Every time I get my brunch on here I am left full of happy vibes. Staff are so welcoming. Coffee and food are on point and big servings, priced reasonable (pictured Miso Tofu Scramble, Trippy Tofu bowl and Veggie burger). Plenty of vegan options. The space is decked out feeling pretty homely and there is a nice outside area where dogs are welcome.
BIG happy times here✨
Fantastic food, excellent service, and they played Billy Ocean on the radio
Always decent service. Always fine food too. Have been a few times already and will be back soon!
It's probably one of the better cafes in the northern suburbs. Better than a lot of the ones that tout themselves to be full specialty coffee. The only issue is consistency of their coffee, but it's always good. The food is good. Would return.
Quick and beautiful coffee if you’re in this side of town! Definitely a cute cafe not to be missed. Ordered a Chai Latte Xtra Hot and it was amazing! Looked at their menu and their fritters and trippy tofu looks good.
had a lovely brunch with a friend here. friendly staff and good vibes! the food was amazing and well priced. i had the vegan ‘hulk smash’ which was avo on toast with beetroot and it was AMAZING with so much avo!! a bit noisy and wait time was around 30 mins but not bad. thank you, zen den!
proud to be a "regular" at this gorgeously cosy and cute local cafe. after visiting at least once a week for the past few months, a five star rating has been earned time and time again.
the coffee is absolutely perfect with every single order, regardless of what is requested and the baristas make that machine move like absolute magic!! staff are always attentive, friendly and never flustered, happy to help and provide recommendations with their smiles.
the food is incredible.. suitable for many dietary requirements, large portion sizes, great value for money, and just so yummy!! whilst trying more things on the menu or front cabinet displays is always tempting, the vegan porridge is my winter favourite and cannot be overlooked just yet.
The Wandering Reviewer
+5
I remember when this used to be a bike shop, so when it closed down and opened as Zen Den, I had to come and try it. It was good then and it's good now. I revisited last week and found everything to be pretty much ideal. Staff were quick and attentive. Portion sizes were good. Atmosphere nice. Decor appealing. Even the playlist for music was well chosen. I had the crispy sweet potato chips which were not overcooked, which is often what happens at some places. Coffee pretty good. My friend is a vegetarian but they had a veggie burger which was really quite big and generously filled with delicious food. The prices are a little bit on the higher side than normal but you get what you pay for. Downside is that it can get noisy. Parking can be a bit challenging but the Eltham Hotel is next door. Wheelchair friendly. Kid friendly. Nice little outdoor space available as well. Oh, and if you want to come and read, they've even got books here.
Great can’t go wrong with cafe. Serving typical but top notch cafe fare in a family friendly hipster cafe. Dr Marty’s crumpets are always nice to see on the menu too. Great coffee. Very popular with locals. Nice cabinet display of food too, including some really enticing Bureks that are house made, and sweets.
Well, gotta love a place that has Vegan Options - and that’s plural!
I had the Trippy Tofu. - and it was, Delicious 👌
Partner had the Lamb Sandwich - respect 🤙
Good coffee, with usual options.
If you’re nearby - or heading out to try a winery on a Sunday, drop in ...
Phillip And Cherie Holmes
+5
Discovered recently and took wife here for my second visit. We both loved it! Great place for casual lunch.
Busy so be early to get best choice of fresh and interesting food. Nice place to meet with friends .Ambience galore and friendly staff. We will be back.
Came here for a soy latte not long ago and had the most lovely experience! The coffee was fantastic; the barista took his time and was a pleasure to watch, and the brew was smooth and strong. There are various places to sit and read the newspaper or a book if you are alone and in need of some ‘me time’. Will be back soon with friends for brunch to try the food!
Thanks so much for the delightful porridge (didn’t get in my teeth) and the ube. Mexican beans is a real good time. Enjoyed dog selection. Yeah the girls haha!
Lovely ambience, customer service, coffee AND food! This gem ticked all of the boxes for us and we cannot wait to return! Keep up the great work, guys :)
This place is a gem. Delicious modern food and great friendly service. The owners are always looking to improve the layout and offering. Highly Recommended.
As I so often do, I had the avo smash, this version came with a touch of lime and a beetroot puree. It was quite lovely. The Coeliac one had the gluten free eggs benny and loved it (served on hash instead of toast) and our daughter had basic eggs and bacon on toast. A little bit pricey, but lovely nevertheless. From the street, it looks quite impractical, but there is plenty of parking at the back.
This is my go-to, local coffee / brekky / lunch spot. Fantastic service, phenomenal coffee and food is consistently delicious!! HIGHLY recommend, you won’t be disappointed!
Best Coffee in the area! Welcoming and friendly service. Food is up there with one of the best cafés in melbourne. Very cool setup. Great outdoor area.
Came to Zen Den on a Saturday morning of a long weekend and the cafe was buzzing. The weather couldn’t have been better and lucky for us, a table happened to have left when we arrived so we were quickly seated. Staff were attentive and super friendly.
What we ordered: Shakshukah & the Veggie Burger with a side of aioli sauce. The Shakshukah was nothing new to one half of #ToFeedTwo as this has been ordered previously. Both times this hearty meal has been rather enjoyed. The Veggie Burger was delicious and bursting with flavour. The burger patty itself was a highlight!
first time visiting Zen Den, i would definitely go again! First of all, such a cute lil place tucked away in Eltham 😊 secondly i ordered the breakfast board which comes in a gluten-free option so i asked for that but the waiter was really on the ball with letting me know the bircher museli was not gluten-free and they were nice enough to replace it with a chia pudding which was gluten-free even though the menu states they don’t supplement ingredients, shout out to the staff for being so friendly, in general the breakfast board was amazing super yummy 😊 to top it off the coffee tasted amazing so i had to get another one on my way out 😊😊😊👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Good suburban cafe for brunch when you don’t feel like travelling too far or waiting too long. Not up there with the likes of second home but with less wait time it appeals as another option in Eltham.
I got the benedict hash, definitely delicious! the potato hash had different spices which I wasn't expecting and had a decent amount of ham as well. Only downside is that for $22 I was expecting it to be a bit bigger as I was still hungry afterwards. I must also say the service there was fantastic. Everyone was friendly and chatty 😊
It’s been a while since I’ve done a cafe review, but after eating at Zen Den a few times lately I thought it was about time I rectify that! The standard of cafe in Eltham sure has gone up a notch or two since I lived there as a kid, so I’m always happy to go out for brunch when I’m out visiting my folks!
Fantastic coffee! A great selection of vegan-friendly cakes and desserts as well as the regular assortment of regular ones.
Food arrived very quickly and was presented beautifully. Ingredients were very fresh and full of flavour. Ordered the smashed avocado and it was easily one of the best I’ve had.
Great casual vibes and a perfect spot for a solo meal while sitting along the front bench.
Very down to Earth Cafe, family friendly, awsome menu range, more importantly caters for vegan options. Service is quick and friendly I loved my Vegan Porridge 👌
Went here for lunch on a Tuesday afternoon. There are not many great lunch options around Eltham and I think this cafe is a good addition to this area. It was quite busy and the place is buzzing. Decor is sort an old house with some tables and chairs in it. Had the GF BLAT and for gluten free the bun was amazing, didn't really like the fatty fried sweet potato chips though.
Staff was ok, would come back sometime..
The den has become my local coffee shop and now it’s impossible to go anywhere else. The food, and staff are always fantastic, Spencer grinding away proud Mary beans just makes my morning! The dog friendly area goes down a treat :)
Been here for breakfast with a group of friends.
Coffee was good.. breakfast was a generous size and very tasty. Loved the outdoor area!
Very friendly staff
Def be back
great atmosphere and perfect location if you’re a local in eltham. Would highly reccomend the juices and coffee as they taste really yummy!
good healthy meal however arrived cold to the table, previously had a great meal here so was a bit disappointed. really friendly staff though and in a great location in eltham
Best breakfast place ever , I always love what I order , the staff are always so friendly ! The hulk smash and bananarama smoothie are my go to ! They are amazing
And I love there almond milk lattes they are so so good ! Will be back it's my favorite breakfast place ever !!!!
Cinnamon's Food For Thought
+5
If you like calamari then you HAVE to go here!!! I never order it cause i'm usually always confronted with a plate of rubbery white stuff either drowning in garlic or batter that make me instantly regret my ordering decision! But the guys here have given me hope again :) this calamari was neither that and it was a generous serving size of it too!! Hands down probs the best calamari i've ever had!! Its a big call- but I'm making it! Zen den if you could please take the calamari for the specials board and make it a permanent fixture that'd be much appreciated :)
My friend had the burger, which was also d'lish with the cutest tasting waffle fries!
If you thought i loved the calamari (which obvs i did haha) then you should try the coffee- it was the winner on the day! Being the coffee snob that i am- these guys nailed it! Creamy, hot, tasty, right amount of choc on top! The barista here deserves a gold stat or a trophy! Keep up the great work and see you soon!
We stumbled upon this cafe as we were lost, needed help with directions & desparately needed a coffee more so. Even through they were very busy the staff were so friendly & helpful trying to work out where google maps was trying to take us. The coffee here was great we ordered a skinny latte, hot chocolate and chai latte with soy milk. The chai latte was made with chai leaves, hooray! The skinny latte was strong and hot. The coffee beans from Proud Mary so hints of fudge and chocolate. We will definitely come back here for brunch its a great spot, it looks like a small cafe however there is plenty of tables at the back.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Yesterday my friend and I went out for brunch to Zen Den and as usual it was a delightful experience. I ordered a soy chai latte and we both got "Miss Piggy", a fried egg atop beetroot, with carrot purée, potato and pork belly.
THE GOOD: Everything. The decor is cozy and quirky, the service is phenomenal with the waiters being so friendly and attentive, my soy chai was exceptional with the texture of the milk being so wonderfully silky, and the food is delicious! My whole plate was so flavoursome and fresh, the egg was cooked perfectly and the presentation was sensational. I was so impressed with this plate and I polished the whole thing off, the beetroot really added freshness and cut the richness of the pork. I really enjoyed this dish because it had just the right amount of textures and flavours! I did salt and pepper my dish because it was lacking a tiny bit of seasoning!
THE BAD: The place was pretty faultless!
THE VERDICT: I come here every now and then I will continue! Huge recommendation from me! Ticks all the boxes!
Cute little cafe with dark lighting. Went for brunch and tried 'to the shroom and back' food was good however I question the plate choice made it a little hard to cut everything without knocking things off the plate. Other then that staff were friendly and would definitely come back if I was in the area!
Zen Den, more than meets the eye. When we first walked in we thought it was a tiny cafe but then we were guided to the main dining area and were pleasantly surprised. The coffee here was great, smooth and easy to drink. I had green eggs and although enjoyable it didn't have great flavour, my husband had the corn fritters which he found to be gluggy, I didn't mind them so I finished them off for him. The decor was a bit confusing, being the ZEN DEN I expected a relaxing and soothing environment however found it to be a little bit rustic, a little bit vintage and a little bit hipster. I think that there was a little too much going on. Overall a pleasant experience.
Great food and atmosphere...
We stayed for a while after we had finished our meals and didn't feel like we were outstaying our welcome which was great. Service was spot on. Will go back for sure.
My family and I found ourselves in Eltham and were looking for a place to have lunch. Zen Den cafe was our watering hole and we took a seat towards the rear of the establishment. The decor was nice and I loved the notice board with the words "Food is my best friend." Well this is good...
We ordered four plates including so corny, healthy bowl, a burger and the sumac dish. The presentation at the table was amazing and my family patiently waited as I took some photos. The taste was good but unfortunately didn't quite meet the wow factor that I was hoping for. We ordered some juice and coffees, both excellent. Service was good but the wait time for the food was over 40min. Unsure what caused the delay but did affect my overall experience.
I normally go here early, like opening time, with my toddler daughter. The service is all you would expect from a near empty cafe, and the staff have always seemed awake for the hour. Food is good, particularly the crumpets. Coffee is solid.
Was seeing this place pop up in Instagram a lot so felt it was only fair I got check it out. I am usually wary of ordering chia pudding as they can be quite small so I usually need to order that as a side and get another meal but the waitress assured me it was a large serving. Large was an understatement I actually couldn't finish it (this rarely happens to me). While it was good value I doubt anyone actually ever needs that much chia pudding. It's just more of the same texture and one constant flavour. Don't get my wrong I quite enjoyed it, there was a decent amount of fresh fruit on there with the obligatory edible flavour, are they really edible? I'm never sure. While they look nice I immediately remove them from my plate and I'm pretty sure everyone else does the same. The coconut flakes were a nice addition. Decent local eat for those in the area.
The food keeps me coming back again and again! So many yummy vegan and vegetarian options that are always beautiful presented and full of flavour. The juices are gorgeous and the coffee lovely. The service, however, can be very hit and miss. Sometimes very friendly and attentive however often not so much. Even still, I'll be coming back for more.
This cafe has a great menu & have heaps of healthy options. I had the crumpets with berries, banana & fig, & my mum had the chia pudding which were both delcious. Will definately be back to try their other dishes.
Rustic cafe with a homely Brunswick st vibe. Staff treat you well in their relaxed and friendly way. Food is yummy and coffee is good. I like to try unusual things on menus and I wasn't able to find anything crazy unique, but most people look for good food and quality. I found both here. We had to send the meal back for a dietary reason, it was returned promptly and it was delicious!
Pleasant spot away from the main village of Eltham. Service was very good, food was enjoyable. Hot chocolate wasn't hot per se...just warm. Hubby really liked his Bean Fiend dish. I wasn't a huge fan of the eggplant relish on my dish (Simples), but liked the option of potato gems as a side, which were good for sharing. Might be back to try some of the more creative menu options next time, probably their strength.
We had an enjoyable brunch at Zen Den. The staff were friendly and the menu offered some creative choices. The pickled zucchini in the "Zenedict" was particularly good. We were even able to split the bill!
The food was excellent. Really good to finally have items on the menu that aren't exactly the same as every other cafe! Staff were very friendly and service was quick! Will definitely be back
What a warm quirky little place! It may look like an old run down house on the outside but its really homey. Food was absolutely yum! We had the eggs benedict with the ham hock on special bread, added goats cheese & the hash brown & we also had the french toast. The ham hock was juicy, the hash brown was hand made in house, crispy on the outside & soft on the inside & the special bread was pumpkin bread which was fluffy & flavourful. The french toast was eggy indeed, in a good way, went really nicely with the bacon & maple syrup. Who dosent love bacon & maple syrup together?! Your're not normal if you dont.
The masala chai was really good too, very flavourful, aromatic & perfect for the autumn day we had on our visit & staff were nice & chilled - the vibe & the food this place gave out, it's definately a zen den.
Well worth the ride from Melbourne!
Having dined at Cafe Zen Den on many occasions - I love that it's spacious with a relaxed atmosphere and plenty of healthy meal options. Open at 7am weekdays (sneaky breakfast before work for me!), there's lots to choose from, but sometimes can be a little inconsistent. I recommend the Corn & Co as it's always good. Spears Of Joy is another tasty choice, however mine arrived on crusty white bread, not sourdough as stated. Hashta La Vista is good too, however on the second occasion I ordered it, the potato hash was bland. Coffee can be inconsistent. I usually order a cappuccino and the last time I had one there, it had absolutely no froth - it wouldn't have passed as a flat white. All in all, it is a good local cafe. Staff are always friendly, service is prompt and the food is always presented beautifully, however a few inconsistencies stop me from giving Zen Den a perfect score.
Eltham has struggled over many years to fill this shop with something useful. Look no further. Great little cafe, not too big not too small. Bringing the brunswick/Abbotsford/fitzroy feel closer to quench the egos of the eltham toffs.
8/10 for the coffee
Had a hot chocolate, blueberry muffin and a musli slice which are all made in the shop. Really nice healthy food without the inflated price tag.
Had lunch here today - wow, healthy and delicious. This was a treat
Excellent service, atmosphere, food & coffee! They have a courtyard which is lovely. Their poached pear & prosciutto pizza was amazing. The coffee was nice & strong. Will definitely be coming back here.
A local haunt, with delicious food. An extensive menu to choose from will have dishes to suit most tastebuds and diets and they even have a dog menu so bring your pooch! Sometimes zenden can suffer from inconsistency from one day to the next from the visits we have had here. Today was great. Good service and also great food. However the almond milk used with the coffee was very watery and coffee wasn't strong enough which I ended being not able to drink due to the taste. Will give it a try with soy next time! Apart from the coffee issue the food and service was great. It's a must try if your in the north east.
This cafe really suits it's location. It embraces what Elthamites love - casual & relaxed vibe, is open and airy and offers hearty, healthy food.
You can enjoy indoor or outdoor seating, or outside on the verandah if you want somewhere in the middle.
I really like the coffee and always enjoy the chicken salad. Great frittata too.
A big bonus is the easy parking and plenty of newspapers!
This place can do brunch. My personal go to is the corn fritters. Nice local place to meet friends for breakfast. A little tip: don't sit near the door when it's cold outside, there's a huge breeze!
Food delicious and reasonably priced for the quality food. Happy with veg/vegan/healthy options. Wait staff friendly and attentive. No signage out the front though, drove past even though I was looking out for it (my first visit). Will come back
Wonderful service. Probably the best coffee in the North East bar Piccolo Meccanico in Diamond Creek.
A full brunch menu puts Zen Den slightly on top for me.
Ah a slice of the inner east close to home!
Absolutely love this cafe! Everything I come here the service is spot on and the food is good every single time. The prices are also reasonable so the management should be very proud of themselves!
I decided to have the ‘Macro Bowl – grilled tofu served with kale, roasted pumpkin, red cabbage, chickpeas, nuts and chia seeds on organic brown rice, drizzled with soy infused tahini ($15.00)’. I’m not on a vegan or gluten-free diet but this dish happened to be just that. The soy infused tahini provided so much flavour!
Been here quite a few times and I'm never disappointed! The food is always delicious, reasonably priced and the coffee is good.
This time though, I believe they've changed their menu, which is a shame because I used to love their big menu, it always had anything you could want. But oh well, they've kept some of the best dishes!
The atmosphere and fit out is awesome, would definitely recommend!
Service from the friendly staff was great I thought. Food was visually very appealing and what I ordered delivered in taste. Love it all. Sorry for the people that are a bit too hard to please, but I have nothing negative to write.
We really enjoyed lunch here on a quietish weekday. Nice granny-chic retro fit-out with plenty of seating indoors and outside.
Menu has a good range of tempting options, making it hard to choose, always a good sign for me. Ordered vegetarian breakfast and added a side of bacon, and got plates loaded with great quality and (mostly) healthy food. Good sourdough toast with 2 perfectly poached eggs, spinach, slow-roast tomato, really tasty thyme-roast mushroom, tons of thick-sliced avocado, the best grilled bacon I've eaten in years, and a home-made hash brown. Portion was generous yet healthy, good value for money and for once I didn't feel guilty eating a cooked breakfast! Coffee was avarage, not bad but not outstanding either. Service was friendlyand efficient but not intrusive, just right for me.
This is my second visit and confirmed my initial impression: this is a really good local gem and will likely be my first choice in future.
Didn't realise how big this restaurant was untill actually going in one day and had a great surprise! Great set-up with a chilled & pleasant atmosphere. The head chef 'Chris' at Zenden is amazing at what he does! The food was so so yummy and with wonderful presentation. Highly recommended!!! 👌
Great food, coffee and service, will definitely be coming back!
Needs sharper knives though haha, struggled to cut through vegies and bread with them.
Two Bears And A Fork
+3.5
It's amazing the Eltham area doesn't have more trendy cafes like this because the need for more of them was evidently clear when we walked in for brekky at the Zen Den. Luckily, a small table for 2 in the front room cleared away upon our arrival, so hubby and I squeezed through the line of eager-coffee-drinking patrons waiting for their hot cups to-go, and sat down to order 2 x Vegetarian Brekkies.
We got poached eggs on one insanely rough piece of toasted sourdough toast (this occurrence doesn't just happen at Zen Den, I find a lot of cafes toast their sour dough to the point of no return, not burnt, but soooo toasted that its texture is more like eating shards of glass rather than a slightly crisped piece of toast -- or maybe this is just me?!) with nice serves of avocado, spinach, tomato, mushroom and an odd hash brown on the side. Everything was tasty but I say the hash brown was odd because I like hashies to be crispy and crunchy - and to taste of potato - this one looked more like a Fish Finger in shape, didn't really have that hashie flavour, and reminded me strangely of something I had in a microwave dinner as a latch-key child back in the 80s. Overall, brekky was pretty GOOD, nothing amazing happening on the plate, but nothing horrid either. We'll definitely go back and try other items from the menu.
Our coffees were beautiful, had mine with Bonsoy and was very happy how it turned out (not everyone can make a good soy coffee but these guys rocked it!). Buzzing atmosphere + Melbourne-trendy fit-out + hipster patrons + good food and coffee = Zen Den is worthy of your time and money :)
Cafe zen den is always the go to meeting place for me and my friends! We love it, always so good! :) they are consistently providing us with a good meal
Excellent coffee, perfectly poached eggs, dog and kid friendly. Very friendly staff. The macro bowl is absolutely delicious. Highly recommended.
Really love this cafe, great food and friendly service!
Such a quaint little place to enjoy a meal.
My favourites are smashed avocado and the French toast. Yum yum yum! Definitely check it out :)
Lillian Manolopoulos
+3.5
Cute little local place and responsibly priced. However they have recently changed their menu and have taken off some old time favourites :(
I come here all the time!
It's my go to for great coffee and wholesome brunches in Eltham. It can get super busy, but in my experience the staff are always super lovely and the food top notch every time. My favourite dish is the Spears of Joy, but I love their specials too and often try whatever they are offering which is usually seasonal! A suburban cafe that has the same quality you expect from the inner city suburbs.
This place has rustic and homely vibes with a menu to match, we loved the dishes we tried especially the shakshuka! The drip coffee was also excellent and they had a great selection of pastries and cakes. New favourite in the area.
Very busy on weekends but a great selection of vego and vegan friendly meals, with witty names (my favourite was the Yolko Ono egg dish). Reasonable prices and generous servings. Friendly staff too. A great local find! Only downside is parking can be scarce as it is on the main road leading out of Eltham.
Dined for breakfast on Anzac day. I had the chilli crab scrambled eggs with a chai. Enjoyed both. Staff friendly. Will return to try the rest of the menu.
Wife loves the coffee here. It’s reasonably well priced, even if you want fancy extras such as free range soy free almond milk.
Quirky sort of Cafe with an impressive kitchen staff that churn out an amazing quantity of food, and it all looks and tastes amazing.
Good coffee too, and the vacuum sealed pies to go are also fabulous. Despite being about an hour away from home, I could imagine this becoming a regular haunt.
Best coffee I’ve had in a while! Great cafe, the cakes and treats looked amazing. We’ll be back!
We walked around Eltham for lunch without anything really catching our eye. We arrived at 2.55pm and staff were happy to serve even though the kitchen was closing in 5 minutes. We ordered the beef bisket burger, gf crispy salmon salad, latte and a shiraz. Everything was delicious. Our 2 huskies loved it! They got a free puppercino, dog treat and may be featured in #doggosofzenden. We will definitely be back!
An error has occurred! Please try again in a few minutes