Great atmosphere and delicious food! An underrated cafe in eltham!
Such a beautiful cafe. The outside area is particularly beautiful on a spring day.
The coffee is delicious, and the iced coffee has a very generous ice-cream to coffee ratio which is much appreciated!
Friendly staff, tasty food and a space for kids to play. What more do you need for a Sunday brunch. 👍👍👍
stopped here for breakfast before studying at the library next door!
Shillinglaw is located in the beautiful Eltham, stunning views , felt very zen
i ordered the eggs benny, all the flavours were delicious and presented well. My friend had the veggie fritters which were also really yummy packed with flavour! the kale on the veggie fritters were a little bit too oily, however still tasty!
the waitress gave me the wrong coffee and she was going to re make it for me but i said not to worry, drank the cappuccino anyway and she was lovely and apologetic about it
would return for more!
Had lunch here today and got the avocado toast. It was delicious. Some of the best avo-toast I've ever had. We sat by the fire and the ambience was just lovely. The garden area is very pretty too. Great service, great atmosphere, and great fresh and wholesome food!
Friendly staff, great service and a cute quaint ambience. Definitely worth making a trip here and with a walking trail just next door, definitely take your furry friend with you!
Checked out the Shillinglaw Cafe for brunch with some friends today. Great shaded outdoor area for kids to run around and play in, with a sandpit and toys!
I’ve been here before and absolutely loved it. The service is really good and the food is delicious.
Coffee could be presented a little better, but the taste is great. The fritters come in a very generous serving with a bit of everything, I added some extra Haloumi cause you know me and my love for cheese!
They also have butterbings which are my go to dessert! Would recommend this place to anyone w/ kids due to the park and library being in close proximity!
I had a great time & will be back again!
The Wandering Reviewer
+5
This is THE place to come if you want something different to mainstream cafes that say they cater for kids. Welcome to Shillinglaw located off Main Road in Eltham.
This old homestead built around the 1850’s was fortunately salvaged when a demolition order was impending and converted to the sweetest cafe / restaurant.
Today it is beautifully decorated with an eclectic range of well chosen homewares that makes me think it’s been staged Australian Country Style magazine.
You walk through the main door to a small reception to the left and a very small kitchen to the right. How they pump out so many great meals is a testament to the talents of the chefs.
Keep walking up the stairs to a lovely indoor dining area which doubles as function room. Keep walking through this area to a covered outdoor dining area that opens up to another eating area that is bathed in the dappled light of an oak (?) tree.
Here is where the magic happens. The ground is covered with fake turf so come sun or rain it’s an all season mudless play area. The sandpit is huge with plenty of space for lots of kids. Seating is comfortable and matches the theme of the decor and also won’t blow away with a gust of wind.
Menu is simple but healthy fare. My daughter had scone, jam and cream. I had packed eggs on sour dough with a side serve of bacon and haloumi. The chair latte was a nice loose leaf blend and served in the cutest jug.
Service was excellent and faultless. Nothing was too much trouble and the food took about 15 minutes from order to table.
Good parking out the front. Kid friendly. Not sure if it’s wheelchair friendly because of the stairs but there may be access from the rear. Takeaway coffee and cakes available.
Functions can be booked so make Enquiries via the website.
Big brownie points - your fur babies are welcome.
Highly recommend.
Michelle Karen Fernandes Dias
+4
Lovely ambience and a great place for kids and parents to unwind... they have a lovely outdoor area which is fenced with a sandpit in the corner with lots of toys for the kids... the food is great but quite heavy and filling... ( but in defence I did order the strawberry cheesecake French toast) the kids menu had a good selection and after the meal.. kids got to run around the park (Alister Knox park) which is just opposite the cafe.
This is my go to breakfast place! Amazing staff always friendly and helpful, the food is amazing also. It's a beautiful location. Can't recommend this place enough!
The food is amazing, especially the Nutella French toast and the avo smash. The service is good, and the food came out really fast for us. It is slightly overpriced however, but the food taste really makes up for it.
I decided to have the gigantic ‘Chilli folded eggs – julienne bacon, onion, chives, feta, red chilli, crumbled shallots on toast ($19.00)’. My dining companion chose the delicious ‘Wagyu Burger – grass fed wagyu, bacon, tomato, gruyere, lettuce, caramelised onion, pickle, aioli on brioche bun, with chips ($19.00)’.
Excellent cafe! Loads of space in the back for prams, high chairs and a sand pit for kids. Chai latte was delish! Great local bear playground and library too. Had the scones-so light and fluffy-amazing! Be back soon!
One of my favourite locals for brunch. A lovely little old cottage with charm. The outdoor area is the perfect spot to sit, it's very spacious and surrounded by a lovely garden. There's also a sandpit for kids, shaded by a big tree, so it's very popular with families. They have umbrellas and portable heaters outside too for rainy/cold days, which we made use of when we were here for a Mother's Day brunch. I love getting the rustic breakfast so that I can have a taste of everything. The ricotta pancake is tasty too.
Arwen Twinkle Griffioen
+5
Friendly service and really good food. The coffee is also excellent. In a historic building that is beautifully decorated with gorgeous and shadey outdoor seating. Kid friendly but nice enough for adults as well
Beautiful garden setting, perfect place to go if you have little ones! I had a latte and Jam and scones and the kids had milkshakes, all of which were great. Service was a little slow but it was very busy being school holidays. Staff very friendly though, will definitely be back again.
Love this place and a what gorgeous setting!
Coffee was so great - I had two! Wagyu Burger and chips were very tasty. Friend enjoyed the smashed Avo. Great kid friendly cafe with fake grass in the back and a sandpit with toys. sandpit could use a new batch of sand and toy replacements but kids still enjoyed it. Looking forward to trying more menu items!
Much improved- thank you.
Good honest food back to basics.
Outdoor area well improved but they need to not allow people's dogs to roam free.
Been twice under new ownership. Breakfast was 4.5/5, lunch today 2.5/5. Food great both times. Service excellent at breakfast but fair-poor today. Had to ask for everything several times and very slow. Granted it was busy outside but I only saw 2 people serving. The service was why we stopped coming here!! Please don't disappoint on our next visit cos it's such a perfect location and great menu!!
Eltham diners are spoiled for choice in terms of this suburb's diverse mix of lunch venues.
Shillinglaw Cafe ticked all the boxes for myself and 2 companions with a wide-ranging menu, friendly staff, quiet surroundings, prompt service and competitive prices that enabled a satisfying meal to be enjoyed by 3 guests for $65. Lots of tasty and nutritious Mediterranean dishes on offer.
Booking is recommended for indoor dining, if that's your preference.
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Last night we celebrated my husbands surprise 60th birthday at Shillinglaw Cottage. Months in the planning with Bruno, Craig and Louise resulted in a seamless night. The venue is totally charming, we had the place to ourselves so people moved about freely ,and made speech time with videos and photos very easy transition. White table clothes, native flower arrangements, tea candles, tasteful decor, mood lighting worked well for our surprise moment and Craig on the lookout to make it work.
It has everything a good venue needs, ambiance, a lovely outdoor garden area, fenced, pretty lights for mood, and plenty of chairs and tables to sit and have good long chats with friends and family.
The food Bruno is so beautiful. We changed from a sit down dinner to a Tapas evening,and it worked brilliantly. The serves of food were generous, the flavours are just beautiful, lots of vegetarian options that the meat eaters wanted...I think my favourites were mushroom skewers and the arancini balls. Plenty of fresh water, and the children had healthy hummus and carrot, celery sticks, with sweet potato wedges and chips. The variety of food was interesting and plentiful. We took our own cake, a sentimental choice, and the plated cakes were beautiful. I really can't say enough, just feel so fortunate to have had a successful , and very meaningful night at the cottage with people who totally respected what we were trying to achieve.
Thank you so much Bruno, Craig and Louise, and my family will continue our casual drop ins with our grand children playing in that lovely garden under the old oak tree.
A pleasant little cottage cafe with a great menu that dishes up quality bites to eat. I just wish they would bring back the Eggs Benedict though! Amazing Chai latte is a must try too. Great location next the park and extensive walking trails through Eltham...
It’s so good to see the place back in action with new owners
who have been here since earlier this year.
I’ve dropped in for coffee a few times over the last month
and found the place to be welcoming and friendly. Today I took my partner for lunch there and found
the service to be excellent … and the food extraordinarily good. Lots of classic dishes with a few unique twists.
I’d highly recommend the Rabanada for
breakfast – it was delicious.
Had a great morning out with my wife and two little kids at the Shillinglaw. It had just opened for the day so we had the place to ourselves. The kids roamed the enclosed courtyard and were in and out of the (clean) sandpit. This all made for a nice relaxing atmosphere to try some new menu items. The crispy egg dish was a really tasty option. I've never seen this anywhere else. Coffee was lovely and also the soy chai latte was of great standard (real chai leaf and strainer). Excellent location opposite the playground so it was a ripper family morning out.
This place is great! Especially if you have little ones - there is a fully fenced yard with sandpit and tables in a beautiful garden setting. Food is tasty and fresh with some yummy breakfast options and salads. Great coffee!
Wait staff are amazing and accommodating.
Handy location near the library and park adjacent.
Thumbs up 👍🏻
Had a lovely breakfast here on a sunny Melbourne Saturday. Lovely cafe great outdoor seating very friendly service and the food was fresh and came just as ordered likewise the coffee .New management well done will definitely be back 👍🏻
I give it a 5. The menu was amazing! I avoid dairy so I ordered almond milk coffee and I have to say it was the best almond milk coffee I've ever had in Melbourne! Love it ! The staff were very friendly. The ambience was amazing too. If u love exploring new cafes, this one is not to be missed!
Shillinglaw Cottage is under new management and reopened last week. The menu is fantastic with plenty of healthy options. The food and coffee is great. They have redone the outdoor area and the set up is beautiful, with plenty of tables and a big sandpit in the corner for the kids. Highly recommend!
Easygoing, laid-back & friendly service. I've been a customer of Shillinglaw Cottage for a few years now. Food is always good. Staff are very friendly and easygoing. Very laid-back place where one can just relax and enjoy breakfast, brunch or lunch. My favourite meal is the Mediterranean breakfast. Cannot fault it. Always delicious, always hits the spot. It's the perfect combination.
Love sitting outside and enjoying the sun on a nice warm day, or sitting inside by the fireplace on a cold day. Shillinglaw is always just quite lovely really.
Usually I tolerate Shillinglaw's hit and miss service and not-so-great breakfasts because the setting is so lovely...but today I have to admit that our experience at lunch was amazing! Service was exceptional (super attentive & friendly waiter) and the food was incredible! I can only hope that my next visit is as awesome as today...fingers crossed!
Brilliant! Quality breakfast and love the outdoor area where dogs are welcome. Will be a regular haunt for us from now on!
Unsure of this one. The cottage is a lovely place to sit, they have a nice garden where I like to take my dog. The guy who owns the place is a lovely, friendly man. His wife however, is a bit scary - I'm not sure why she is in the hospitality industry as customers seem to be the bane of her existence. Her apparent dislike of people seems to translate onto the wait staff who are hired. Maybe they are just as scared of the lady as I am. If you can look past her attitude and the poor service of the poor young things on staff, it is a good place to eat. The food is great and the location is lovely.
Lovely. Coffee is on point and the thyme fried mushrooms with eggs is amazing! Would recommend it as a leisurely breakfast/brunch spot where you can take your time and enjoy the beautiful surrounds :)
Fantastic food, great service and kid friendly has made Shillinglaw a Saturday morning tradition. Best scrambled eggs in Melbourne!
Nothing more than amazing, Mediterranean breakfast and fresh orange juice... Superb!!
Really enjoy Shillinglaw - coffee good, Aubergine chips superb, John and staff friendly. Always got the Age!
This place does an awesome lasagne... enormous serving, and not horrible and dry like lasagne sometimes can be. Nice place to just sit and read the paper on a Sunday morning. Easy access to the Eltham Library is an added bonus.
Lovely Birthday Lunch. My beautiful family took me to Shillinglaw Cottage for my birthday lunch. It was our first visit to this little cafe and it was delightful. Being a party of 7 we booked in advance to secure an inside table as it was a bit chilly to sit in their lovely outside area. Service was pleasant and just attentive enough. We felt comfortable and relaxed enough to be our usual loud selves without feeling the staff were hanging over us. The food was brought out promptly and was all delicious. We can definitely recommend the beef burgers and the lasagne. The chicken, spinach and mozzarella focaccia was also delicious. If you have a sweet tooth the scones and the chocolate brownie are a must as is the hot chocolate made with ganache.
Shillinglaw cottage was a lovely place to spend an afternoon and a birthday!
My wife's egg benedict looked and tasted great, while my poached eggs tasted good butlooked boring on the plate, just bread and egg. Will be back to try more of the menu.
Great Place for Cosy Dinner. Had a lovely dinner with friends last Saturday night. The food was delicious, and you could tell all homemade. Felt very relaxed with cosy fire and the staff were very friendly. Will definitely be going back.
Great setting, friendly staff. We spent a lovely afternoon in the dappled shade of the huge tree in the garden. Staff were friendly and attentive, and the food was simple and really tasty. Very child and dog friendly. The perfect spot to while away a summer Sunday.
Great Place for Lunch. I recently tried out Shillinglaw Cottage for lunch with a group of friends. I think it must of changed hands because I was really surprised to see how beautiful the garden looks, and with lots of shade under the huge tree. I had the beef burger and must say one of the best I have had in a very long time, my wife is gluten intolerant and there were several options available. She really enjoyed the polenta and they had a delicious selection of homemade cakes. I will definitely recommend to friends and especially those who have children the sandpit they have was full!
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