Review Tomboy Cafe - Collingwood

Great cosy warm spot with friendly & quick service on a rainy Saturday arvo. Good strong Earl Grey Tea with a little timer- cute! Fresh chicken quesadillas & a take home GF double chocolate 🍫 brownie... Happened upon it walking by & feel well fed.

Crazy slow service - took 15 mins to get a coffee and 25 mins to get a bacon and avocado bun when there were four customers in the cafe. Seemed more interested in providing delivery coffee to nearby businesses than serving customers in the cafe. Plenty of great options nearby - give this a miss.

A simple and cosy cafe with its unique charms and quirks. I came here for a iced latte and a quiet place to read my newly acquired book, musicophilia, and was caught by the gentle jazz playing in the background, a great prelude to a book about music. The iced latte was plentiful and came in a large mug, the atmosphere was calm and chill, friendly service from the staff and an emanating peacefulness not found in many cafes. Highly recommend checking Tomboy out, cool tunes, nice food and great coffee.

Been here a few times over the past 12 months. Have to say that the coffee has been excellent every time. Food is also delicious. I had the mushroom dish which I found to be tasty and generous in portion. Prices were pretty standard for the area. Will definitely be back.

Amazing staff,so attentive and friendly. Its the only place I have discovered in the area where I can get a consistently great coffee!! Love the vinyls they have playing! My only wish is that that they were open on Monday so I can have a half decent coffee to get me through the day ;)

I can say it's one of the best cafe that I have ever had in my life. I am a coffee lover and with no doubt that this one has delivered cup of coffee in a high quality and consistence ! Always come here for my favourite flat white which is very smooth and has a great after taste ! I would recommend those to come in not just for a cup of coffee and also try the foods on the menu as they are served flesh and you can tell they are made with effort and passion by its look : ) The staff are very friendly and attentive 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

Great coffee, friendly service. Good food and also very reasonably priced. Don’t forget to try their delicious gluten free brownie too!

Love the service and ambience. When it comes to the food, however, it was very disappointing. Had the sweet potato rosti with chorizo and was expecting crispy rostis (kinda given, right?) with plenty of flavours. The food came out and presentation was quite nice; but it went downhill quickly as soon as I cut the rosti. There was no crunch AT ALL and this makes the dish tasted really flat in terms of texture and flavour. May come back to try different menu but won't rush.

stumbled across tomboy accidentally and as soon as i walked in i thought it looked so cool! the staff were friendly and food came out pretty quick. i had the atlantic benedict and i absolutely loved it! it consisted of salmon, spinach and hollandaise sauce 🤤

Nice little place on Smith/Johnston St. Went simple and ordered the toast and a coffee milkshake. Milkshake didn't have any flavour to it, go for the iced coffee instead!

Have BBQ pork bun and Pour over with Columbia.The bread is gorgeous,very good combination with the green apply sticks.The pour over coffee is good too,would definitely been there next time when I go to Fitzroy <br/>

Me and my partner has a nice brunch here with their "eggs on a cloud" which was a change. The atmosphere is different and their milkshakes are pretty good.

Ordered the bbq pulled pork brioche with fried egg but immediately had envy for my friend's sautéed balsamic mushrooms! The slaw in my 'burger' was nice but the pulled meat was quite dry. Overall wasn't brunchy and felt like something from a mate's home bbq. We sat outside as it was sunny but the inside did have an eccentric vintage vibe.

Made the mistake of taking a friend who was visiting from interstate, to Tomboy to hopefully showcase Melbourne cafe culture at its best. What a mistake.

I felt the food and service was quite lacklustre at Tomboy, which was disappointing as the original owners designed the place beautifully so it has wonderful aesthetics (the ACDC playing seemed a bit out of place). The milkshakes were very ordinary - no cream or ice cream - and the one waffle was very thin and resembled something you could make yourself at home. I thought I would get more than one waffle, going by the 'waffles' on the menu, but it was just one with non-flavoursome yoghurt, nutella, a few bits of bananas, a scattering of almonds, and strawberries. Sadly there isn't a lot of warmth to the place, which is reflected in the food.

This one surprised me. Humble on the outside, cool on the inside. Had the fritters, and really loved every single bite. Coffee wasn't bad at all, and the staff was friendly!

Went in during a wet and cold afternoon and it was all quiet inside, save for another table which had already done eating. No surprise then that service was personal and prompt. Having only previously tried their brownies, we decided to branch out to their coffee and the savoury waffle on the menu. As the savoury waffle was slathered with peanut butter, I have no complains at all. Yes, I'm biased when it comes to peanut butter. Ignoring that, it was an excellent waffle - crispy yet soft inside and accompanied by prosciutto, maple syrup and vanilla ice cream, the sweet/salty and hot/cold components went together really well. Our skinny lattes were more or less acceptable, a standard cup of joe. Do try the brownies if you love rich dense treats, it was what attracted me to Tomboy in the first place. But if you take away the brownies and my obsession with peanut butter, unfortunately there's nothing too memorable about Tomboy.

Decided to check Tomboy out recently and i must say it was great. It was a little busy on the weekend but they managed to accomadate my friend and i promptly and give us a table. The music was nice 60's motown, The brunch took the usual amount of time for a busy cafe on the weekend but not too long. When the food arrived it was excellent. Benedict was great with perfectly poached eggs with crispy prosciutto and a superb hollandaise sauce.....(Best hollondaise sauce i ever had). My friend had the sauteed balsamic mushrooms which were beautiful as well. And last but not least, the coffee was just excellent. We will be back here for sure if we are in the area. Highly Recommended for sure.

Food was very substandard. Pretty low quality ingredients and uninspired menu. Decor is cool and coffee was nice, but I wouldn't recommend it given the numerous other good options in the vicinity. Maybe a bit of a outlier issue, but my food came out cold and was then microwaved and soggy when I let them know. No real acknowledgement of this by staff.

Great place to grab a cuppa after shopping along Smith St.<br/>We enjoyed our coffee, and the service was warm - just like the decor.<br/>I wish this place all the best.

Food was great. Staff were so nice. My sister who has coeliac was treated very well as they cooked her food on a clean hot plate and me being a vegetarian ordering the brekkie bun they offered to substitute the bacon for an extra egg.

Today in my ongoing search for the perfect brunch I’ve decided to check out Tomboy on Smith St Collingwood. Tomboy is an interesting venue with a bit of a mix between a tinkers shop and “Melbourne shabby chic”. Lots of different bits and pieces brought together in a back dining room style cafe.

Loooong wait for food, and when it came it was cold. Tried to pay with a $50, and had to wait while they tracked down some change??!! Do yourself a favor and walk 100m in any direction for something better...

I've been here a few times. It started off amazing and then has just slowly gotten worse and worse. Occasionally it shows promise to getting back to what it once was but then the next time I'm disappointed. Coffee however is consistently good.

Stop reheating your milk. The taste of reheated milk in a coffee makes it undrinkable. This is Collingwood, great cafes abound, and twice in a week? You have lost me as a regular.

Being cool comes at a price. The only way i can describe the 'customer service' (usually from the males) at Tomboy is to take you back to the more nostalgic times of getting into your parents car as a prepubescent teen and answering their tiring questions about your day with an uninterested, empty gaze and the occasional mutterings of 'uh-huh'. I understand the aspiration to be 'indie' although this shouldn't sacrifice basic manners and an attempt to do your job somewhat adequately, especially in making your customers feel welcome. <br/><br/>On the plus size, their chocolate/raspberry brownies do hit the spot and there is a lovely Dog named Oscar (Labradoodle) who resides in the outside courtyard. Perhaps if Oscar took orders i may return

Cute venue but timid staff and coffee was extremely weak. Wouldn't return.

Always careful to do something a few times before commenting but Tom Boy doesn't need a 2nd go. Quite disappointing with minimal menu consigned to nearly all breakfast food, uninterested staff with a "you're intruding on my Twitter time" attitude and below par good. Bagel BLT sounded and looked good, smelt like bacon had been fried in dirty fry pan. My wife's tart and salad was the same. BTW, the whole "let's drink out of old jam jars" thing is passé and has been done much better than this. I think Tom Boy lives up to its name. You want it to be good, but it turns out to be a flawed version of what you were hoping for. Time to move on. Much better offerings on Smith st means this is a relic

Brownies are pretty good. Had the peanut butter and nougat brownies. Both were quite good. Coffee was decent too. Place has a good feel to it.

Best coffee on Smith St and great food. This is my favourite cafe in the village..the food is so fresh and the coffee great...its a great spot and not hectic at all. The staff smile and love going on my own or with friends ...full of comfort and joy. Plus spotted a couple of well know musos in Saskwatch.

Why all the hate?. I was so surprised that a cafe in Fitzroy was completely empty on a Saturday. I ate here the other weekend - the food was super yummy, coffee was okay, service was good. I would definitely go back, especially because I won't have to put my name down on a stupid 'wait list'.

Don't waste your time. Considering the options in collingwood alone i'm surprised this place is surviving. the service is slow. my coffee was all milk and no coffee, when i asked for a new one they gave me one that curdled, as in, separated and was sour, like vomit in a cup. the woman who made it told me it was the beans and soy milks fault, which is funny because i must have had 1,000 soy coffee's in my time and never has one curdled. i couldn't drink it but they still charged me for it. my friends 'muesli' looked like it came out of a box from the supermarket, and then had a few nuts sprinkled on top, actually i think it did. my potato hash breakfast was nice, but a bit small, and to be honest i think they got lucky because the asparagus was only just not raw. this is the only bad meal/coffee i've had in melbourne when visiting.

So so. Had breakfast, Very slow service and it wasn't busy. Food ok

Poor service. I can't comment on the food because after being given menus as soon as we walked in we were subsequently ignored for 40 minutes. Needless to say we walked out and went elsewhere.

Need to lift standard of coffee. We were looking for good coffee in Smith Street and thought Tomboy might fit the bill. When I was charged eight dollars for a regular latte and a strong latte, I thought the coffee must really be good as it was more than I had paid anywhere else in the area. The regular latte that was served looked like weak tea and had little flavour. It was sent back and was replaced with a stronger one of average quality. The strong latte was the strength of a regular in most cafes and again of average quality. A very disappointing experience and fortunately there are good alternatives in the area.

Best thing: that breakfast burger!! Killer

Love coming in for a puttanesca for brunch, always a pleasure at Tomboy.

Best eggs + things in Collingwood!. I go to Tomboy every other week. Everything on the menu is excellent. Quality ingredients, perfect poached eggs always and they make my coffee just the way I like it. The cafe dog Oscar is also great company if you grab a seat down the back. Love Tomboy!

YUMMMMMMM!. Tomboy, you are one of my loves... Awesome vibe. Food is incredible. Cakes are to DIE for! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE just find a new coffee supplier! - YUCK :)))))))

Scrambled eggs brioche mini burgers. Perfect tasty burgers of yum

Good vibe, decent food - I ordered the Reuben bagel, good and prompt service.

Waiting for 15 minutes for a tea???? Really??? Some style, not much substance. Will try other local places before considering this one again.

Meh?. Been here a few times now- once when it just opened, and a few times in between, to now. More miss than hit for me so far. Despite it always being quiet the times I've been, coffee and food have taken ages and staff seem more interested in talking to each other rather than serving. I did have a delicious caramelised choc-coated fig here though, so they do their treats well. Seems to be more style than substance? But going to give it a few more goes though as obviously they've got loyal fans!

Tomboy is the ultimate hipster cafe. It suits the surrounding area really well. The staff look the part as well. Hipster. No smile, no idle chit chat, polite abd abrupt.<br/>Ordered a latte and a raspberry Brownie. The Brownie was out in around 10 minutes. This struck me as odd as I was the only customer in the store. Luckily it was delicious. The latte followed about 5 minutes later. The coffee was well made and quite tasty with a nice chocolate undertone. The coffee and Brownie combo was a great choice. I will be back but hope the service picks up a bit.

Solid. Not sure what all the grumpy staff talk is about. I've been here plenty of times and theyve always seemed very nice to me. Food is a little slow but thats my only service complaint. No eftpos is a little annoying.<br/><br/>The food is great though. Great for breakfast, and great coffees. Good place to chill where you dont feel pushed out the door like many fitzroy cafes

Unfriendly staff. Smiles don't cost anything guys. Everything else ie decor and food is great.

Good consistently high quality food.

My partner and I visited Tomboy last weekend and were disappointed. <br/><br/>The staff were grumpy and inattentive, the food took over 40 minutes to come out (despite there only being one other couple there and it being the basic smashed avocado & poached egg dish) and when leaving the staff member had no idea what we had ordered and we had to recite everything back to him. <br/><br/>The food itself was delicious but it's a lot more preferable to go to one of the other brunch spots nearby where you get delicious food, good service and a smile.

Another victory for ultra-pretentious hipster mediocrity.

Pretentious, unhelpful and grumpy staff. Food vs price ratio quite unreasonable. Overall disappointed and will not go there again.

Cakes were delicious. Staff were delightful. Great atmosphere! But fairly rough coffee. Not the best. That's for sure. But definitely on the right track. Will be back.

I'd been keen to try this place since they took over the shopfront once occupied by my hairdresser for 10+ years...<br/>The steady flow of patrons in and out as I waited for my friend proved that the place has developed a definite following of customers. We secured two stools at the window bench and, with anticipation of yumminess, ordered the smashed avocado, feta and poached egg on toast. Unfortunately, I think the feta missed the announcement in the kitchen to get in the plate, as it was notably absent. I was sorely disappointed about the tea list... No earl grey, seriously? Not even a decent substitute. Didn't get to try a brownie and don't know that I'll be bothered returning just for that if I can't enjoy it with a pot of earl on the side.

Rubbish. Service was bad asked for a poached tomato they said no tomato's are available, when I did see that they had them in salads and sandwiches meals took a long time because they got the orders wrong and coffee was cold ... Never going back <br/>Ron

The waitress was so unfriendly that she was just flat out rude. I won't be going back, which is a shame because I just moved into the area and really wanted to like it.

Too bland. Too slow.

Judging by other reviews here, management must have taken note and made changes. Our service was great, coffee was good, no issues there. Yes the menu is basic and limited, but it's done very well. Sometimes you just want a regular comfortable satisfying breakfast not some wanky over the top fancy pants menu. Best avocado on toast in the area, and nice big portions. Prices are normal if not cheap compared to similar cafes around. <br/>They did go a bit too far with the whole vintage thing, but overall looks good.<br/>We'll definitely be back for a tasty no fuss weekend brunch.

Absolutely lovely cafe. Amazing vibe and the best breakfast I have ever had. Keep it up tomboys!

Disappointed w the coffee after reading all the positive reviews. Was burnt , u don't expect that in an inner city cafe

This place just gets better and better. Seasonal menu, excellent coffee, friendly staff, and my god those brownies!! Nothing else in life is that delicious!

Great little cafe. Just love the coffee .. and really enjoyed the corn fritters with egg and lime .. Just delicious..

Good coffee, but the MOST uncomfortable chairs and high bench table. I would only go back, if I could be seated at a table. Not kind of uncomfortable, I'm talking REALLY uncomfortable. Everyone at the communal table were talking about it

Lovely cafe. Good coffee and tea (having filter would seal the deal for me and make it great). Food and space are lovely. To the guy who wrote the huge whinge about the fixed menu, well, you're an idiot. The cafe has their menu online, and lots of places have fixed menus. The entire city goes for brunch at the exact same time, and menu variations in a small cafe can cause hour long waits for food. If they make an exception for you, they have to do it for everyone. I've worked cafes where we did alterations. People expect you to make new dishes (lasagna? Really? How bout No), or sub this, sub that, cook this with olive oil instead of butter, cook the eggs longer blah blah blah. When you get 30 dockets of variations it makes it so hard. So, yea, they COULD make an exception, but if they always make exceptions, then why even have the rule??? Just because you have things you can't or don't want to eat doesn't make you special. Just go to a cafe that is able to cater to your needs and don't be such a princess. And don't feed a dog and he won't bother you. Just needed to stick up for a rad cafe from people who feel they are whiney.

Careless service by lackadaisical hipsters, courtyard dog is cute, but too hairy and beggy to be a cafe dog, and unremarkable breakfasts (compared to what it's competing with).

Sweet and savoury made with love. Check. Coffee amongst top cafes in Melbourne. Check. <br/><br/> Who are all these haters?! <br/>Please do as you promise and stay away... Or will you be back to provide more fuel for your ranting?

Cool vibe & lovely coffee. .... Cool vibe & lovely coffee.<br/>I ate the ciabatta, creamed corn, poached egg & green chilli, with extra bacon.<br/>It was a perfect brunch & of adequate size as I was pretty hungry

Here is a letter of complaint which was sent to Tomboy and never answered: <br/><br/>I had breakfast at Tomboy yesterday morning. What may have come to pass as a pleasant breakfast of fresh, excellent food and decent coffee was marred by only one thing...Tomboy’s ‘fixed menu’. My girlfriend has some dietary concerns, and all she really wanted was a poached egg on gluten free toast. A simple request for any café kitchen perhaps, but not at Tomboy, where this generated some consternation. This was not in fact possible according to our table waiting person. The menu is fixed. No variations. My girlfriend was informed she could have two things from the menu if she wanted an egg, neither of which was dietarily suitable. She ended up ordering the plain gluten free toast. Meanwhile I went and pleaded with a friendlier looking member of staff for reason to prevail. She expressed doubt but said she would check with the kitchen. After brief conference with the kitchen staff, the original menu nazi returned glowering to the table and informed us that we could have an egg, but as the café does not ordinarily do this, it will only be just this once.<br/><br/>I am informed by your staff at Tomboy that a fixed menu is essential to assist the busy chefs generate meals efficiently. I’m confused. I always thought meeting the needs of customers was the focus of any hospitality business, but if meeting the needs of your kitchen is your focus, good luck with that. If your kitchen can’t manage a poached egg on toast, good luck with that too. I mean guys, really. You are in the business of making breakfast. If somebody wants a minor change to a menu item, it won’t change the balance of world power, cause nuclear Armageddon or escalate into an El Nino catastrophe. I’m happy to face the deity of cafes on culinary judgement day over my defiance of your ‘stone tablet carved with fire by the hand of god menu’. When finally granting us permission for us to have egg, your staff member had a face like she was sucking lemons. I am sorry we ruined her day. Customer one, menu nazi nil. I hope she doesn’t have one of those lists of names of people who have wronged her under her pillow. I’m not entirely certain that I checked we weren’t followed out. A good thing you take cash only. Good to keep these things anonymous.<br/><br/>On another matter of concern; the café dog in the courtyard was a charming mascot for your establishment, but was a rather persistent beggar. I gave in, how could you not with that charming neck scarf and the curly fur. I was less impressed with the piquant waft of dog urine from the garden bed, the slobbery snout deposited on my groin and the humping of my leg. Sure, when he jumped up and put his paws on my shoulders like he wanted to dance that was cute, not so much when he scratched my legs. I’m not sure that dogs are permitted to be kept on café premises, rules are rules after all. Perhaps I should notify the council. But then again, given that I like dogs and that he was friendlier and more charismatic that the menu nazi, I’ll let it go. Just this once.<br/><br/>The final score card for Tomboy is breakfast 8/10 (the gluten free toast was so dry it turns out we really needed that egg to make it more palatable), randy charming dog 6/10, precious menu policy 0/10. That’s kind of a low average. We’re not likely to be back for you to try for a higher score, but think on it for future customers. One thing I can tell you about them for free...you’ll find they don’t generally dig attitude with their breakfast.<br/><br/>Best of luck with it all

Just another over priced cafe food was average to say the least coffee week service not good not as good as it seems....

Bad service. Worst service ever. Staff seem least bothered about serving customers. Menu lacks variety and coffee is just okay. Heaps better options in the area.

Too cool. Most unimpressed. there is a fine line between vintage and shabby. tomboy seemed shabby. the wait staff were unfriendly to the point of rudeness. we won't be back

Mixed experience and a bit disappointing. The coffee was pretty drinkable. The breakfast menu is limited and unadventurous, including only toast, muesli and variations of egg dishes. I'm not vegan, but I do think that a good menu should include at least one interesting egg-free meat-free dish. In the end, two items on the menu were not available, but it took until ordering for the staff to advise us of this. On the topic of staff, I have to say that the service was pretty sloppy-it took a while to take our order and the staff didn't seem to know who was serving which tables. Overall, Tomboy seems more of a coffee and cake venue rather than one for dining.

Cute cute cute!. This is such a sweet place, such a great addition to this end of Smith Street. Love the fitout and service was friendly and welcoming. Coffee was great too - can't wait to go back and try the sweets.

Cute set up but don't be fooled! Waitress was rude! There were no menues, instead a big piece if paper on the back wall written in white texta that you had to walk over to read! I was disappointed there wasn't a standard egg on toast option with mushrooms or spinach as a side, so I asked if I could order that only to be told "no we just keep it simple" as she pointed to the wall! Sorry Tomboy, you just made my experience far from simple! Coffee was average too!

Meh. Been there a few times now and although I wanted to like it (young & enthusiastic peeps running a cute cafe etc) it's been way overrated for me. Maybe they've just been off days but it's either lack of any service, let alone good service (during quiet times too), too expensive, and kinda full of wank about their coffee but not really delivering as of yet. I'll go back in a few months and see if it's any better but for the moment... nah.

Emm... Nah. Tomboy is our new local trendy cafe. This review is perhaps a bit overdue but I thought it might be helpful.<br/><br/>Well we walked in, it wasn't that busy but the staff decided that, whatever was the topic of their conversation, it was more important than the customers! Finally after a couple of minutes of awkwardness we got their attention. Fortunately or unfortunately, even so we are a bit older than their average crowd we passed the coolness test and they allowed us to sit in.<br/><br/>We only had a coffee as we didn't fancy anything on the limited menu. We were also put off by a dog that freely roams around at night and i guess the attitude of the staff.<br/><br/>Coffee was ok but not great. So ... emm nah

Local Favourite.. As a regular at the local cafe since it opened I thought it fair I actually contributed to the reviews. Where ever you go there will always be that person who wants to find something wrong. I, for one, love it. The service is great, staff always friendly and remember my order, the food is amazing and fresh, the baked goodies are to die for, and the interiors are incredible. Ignore the glass half empties. Do yourself a favour and dine there.

Delicious, cheap, great service.

The coffee was great, as was the food. I had the smashed broad beans with mint and dill, grilled asparagus and a crusted poached egg, the combination of flavours and textures was delicious!

Great spot. Awesome coffee and I love the gluten free range: everything.

Great Little Local. I find it so infuriating that everyone in Melbourne has become such coffee snobs and connoisseurs. This place has barely been open 3 months yet so many seem to nit pick at tiny things that any new business would take a little time to iron out. You all must remember that these are passionate young people trying to enter a ridiculously competitive industry and your petty reviews in such early stages barely give them a chance. <br/><br/>I have eaten here half a dozen times as it is at the end of my street and I have been warmly welcomed every time. The coffee was great, the chicken taco's AMAZING and everything feels so fresh and so healthy. I love the Freshly squeezed orange juice and the homemade lemonade and also the convenience of being able to pick up dessert when I have people over and can't be bothered making it myself.<br/><br/>Great work girls. Keep it up and you will be a force to be reckoned with!

Too cool for school. Ultra hipster joint, no menu, disdainful of and quick to hustle out anyone not in the club<br/>Basic food - the coconut berry slice is straight out of the recipe on the back of packets of frozen berries, muffin fell apart without wrapper<br/>If you want hip with quality and without being stuck up go to Beatrix, or head back down the road to the two traditional cake shops

I love this place! The window display is amazing, not to mention the mouth watering tasty treats they have to offer. I have been getting my takeaway on the way to work here every morning and lick the lid clean.

Loved it!. In my opinion, Tomboy was an excellent all rounder. I loved the attention to detail in all areas of the design, it is the most original fit out i've seen in ages. The staff were friendly and efficient without being over the top. I was left alone to enjoy my meal (the most amazing organic gluten free tacos) but they were always near by if I needed my drink refreshed or another of their spectacular seven seeds coffees. I also like that their second grinder was showcasing something a little left of field, in this instance Rueben Hills Coffee from sydney. The muffins are the best in melbourne and the piles of brownie looked awesome- am saving this for next time. All in all, i'll be making Tomboy my regular- luckily I live just around the corner.

Oh man, I wanted to like this place so bad! The interior is lovely, the music was a delight and the brownies looked amazing BUT all the goodness pretty such stopped there. <br/><br/>Every time I have been to this place, my coffee has taken SO long to be made, both when I've dined in and when I've ordered take away (and that's even on quiet days!) And their teas?! Now thats the worst part. Served in one little average looking cup, with no pot, no offer of honey etc and all for the price of $4.50. Cheeky!<br/><br/>Service was okay. Nothing amazing, and no top up of water, or any interaction past an order being taken.<br/><br/><br/><br/>As a local of the area, I was so excited for this new place. In a nutshell, okay coffee, amazing sweets but lots of room for improvement

A total dizzastah. $14.50.... A total dizzastah.<br/><br/>$14.50 for one poorly poached egg, one mushroom, and a husk of dry bread. Clearly the chef is a close personal friend of Jenny Craige.<br/><br/>They inability to make even the slightest alteration or addition to the already limited menu is utterly infuriating.<br/><br/>This hernia of an experience was compounded by the fact that after finishing eating we were forced to recite our entire order to the 'new' staff, who seemed to have been born before the invention of the the biro. <br/><br/>Long wait. Overpriced. Insulting serve sizes. <br/><br/>The coffee is excellent and the staff friendly.

The breakfast was small and overpriced and the coffee was not that great. The staff were friendly but when you are paying 60 bucks for 3 coffees and 3 dishes that's not really good enough. Compare the avacodo on toast with the same dish at bluebird on Johnston st and you'll see you can get a lot better quality just round the corner.

Way overpriced for average food and coffee.

Simple but good. Nice "collingwood/fitzroy" style atmosphere in there and my waitress was stylishly dressed as well as being really lovely.<br/>nothing really jumped out at me on the menu, but I had the avocado on toast with goats cheese and lemon.<br/>It was actually really tasty, something I couldv'e made at home myself but the avocado was fresh and quite generous so I didnt go home hungry or disappointed.<br/>i did notice there wasn't anything on the menu with meat though!<br/>Chocolate brownie with nougat was tasty too and apparently gluten free!

A real treat. Before enjoying Tomboy, I used to think that 'gluten-free' meant missing out on taste and texture. Old fashioned pasta and pizza just didn't seem the same to me when non-gluten containing flour was used. The folks at Tomboy specialize in gluten-free food and it is amazing what they have been able to do in the absence of this substance! The cake and savoury tart that I had were both deliciously tasty and very pleasant in texture. The accompanying salad I had was an amazing mouth-watering creation with pomegranate seeds and wild rice - absolutely delicious. Maybe I was there on a good day but the coffee I had was great, so I have no idea what some grumpy comments by others on this site are due to. There is much care and attention to detail making this place a really pleasant one be in and looks to be a breath of fresh air in this neighbourhood (one that appears pretty competitive for food / drink establishments). The menu comprises all sorts of tempting and seasonally based offerings so I will be back there whenever the opportunity arises, it is a real treat.

Somewhat solid: good coffee (long black - from 7seeds, it has that typical all-over-Melbourne good-for-milk flowery taste that IMHO doesn't work for black coffee), simplish menu (the green pancakes with lime butter n grilled haloumi were good, but tad too greasy n the rocket oversalted) & pleasant cool ambience. Good option for the area.

BAD Cawfee. I really don't like it when I pay $4.00 for a BAD coffee...no love.<br/><br/><br/>On the flip side, the print of a girl on the coffee cup was noted by a friend to be "cool"...and the place "looks" cool however if you want a cheaper coffee a thousand times better go to either a) Campos or b) Proud Mary's.

Not great, but give it a try. Had brunch here serveral days ago and found it to be an ok meal. Menu was was not that large but offered enough, portion size was just right and food tasted really good. Had a chai latte which was not very strong or hot and the juice of the day (mandarin) tasted like apple and orange with a hint of mandarin. It was quite busy and had to share a table with another couple who were less than happy to do so, but didn't really affect my experience. Small tight tight shop and very busy. Would I go back? Sure.

Not bad. The menu is pretty light for a breakfast place. Beans on toast with egg and "guacamole" (seemed like just avocado) was a decent feed, though not up there with the breakfast greats that make meals filling without being rich, which this definitely was. Particularly nice is their option of a house-blended rice and oat milk as an alternative to cow or soy milk - ahead of the game here. Service was fine but the outhouse facilities were disappointing - the toilet paper rolls seemed dirty in their container and I couldn't find a bin anywhere in or near the toilet. How could a cafe set up by women miss this basic need? Also a warning this is one of those cash-only places.

Tomboy. Amazing new addition to Smith Street! What an incredible fit out, nothing has been forgotten. Brilliant coffee, a fantastic menu with tonnes of gluten free and vegetarian options and great staff. Will definitely be back!

Well worth the wait!!!. My anticipation was so high for this mysterious cafe on Smith St... So impressed!!! Love it... the food... the coffee... attention to detail.....!!!! Returning ASAP

#Amazeballs #newregular. Great new cafe on Smith Street, which is a bit different to all of the other places in the area. Besides the awesome fit out, everything I tried was superb: short macchiato, home made lemonade, salads and the sweet and savoury tarts. The best thing about it was that I left feeling like I had eaten healthy food (which is a great feeling when you eat out a lot). We went during rush hour on Saturday, which meant we had to wait a little before getting a table – but I find that you have to wait for a table at most good breakfast / lunch places on the weekend, so can’t criticise them for that! When we were seated, the staff were attentive, friendly and were on top of their game. Keep up the good work Tomboy, you are my new regular!

Sheer delight awaited my friend and I when we walked into Tomboy for breakfast on Sunday morning. Beginning with amazing coffee, we then enjoyed a simple but masterfully created breakfast of avocado, mint and feta smash on sourdough, made complete with a side of seeds, lemon and TLC. While excellent value and very satisfying, we couldn't help but order ourselves a muffin each (which we named Belgium chocolate goodness and banana, date and walnut heaven). <br/><br/>Cool, nourishing, and simplistically brilliant. Well done Tomboy! We'll be back.

By far the most gorgeous fit-out and space that end of Smith St. But despite having plenty of floor staff, the service was non-existent. And $4.50 for a small mug of tea, no teapot, is just plain taking the p*ss.

Food was uninspiring, service was patchy at best. Coffee was good, though

So much effort has been used in the design and meticulous detail of this space it is a point of difference for the immediate area. <br/>If only the care was orchestrated with the staff or service - I'm a local and a hospo - had to ask to be watered 3 times and as many times my partner ask for her coffee. Hopefully just a stretched team (does not excuse the swearing at tables though). Good luck!

Gorgeous place, friendly staff, great food, can't wait to get back!

Tomboy is the creation from co-owners Pia Hambour (ex Movida) and Georgina March (Box Brownies) whose initial dream was to create a shopfront to showcase the wholesale baking business Box Brownies – a business all about gluten-free and dairy free sweet treats! Currently these goodies are provided daily to cafes such as Seven Seeds, De Clieu and Brother Baba Budan. Located in Smith Street, Collingwood, Tomboy has a rustic charm to it with a variety of pieces around the venue sourced from the Adelaide Hills (near where the girls grew up). There are many stylish one-of-a-kind pieces here at Tomboy – you will definitely find something that peaks your interest from any seat you sit at. As you step inside you will see a vintage milk bar sign that hangs over the front counter which came from an old Collingwood business as well as an old school white scale. The counter itself is quite unique – there are 1970s speakers built into the counter and surrounded by brick. These speakers belong to March’s stepfather. The communal table located at the back of the venue against the brick wall is my favourite – it is reminiscent of a workman’s bench complete with dents, scratches and metal vise’s. The surrounding tables remind me of garden bench tables coupled with seating to match. There are little touches that bring the whole recycled, vintage, relaxed feel together such as jars filled with flowers, a ladder that houses magazines and newspapers, mint green light shades hanging from thick shades and wooden boxes that house vintage books. Most fittings and décor items come from ops shops, antique stores and friends. There is a small courtyard located at the back for those wonderful summer or spring days. Both the owners are supportive of local artists and have one wall of the café dedicated to rotating exhibitions – the right wall has been plastered and painted white. The current feature comes from local street artist Drab and features a tattooed gangster “baby” with a mopey face and

All in all, I liked Tomboy. It had all the components of a good cafe, and is somewhere I would go with friends to try the lunch or breakfast options. At the same time, the vibe within the cafe was pleasantly quiet and it certainly wasn’t a ‘loud’ cafe, probably because of the intimate size of the venue- which also means it’s perfect for a solo coffee. It’s probably worth noting that the selection of magazines they have for customers is also first-rate, with recent additions of I love you and Russh, which will always win extra points from me. I suspect Tomboy will do well on Smith Street, with lots of thoughful little details that are sure to keep the northern suburbs a’coming for some time.

To all my female readers, were you a tomboy growing up? Or were you more of a girly girl? I don’t know what I was hahaha growing up I was always active, had no issue playing rough and in the mud. But then at the same time, I loved playing with barbie dolls, dressing up and also having tea parties with my dolls… LOL Anyhow, on the weekend I finally got the chance to catch up with Vien (We Dare Food), it’s been quite a few months since we’ve caught up, even though we chat daily through Instagram and Twitter. A quick introduction Vien is a very talented young girl who has just completed her Undergraduate studies and is an amazing baker and photographer I love her simplistic way of styling food ~ We wanted to do brunch so I suggested Tomboy in Collingwood, as it has been on my list for quite some time and because I have heard so many good things about their brownies, which they also supply to Seven Seeds. I brought Mr Bao with us, as we were going out afterwards and it would just make thin

Walking in, I instantly liked the place. Apart from having the gosh darn prettiest window display in all of Melbourne, inside the small cafe is surprisingly spacious and calming. At the back of the room is a large communal table that I found particularly interesting - it looks like it used to be a workman's bench, covered in notches and bruises and dents. There's a mint green theme brought in by some attractive light fittings, and a rather sombre but funny looking street art cartoon of a moustached, tattooed baby on one wall. The staff are very friendly and relaxed, and even though A was late in arriving, I felt completely comfortabl