Review Lamanna Cafe - Essendon

Great place for shopping, a good selection of fruit veggies the goods also have a good selection available, the deli section has a big variety of cheeses along with cold meats. The in house Cafe is a must if you shop here food is fresh well cooked, then grab a little sweet which are baked in house as well let's not forget the ice cream as well. Some things are well priced but others a bit on the pricey side, it is up to you to shop smart and you can get the best value out of this great supermarket.

As a supermarket, does the job to a decent degree but at a cost. Some people might think this is fine and happy to pay a premium. But a weekly shop here is nearing $500 for a family which is absolutely ludicrous. Alcohol ok variety but comparing to just 500m up the road absolutely cannot compete. Think if they had more variety and or marginally cheaper products would be more family friendly and not exclusive to the Essendon elite. Perhaps they know their target demographic too well. As a cafe and an experience as a whole I’m a big fan. The food is great with a decent variety, the coffee unreal and I’ve had plenty. Never had a bad one here. Juice also delicious if that is your vibe. Breakfast and lunch highly highly recommend the cafe. Supermarket = meh Cafe = great

Incredible supermarket/cafe, reminds me of a Harris Farm on steroids. Being from Sydney we don't have anything like this but I wish we did. Incredible selection of groceries and food. The Cafe is excellent with great coffee and delicious food also. I would regularly shop here if I was local

Fantastic place Great food selections Great staff

A premium supermarket but good value on a great (if not the best range) and quality. There are things here you cannot find anywhere. If you want to impress at the dinner party or spoil yourself. GET HERE!

Great cafe. Food was excellent. More expensive than your average supermarket but if you’re looking for something different, special and of top quality, might be worth a look.

Nice large modern supermarket. Lots of Australian produce. Only strange thing is you cannot buy a sweet side with your coffee. Cakes sold only on other side of supermarket, NOT in coffee shop.

I can understand the prices of fresh food being more expensive than other supermarkets. You get top quality and fresh. But why do you need to pay more for groceries than other supermarkets on the same items???

Açai bowl was so tasty. Great cafe!

It has a beautiful cafe within the Lamanna supermarket. Food was really good, staff were friendly and efficient and the prices are bit high but it's value for money. It was our first visit and was a complete surprise.<br/><br/>Did order Lazio Piadina, Toscana Piadina and Prawns roll.<br/><br/>I highly recommend this place, big Thumbs up for Quality and Quantity.

Attended their in house cheese lab launch which happens to be the first of its kind where you can see cheese being cured and producer in front of your eyes, got to try some of the amazing cheese , and oh what an experience.<br/>Just the ambience of this entire venue is super inviting.. and you can shop, eat and indulge all under one roof. Highly recommended.

Came here during school holidays, the cafe was full inside & out. We ordered the vegetarian Parma panini & the falafel wrap, along with a kids waffle, everything was bough out to our table really quick & were really tasty. It was nice to be able to have a bit to eat prior to browsing all the food isles.

This place is always busy on the weekends and its good that you get to do grocery shopping at the same time. Would usually get coffee and sweet potato fries and they are good. The sweet potato fries are really good here

Disappointed. A simple request for toasted cheese and vegimite, depending on who prepares it, last week they used a nice sour dough bread, my daughter loved it, this week it was cheap nasty thin sliced white sandwich bread. Which frankly tasted old, but considering it's a supermarket would have to be unlikely. Rather than coming every Saturday after swimming class, I won't be back, anyone can do a better job with something so simple. For daughter and Dad, this is our special time, so we need to find somewhere that treats our custom with the respect it deserves.

The cafe was super busy on Sunday so we took a look in the patisserie section. There’s a variety of cakes and mini desserts to choose from. We bought some strawberry tarts, Nutella ricotta cheesecake and a custard cannoli. The cheesecake was absolutely sensational. It was fresh, moist and perfectly balanced. The strawberry tart was alright, the custard was a bit grainy and solid. Highly recommend trying the cakes! Will definitely be back

Simple but oh so delicious and satisfying! <br/><br/>FOOD: So I decided to order something COMPLETELY different and get myself my first Avocado Toast EVER in Melbourne and I thought since I’m literally in a fresh supermarket, now’s good time to try it and it was amazing! Super duper fresh, every single ingredient went together beautifully and for $16.50, it was definitely reasonable! They were definitely not skimpy on the avocado and what really drew me to ordering it was the savoury granola which made it so amazing in the end! The bread was already providing a crunch to it but the creamy avocado with the amazing bread and nuts? Boy was it texture heaven but tbh, what won in terms of flavour was the FETA! I don’t know what feta they used but it’s one of the best cheese I have ever had in my entire life and with the egg, it was such a healthy and satisfying dish! <br/><br/>SERVICE: Service was decent but as they’re not trying to market themselves as full cafes, the service is brisk and speedy so it’s acceptable<br/><br/>Overall, LaManna really delivered with their crazy big warehouse style food grocery, having a cafe with the freshest ingredients is definitely a no brainer! It was definitely worth the far travel and I would most definitely return for their smoothie bowls and coffee next time! Thank you, LaManna :)

It was a nice breakfast but not outstanding. I had the beetroot smash and my partner had the Italian beans. My complaint was with the beetroot smash they put both breads on top of each other and all the beetroot, avocado and eggs were on the top slice so was hard to spread it over the 2 toast. I've definately had better breakfast elsewhere in Melbourne, they need to step it up

Even though this cafe was super everything was still amazing!<br/><br/>Good coffee which we didn’t have to wait too long for, food was delish!!! I want to go back to try more of the dishes and the pastries. <br/><br/>Staff were great and I got to shop afterwards as the cafe is attached to the supermarket that is amazing!!

Ordered the romagna pandina, pumpkin salad, hot chips and vanilla slice. Absolutely love the coffee beans here. Vanilla slice tasted fresh and amazing. Great texture. Salads had heaps of flavours. Loved it. Food came out pretty quick aswell

This gorgeous cafe is located within the amazing Lamanna supermarket, so after or before doing your shopping you can enjoy a delicious breakfast or lunch! We loved visiting this cafe, it was super busy but the staff were very lovely and helped us find a table. We ordered the açai bowl which was full of fruit and super tasty! The waffles were amazing! And the beef burger was juicy and flavoursome! I would highly recommend checking this place out!

This place is way too good!! It’s always so busy yet the food comes out so quickly and is always so delicious!🙌🏼🙌🏼<br/><br/>I was lucky enough to try a few dishes from their new menu with a friend which I absolutely loved!❤️<br/>The standout was the crostoli waffles - now I’ll be disappointed whenever I have waffles without them because they were perfect.<br/>The burger was juicy and tasty, the smashed avo was seasoned very well and the chia + acai bowl was fresh and light! 🍔🍟<br/><br/>We also had a latte and cappuccino which were delicious, as well as the tropical splice and pink dragon smoothies!! 🥥🍓<br/><br/>I’m amazed with how good the food was considering how busy it is all the time!<br/>Will definitely return :)

Breakfast at @lamannasupermarket this morning testing out their delicious new menu items. The breakfast burger was so delicious, kids recommend the Acia bowl and waffles 👌 bonus also did my grocery shopping while we were there 🙌 @lamannasupermarket #lamanna

Always busy on a weekend but you can find a table eventually. I prefer outside due to the noise inside. I had the mango smoothie bowl. It was very tasty and filling. Mango taste was very prominent which is great.  Wish the acai bowl was vegan, not sure why it isn't and staff could't answer me either. It's much cheaper then other cafes but quality is always great.

This place was absolutely packed when we came, so make sure you are prepared for some busyness before you stop by. Not a typically serviced cafe, you have to queue up to order then sit down with your table number. <br/><br/>We ordered 'The Avo' and the beetroot smash. Both dishes came out extremely quickly, with the juice actually taking longer than the food. The presentation was superb, you can tell they regard their dishes very highly. The avocado used on both dishes was perfectly fresh and delicious. The only criticism we would have of the dishes we tried was a lack of a unique sort of flair. If you have been to any cafe in melbourne you will have tried similar dishes - which is not necessarily bad because LaManna nailed the basics. <br/><br/>Service was friendly and very speedy. Would definitely recommend the cafe and associated supermarket to anyone in the Essendon area as a must try.

This cafe is perfectly located in the LaManna Supermarket so you can fuel up on some breakfast/lunch then shop away. It's all part of the experience when coming to LaManna (especially if you live further away or don't come often).<br/>Staff are friendly and the food is very reasonably priced, especially for the area.

I’ve been a couple of time and each time the food and coffee have been on point! There is lots of choices to choose from. Either something from the cabinet, piadina station, juice station, ice cream area or something from the menu. It’s a bit chaotic but it’s nice to eat and relax before or after you shop. Its an excellent one stop shop!

Great food and coffee at the cafe. The breakfast and lunch menu is great, there are options for everyone :) highly recommend the salmon salad. Will definitely be back.

My Key 3 Pointers<br/>• Very reasonably priced,<br/>• Eat, drink and do your groceries in the one spot,<br/>• Take a number, take a seat, fuss-free service,<br/><br/>I have never seen this cafe empty and I understand why. Good quality food, simple fresh and wholesome. I never thought I would like the concept of eating at a supermarket but this place is vastly different from Coles or Woolworths. I just want to hang out at Lamanna all day.

Great value for money with large servings, food is always fresh and taste is consistently delicious from desserts to main meals. Never had a bad meal here, and we always leave full and satisfied. Their juices and smoothies quench the thirst being perfectly sweet and tangy! My kids love the pancakes and macarons, its never hard or dry, raspberry is their favourite.<br/>Customer service is generally good, staff are generally attentive except for during lunch rush. LaManna's downside is it gets busy during lunch on weekends because its so popular, its hard to get a table. We like to go early to avoid the busy period.

Great food, coffee, customer service and value for money. $3 coffee’s are almost unheard of nowadays and the quality of the coffee here is amazing.<br/>Tried a number of dishes here and they’re all really good. No matter what time of day you go this place is always busy so be prepared.

Possibly worst run cafe in Melbourne. Self service - well actually pretty much NO service, bad seating, busy environment and busy atmosphere. Was excited to see what the fuss was about but definitely don’t recommend. Food was average, eggs and porridge were plain, the hot cakes were bland dry no flavour no effort and topped with coriander...coriander? Yes. The pineapple juice freshly squeezed was the absolute highlight and gave this place a 2 rather than a 1, oh, and the overprice, Unjustified.

Headed to La Manna for a quick breakfast. Coffee was amazing and would definitely go back to get a coffee. Hotcakes..however, not the best I've hard. The strawberries were soggy and the hotcakes were too heavily drenched in maple syrup. On the flip side, I love all la mannas drinks. Smoothies and juices are fresh with awesome combinations.<br/>The service at la manna is attentive and quick.

3.5 <br/>We went there at about 2pm afternoon and the cafe was still very busy. <br/>The food were normal and average as the pistachio in the mango chia pudding tasted not so good. The passion fruit smoothie was refresh and nice. Service was acceptable. Probably next time will come back and try their breakfast menu.

Really good place. Solid 4. Did some shopping here and dropped in at the cafe for a coffee. Wish I could have had lunch because the choice of things on offer looked amazing including healthy bowls, a current favourite. I had a mini cannoli with custards which was excellent - a 5. At $1.90 it was great value. The coffee was good but without hitting it out of the park. I wish I could have stayed for lunch. I will be back.

The food at LaManna, especially the burgers are nice and fresh. They are delivered within a quick timeframe and make it the perfect place to stop by for a quick lunch.

Food was amazing. I had the romagna piadina because I can never resist a prosciutto and rocket combination and it was so delicious. The only downside is that it was a bit difficult to find a seat. Definitely worth the wait though.

LM green salad <br/>This cafe has such fresh produce used from the supermarket connected! <br/>Really enjoyed the salad, nice flavours.<br/>Food came out very quickly <br/>If your wanting more of a sit down peaceful cafe this isn’t the best place. <br/>It is connected to the supermarket so it dosnt feel to much like a restaurant but other then that loved it here! <br/>Highly recommend

Great service, staff were very friendly and lovely .Absolutely Loved the mushrooms on toast, so nice! One of the best breakfasts I’ve had in a while. Will definitely be back for this!

We ordered the beetroot smash & LM Green Breakfast. Both dishes were amazing. There’s a self serve cutlery, water, salt & pepper stand. Affordable prices & delicious food, will definitely come back.

Nice food and coffee just got a very rude person serve me. Everyone has a bad day I guess but this was exceptional. Management at Lamanna, teach your staff some manners because their mother’s didn’t bother.

Came here for the first time before grocery shopping and was surprised of the high quality, beautiful food that Lamanna Cafe has to offer! The Açai bowl was amazing, and the salmon salad was delicious. Would highly recommend 👍🏻

Every time we come shopping at LaManna, this cafe is always super busy from morning till afternoon! We finally got to try it for a midweek brekky, and I’m so glad that we did!<br/><br/>We ordered the breakfast piadina and the LM green breakfast - both of which were absolutely delicious. The pumpkin hummus in the LM greens was lovely, and the addition of the veggie chips made it perfect. The piadana came as a very generous portion, filled with avocado, eggs, cheese and bacon, and toasted till warm and crispy. It was so big we couldn’t finish it! The coffee is also quite good here! <br/><br/>Will definitely be coming back to try the rest of their appetising menu during our shopping trips to LaManna!

I brought a selection of cakes, donuts and focaccia bread from here for morning tea. It was gone within seconds and so many of my work mates were impressed with the quality and tastes of all food. I highly reccomend ordering from here if you need to provide morning tea for work.

Always a hit <br/>Dont think ive ever had a bad meal or coffee here. <br/>Sometimes hard to get a seat but doesnt take that long. <br/>Staff are attentive also. <br/><br/>

This cafe is absolutely fantastic! Has really great food made with fresh produce! There is a wide variety of food to please everyone! The patisserie is super tempting too, make sure you eat lunch before wandering over! Love every time I dine here and I have been back many many times to eat and to buy from the grocery section. LaManna supports Australian farmers which is a plus for me and keeps me coming back! Their produce is of a very high quality and their prices maybe a little higher but once you have purchased here you won’t want to go back to the other supermarket chains!

What’s not to love about this place. They have fresh everything here. Buying your weekly shop here can be pricey but if you come to the cafe the prices are good and your food is always top notch and fresh. <br/><br/>Today I stopped in to get a coffee which was fabulous as always. Love coming for breakfast too on weekends but can find that it’s sooo busy at times due to popularity of the place! For a good reason of course because it is yum! Weekdays are better if you want a quiet feed I’d say. That’s my thing where you can have a read. Big recommend this place for anyone that wants a nice economical feed with fresh ingredients.

Great place for brekky or lunch! Food is fresh and delicious. Lots of dietary options to choose from.. always busy so you need to get in early!

Awesome little place tucked neatly away within the shopping complex.<br/>Coffee was OK, the food was amazing, staff were exceptionally friendly and everything came out VERY quick.<br/>Place is always packed but people move in and out rather quick, so you’re never left waiting for too long. Will definitely be back.

This cafe has come a long way over the years, it's so nice to have a sit down meal halfway through a LaManna visit. As good as some of the cafes around Fitzroy, although coffee was average. Everything else is good.

Place is super busy for Saturday lunch, have to be 100% on the ball to get a table, but once you do, ordering is simple, service is really quick, food is really tasty (I had haloumi and quinoa salad with chicken added)

A local favourite. Been here a few times. Sometimes just for a coffee, sometimes just to shop and most to eat. <br/><br/>Yesterday I came here for a friend’s farewell breakfast. I had the beetroot and avocado poached eggs on sourdough. Eggs were poached perfectly (runny...has to be runny lol). The Beetroot has a slight tangy and sweet flavour, and the smash avocado gave a creamy salty taste. A sprinkle of almond dukkah gives the crunchy texture. Yum! Coffee had been up and down but yesterday’s coffee was spot on. Will definitely return.

I love love lovee LaManna😍 Their menu is perfect with lots of options that make you want to order everything, It's a bit hard to find a table and its normally packed as its located in a supermarket. The service was so quick i was surprised. I had the roast vegetable salad with crispy chicken, it was filling and delicious. I would come back here for more

Have breakfast here before my international flight took off at Tullamarine. This cafe was bookmarked a long time ago.<br/>Ordered beetroot smash.<br/>Poached eggs are overcooked and they looks not nice…much worse than that made by myself at home…<br/>Average coffee and salmon.<br/>Beetroot smash is so amazing！This is the first time that I think whether it comes with avocado or not doesnt matter.

Usually on a Saturday I avoid any places where there might be screaming kids or loads of soccer mums in SUV's they can't park. Not enough valium in the world for that. BUT today I was at my hairdresser and due to the roaring sound of my grumbling tummy I had to stop to eat on my way home. My loyal and trustworthy little cousin suggested we try this place. Well, after driving through Essendon Fields and passing all the hangers and baby planes we arrived. OH. MY. GAWD! I've died and gone to Piadina heaven! I chose a Toscana (shredded BBQ chicken, mushroom, spinach and mozzarella) beautifully toasted and crisp. Melted in my mouth. Fresh spinach and chicken. My cousin had the Acai Bowl. It tasted like a crunchy smoothy. Also freshly squeezed Apple and guava and apple and strawberry. Cannot fault the food. In fact it was so tasty that it dulled the sound of screaming happy youngsters and the click click of the heavily made up and stilettoed mummies.

Wow this place is amazing food is great service is great I had the poached eggs on toast with sides of bacon mushroom spinach tomatoes and a hash brown on the side and I was amazed how quickly it was delivered to my table my only dislike was the bacon was extra crispy and the mushrooms come in the form of 1 field mushroom that was a bit tough but still it was all delicious who would imagine this cafe is located in the middle of a supermarket

Lamanna is not ordinary supermarket, you’ll find some goods that aren’t available in other retails and that’s what i really like it, but I found fruits & veggie are more expensive there so I’m just recommend to buy what’s not available in other supermarket. I ordered beetroot smashed, but seems my plate needs more smash, i like the combine of beetroot and avo, also the crunchiness of peanuts. Price was cheaper than other cafe but still left me lil bit hungry. I’ll come back to try the smoothie bowl & pastries.

‘Italiano style’, how good this place, always fresh, quality produce, great service, awesome selection of brekky or lunch & coffee. All of this before you do ya shopping or simply indulge, then do it!<br/>We love their pasta dishes particularly the penne ravioli and lasagne and you can’t miss their scrumptious deserts either. There’s so much good stuff here and it’s always worth the visit:)

Recently I was very excited to hear from the team at La Manna! I had never been to their giant gourmet supermarket/massive cafe/patisserie before but I was super keen to check it out! We found out that the food there is healthy and tasty- all without being pretentious. A great way to spend a morning.

Went here around brunch time midweek. Was very hectic, crowded and loud, especially the indoor area. We were lucky enough to find a table outside, which was a little less crowded and more quite. It's not really an ideal place if you're looking for a more relaxed atmosphere. The service was very friendly, waiters/waitresses were all very helpful in spite of working in such a fast paced and high pressure environment. <br/>The food was delicious and wholesome. I ordered the halloumi salad, which contained quinoa, chickpeas and walnuts. It was such a flavoursome combination and quite filling for a salad. Also ordered some chips on the side, which came in a really decent portion size and had a super delicious sweet chill aioli on the side. Just a note that the menu on here is outdated; some of the items still remain but the vast majority appeared to have been removed or replaced. There is plenty of (very delicious looking) wraps, sandwiches, ready salads etc. in the display window however, even if one doesn't find something they might like on the new menu. My soy chai latte had a bit too much honey it, but was still pleasant enough nonetheless. Overall, very hearty and healthy food and definitely one of the better places in that area.

Had a really tasty potato and leek soup with crusty sourdough bread. Service lady was really nice and helpful. Great range of food. Going to definitely make it there more often for lunch when im in the area.

Wheelchair accessible, included enclosed outdoor area. Unsure of bathrooms.<br/><br/>This cafe is within a supermarket. <br/>Louder in volume but not unreasonable given its size. <br/>You order as you like. Food gets brought out to you.<br/><br/>Only issue I'd have is the lanes to order in a a touch narrow. They fit a pram easy enough but if your turning in a wheelchair isn't crash hot you may struggle. <br/><br/>Food wise everything is fresh and the fact that it's within and fresh food supermarket is motivating to eat well!

Located just moments from Essendon Airport, Lamanna Supermarket has become a favourite amongst locals and those not so local, with hundreds traveling from afar to get their hands on some of Melbourne’s freshest produce, baked goods, deli meats and so on. This family-owned business has come a long way from its humble beginnings 30 years ago as a small fruit shop in West Preston. Now boasting a huge space with dedicated areas to every type of food imaginable, Lamanna is truly a shopping experience unlike any other. Connected to the marketplace is a seemingly small café with the constant buzz of customers and foodies alike. It was here we found ourselves on a cold Melbourne morning, tummies grumbling as we took in our surroundings.<br/>After a quick peruse through the aisles (not an easy feat!), we were ready to feast…and feast we did! After meeting the head chef and placing our order, we made our way to the (thankfully) well-heated outdoor area. The unique thing about Lamanna Café is how it has such a casual atmosphere (ordering at the counter, helping yourself to your own cutlery, etc.) whilst maintaining so much charm, but more on that later.<br/>To start off, we ordered the Strawberry Smoothie Bowl, made with strawberry, coconut milk, banana, berries and buckwheat crumble. The bowl was visually stunning, vibrant in colour and appeal, and we couldn’t wait to dig in. The crumble had the perfect level of crunch and went well with the softness of the fresh berries. The smoothie itself was light and creamy, however it was lacking that sweet something to make the flavour really pop. We are massive sweet tooths, after all…which brings us to our next dish…<br/>Lamanna’s famous Violet Hotcakes with blueberries, violet vanilla cream, choc honeycomb, chocolate crackle and crumble have got to be some of the fluffiest and most scrumptious hotcakes we’ve ever had in our lives. Soft and sweet, the mixture of berries, cream and the various chocolatey flavours on the plate took us on the tasteful journey we never knew we needed. The melt-in-your-mouth chocolate crackle brought us back to our childhood and added an unexpected but extremely welcome decadence to the dish. The honeycomb had the perfect crunch, and overall, we couldn’t fault it!<br/>After such sugary indulgence, it was time to cleanse our palates with something a little healthier! What we didn’t expect was the visual feast that emerged from the kitchen. <br/>The Beetroot and Fetta smash with poached eggs, avocado, almonds and broccolini on sourdough toast was just the fix we needed! Aesthetically stunning, the plate featured a splatter of beetroot which seemed almost too perfectly placed to be real (it most definitely was), and we were well and truly impressed! What about the ACTUAL dish, though? Accompanied by some fresh lemon, the smash, mixed with the perfectly poached eggs, fresh broccolini and avocado, was absolutely delicious! Creamy and not overpowering, the dish was light and felt nutritious enough to balance out all the sweetness we’d just consumed.<br/>Our final dish of the day was the LM Green Breakfast with poached eggs, raw and cooked greens, avocado, pumpkin hummus, spiced seeds and vegetable chips…and it was absolutely incredible! It never ceases to amaze us what can be done with a few seemingly simple ingredients to make a dish so unique and full of flavour. A special mention needs to go out to the pumpkin hummus which was sooo creamy and delicious, and worked so well with everything else on the plate. The vegetable chips were the cherry on top of a perfectly balanced and nutritious dish, and we couldn’t get enough of them!<br/>After more than 30 years in the business, the Lamanna family continues to push the boundaries of the traditional shopping experience by combining everything you could possibly want in a supermarket and adding fresh, delicious and extremely affordable meals to tide you over between aisles. The hustle and bustle of the marketplace makes for a great and upbeat atmosphere, and the service was excellent, with each of the many (many) workers maintaining a bright and bubbly exterior whilst tending to the hundreds of customers surrounding them. <br/>The food was absolutely delicious and it was obvious that, despite the level of demand, each dish was delicately and carefully presented to entice the tastebuds even before the first bite. <br/>Lamanna’s mission statement, ‘For the love of Food’ is a testament to the passion that has clearly been put into delivering top quality, fresh food to the community. <br/>We can’t wait to come back!

Today I went to LaMannas cafe, I ordered the acai bowl with peanut butter. The reviews definitely didn't lie my meal was amazing perfect mix of flavours and toppings with good friends service ☺️👌🏼

La Manna cafe located in Essendon Fields would have to be one of the the most popular markets in Melbourne’s outer suburbs. The market itself is one of a kind, featuring a large assortment of fresh produce along with baked goods, deli meats, ready made meals and much, much more and its safe to say that you can get literally everything here. <br/><br/>After a busy day shopping, the La manna cafe is certainly the place to be to get a good hearty feed featuring all their fresh produce. Whilst one can spend hours walking up and down the aisles of this amazing market hall our tummies where grumbling and the cafe area was just starting to ease of slightly after the lunch rush. At about 2 in the afternoon we snagged a seat in the outdoor section where it wasn’t so loud. We took turns holding down the table whilst one of us would go up and glance at the mouthwatering menu. The order at the counter and help yourself to cutlery, water and other essentials sort of a deal is great as the service is remarkable and it safeguards waitresses not having to deal with annoying customers always asking for water refills.<br/><br/>After much discussion we took turns ordering going for the veggie burger and the bircher muesli along with a long black and an OG orange juice. We received a number and waited for our food to arrive and in the mean time drooled as dishes where being delivered to tables around us in a timely fashion. <br/><br/>The meals and drinks arrived within 10 minutes of ordering and looked suburb. The long black was hot and darkly brewed but slightly watery which was a let down :( The orange juice was the standard refreshing classic juice to accompany a feast fit for a king. The veggie burger looked vibrant made up of halloumi, avocado smash, roast pumpkin, rocket, horseradish aioli on a matcha bun served with sweet potato chips was sensational. The Thick stack of halloumi that was melting into the sweet roasted pumpkin left us weak at the knees. The smashed avo was creamy and paired well with the spicy kick of horseradish aioli. The matcha bun made the dish look very appealing and colourful when sat next to the hefty side of crispy divine sweet potato chips. The chips were certainly the standout. Seasoned well and crunchy on the outside with a fluffy middle making for the ideal chip. <br/><br/>The bircher muesli with oats, apple, sultanas, sliver almonds, shredded coconut, strawberries and vanilla bean yoghurt was a filling, refreshing and satisfying meal. The thick creamy oats formed the base of an excellent dish. The sultanas exploded sweetness on the palate and the fresh crisp apple paired well with the nutty chewy coconut. The vanilla bean yoghurt was like velvet and wasn’t too sweet which is just how I like it topping off a lovely bowl of goodness.   <br/><br/>La Manna cafe is an excellent spot to receive a fresh feel, good meal at a cheap price. The produce can’t get any better and the meals speak for themselves. The coffee could be improved but one can’t complain when meals arrive as promptly as they do. I can’t recommend a better way to finish a day of shopping with a beautiful meal and La Manna cafe certainly delivers.

LaManna Direct Cafe is situated on the inside of the LaManna shopping centre and has great busy atmosphere with inside and outside covered seating. Finding a table on the weekend is hard as it is very popular spot to have a coffee or some lunch after doing your shopping. The menu has heaps of healthy options for breakfast and lunch and has a kids menu also. <br/>We ordered the sweet potato fries, mango and chia pudding and the acai bowl. Food came out fast and was very fresh. Friendly staff and attentive waiters. Great food spot to try which is also very convenient before or after doing your grocery shopping! Definitely recommend!

Great food and even better coffee. <br/><br/>Its a good location to sit down after grocery shopping.<br/><br/>The only downside is that its sometime gets so busy that you won't be able to find a seat

Came to LaManna at 7:30am with Mr Moo to kill some time before DFO Essendon opens. The cafe is within a big supermarket. <br/><br/>I ordered Breakfast Piadina and Mr Moo ordered a Strawberry and Rhubarb Chia Pudding. Breakfast Piadina didn't look like the way we expected but taste was ok. The Chia Pudding was not bad but I'm not a huge fan of Chia Pudding.

Crowded place, good area to shop for grocery after lunch.<br/><br/>The chips were good, not oily and very crispy outside. Soft bun with crispy chicken.

THIS PLACE IS FRICKEN MASSIVE~!!!<br/>Cafe within a supermarket within a MASSIVE warehouse building.<br/>Cafe was pretty packed with business people during lunch peak time. Got a cheddar chicken wrap, a chicken spicey Mayo roti and a carrozza. Average score cause I'm yet to try out their whole pastry case and menu, and what I had today was lacking sauce, however was still nice.

We love this place. Have been going there for breakfast for months. Terrific coffee, great selection. We have tried other places in Essendon but always come back here

I love shopping at LaManna. They have a huge selection of stuff I both need and don't need.<br/>Now on to the cafe. There is a huge line, especially on weekends. Finding a table is hard, but not impossible. Staff are lovely, but if you want water and cutlery, that's on you. It can get loud, so if you're hoping for a nice quiet brunch, then you're in the wrong place.<br/><br/>As for the food. The missus had the avocado sunrise and while it had perfectly poached eggs, it didn't have much avocado and lacked any real feta cheese flavour.<br/><br/>The burger I had looked really good. But I don't think the jarsberg cheese works. Needs a more flavorful cheese and maybe a little more sauce. Chips were really good though.<br/><br/>It's ok, I then went on to buy a bunch of ice creams and goodies from their range, so I left happy.

Was able to try lamannas direct cafe as this cafe is jammed packed busy!<br/>Ordered the smashed avocado and it was well proportioned, although I do wish they were be a bit more generous with the avocado as it tasted like it was just a spread. <br/>Sweet and crispy was quite tasty, however the sweet potato 'toast' was quite deceiving, we actually thought there was going to be a slice of sweet potato toast but it's just a couple of thin sweet potato slices... <br/>for beverages we ordered a smoothie and juice, which you can't go wrong with. <br/>Would return to grab a coffee or something small to bite when I shop at lamannas. <br/>Take your lover, friends or family here before shopping at lamannas groceries.

First time at Lamanna today I popped in with a friend.  It is a great supermarket with a huge fit out with different departments including fruit & veg, meat/fish, dairy, bakery and general supplies. There is a patisserie that had some delicious looking cakes and pastries, a deli with mouth watering cheese and cold meats and a health food juice bar that sold yogurts and healthy food options. The cafe is not table service and you need to line up to place your order, the line did move quite quickly but that didn't leave me much time to make up my mind on what I ordered. I decided to order the crispy chicken wrap which was nice but not amazing.  The chicken was lovely and tender but I think it needed more coleslaw, it was a quick bite as I was in a rush.  If I came back I would like to order off the menu as the food does looks really good (judging by the Zomato pics).

Love this place, fast and quality food with great value! Despite the business of the crowd, I'm impressed by the prompt service. Simple but good quality food selection... the real food place to eat!!

My local!! Although by that I mean local supermarket. Sat down and ate lunch here for the first time in 7 years and was impressed with the quality of food on offer. Im pretty sure that the produce used here is the same as shoppers can purchase as my salmon was as good as what I can make at home !! Coffee is nice and strong and a good brand of bean ( whatever it may be ) Will be coming back here to eat after a shop for sure.<br/>I wish I could review the groceries and fresh produce that I purchase from here and cook in my own kitchen : )

Shortly there will be three LaManna cafes in the Essendon Fields precinct. The first and original within the La Manna Supermarket building is a must to visit if you havent been there and close to perfection.<br/><br/>This review is for their popup cafe attached to the Runway / Coles plaza. The coffee is still excellent and more restricted food choices are still good. However, guys, i think you have got the table and seating arrangements very wrong.<br/><br/>The oversized tables take up a ridiculous amount of expensive real estate, and the wire seats are uncomfortable. Given the propensity of strangers not to sit right along side each other at large tables the number of people who will be sitting at any one time is limited and i have found myself moving on to the original cafe in preference, even though i had been in the Coles plaza at the time.<br/><br/>Before the last owner imploded the former cafe in this site, this location offered a highly attractive and more convenient option to the larger and noisier main cafe. I would encourage La Manna to revisit the seating arrangements and also for the next cafe at the other end of the precinct.

Came to LaManna for breakie this morning. Ordered a vegetarian focaccia and didn't realise they hadn't made them yet. They came to our table and asked if I wanted something else as they wouldn't be making them until later in the morning. As I'm pregnant, I didn't really want any of the other options. The waitress went to the kitchen and came back to tell me that they'd make me one specially. Within 10 minutes I had a toasty warm fresh roasted vege focaccia in front of me! What excellent service!?! Thank you!!

Lamanna always has a nice tasty meal! The grilled chicken and cous cous salad is a favourite, as well as the acai bowl and the steak sandwich. The fresh juice bar lets you make your own juice, and the coffee is great also. I love how it's set up in a busy supermarket with delicious cakes available. It makes it hard to get a table but always seems to be worth the wait.

LUNCH<br/><br/>Damn great food, nice place, love everything about it. Always have great food, massive selections, big servings. This place is going to do so well over the years to come. It's definitely worth going there and eating, could be abit cleaner though.

Came here for take away lunch. Everything was beautifully presented and looked yummy and healthy. I had the crispy chicken salad and a chia pudding. The salad was a. It on the small side at $14, but it was very tasty. The chia puddings were a good size and delicious. It was so nice to be able to go out for lunch and have healthy options. Will definitely be back.

Had the smashed avocado, breakfast avocado sunrise and macaroons and coffee on a group , the smashed avocado is probably the best value for quality I've seen around this area- but it caters to a certain market of clients and it is pretty good The service here is quick , and it does feel like a work canteen feel from the 80s but with better range and quality, the bakery and sweets and friendly/no pressure service is positive , but it is a bustling setting . Coffee was ok to slightly above average. No problem coming here again .

Eggs over toast and eggs benedict. Wonderful breakfast overall. Really nice place, packed with people, but the service was still quick and friendly!

Came here with my friend and had the acai bowl. First time trying one and was good for the price. Only downside is that they added way too much granola and the acai part was a bit runny for me. My friend had the protein smoothie and loved it. Will return as the menu looks great.

Bi-weekly coffee, weekly lunch and fortnightly Sunday brunch. Can take a while to get your takeaway coffee depending on the time of day but that's only because of the many other people waiting, the staff pump out hot coffees super quick. Good range of food and haven't found anything I don't like yet.

Been here many times and tried a few things on the menu, so I can safely say that the meals are awesome. They have a wide variety of tasty dishes, whether you're feeling healthy, cheeky or just like a hearty meal. No shortage of staff and they're all very friendly, you can tell the staff are happy working there.<br/><br/>Probably the only down side is how busy it can get but that's really just a testament for how good this place is. <br/><br/>My rating is based on the cafe but the supermarket itself is also amazing. Wide variety of foods and quality produce. Yes it can be on the pricey side but they also have some great bargains. I think you pay a little bit extra for the outstanding service. There are no self serve checkouts and there are always plenty of staff at the checkouts. This isn't the kind of place that will drag someone from a cash register because they haven't had a customer for ten seconds. <br/><br/>You can tell La manna treat their workers well and it's the kind of place that puts principles before profit, they even close on Anzac day and Easter Sunday when they'd probably make a fortune if they stayed open. <br/><br/>Keep up the good work La manna.

This is a benchmark enterprise.<br/>Fresh produce, authentic, careful and considered preparation, attention to detail, great range of delicious foods, efficient professional service, affordably priced and well worth visiting.....time and time again.

Reasonably priced food that is fresh and most importantly delicious. I'm a big fan of the crispy chicken salad. Despite how busy they always are, staff are always very friendly and polite. The Cafe has a cafeteria/food court feel. Always nice to pick up some sweet goodies from the bakery on my way out!

I feel like there is too much hype about this place. This place is heavily overrated. Their food is bland, serving sizes are too big, and it's definitely not worth the cost.

The variety here is amazing, love coming to LaManna even when looking for nothing in particular. You always discover new things and always keep coming back for more

We absolutely loved this little café! It was extremely busy, however the high turnover of customers makes it easy to find a table. The food arrived quickly and was absolutely delicious! We got the chicken burger which came with the tastiest chips. Portion size was pretty decent for the price. Coffee and the fresh juices were amazing too! The only thing that wasn't on point was the almond croissant that was a bit chewy. We really liked the supermarket too. It reminded us of Costco almost! We'll definitely be back to try more options from the cafe :3

Great coffee. Food is very fresh and delicious. Very convinient before your groceries shopping at LaManna. Service very friendly. Cafe is always busy which gives a nice atmosphere and shows they are very popular. Indoor & outdoor covered seating available. Large variety of meals.to choose from. Definitely recommend.

Omg, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. Ok maybe I'm exaggerating but I loved my meal at La Manna today! Grilled chicken with couscous salad- grilled salad on bed of pearl couscous, fetta, spinach, pumpkin, red onion and a lemon dressing. So fresh and tasty! The texture of the chicken resembled more of a poached technique and was tender and delicious! Balanced perfectly by the refreshing couscous salad! I want more!! 5/5

LaManna never disappoints! I come here quite often as the food is always cooked well and tastes delicious! The chicken in the burger is always tender and juicy. Everything is reasonably priced also! The staff are always kind and friendly and go out of their way to ensure you're happy. The cakes and smoothies/juices always seem to hit the spot! Whatever you're doing LaManna keep it going!

Quality food with awesome value for money. A regular for me and I'm never disappointed. Coffee for $3 is unbeatable. I hope you never change xo

This is a great concept that the owners of LeManna Direct have running - a one stop shop for grabbing your well deserved weekend breakfast/brunch before you do your weekly groceries. Its turning your otherwise, mundane grocery run into a family fun excursion. Yes, doing groceries with your kids here can actually be a happy run through the asiles. <br/><br/>We picked up some goodies which you can't find at the neighboring Coles. Their tasting sample stations remind me of Costco and their selection of cakes and treats look way better then commercially made Costco ones.<br/><br/>The cafe serves up some delish looking tucker, enough to rival some hot Fitzroy brunching spots. My only comment would be to make more seating areas, or bit more room to manouver a pram. The adjoining grocery store has ample space to have a race.<br/><br/>The highlights of LeManna Direct: have a healthy or if you choose, a decadent brunch to fuel you up, before checking out their big selection of ice creams, pre-made meals for midweek dinner, or order a cake for your next gathering.

The key to my heart- breakfast food! Always a lovely atmosphere with friendly customer service. My father and I visit la manna every second weekend to have breakfast together and do some grocery shopping.. LaManna is the best place for it! If they had more tables, it would be even better!! Great place, never disappoints!

Dropped in for breakfast today after strolling around the supermarket a couple of times. This place is huge and very impressive but i must admit a little overpriced. Moving on, ordered the strawberry porridge and a coffee, coffee was nice but the porridge - tasted like instant porridge judging by the size of the oats. Cmon guys you have to get a little more creative than to serve instant porridge. Very disappointing.

I usually come here to go grocery as I love all there salad selection and gnocchi. I finally decided to eat at the cafe. It's always busy here so you got to be fast grabbing a table. I ordered the pulled lamb souvlaki and my partner ordered the chicken burger, my meal was just delicious, it was fresh and had so much flavor, it was cooked perfectly nice and juicy. My partners burger was also great, only had one bite but from what I tasted it was flavorsome, and the chips were also good. Bit of a line when ordering, however service there was great all the staff were friendly, keep it up :). Highly recommend

Yum!! We stopped for brunch and a coffee after a very successful shop and were blown away! Not only a great shipping spot but great eggs Benedict and amazing coffee!

This cafe was a huge disappointment after so many of my friends talked it up. There was such limited vegan options - 1 or 2 dishes only from memory and I wanted something savoury, not sweet which made it frustrating. It felt like a factory. I asked for the smashed avo to be made vegan and they literally gave me two massive pieces of really dry toast with avocado on the side. This was the best they could do. Don't think I'd ever go back or recommend this cafe unless they update and improve their menus.

I had the best time at this place. Was expecting a small, homely grocery store and instead was greeted with an incredible supermarket. To start, don't expect table service; you need to order from the counter (no biggie, just an FYI). Food is, however, delivered to your table by very courteous and professional wait staff. The pumpkin smash was delicious, but more halloumi is always welcome, and the coffee was so nice I got another. Tables are plentiful and best of all there is an abundance of newspapers (yay!!).I ended up spending at least another hour browsing the store, which had a vast array of cheeses and meats. Also, there is a literal WALL of dips! Heaven. There are some very uncommon items available (how many shops stock Tomahawk steak or purple carrots??) and the fruit/vege were high quality. Produce prices seem comparable to chain supermarkets, but other items are more expensive. <br/><br/>In addition to the cafe and store, there is also a deli, juice bar, pide station (open 11:30am), gorgeous flower stand, and a bakery. I bought myself some delightful and reasonably priced tulips and desserts (berry crumble cake and the cannoli, highly recommend!!!!)/<br/><br/>I LOVED this place. My only complaint is there isn't one close by. Will definitely be back.

Love this place!!! We had lunch at lamanna cafe on Saturday. Very busy but very high turnover so not hard to get a table. The chicken burger with delicious, one of the best! Smashed avo was ok. Coffee was really good. Fresh juice can be picked up near the cafe counter. Very good system. Make sure you don't fill yourself with the food here, save some room for dessert later in the supermarket. <br/><br/>Huge supermarket with everything you can think of. Hundreds types of cheeses, the deli was amazing! The cake shop in the supermarket was full of mouthwatering Italian cakes, slices, tarts, just looked awesome! We bought a few to try. The cheesecake slices were soooooo good! Everything else we bought were delicious. Don't think you can go wrong with anything. Fruit and veggies are not cheap but top quality. <br/><br/>Before we left, we all had some sorbet/gelato/frozen yoghurt. A small cup is only $2.50, and is much bigger than any average small size. You can pick 2 flavours, and so many to choose from. Kids loved it!<br/><br/>Will definitely go back whenever I'm in the area again!

This place is so special because of its unique offer of products that you just wouldnt find anywhere else. My partner and i had a ball doing our grocery shopping here and would definitely make it a part of our regular grocery shopping. On another note, we came to the cafe on a sunday morning - incredibly busy. The cafe itself has more of a fast food feel to it than a cafe. i ordered smashed avo and toast while my partner had the wagyu burger. My meal came out cold and toast was burnt, however my partner loved his burger and couldnt fault it. Seating is simple and you just sit where ever theres space, most of which are communial tables - not really something i enjoy. Food is priced a little higher than id like it to be; especially the smoothies. perhaps ill come back and try again when the cafe isnt so busy - for now im undecided if its worth the spend.

How could you not love this place everything you need is in one spot, the staff are always amazing, the food, the coffee, the produce is always so spot on thank you La Manna!!! I'll always be a fan of you guys

This is place is ALWAYS busy so be prepared to hover for a table. Service is super quick and nice. I had the Strawberry crumble porridge which was super yummy and filling. The fresh juices are always top notch. Very reasonable prices too.

Great food variety and value for money! We ordered the Gnocci which my daughter loved and I thoroughly enjoyed the Salmon and Quinoa Salad. Great for coffee and cake too!