Review The Scented Garden Cafe - Croydon

Stopped here for lunch and a coffee. Very friendly. Limited but sufficient menu. Coffee was great. Lovely atmosphere with closed in/ covered decking and heaters ( warm enough in winter!) Also had some interesting giftware and plants for sale

Great coffee! Canine friendly but a shame you cant get a sit in meal like pre pandemic yet.. if ever. Other resteraunts have had dine in for a while. Could be due to post pandemic and staff shortages. But would be nice to see it open to diners indoors again as it once was. (Although then may not be able to be as dog friendly either though too which is a current bonus for locals walking their fur babies!)

Stopped in here today and got a Latte and a egg and bacon Turkish roll was a late lunch for me and was so brillant ,will be heading back to here real soon for same again,very good food and friendly people,clearly they got a real clue on how to win a new repeat customer there,cheers

Another day, another lunch. School holidays and this place was pleasantly busy around lunchtime. I ordered a chai latte. It was okay but I’ve had better. But it was served hot which was exactly what I needed. Water was placed on the table quickly. My daughter chose the corn fritters with bacon. I had the chicken burger. Portion sizes were great. Taste - fabulous. It’s wonderful when people know their food and how to cook and present it. The moment the food hit the table we knew we were in for a good meal. And then we saw.....the cheesecake. With only one slice left, we snapped it up for later. This cafe has been altered so although it has an outside feel, it is enclosed from the elements. Gas heaters are strategically placed to keep customers warm. Service was fast as always with a smile. Very welcoming. $30 a head was a little steep but quality made it worth it. Notes: wheelchair friendly. Kid friendly. Good parking at McAdams Square. We will return. 🍔☕️ d e b i 🥯🍰

Great place for a coffee and cake or lunch. Mostly organic foods and coffee. Lovely atmosphere and great food and service. Ver friendly attentive staff. The green matcha late was really good as was the organic coffee. Meals are very generous portions and beautifully presented. My breakfast omelete was great. Look forward to returning. Can highly recommend.

Awesome spot, great coffee, specially the turmeric latte... Awesome omelette, so delicious and yum. Granola was very well presented and it was so good however it’s not my cup of coffee but loved it when I tested a little bit from my wife’s

Staff are very friendly and helpful. Lattés and cappuccinos are fantastic (some of the best I've had in Melbourne). The food is tasty and well-presented, and pricing reflects that, but in my opinion it's not overpriced. I plan on becoming a regular :)

Lovely little place that’s even better in person! Staff are friendly and accommodating, scones are great (not your typical but still 👍🏼), atmosphere is very nice. Blankets supplied and plenty of indoor heating. Will be back and most likely a new local Can’t wait to try this place when it warms up as well.

Another day, another lunch. School holidays and this place was pleasantly busy around lunchtime. I ordered a chai latte. It was okay but I’ve had better. But it was served hot which was exactly what I needed. Water was placed on the table quickly. <br/>My daughter chose the corn fritters with bacon. I had the chicken burger. Portion sizes were great. Taste - fabulous. It’s wonderful when people know their food and how to cook and present it. The moment the food hit the table we knew we were in for a good meal. <br/>And then we saw.....the cheesecake. With only one slice left, we snapped it up for later. <br/>This cafe has been altered so although it has an outside feel, it is enclosed from the elements. Gas heaters are strategically placed to keep customers warm. <br/>Service was fast as always with a smile. Very welcoming. <br/>$30 a head was a little steep but quality made it worth it. <br/>Notes: wheelchair friendly. Kid friendly. Good parking at McAdams Square. <br/>We will return. <br/>🍔☕️ d e b i 🥯🍰

I chose the 'King Salmon Bruschetta - smoked King salmon, smashed avocado, feta, and baby spinach bruschetta on multigrain toast with French lentil-walnut oil dressing and fresh lemon ($20.95)'. This was delicious and hearty.

Love coming here for food and/or coffee. It’s a great local spot with good service and yummy dishes. Staff are friendly and attentive. Keep it up!

Decided to venture in for a late lunch and boy were we glad we did ! Hubby had Rachel sandwich which was yum, and I had the Thai pork belly salad which was phenomenal, taste buds are dancing. We will be back.

Amazing food & a fantastic atmosphere. One of my favourite cafes in the area. <br/>It is on the smaller side so not a bad idea to call ahead & book.

Been to this place a couple of times now and I can’t say anything other then great food, great atmosphere and great service. The place is a little small so there’s obviously limited seating, but I think it’s suitable so it’s not too loud.<br/>The food always has good flavours and presentation and there’s always friendly staff. <br/>Definitely going to keep coming back!

Loved this place. Great coffee and BLAT sandwich. Will definitely be returning to try more of their menu. Service was very solid, and so is the setting.

Having seen some very pretty and delicious photos on Instagram, I decided that we needed to check out The Scented Garden Cafe in Croydon.  And I'm so glad I did! Situated in a quiet yet bustling shopping village, The Scented Garden Cafe is pretty. It has a beautiful wrought iron fence complete with a floral design. Inside, it's a cosy, sun-dappled oasis that was surprisingly busy (pretty much at full capacity) for 11am on a weekday. Despite the wintry weather, it was nice and warm inside (I also spotted throw rugs for diners to use); and I can imagine the cafe being a great place to relax in the sun during the warmer months.  <br/>The Lawyer's burger was scrumptious and impressive to behold! You could tell that this was made with quality ingredients. A juicy beef patty, gourmet tomato relish, lovely sweet caramelised onions, oozing cheese and fresh greens. It came with chips which Boy Chick snaffled them down.

Something smells and it is not scented. Today I ordered a toasted ham and cheese sandwich which finally arrived on a plate with salad. I said that I did not order a salad and the man took the plate away and returned the plate with just the toasted sandwich. At the checkout, my bill included the salad and the lady was insisting I pay for it. So, a waitress took my order without telling me salad accompanied the sandwich, a man took my plate away to remove the salad without telling me that I would be charged for it anyway, and now this money grabber at the counter is demanding I pay for a salad that I didn't ask for nor eat. I paid it so not to make a scene. If that is not a scam, what is? I won't return to The Smelly Garden Cafe.

What a hidden gem! Dining here feels like being inside the secret garden! It’s cute, full of greenery and intimate. I thoroughly enjoyed my ancient grain salad with home made falafels- one of the best I have had! Nice coffee too and lovely waitress.

The new chef has brought a killer new menu - vibrant colours on plates, brilliant flavour combinations, excellent produce, lovely staff, relaxing new atmosphere is awesome in both hot and cold weather. Congratulations!

Coffee is excellent and setting is great.<br/><br/>Recent service has been lacking. Really slow with staff distracted, talking amongst themselves and delivery drivers while customers waited and tables went uncleared and dirty. Even saw potential customers leave as they couldn’t sit at the empty tables.<br/><br/>Plenty of other local options with better service.

Wow very pleased with the change friendly staff great coffee and food is a much needed addition to McAdam Square will definitely be back keep up the good work.

The recently revived Scented Garden is good - i.e., good coffee, good corn fritters dish, also the roasted veges with lamb or falafels. Outdoors setting is good in warm weather. Service has improved.

This place is lovely! You definitely don't feel like you are next to a car park as the covered garden you sit in is filled with plants and woodwork. I had scrambled eggs and gf toast with herbed mushrooms and the best potato rosti I've ever had. The portions are generous and are presented well! Will come back and recommend to friends.

Corn fritters were really yum, a good combination of flavours. The salsa was really fresh and the chilli jam was a nice kick. Staff was really lovely

Another gem to add to the local & thriving McAdam Square precinct. Whilst not as sophisticated & grown up as Rumour Mill only a few doors down, ToFeedTwo popped in for something small & a coffee after a Saturday morning workout. The Scented Garden catered terrifically for just that in a quiet, gorgeous little outdoor setting. Top coffee too! <br/><br/>Our little bites are below - both full of flavour and something to hit our hungry stomachs!! Mushroom Arancini were certainly highlight of the menu!

The entrance to this café, in an inconsequential shopping strip in Croydon, gives the impression of a neglected plant nursery, with wild vines and unpruned shrubs. That makes it interesting and a little different, a re-purposed space. From what I could see, most of the small dining area is either outside, or under an awning type cover, and very little if any inside. The service was friendly, and prompt. I had a coffee and a cake from the selections within their glass cabinet, and both were very nice. It would be a good place for a quick bite on a mildly sunny day. Though I did not have a meal as such, I noted the menu was not very extensive, but reasonably interesting with some vegetarian items. Quite pleasant.

Coffee was very over extracted other than that was a great stop and everything else was fine the staff weren't that experienced but over all wasn't too bad

The staff were great. I got the avo and feta on toast and added 2 poached eggs. It was delicious but the bread was a bit hard and i couldn't cut it. I recommend looking at a possible bread change option or just toasting it less? The service was quick, the coffee was delicious and the price was great.<br/>Will return 😊

Used to frequent here but went there last week and found it so grubby that we walked out. We were so disappointed because it used to be so lovely 😞

Nice setting but wish we could have said the same about everything else. Ordered baked beans only to then realise it was baked beans out of a tin (tasted like it anyway). Paying $10 for baked beans i would expect them to be homemade etc. Otherwise i would have gone and bought 5 tins from the supermarket for that price. Everything else was just average. Wont be back

Not bad but not the greatest either.<br/>the idea is nice but the setting needs to be worked on. You don't feel it is organised properly.<br/>food isn't bad but a bit above average.<br/>The last time i was there , it was a hot day . the one who was making coffee and served us food was wearing a sleevless shirt with his armpit hair showing...<br/>that is pretty disgusting in a place like that.

This is our local cafe. We have been customers for many years. It always has good coffee and good food. However, service is usually very slow and one waitress, in particular, is extraordinarily rude. I walked out yesterday after my presence in the cafe was deliberately ignored ( there's supposed to be full table service) while the waitress worked at the sink for 10 minutes. She saw me but chose to ignore me and then very, very sarcastically and rudely proceeded to justify her slowness and lack of good service. I have never ever experienced anything like it at any other restaurant or shop: a new low in customer service of which the owner should be aware.

I really enjoyed having lunch at The Scented Garden Cafe. We took baby Annie out for her first cafe visit and found that the unisex toilet adequate to change her.<br/>I ordered the eggplant focaccia and loved the olive spread and the home-made focaccia bread.<br/>It was quite busy there, however we were served in a timely manner and with a smile.

Horrible. As we walked in, we were forced to tell the waitress what coffee we wanted before we had even been shown a table. As we politely stated we wanted to sit first we were told to "sit down somewhere and I'll find you" which was okay I suppose but as we walked inside (yes we weren't even inside yet) we were shocked. If you had a group of twelve you should forget sitting inside. It was so small and cold, my chair didn't even move out because it was up against someone else's chair and from what I looked that in the menu, it was expensive. <br/>Fair to say I hated it. <br/>Can't tell you about the food or coffee because we walked before we even ordered.

Love this cafe !. Great little oasis, wonderful organic food lovingly prepared, staff are lovely :)

My favourite cafe!. I have been here many times and am never disappointed. The staff are always friendly and willing to help if you need. Food and drinks are consistent and delicious! Would definitely recommend this cafe for a chilled breakfast or lunch!

An updated menu would be nice. I've been a regular here for 2 years and it has gone from great to awful and now it's back to being pretty good. Still it's a bit bit hit and miss with the food and drinks, especially the green tea (which is awful). Coffee can be great some days and not so great on other days. Food also good some days but average on others. Desperately in need of a menu update. Some more seasonal variety would be good to see. Lovely atmosphere and very friendly.

Shocking service. We were basically booted out at 4.15 because they wanted to close, our coffees were taken away halfdrunk and our food was half eaten, how rude!! If they don't want customers after 4, they need to say so politely before they order, not take their money and then kick you out! Wouldn't go back there, even if it is across the road!

Very Disappointed. We like to support local businesses and have been frequenting this cafe for several years despite the high prices they charge for average fair, however after our experience today with VERY RUDE staff we will not be going back. Very disappointed, and a 25 minute wait for a latte???

Terrible service, very slow and over priced, appalling customer service. Sat at a table for 15 minutes waiting for our take away focaccias and the table was not even cleared. Will not be going back.

PEACEFUL AND INVITING!. Great staff, very nice food. I had the berries and ice-cream on pancakes. Divine and a decent serving. Though a little bit on the pricey side. A great little café for locals! Recommend!

VKS, thanks for your feedback. I was surprised to see your comment about ourhollandaise sauce as we regularly receive compliments for it. The sauce has french origins so we went to the westerns worlds authority on French cooking, JuliaChilds. We use the very same ingredients, equipment and methods she did.<br/><br/>Many thanks.<br/><br/><br/>-----07 May, 2013-----<br/><br/>Isa, thank you so much for your feedback. Because of your comment I was able to speak to the front of house staff and even replace one staff member.<br/><br/>I have never had feedback like this beforeso hopefully this is not a common occurrance on saturdays. <br/><br/>Many thanks.<br/><br/><br/>-----07 May, 2013-----<br/><br/>Mick, thank you for your feedback. <br/><br/>I'm sorry to hear that you believe the $15.50 price of organic french toast is unreasonable. <br/><br/>If you are able to tell us how to make it cheaper using organic local i gredients I would love to have your imput.<br/><br/>Many thanks for your thoughts.<br/><br/><br/>-----07 May, 2013-----<br/><br/>Heather, thank you for your feedback. I was sorry to see that you did not enjoy your experience. <br/><br/>I am sorry that our organic free range bacon was not to your liking, I have neverheard this happening before, although I do know some customers ask for their bacon to be crispy, which we are always happy to accommodate.<br/><br/>If you are ever in the area again, please introduce yourself to the manager and we will happily provide you with some vouchers so that you can have the properScented Garden Cafe experience.<br/><br/>We are not in the business of cold food or weak coffee, as we very rarely hear comments such as these and would happily refund the cost or remake the food.<br/><br/>We always welcome feedback and would appreciate hearing these things to our face so we are able to address your specific needs and issues quickly.

Disappointing.... New to croydon area, and third time I set foot into this cafe. Heard some wonderful things about it before I started coming in, coffee and food was supposedly the best in "McAdam Square", however when you look at the menu, all you can find is highly over price, simplistic meals, with minimal variety. I got the 2 poached eggs with a slice of sour dough, with extra bacon and spinach. The eggs were cold, the bacon so under cooked it made my stomach turn. The nicest part of the meal was the 6 or 7 spinach leaves I had on my plate. Coffee was terrible, so weak it tasted of dish water. My partner and I were then shocked by the price, a breakfest costing 53 dollars, for two drinks and two under satisfying dishes!?<br/><br/>Staff were really friendly however, but sometimes slow, lots of talking. Youngish staff, but I hear it is under new management, so hopefully he or she turns it around! I wouldn't mind paying for good quality food and coffee, but for now it is just another cafe.

You'd think from the prices at this joint that you'd ordered the French Toast in Paris. Don't bother, unless you like bring overcharged for ordinary food.

Friendly service, cosy atmosphere, absolutely LOVE their sourdough rye - most places fail to have even a rye option - and great coffee! Cafe' a winner in my opinion! :)

Friendlystaff. good service. with a relaxed atmosphere and a great menu with something for everyone. i had organic free range eggs. delicious!!!

Fabulous food, great atmosphere, best coffee around and more than happy to accommodate my celiac (and competent with it too). On that, I always check on ingredients and the very friendly and helpful manager was able to list off the ingredients of the hollandaise as he had made it that morning. Staff are consistently helpful and attentive.

Awful service. Bunch of half awake teenagers running the place.

When was hollandaise sauce just a very big dab of mayonnaise??? Don't get the eggs benedict!!!

Lovely little nook. Friendly rustic setting....great coffee.... Great service

Very rude manager no people skills, has lost a lot of customers

Best coffee and great food! To top it off, all ingredients used are organic!

Hidden gem of organic deliciousness.... Great outdoor atmosphere, top coffee!<br/>The two of us shared a chicken and brie focaccia which was extremely tasty and filling. :-)