs were good, however it was on the slightly salty side. However if you eat it together with all the broad beans, rocket leaves and endamame it’s perfect.

Cibi is a warehouse turned Japanese-style cafe, located along a quiet laneway in Collingwood with Japanese decor seen weaved into the interior design of the cafe. <br/>

I'd like to recommend this place for vegetarians and people that are health concious. Also it does do Japanese breakfasts over the weekend and its also a shop selling cute Japanese artworks.

C ibi is a cafe that thinks it's a gallery. Actually, it is a gallery and regularly holds openings to launch the various (mainly kitchen) products it imports (mainly) from Japan. Housed in a modern warehouse building on Keele St, the Cibi space features a large open kitchen and grunge cafe mixing found objects and mismatched tables and chairs with a minimalist feel - if that makes sense. It's the brainchild of former architecture nut Zenta Ganaka who has curated the collection of absolutely beautiful Japanese kitchen implements it sells. The range includes featherweight but tough glasses made from the same material as light bulbs, kettles, teapots, teacups, graters, bento boxes, pans and ladles. It includes the Kobo Aizawa black cutlery - the black butter knives you may have seen at Cutler & Co - and I can reveal that Andrew McConnell's new St Kilda project, Golden Fields , which is set to open in May is working with Ganaka. But back to the cafe. The cof

A cosy warehouse space with delicate, Japanese-style brunch dishes that I’m starting to like more and more.

Cibi is located on a quiet residential street in Collingwood, just off Smith street. It's part cafe, part arty design shop. The decor and menus are very Japanese, but the crowd is totally Collingwood. We went on a Saturday morning and found it to be super

A nice place to sit and enjoy a half-decent coffee when the weather is sunny. Just make sure you don't order any food to go with it as I found it quite disappointing. Ordered a $19 breakfast consisting of a very small piece of salmon which was dry and tasteless, a bit of potato salad, some pickled vegetables and some rice. Very unremarkable.

Nice environment with medicine food. The food is really plain and bland would be the word for it. Had the cibi breakfast and my friend got the rice. Both are hospital food grade, very clean, plain and tasteless.

Sometimes when I'm sick of having crappy toast for breakfast I like to venture out to establishments around my house, and hiding in the side streets of Collingwood, I found Cibi, a little nugget of gold waiting to be discovered by the throes of disillusioned cafe-goers, fed up (literally) with egg-and-baconey menus. <br/><br/>It has a range of options, from delicious sandwiches, to traditional Japanese dishes. There's something for everyone! However, may I recommend the Soba Salad, a particularly delicious little number chock-full of avocado, cherry tomatoes, garlic and other delectable ingredients. This is a great hangover dish too - when you want to be sober, try soba. <br/><br/>Lastly, the atmosphere is great too. Always some funky tunes playing and the staff are so friendly. The redheads, the brunettes, the guys with beards, they're all happy to be serving up such delicious fare. What a team. X

East meet west. This is a place where the 'east meet the west'. The coffee is great, so as the traditional Japanese breakfast. Love the brown rice option. Tried the soba salad too and it is lovely.

Love. Perfect coffee everytime. <br/>Deeeeeelicious food, really miss this place since I moved out of the area. <br/>What a gem.

Just enjoying the Japanese curry and a roasted brown tea. Sublime on such a cold Melbourne day. Highly recommended.

Lovely meals, shame about the service. I've been to CIBI around ten times in the last few months. I enjoy the food hence why I keep going back. But I've never experienced good service there. Upon walking in, I never feel entirely welcomed. Making eye contact with staff is a challenge. I sit reluctantly, and wait a little too long to be given a menu. I wait to order, to pay and leave with the meal inside me tainted by disinterested staff and poor service.

Definitely a favourite. I love Cibi. The coffee is a dream. The food is also! The angry comments below annoy me, if you have allergies more than gluten intolerance then it's always best to call ahead to see if the cafe can accomodate you! Cafes don't have every ingredient under the sun and if they don't serve white rice, then obviously they don't have it in their kitchen! The Japanese brekkie on the weekends is to die for :)

Very Un Japanese. Macrobiotic self righteousness is a pain for some diets and medical conditions, and the staff are inflexible to the idea of altering menu items eg - white rice (a particularly Japanese kind of rice) instead of brown rice, etc. Nice big tables, lovely space, but basically just another pretentious conceptual-egg- breakfast cafe in Melbourne and not very Japanese at all.

Pretty ordinary. I went to Cibi this morning and I wasn't overly impressed. I ordered the Soba salad which basically came out as a huge bowl of soba noodles with just a few bits of lettuce, tofu, avocado, etc around the outside... Before long I had eaten all the salad bits and just had a bland bowl of soba noodles for $14. Coffee was good but service mediocre with little flexibility to adapt to my friends eating requirements. As I said - the overall impression was very, very ordinary.

Very poor service, food quite bland and overpriced. Lovely space though.

Best coffee anywhere!. As a local I might be biased, but I still reckon the coffee at Cibi s&^ts all over the many douchie (is that a word?) cafes in the inner northern suburbs (yes, I mean you Bluebird!)<br/>Great service and laid back vibe (no-one stares when I come in in trackies and uggs) - but where's the puppy I keep reading about? Can't say I've ever seen him!

My husbands "Texan" sandwich was burnt and dry. My Japanese brekkie comprised a large amount of rice and a minuscule portion of salmon and potato salad. Below average. We wont be back.

Asagohan, green tea muffin, cold soba noodles, extra miso, egg and potato salad are the food we usually will order. The salmon in the asagohan seems to be getting smaller with each visit. Coffee is good. Miso does not seem as salty compared to earlier visits which is a plus point.

My favorite breakfast

Funky-fresh.. “Welcome to flavour country”. <br/>This should be inscribed on the welcome matt. <br/><br/>Delicious delights delivered delicately display a dazzling array of down right righteous textures. <br/>A guilty glance over the faces of the congregated confirms the illicit rapture is shared by all. <br/>Bring your umbrella, coz its raining bacon & eggs.<br/><br/>This is my church. This is my respite. This is flavour country.

I Have a Crush on Cibi!. The best place for Japanese breakfast - on a weekend. <br/><br/>Lots of sunshine and a relaxed pace... away from the "breakfast nightclub" feel that Fitzroy has on Saturday/ Sunday mid-mornings. <br/><br/>The miso is the best I have ever had - great for introducing a hangover too. <br/><br/>Highly recommend to those who dont require a plate of beige to start the day.

As usual- the food was amazing. <br/><br/>The only reason I come here is for the traditional Japanese breakfast, and it is consistently good. despite the portion size slowly getting smaller and smaller over the last 2 year,its still great value for money and I never leave hungry. <br/><br/>Don't leave without a green tea and red bean paste muffin either. Even if you're too full now you will appreciate it a few hours later.<br/><br/>Cibi is a real gem- and as long as you keep grilling me amazing salmon I will keep coming back. Arigatoo!

Great for a different brunch. Sick of the usual brunch options? Get some Japanese breakfast, with rice, grilled salmon and an assortment of sides.<br/><br/>Food itself is quite good, and I'd highly recommend ordering from the jap section, since that's what is different about this place. <br/><br/>5 stars if they had a bit more variety in choice, but the 3 options are still good.<br/><br/>Oh, and a little pricey, $17.50 for the basic set, with $21 for the "ultimate"

Great potato sandwich. My mother and i went here for sunday breakfast recently and found the whole experience heaps zen. particularly enjoyed the old dog that is allowed to sleep in the corner. Potato salad toasted sandwich? Japanese innovation at is finest. Will be back 4 sure!

Calming and honest. Great place to relax. the calming nature of the place is really unique. good coffee and simple genuine japanese food is great.

Unique homely deco interesting japanese items to browse n buy if desired soba was tasty tofu burger and weekend special were average.. not worth the price i reckon

Lovely !. A traditional Japanese breakfast sends you off into the day with a little bit of everything your body needs. The traditional Japanese breakfast at Cibi does just this! <br/>It's simple and delicious. The coffee is always exceptional too.

Really Beautiful. I really enjoyed going to Cibi today. The service was lovely, the coffee perfect and the food absolutely perfect!<br/>The atmosphere is welcoming and spacious, very relaxed. I've loved the music there on both my visits. I had the lunch plate in which they happily substituted the beef component for a little of their fabulous potato salad. My partner had the japanese beef curry which I tried and loved too.<br/>Did I mention the coffee was perfect? I rarely ever, if ever say that.<br/>Thanks Cibi, I'll be bee-lining you!

Simple Jap food but small portions. Went for lunch, the interior was nice, they also have a section where they sell some stuff like cutlery etc. We had the traditional Japanese breakfast ($14.50) (vegetarian option available), and the Tofu burger. Tastewise, both was good, liked tht they use soft tofu in the patty which was different. However, did find the portions rather small. Also had the green tea muffin ($3.50) which we enjoyed, tasted slightly bitter of matcha, and had a red bean filling.

Lovely space and pleasant service, but the specials plate was just not that special and mostly rice and lettuce.

Original cafe. What a find! Why has the Japanese breakfast taken so long to catch on in Melbourne? Cibi is a great concept. The traditional breakfast is absolutely fantastic as is the lunch special. Great teas and lots of healthy options. Service can be slow and vague, otherwise this is an outstanding cafe.

Love this place. Only had coffee and a sandwich so far. But am looking firward to many fine visits. Has a great atmosphere and lovely staff.

Lovely food and friendly staff.. The traditional Japanese breakfast was a big winner with our table, both the 'full' and 'vegetarian' versions. The pumpkin was sweet and melted in your mouth and yes, the miso was as good as everyone says it is. Portion sizes did seem a little Japanese (read, small) but it was actually quite filling.<br/>After reading a review about unfriendly staff I was a little hesitant but in our experience this could not be further from the truth, they were very friendly and helpful.<br/>Highly recommended.

Fantastic japanese breakfast!. Their Saturday japanese breakfast are my favourite!<br/>the staff are always friendly and breakfast always satisfying!<br/><br/>Will be going there for breakfast again tomorrow.. Can't Wait! :)

Cool. Cibi is a nifty little place with a fantastic layout, good atmosphere and really pleasant, relaxed clientele. The coffee is good but only comes in 1 size which is an issue for a coffee addict such as myself. C'mon kids, is it that hard to have 2 cup sizes? I can smell the Beef curry a mile away and it smells AMAZING. My only criticism is that staff in many of these "cool" cafes could afford to smile once in a while, it's a fine line between hipster apathy and poor service.

How refreshing!. Try the Japanese tea instead of coffee with your breaky for a change. And their bircher is very home made and tasty. Zenta is a very calm and attentive host and the space is homely and relaxing. The only problem is that I always buy a trinket from their excellent homewares store when I'm there because everything is simply delightful.

Limited but Luscious. Great coffee, small menu but great at what they do.<br/>Check out the lovely Japanese inspired homewares.

Brilliant space. CIBI is a hidden gem in the middle of nowhere. You may walk past it and miss it altogether but it would be such a shame. This is becoming my favourite lazy breakfast spot. <br/>A menu with a difference, a coffee which is just right and little objects of beauty scattered around the place. Top marks.

Love Cibi!. My fav cafe in Melbourne - fantastic staff, food is perfectly presented and as good as it looks, and good coffee. Love Bobo the resident dog.

....Cibi is so sweet. The food is homely and simple but ultimately delicious. It is so nice.<br/>

I adored how simple and clean the breakfast plates were, leaving you feeling quite nourished with all the goodness present. It's not served piping hot, but more of a 'cool' temperature, which is quite refreshing on a warmer day. I adored how sweet and smooth the pumpkin was and naturally loved the sweet tamagoyaki's as well.

Half arty design store, half warehouse style café, it was always my curiosity about its Japanese style weekend breakfasts that had me thinking I needed to visit Cibi. After experiencing its great use of space, very good service and interesting take on breakfast I am glad to have gone but am not convinced I’ll be returning. The main reason why is that as a combination of flavours and textures it doesn’t quite work for me. There are three options for the Japanese breakfasts, the traditional, the more vegetables and the ‘ultimate’. The traditional comes with grilled salmon, a free range egg omelette, a few vegetables, a smooth style potato salad, brown rice and a miso soup. The ‘ultimate’ also includes homemade pickles (Tsukemono), fermented soya beans (Natto), sour plum (Umeboshi) and strips of dried seaweed (Nori). For my western palate it was a weird way to wake up to the world. Smoked salmon is a familiar breakfast item but grilled fish of course has a completely different texture. I

Cibi is cafe, homeware shop and art installation all merged into one. The cafe is set in a spacious converted warehouse and there were plenty of tables available both times I visited on a Sat afternoon and then on Sunday mid-morning for brunch. Yes - no long queues for a table on the weekend at Cibi! Hubby came along on my first visit. He's not a huge fan of Japanese, so he abstained from brekkie (just how that's possible I really don't know!) and ordered an iced coffee instead. Iced coffee? We were both surprised by Cibi's very literal interpretation of what an iced coffee is: a normal warm cup of latte served with a side glass filled with ice. I have to say, their latte (the warm version) is perfect. I've since driven back from Richmond to Collingwood

The space’s simple and refined aesthetic is also a combination of Japanese elegance and Western warehouse chic. There’s a general friendliness and ease about the place.

Cibi is where I go when I want a brunch that is a little bit different.