Review Stagger Lee's - Fitzroy

What a cosy cafe. Love the friendly staff and the atmosphere! The burger was very well constructed with premium ingredients. The mushroom toast was super crispy and flavoursome. My son loved his eggs on toast and muffin. If you are around looking for a good meal, a good place to dine - this is it!

Stagger Lee's is a larger cafe with good indoor and outdoor dining options. They have a takeaway window here with ready made sandwiches, cakes etc too that is Wella rocked and a good variety. Coffee here is ok and the drinks list is decent. Breakfast menu is great with the normal ashes avo but then also breakfast tacos and a beautiful mushroom dish to be enjoyed. Sides are plentiful on offer but costly! Service is friendly but not overly attentive. Great food but a little on the pricer side when you can end up paying over $80 for a 2 person breakfast with coffees

Awesome tasty food. Had beef burger and mushroom and herb toast. So delicious. Friendly staff when ordering coffee and the most perfect leaves in the coffee. Would highly highly recommend

Good coffee and my choice of Mushroom on Toast was a well served portion, however my friend and I thought it was over rated for nothing much different from other Cafes. Chill vibes, however one of the staff who got our table was quite not happy to be working in that day, or maybe too bored, not sure.

Breakfast here with a simple scrambled egg and bacon ordered extra crispy with English breakfast tea. Came out to about $25, standard price for the locale. Firstly, staff very nice, attentive and friendly. Presentation was appealing. The eggs maybe a fraction under done and the plate very small as the two slices of toast served doubled, but the bacon was perfectly crispy as requested, I believe they charge about $7 to add bacon, but it was a really big serve. Over all, incredibly salty though, both eggs and bacon. Will definitely fulfill your sodium requirement for the day. Not sure I am into the dill garnish either, dill is very overpowering, parsley would be a better option. I think the tea was extremely weak and luke warm and the milk was served cold so, was a cold tea every cup. Maybe consider serving hot milk on the side which is standard in cafes in the area. Pretty standard breakfast fare, competitive breakfast market on the street and most other options are better. Staff super cool though. I will try other menu items.

A large rustic space inside with large tables as well as seating outside under umbrellas. A good range of food and drink menu items both hot and cold. Friendly efficient easy going service provides a casual relaxed vibe. The burger came quickly and was suitably tasty.

I went there to have brunch with my bf food was nice,staff also lovely ☺️

Travelled the Fitzroy strip looking a venue that could accommodate 5. Stagger Lees made room for us and did not disappoint our brunch needs! Affordable mimosas, fresh press juice, outstanding meals and Anushka’s service made for a five star experience!

It's not often that you find a chef/owner who is this understanding of delicious food along with vegetarian and vegan options. I mean, this place has it all. If you are a vegan, or vegetarian, just say so. They got you. But if you like meat and eggs, even better. They have more options for you, because of animal protein being one of the building blocks of every restaurant and the vast majority of people eating animal proteins since...well...forever. Delicious, intelligent and conscious food. World most handsome chef as well.

Excellent food, great combination of choice, complex flavours and an exciting menu. I also found the service to be excellent and attentive. Perhaps my only problem with this establishment is I think I have a favourite dish and then I try another dish and it becomes a favourite too!

Food was good, not much choice. Wait staff questionable, took waitress forever to take our order and walked past us several times. Watch another waiter have a cigarette across the road which he threw into a pile of dry leaves, walk back over and cleared a table without washing their hands... Probably won't eat here again if waiter can't follow simple hand hygiene rules.

Went yesterday with a girlfriend and ordered scrambled eggs , with a beautiful seeded toast with avo and goats cheese..... i must say it was the best avo on toast i have had , and I’m very fussy with my eggs , they were the best I’ve tasted. Will be back !!

I won't be going back. My wife and I got seated at a great table, but were then asked to move so a group could be accommodated. Unfortunately the table were moved to was alongside the coffee machine. Conversation was near-impossible with glasses and cutlery constantly being slammed down beside us. Food was okay, but overpriced considering the ambience we endured. Had we known, we would have been much happier waiting longer for an appropriate table, or not bothered to come at all!

Pop in regularly for brekkie here. Always awesome food and coffee and the staff are friendly and attentive. Throw in a great vibe and atmosphere and it's the perfect place for your morning hang out. ��

Not bad . Good service. Coffee was excellent. The food was a bit rich. I had the beef toasty too many flavours mixed together, plus an egg , chutney and pickles, all great, but too much all mixed together �

Great local breakfast spot plus excellent coffee and friendly staff. What more could you want.

I may be bias but the food was to die for. The presentation superb & the staff delightful.

I had the eggs on toast with added egg and roasted tomato, spinach, mushrooms, and feta. The only disappointment was getting goat cheese instead of feta, as I despise goat cheese and love feta. No worries. I was able to eat around the goat cheese. My gentleman adventurer really enjoyed The Mexican with added chorizo. I was drawn in by the name of your restaurant. We just moved here from America and my favorite band, The Grateful Dead, did a cover of Stagger Lee in 1978. You may want to add it to your music rotation. :)

A bit of small mishap with my food but all fixed and then provided the yummiest waffles on the house to make up for it! Amazing

Kindest, sweetest and most thoughtful staff. Thank you so much for looking after me on a very emotional day. Xxx

Cracking spot for beautiful breakfast and top coffee :)

Brisket sandwich was just about the best thing I've eaten all year! Terrific! Thank you!!

Some great vegan options on the menu. Would love to see that expand ��

Quick service, and delicious hearty dishes.

My partner and I called in here for brunch. The service was excellent, so friendly and welcoming I felt like I was at home lol.<br/><br/>We both had a strong almond latte which was really tasty. Yum, great start.<br/><br/>My chicken burger was amazing, butter fried deep chicken burger, bacon, cheese, and soo good. Just what I needed hahaha<br/><br/>My Bloody Mary was spicy, and the gherkin and olives were great. It was another great drink, yum! <br/><br/>My partners Mexican dish of burritos was also really good, full of flavour and fresh salad.<br/><br/>Overall this was a solid experience and I will definitely be going back!

So, Stagger Lee's made its entry into Fitzroy a few years back, and ever since then it has kept up a healthy trade.<br/><br/>While it does breakfast and lunch, the lunch or brunch offering I think is its strength. In addition to doing pretty decent coffee, it does some really decent dishes. Top of podium is 'Peace in the Middle East', perhaps a reference to the fact that lamb is the core ingredient; or perhaps alluding to a dish so delicious is seems agonisingly out of reach.<br/><br/>Peace in the Middle East is a winner - tender, succulent lamb, served with perfectly poached eggs, hollandaise and a tasty hash (just to soak up the yoke). The other alternative is the toast with mushrooms. While seemingly humble, sometimes its the simple dishes done well that stand out.<br/><br/>Stagger Lee's also does really great juices, for those that need a recovery aid, or even just a refresher on a hot day. 4 stars for this joint.

Such a fantastic work catch-up this morning over a delicious breakfast! The food was sensational, the coffee hot and strong and the service friendly and warm - definitely worth the visit 👌😍<br/><br/>Pictured is the Cave Man Granola (puffed quinoa granola, pecans, banana, berries, coconut yoghurt nuts and seeds and almond milk) and Skim Latte

great coffee , fluffy hot cakes . I was disappointed when there was no maple syrup with the hot cakes and when I asked they served me imitation maple syrup which I poured over the whole meal without realising and ruined my breakfast . <br/>When you serve such high quality food , I’m surprised when high quality sauces and condiments aren’t offered.

I had a coffee and a smashed avo on toast type meal here. It was $27 with gluten free bread and really not worth it. The meal was tasty but tiny and the coffee was pretty bitter. Definitely not value for money.

🎃 smashing pumpkins<br/>🏚: Stagger Lee’s<br/>📍: Fitzroy, Melbourne<br/>💵: $18AUD<br/><br/>————————————————————<br/><br/>📝: Head Chef, Chris Hamburger is always working on the menu here at Stagger Lee's. This round is full of fresh, vibrant flavours and ingredients, celebrating all the amazing seasonal ingredients we have to offer with signature full-flavoured, comfort food with a bit of attitude.<br/><br/>❤️: Our favorite can be no other than the sumac roasted butternut pumpkin, romesco, crispy kale chips, smoked almonds, pomegranate, coriander & mint on toast. That mellow flavor of smashed pumpkin goes so well with the crispy kale chips and oozing creamy egg yolk. You couldn’t possibly ask for anything better.<br/>————————————————————<br/>.<br/>.<br/>.
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Stagger Lee's is a modern and swish cafe in the heart of the inner city.  It resides on a corner location on Brunswick Street, and as such offers street views. Its trendy industrial decor features a polished concrete floor, a distressed brick wall adorned with with large framed photos, a timber panelled ceiling. The settings comprise timber and steel tables and complementing chairs.  I found the service friendly - I was welcomed in, attended to immediately, and provided with a bottle of water. Some funky background grooves added to the stylish ambience. The menu offered an extensive number of vegetarian and vegan options, which was good to see. I selected the crumpets (with berries, lemon curd, and mascarpone) which attractively presented and very enjoyable. The coffee was served at a good strength and temperature, and extracted properly (no bitterness). A good dining experience.

The anchovy breakfast may be one of the best I’ve had in Melbourne- rich but not too heavy, perfect eggs and just generally a very artistically constructed meal. The fresh juice was wonderful. It’s a bit pricey for a breakfast joint but you get what you pay for.

Massively underwhelmed. <br/><br/>I was really impressed with staggers lees menu. However, sometimes you don’t feel like the fancy dishes and you just want good old eggs on toast. <br/><br/>I ordered eggs, mushrooms, chicken, tomatoes, spinach and toast. A few things. <br/>My eggs didn’t run and were over done. And the sides were ridiculously small for the price. I got a poxy bit of chicken, mushrooms and spinach. I then later discussed my disappointment on the portion with the waitress and it got brushed aside. <br/><br/>They also buttered my toast which I don’t really like. I don’t eat dairy. And I think buttering toast should be avoided for these purproses<br/><br/>For a brunch establishment in the area it is, I would say they very much need to up their game to compete with the likes<br/>Of Attaboy, the fitz and industry beans.<br/><br/>I wouldn’t go back. <br/><br/>

Starting from their aesthetic photos on Insta, I was really sceptical as to whether the dishes would look just as good in real life, but they were artworks on a plate. Not only that, but it honestly tasted the way it looked. It was beautifully flavoured and refreshing and you could tell the ingredients used were fresh. Definitely would come back to try some other dishes.

Often crowded on the weekend, there's always a fun yet relaxed vibe to be found here. Pleasant service from the staffs, who are prompt and efficient with their tasks.<br/><br/>The skinny latte was just what I needed to give me a much needed boost - strong, smooth and balanced. A tad hot to drink at the start, but very pleasant after it cooled down.<br/><br/>My order of the Caveman Granola was the epitome of crunchy, fruity and nutty. Healthy and wholesome, but unfortunately what let this down was the lack of pumpkin pie puree (a key ingredient listed on the menu). It was very lightly smeared on one side of the bowl, but this was barely enough to provide any flavour to the dish.<br/><br/>The Namaste was another nutritious meal, imagine a poke bowl with a fancier name. The ingredients that made up this dish was fresh and plentiful, save and except for the salmon that was fresh but not plentiful. You can try to spot it in the picture next to the lemon wedges.<br/><br/>A good cafe but needs more to stand out from the crowd.

The food was really tasty. We ordered the "peace in the Middle East " and the anchovies and both were absolutely delicious. The coffee was also good. I highly recommend it.<br/>

I have been to Stagger Lee’s a couple of times. The atmosphere is great as is the service. The main issue I have are the prices - I understand Fitzroy is not a cheap suburb but the prices on the menu are too expensive. With that being said it is a nice place to have a meeting or catch up. The chai tea late are made well.

Great buzzing atmosphere and an iconic cafe in the area. We had the Mexican eggs and truffle mushrooms, and they were perfectly flavoured, fresh and plated in a homey cafe style. No gimmicks here - just good cafe brunch food and coffee.

Just waited 40 minutes on food... staff were completely oblivious to how long we had been waiting. When we finally got someone’s attention, she forgot to put in our order, followed with the worst attempt at an apology and a “you don’t need to pay for your coffee’s”.... we had no intention! Won’t be back...

Came here with my friends today. I had caveman granola which is vegan for sure and also gluten free!!! I really 😍 love it tbh heheh <br/><br/>My friend and her bf had their burger 🍔 and her kind of DIY bowl because she asked to take out the teriyaki and soba noodle, changed into her fav chicken and poached eggs Hahahah<br/><br/>Was good overall, staffs are nice 👍🏼

Real score 3.5 but one of those ones marked down not up. I had the hot salmon with avocado, poached egg and potato rosti. The salmon was a little over cooked unfortunately and was just a bit hard. My companion had the vegan tacos which she really enjoyed. Service was good. Nice atmosphere here. Good place to have a chat because it’s not noisy. Good strong coffee served here but not exceptional. Nice place but it doesn’t really rise above the pack unfortunately.

I've been here consistently since it was opened. The head chef is a foodie ledgend and famous in Melbourne hopsitalty. The Proud Mary coffee is second to none. The menu has plenty of healthy options. I love the grain free Granola.

Location and coffee is great however the food is very average. We ordered poached eggs that we sent back as they were over cooked. The second attempt was no better. We also ordered hash browns which were rock hard and most likely quite old. The cafe seemed to suffer from a lack of care factor. We gave feedback afterwards which was accepted gracefully with sincere apologies. It is still not the sort of place that I can recommend for food.

I enjoyed a good meal here although ordered the $8 "thickshake" and was disappointed that it was essentially a glass of flavoured milk. I would have been more satisfied with a Big M, for a fraction of the price. Please adjust your menu to state the truth, it is a milkshake, at best.

First time here and we came for lunch. I ordered the burger and the meat extremely salty and bland. 2/10 for the burger. My partners meal was eggs on toast with sides, bread was very old a stale. For the price they charge you’re better off going to 20 other coffee shops within 1km radius.

Nice spacious coffee shop with cozy environment. The service was good and quick with gentle staff, but the place was quite dirty, especially the tables. The quality of coffees was just decent.

Friends and I had lunch here on a Sunday. Even though the cafe was quite busy, we were able to get a table. We ordered a Terrarium, mushroom toast and the beef brisket toasty. I really enjoyed my mushroom toast dish..the seasonings in it really brought up the earthy taste of the mushroom. All 3 dishes were well presented and a good portion size. We also had iced coffees, which was nice and strong. Great lunch! <br/>

What a great cafe!!!<br/><br/>Coffee was spot on. But what impressed me was the food. <br/><br/>Good Vibe & Mushroom Toast are some of the best brunch cafe food I've had in a while. Me and my wife have recently been a little jaded by Melbourne cafe scene. It's always the same old aesthetically driven creation.<br/><br/>So this makes me appreciate Stagger Lee very much.<br/><br/>Mushroom toast have a unique strong aroma and umami which works really well with the aged pecorino. Thinking about it makes me salivate. <br/><br/>Good Vibes is another must try dish. Personally I'm neither a fan of greens or poached chicken. But good vibes with poached chicken addon is wonderful dish full of tantalising flavours and goodness.<br/><br/>Coffee is awesome. People here are serious about their coffee and if you are a secret coffee enthusiast...you will appreciate all their detailed preparation and subtle excellence. <br/><br/>Cant wait to try all the other stuff on the menu.

Wheelchair accessible indoors and outdoors. Very spacious. No designated accessible bathroom but the women's toilet is quite large and would fit a small chair. ALTHOUGH the pathway to the toilet although could be accessible it blocked by a beam that narrows the pathways with a table on the side. So I highly doubt even a manual chair could fit through. <br/><br/>Really friendly staff! Able to see that we were outside and without us waiting came to hold the door open.<br/><br/>Coffee was lovely. A nice subtle blend. Food came out SUPER quick. Before our drinks which was a little annoying but I won't complain about quick food. Everything looked and tasted amazing!

interesting dishes plated up quite nicely. tastes pretty good as well. service was quick and efficient. only annoying thing is parking around fitzroy on weekend can get tricky

We come here a few times a year and my usual is the Mexican which is generous and tasty, with added spice from those little bottle sof hot sauce. Coffee here is very good - better than Industry, but a fraction behind Addict. Ambiance is hip and cool but at times (like this time when we were in with a group of 7) the service was a little clunky and an order was missed. But we love it here!

Get old Fitzroy. Caught between a little bit urban, a little bit hipster and a little bit dingy, this is a suburb with character; not to mention some of the best cafe’s within Melbourne in general. Where specifically? Well the namesake of this post is a dead giveaway, but hey; I’m not here to beat around the bush. Stagger Lees has been open for a few years now, yet their combination of great coffee, easy vibes and interestingly delicious cafe food makes it a lesson in how to run a great cafe. But even though it ticks these boxes, I’m always one for the thought that preconceived ideas can be tenuous at best. What did I think?…

My last 2 more recent experiences has not been as good as my first. I had a Smashing Pumpkin here once before which was a flavour explosion of lemon, smoked nuts, a generous serving of trout and plenty of coriander and kale. I have since recommended many people to come & try it. . The 1st time aprox 6 months ago  it wasn't level with my 1st heavenly experience &, i thought, oh well, its a once off, i wont give up on it. This last time was extremely  disappointing, due to hardly any greens, no smoked nuts, way too much dip, looked rushed, a tiny piece of trout. I told the waiter who was very lovely and receptive and compensated by taking off the price of the trout.  I really hope they come back with the goods, as its a great place, but also pricey, so they need to bring the food back up to scratch

This: a good place for avocado toast. I've eaten here a few times now, and was considering giving a 4.5/5 star review, as the avo toast's always excellent. However, last time I ate here it was really busy (packed to the brim) and the avo toast didn't have its useual great taste. Was a bit lacklustre and cold.<br/><br/>Lesson to be learned here is probably give this place your patronage if you are there at an uncommon hour. Not peak dining hour. Plus, 'the atmosphere's improved when the hordes of people are removed', as goes the old adage. <br/><br/>Coffee connoisseurs they are. No if, ands, or buts about it.

We dropped by for a quick coffee and the service was fast, efficient and friendly. The atmosphere is hip and cool. <br/><br/>Their coffee was great and a strong blend which I love. I have heard the food is awesome but didn't have time to try. Will be back for the food.

The menu is slightly different than the one available online. The cocopop French toast was the highlight of our meal (5/5). Would return for this dish only. The corn hotcakes with bacon were interesting. The Baghdad eggs were very disappointing. Would not recommended- very small amount of meat given the price tag and quite bland. Friendly service and seated quickly

My wife had been giving out credit cards a bit of a workout at Rose Street market when we decided we needed a bit of late morning brunch to see away the hunger pains. I liked the name and the cool relaxed vibe that came out to greet us with the outdoor tables on this sunny day. I loved the interior with its wood grain tables and dark shelving full of coffee beans and supplies and exposed brickwork. Even the staff had a certain cool swagger. I ordered the Stack & Billy Burger which came with bacon pickles and cheese plus the added calorific bonus of bacon croquettes. Tasty wee morsels of goodness they were to. The burger was satisfying in so many ways but I ran out of space to try anything else. Cloudy apple juice was cloudy and it delivered on flavour also. Coffee was a little disappointing. I expected great things but received meh. All up though a delicious brunch and I would come back to Stagger Lee's for some more comfort food.<br/><br/>...oh yes and my wife loved the duck egg blue coffee cups.

Awesome find ! <br/>Friendly quick service , really nice and clean decor <br/>Had green lady cocktails which were refreshing and delicious <br/>Food was fresh , nice and tasty ! <br/>Can't really say anything bad about it ! Will be going back

Staggers Lee is a sensational eatery located on the corner of Brunswick street, just before Johnson street. The inviting cafe offers plenty of outside seating ensuring warmth from outdoor heaters and shade provided by broad umbrellas making it suitable for Melbourne’s ever changing weather conditions. The interior is modernistic, showcasing there signature trade of outstanding coffee with cold drip glass catches located on big communal tables. Window seating is evident, enabling people to enjoy the pleasant past time of people watching, whilst the back of the cafe has seating all along the side wall until the kitchen, suitable for company of two or more. <br/><br/>Upon entering this marvellous cafe on a late Wednesday afternoon for a much needed caffeine kick and cheeky bite to eat, we where greeted by a relaxed waitress who gestured for us to sit anywhere we pleased as the cafe was not very busy at all. We plonked ourselves on a table easy fit for four in the corner as menus where placed in front of us. Caffeine was needed, and fast and when noting that Staggers Lee serves Proud Mary beans, a long black and soy latte where the first words out of our mouths.<br/><br/>We where left to explore the extensive diverse menu that certainly offers something for everyones palate. After much discussion our drinks arrived and we finally decided to order the Cave Man Granola and The Mexican. The coffees where outstanding. The long black was thick and bold with refined acidic tangy textures resting on the palate in mouthwatering fashion. The soy latte was silky and creamy with the perfect amount of froth that flirted with the top of the glass. <br/><br/>Whilst enjoying Staggers Lee tasteful background music that further endorsed a relaxing, creative atmosphere our meals arrived. Looking immaculate, plated with care and respect to the fresh ingredients, we could not wait to dig in. The Mexican obviously consisted of soft shell corn tortillas, charred corn, lime and tomatillo salsa, avocado, fried eggs, creme fraiche and herbs with added jalapeno was a flavour assault on the taste buds. The soft tortillas where lovely and smoking crafting for the perfect base to absorbed the gooey fried egg. The salsa was tart and fresh and very herbaceous. The avocado was in abundance and the only thing that could have lifted this dish would be to have less of the creme friache, as it was a bit too strong and didn’t pair well with the authentic Mexican flavours. <br/><br/>The Cave Man Granola of toasted almonds and meal, mixed seeds, coconut, strawberries, banana, and organic almond milk with a raspberry coyo was a savoury and sweet combination of a nut lovers dream. Firstly the dish looked outstanding. One is immediately drawn to the bright pink smear of raspberry coyo slathered around the bowl. The granola itself was littered with massive whole macadamias, sticky almonds with various grains and seeds. The dried chewy coconut paired well with the refreshing, sweet banana and berries. The almond milk sealed the deal as it was silky and thick absorbing the nutty textures and paired perfectly well with the light and fluffy coyo when all mixed in together, manufacturing a flawless divine dish. <br/><br/>Staggers Lees is a trendy cafe that service outrageously good coffee and food in a classic Fitzroy careless environment. The staff are friendly and happy for a chat ensuring one leaves with a full belly and a mighty fine caffeine kick.

I had a relaxing brunch today. Was impressed with the Menu! I had the best latte (proud Mary espresso blend) and a BBQ beef brisket toastie with padano cheese and pickles... T-A-S-T-Y! !

Great prices, awesome mocha! Great people working there... Give it a go! Outdoor seating as well. Convenient location in the heart of Fitzroy.

Nice breakfast/ brunch place to visit.<br/><br/>Love the fresh pear, apple, like and mint juice, very refreshing on a hot day, nice combination. <br/><br/>The special dish of the day, salmon with corn salsa and dark rye chips. Quite impressive that they sliced the dark rye bread so thinly, if is supposed to be crispy and crunchy, I think best to serve with a small bowl separately, the sauce has soaked into the bread, so some part was quite chewy. Love the combination of the salad, grilled corns and green tomato, very light and tasty dish.<br/><br/>Partner ordered the crab omelette, I've tried some, taste good too.<br/><br/>Due to public holiday, 10% surcharge applied, however didn't see any notice on the menu or front door, would be great to be informed with the surcharge.

Ordered: <br/>🍊Smashing Pumpkins (v): roasted butternut pumpkin smash, poached egg, crispy kale, romesco, smoked almonds, pomergranate, toast ($17) <br/>+ bacon ($5) <br/>+ smoked trout ($6) <br/><br/>Food review: <br/>🌱There were so many textures off this dish- the softness of the pumpkin, the crispy kale (!!), the burst of pomegranate seeds, PERFECTLY CRISPY bacon and the freshness of the trout. <br/>Loved the different textures but the flavors were ok. Conclusion: I guess I'm a textures > flavours kind of person.

A great place to meet with friends and family over brunch on the weekend or a meeting during the week. It's a perfect location if you're in Fitzroy or within it's surroundings and not mention, amazing food and great service as well. The smashing pumpkins was incredible!! So tasty filled with flavour and made with love kale crisps, poached eggs with avocado and sliced radish. Highly recommended to get you through the day.

My final brunch for my visiting friend was held at Stagger Lee‘s, a charming corner cafe in Fitzroy that was one of my colleague’s brunch recommendations whilst in Melbourne. This had been on my to do list for a while, much like my tax lodgement. Like the ATO’s new platform for lodging your tax return via MyGov™, getting a table was nice and easy (minus the part evading the bogans who couldn’t decide to go in or not) and service was efficient. Christina went with the seafood omelette special, which she said was pretty good but nothing astronomical.

Attentive wait team and great coffee and food. Loved the mushroom toasty but bring back to polenta truffled mushrooms please!!! Always a joy!! Thanks

Starting with the negatives. The waiters were a little joyless and my poached egg was not oozing.<br/><br/>The highlights. Well everything else. We ordered three dishes and we loved all three dishes, shame about my egg. Anyway, I can't wait to return and try more, especially if this is their usual standard. Because in that case will be coming back again and again.<br/><br/>Places like this makes it harder on the regular cafe. It's why I'm finding it harder and harder to be go to the everyday coffee spot. Poached eggs with a nice hollandaise just doesn't excite me like it used to. But smashed pumpkin, buttery crumbling kale with smoked trout and crispy skin. Uh hello yes this is something I look forward to as lets face it, it's totally scrumptious. So work on the poached eggs, bring the joy back to the floor and we have another flawless gem in Melbourne

Pretty nice single origins. Amazing cafe food.<br/>Between us we had a granola, poached egg / pumpkin / smoked trout dish, and a pickled anchovies / fried egg dish. All were full of different but equally fantastic flavours and textures. Clearly a lot of attention has gone into the creation and execution of every dish here! My wife's egg was *slightly* over cooked but only nit-picking here.<br/><br/>Atmosphere including music choice was great too. Service not bad.<br/><br/>We will be back.

The food here is good, so it's with a heavy heart I had to rate the overall experience a 1. The service is just not good enough. Unfortunately it's the second time I've been treated badly. <br/>It's such a shame as the chef is obviously talented and being let down. <br/>I won't be back.

Came here on a Tuesday morning with friends and it was relatively quiet. Together we had the mushroom toast, crumpets and poached eggs on toast. The food came out promptly and was incredible so we were very happy with that. The service however was average at best. The staff messed up our coffee orders multiple times. It was also hard to get them to take our order even though it was quiet. Overall food and coffee is amazing definitely worth coming for but the service was a disappointment.

My business manager told me I spend $1k per quarter here. Oops. The food and staff are magnificent! I'm an extreme paleo eater (22 years off grains, dairy and sugar) and I'm a coffee roaster and cafe auditor. Suffice to say go here.

One on my faves and always reliably found here at least once every three weeks. Can't go past the truffly shrooms either on toast or polenta. The brown sugar porridge is so good it needs to be a staple on the menu! Coffee always great and staff the best. Thank you staggers!

I went there on a Saturday morning, it was quite busy but service was excellent and especially the food. The food was amazeballs. My husband and I ordered the Stack 'n' Billy Burger and the Lamb Neck Pappardelle. Oh my God that burger tho!! So so so good! I also love the interior of this place, it's just comfy. Recommended place!

Visited here with some girlfriends on Saturday, left full and satisfied but not wanting to return. The waitress that served us majority of the time was lovely but did make a few mistakes. Nothing major though so not an issue. However, the other waitress that served our food and brought another bottle of food (after asking for it) was rude, dismissive and not friendly at all. I had the Smashing Pumpkin which I thought was a breakfast salad as that's the way it reads, but when it came out as all the ingredients atop two pieces of toast I was slightly disappointed. This disappointment dissipated when I tasted my meal as it was delicious. The first coffee they brought over was lukewarm so I asked for another one to be hotter and this came out perfect temperature but the coffee was just ok. Thanks Stagger Lee's for the delicious breakfast, but not so much for the interesting service...

Went here for the third or fourth time in Friday.<br/><br/>Well it's a solid contender as a great local cafe. <br/>Consistently good coffee and food.<br/><br/>Today I had the roast chicken leg special on a bed of green peas lentils and chunky bacon with grill raddichio <br/><br/>This dish was good warming winter food. The stew/braise of lentils peas and bacon was delicious with the moist roasted chicken leg.<br/><br/>My counterpart had the soba noodles with poached chicken and although slightly different spin on the same dish from two months earlier very satisfying and tasty.<br/><br/>This place fails to let you down and the crowds and queues on weeks are a true sign they are on to something right.<br/><br/>Check it out<br/><br/>I will be going back for my fifth visit yet

This isn't a new joint , but at least it good to know that after two years of not being here and needing somewhere to fuel up after yoga and warm up thanks to the cold blast , stagger lees is still a worthy Breakie joint along Brunswick st

Good magic coffee here (Proud Mary), and love the look of the place.<br/>I enjoyed my brisket baguette too; tasty and juicy with parmesan. And my partner enjoyed his simple chicken avocado toasted sandwich.<br/><br/>♡

A friend and I had breakfast here a few weeks ago. The food was nice, I had the omlet which I thought was a little unusual served with chilli, I didn't expect it to be that hot and it made me not finish my meal.<br/>The place has a nice rustic atmosphere and was super busy and slightly hectic on our Sunday lunch. <br/>Nevertheless a good pick for breakfast!

Been here a couple of times as the brisket toastie keeps calling me back...soooo delicious! My partner has fallen in love with the caveman granola, and there's a few other items I definitely want to try. Always been early, but staff have been friendly and attentive. Chilled vibe and great prices.

Sep'17 - forgot we asked about the free range meat before and this time they could only guarantee the lamb and chorizo was, not the chicken and pork. A bit strange...<br/><br/>May'17 - Had lunch, shared spiced braised lamb shoulder special which was absolutely delicious! Service was nice. Meat is free range!!<br/><br/>Jun'16 - Nice corner cafe. Had a Sunday afternoon coffee here with a cheeky orange almond cake (gluten free). The cake was nice and coffees were good. Because we were quite late (about 3:30) there was plenty of space.

Consistently great breakfasts and coffee here. My go to are the pork hock beans (seems like they don't have it right now on the menu) or their corn tacos with fried egg.

Can't remember the last time I had such a delicious breakfast! My partner and I had the Little Fish & the Pea and Goat Cheese omelette - both faultless. Can't wait to come back.

A nice place. I tried sweet corn waffle on their special menu and I really love it. served with avocado, mushroom, poached egg, relish and butter. the waffle is fresh and hot and just matching all three sauces. Hope they could keep this meal.

Good service and excellent food. I had the crumpets, which were amazing; I cannot recommend them highly enough. Coffee is also pretty good.

Located along Brunswick Street, Tram 11 towards West Preston via Brunswick Street and about a minute walk gets you to this cafe easily. <br/><br/>If there is one thing I hate about having brunch, is waiting ages to get seated. Walking in to Stagger Lee’s at 1pm and being seated immediately was a plus point for me.

YARM! I liked everything here. Mushrooms were fabulous. The Smashing Pumpkins were just that, smashing.<br/><br/>Also Dr Marty crumpets, come to Adelaide please.

Tried the waffles and they're great! Honey glazed I think, but im not sure. Crispy and the whole combination with the berries are perfect. Sad to say the portion of the ice cream should have been more generous though. I also tried the soba, and they're wonderful (a bit sour as they put a lot of lemon- but great)

Great Fitzroy cafe. Can get pretty busy at times, but both the food and coffee is good. Nice selection of beans and brews, and highly recommend "the mexican" if there for breakfast or brunch

Was recommended to dine here for a solid hamburger, and was not disappointed.<br/>Order the Stack & Billy Burger:<br/>Black Angus Beef Patty (cooked med)<br/>Topped with ketchup, American mustard, aioli, cheddar cheese, pickles, lettuce, and bacon, on a toasted bun.<br/><br/>Served with couple bacon croquettes.<br/><br/>Fantastic! <br/>Burger was juicy, sauces blended well for beautiful flavor, the bacon croquettes were amazing. Writing this up, I want another one.

I stopped here on my way to the airport on a Sunday for lunch. They were quite busy but we snapped up a spot on the window bar where we could sit and watch the world go by.<br/>Service was prompt and friendly and the decor was funky and cool, just as you would expect in fitzroy. <br/>The coffees came out efficiently and I thought they were really good. I did think the meals were a bit slow to come out but it was a busy Sunday so perhaps that is to be expected. The wait was soon forgotten though by the amazing plate in front of me. I ordered the mushroom breakfast and it was divine. A great range of mushrooms used with perfect seasoning, the aioli was delicious, the cheese was a beautiful thin layer, the egg flipped like I had asked for and lovely fresh bread. It was an awesome brunch to leave a lasting taste of Melbourne on my tongue before heading interstate. Will definitely come back

ummm Wow! Thought the brekky tacos might be a bit standard and self-explanatory but holy shit. Go and order them! I added bacon but you didn't even need any additions (although get bacon anyway to take this dish to a 12/10). So filling, so tasty, so colourful, never wanted it to end. Also, staff were awesome.

The food was really nice and filling. We ordered waffles and a terrarium which is a rice pudding with Autumn fruits. These days, I feel like the waiters don't write the orders down on a piece of paper rather than trying to remember stuff. The waitress seemed busy and frustrated, running around the cafe. We ordered chips which they forgot. Luckily they didn't charge us. Overall would go there again!

Food and coffee is fantastic but service is awful. Parts of the order forgotten and rather than arriving in a normal order of coffee, smoothie then food it arrived as food, then coffee, then 10 mins later smoothie <br/><br/>

A bit arrogant staff. Maybe the need of time they understand that customer needs more than just menu card. Waited for someone to attend and then waited too much for our order. Had to leave at end and went to a close by cafe Atomica For some fantastic coffee. took away their beans at home as well as they used to roast on spot in the past and are a massive hit still after 20 years.

In Brunswick Street in Fitzroy you’ll find Stagger Lee’s. An eatery with a bit of edge. Stagger Lee is a bit of an urban legend, you could be familiar with the Nick Cave song of that name or the original story. Stag Lee, or Stack Lee was an African American pimp living in St Louis in the 19th century. He became known as Stag for his solitary behaviour and was famous for his shooting of a fellow underworld figure in a Saloon to recover his Stetson hat. He went to jail for his crimes, and his act and name became a part of folklore, appearing in a song as early as 1893 and immortalised by over 400 versions since. Why name a cafe after a man who committed a violent murder? According to Stagger Lee’s they wanted to inject a bit of bad-ass into Fitzroy, and ensure that people would never take another pimps hat!

I ordered the burger, it was nothing to write home about. I was expecting a flavoursome patty, but it was bland and had hard gristly bits. The coffee was average and the croquettes were really mushy, not a very nice mouth feel. <br/>On a positive note the portions are big, the sauce in the burger was flavoursome and the outside seating is quite nice.

An after lunch snack consisted of their special Roast pumpkin. Busy place as we walked in on a Saturday, Gives off a similar vibe like Newtown in Sydney. Hip and cool. Staff were attentive even though they were buys. We initially wanted the salmon tartare but was told they no longer had that special! Good place to catch up with mates for brunch etc.

Hip atmosphere with a diverse menu. Something here for all tastes. The special we had that day was the Roast pumpkin and kale on toast with pomegranate, romesco, smoked almonds and a poached egg $14 and it was full of flavour and very fresh. Customer service is friendly.

Grainy timber furnishings, beanies, teal weatherboard panels, amber glass bottles, freshly ground coffee, hanging light bulbs, and that archetypal exposed brick wall – yep we’re definitely in Fitzroy! This stereotypical setting can get a bit repetitive, but for the love of poached eggs and all things Melbourne, I adore this brunch culture. Named after the gutsy Missouri gangster, Proud Mary’s bad ass cousin embodies a Western theme with its game menu and slick attitude.The relaxed ambience makes for a perfect pit stop as you stroll along Brunswick street and marvel at Fitzroy’s quirky streak.

ATMOSPHERE:<br/><br/>Grainy timber furnishings, beanies, teal weatherboard panels, amber glass bottles, freshly ground coffee, hanging light bulbs, and that archetypal exposed brick wall – yep we’re definitely in Fitzroy! This stereotypical setting can get a bit repetitive, but for the love of poached eggs and all things Melbourne, I adore this brunch culture. Named after the gutsy Missouri gangster, Proud Mary’s bad ass cousin embodies a Western theme with its game menu and slick attitude.The relaxed ambience makes for a perfect pit stop as you stroll along Brunswick street and marvel at Fitzroy’s quirky streak.<br/><br/>SERVICE:<br/><br/>The staff warmly greeted us and quickly found us a table. Our lovely gal even talked through some of the menu items and board specials.<br/><br/>FOOD:<br/><br/>I had to order the Buttermilk Fried Chicken Burger (~$17) which I had been lusting over for quite some time now as foodies cruelly taunted me, flooding my Instagram feed with pictures of the impressive stack – #FoodPorn. Served with bacon, slaw and thick cut chips, I reveled in the naughty, high-calorie experience and I highly recommend you do, too! Fittingly, we also ordered the Little Pig ($19.00), an inventive consummation of flavours uniting Jamon iverico delicately rolled into roses, fior de latte, grilled zucchini, compressed melon, asparagus, mixed leaves, chili oil and toast. I was pleasantly surprised by the unusual balance of flavours – it was just splendid! To finish off with a fresh palate, we also ordered a Juice, The Rizzo ($8.00) – a luscious concoction of watermelon, apple, strawberry and mint!

I am in two minds about Stagger Lee's: whilst I have sampled the menu and found it to be nice and eclectic with the coffee more than acceptable, I always arrive at a time (mid-afternoon) when they seem to be closing and feel rushed. They should consider staying open longer.

Great little place up in Fitzroy, has heaps of vegan and gluten free options so caters for everyone. The beef brisket toastie is the best thing on the menu 👌<br/>

Stagger Lee's is all about gorgeous food. Chef Chris and his team are creative and they are bold, so the menu here is full of interesting flavors, and vibrant colors.

This is the best cafe in Melbourne by a long shot! Staff are friendly and efficient, coffee is delicious and the food is some seriously mind blowing stuff. Close your eyes and choose blind from the menu and YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED! Yum

I went and checked this cafe with friends. I had Stack and Billy Burger - black angus shin patty, double smoked bacon, aioli, catsup, american mustard, house pickles, cheddar and our bacon croquettes. I can't say the food was amazing. It was average. The staff are not very welcoming when we came here. Unfortunately, I have to say I was not overly impressed with this place.

Nice little place in Fitzroy. I had the Zucchini, broad ran and pea omelette which was very good. It came with two slices of toast which made is a big dish that I could not finish!<br/>Great smoothies too. I had the Governor / which is recommended if you don't want to get a porridge/acai/ fruit breakfast. It definitely satisfies those cravings which allowed me to go for the savoury breakfast.

So... Stagger Lee's is one of those places that I'd just held off going to. Not really sure why. Heard plenty of positive reviews, but it was probably because it was often busy. <br/><br/>And, you know how it is. You drag your sorry behind out of the bed, and end up turning up at the same time that every one else does (who has the same idea for brunch). I'm not really a fan of peak times and waiting.<br/><br/>Lucky for us, there was room at the window.<br/><br/>Had The Mexican and the Mushroom Toast. Both were very good. The Mexican was the stand out, ordered with a side of bacon. (So much so that it was IG'd. Yes, the shame.)<br/><br/>Staff were staff. Some a bit friendlier than others, all at arm's length.<br/><br/>Overall, great.<br/><br/>And now I'm constantly hounded to go back for The Mexican.<br/><br/>Visited 29 November 2015.

Booked a table for breakfast and still finishing our coffee when we got the not very subtle hint that they wanted to clear the table. Totally fine with moving on but if you just explain the situation it would have been better and not so awkward.

I was so disappointed with my experience.<br/><br/>The staff were rude, unhelpful and did not engage with us. <br/><br/>They seemed to begrudgingly serve us and it was obvious that this was not how they wished to spend their Christmas Eve. <br/><br/>We ordered Cold Drip, to be told that it was sold out because "as we know, it is Christmas Eve" which was fine, iced long blacks were offered as an alternative. We agreed.<br/><br/>Regular long blacks were sent out instead. We kindly told the waitress that this was not quite what we ordered, and my dining partner decided that she no longer wanted the iced long black, and would stick with water.<br/><br/>I then ordered the green salad without avocado, I'm allergic. Then after the longest time the food arrived, with avocado. I did not even bother to send it back because by this point we just wanted to eat and leave.<br/><br/>When we went to pay - we were surprised to see two long blacks on our bill. We questioned this, and the barista, very rudely, informed us that "he went to the effort to make them" despite the order being made wrong, "so we should make the effort to pay for it."<br/><br/>Awful. I will never come back. And I am telling my friends to do the same.

Visited once for brunch. Busy, but seated relatively quickly. The menu seems interesting and with a lot to offer. I had the avocado dish, which was okay, but nothing memorable. Nothing particularly bad about the dish - it was tasty enough - but disappointed with the serving size, especially for the price. Probably won't make the trip again (other side of the city for me).

Bbq beef brisket toastie had good flavour and was very tasty. There was a generous amount of brisket and cheese. Mushroom toast with truffle and fried egg was surprisingly more filling than it looked. Also delicious. Basil milkshake was a winner.

Stagger Lee's offers an inventive menu, in an open space with quirky decor. Arriving at around 12:30 on a weekday, the cafe was almost full, The staff were efficient and the wait for food and drinks was brief. The menu features a range of enticing options, however, I decided to go with the Hash due to the appeal of the ox tongue, which really stood out as the highlight of the dish. The flavours of the dish complemented each other really well and I loved the texture of the ox tongue.

It always starts with a coffee, and as I write this I'm thinking 'man I speak a lot about coffee and must look like a complete idiot in a shop making the perfect picture of what I drink'. But do you know what..... I don't mind looking like one of those people. I love escaping and what could be something that is boring to some can really mean a lot to the other. When I write, I have to say it's like I've eaten the meal twice.

i was flying solo for brunch on cup-day weekend as my musician husband is currently rehearsing for a show… so decided to head into trendy brunswick street for a try of stagger lee’s latest menu. these guys are synonymous with good food + coffee in inner-melbourne – having also brought us proud mary – and this is not my first visit. but memories of a delicious coco-pops french toast had me craving something sweet for breakfast (a regular occurrence) and i remember seeing a few enticing looking items from their new menu popping up on my instagram feed recently.

A great afternoon spent with my colleague after work at this cafe. They definitely have an interesting menu and I ordered the chilled spanner crab and prawn trifle which is packed with flavours and absolutely delicious. However the flat bread is bit too salty to my liking and it's a let down for me. But overall, I will definitely recommend this place to my friends! ☺☺

Firstly, what an interesting menu! I a took a shot of ordering randomly and was so pleasantly surprised, amazing ! Loved everything about this place, highly recommended :)

A nice/casual environment and a great place for brunch. I went with something simple the last time I was there #AvoWithPoachedEggsOnToast (I know that's quite long. Haha). Not too expensive and great food, definitely a place to check out. Good customer service too, which is always important for a great cafe experience! If you're in the mood for something sweet (like I am always!), you could try the #CaramelPixie milkshake or go with a regular coffee.

A great afternoon spent in this modern casual cafe. Coffee great and meals to match. Service is friendly and efficient. Easy for a catch up with friends and pass a couple of hours.

After waltzing up and down Brunswick street, deciding where to satisfy my breakfast cravings with a good friend of mine, we were struck with Stagger Lees to fulfill our dying needs. <br/>The customer service was lovely and I was excited to dig into a delicious meal. I ordered the Spring Simple with smoked trout -  which left me in a food coma; it was incredible. The multiple tastes complimented each other perfectly, it was the perfect breakfast and covered my lunch too. <br/>Although the food was delicious,  I was quite dissapointed with my coffee (my regular soy mocha) which I quite enjoy with no sugar - although had to add because I wasn't enjoying the taste so much. <br/>With that in mind, I am not going to let that bring my review down. I've seen multiple reviews that claim their coffee is great. Will definitely be back to try another.

Little gem in the heart of Fitzroy area , awesome selection of breakfast dishes! Really hard to make a choice. The Billy burger is always a winner though

Wen't on a Sunday and had no problem getting a table. Great selection on the menu, was definitely tossing up between a few dishes. Wait time was a little on the longer side. I think we waited 30 minutes for our meals for a table of 3.

Love the menu here, wanna go through all the dishes they just look so good! Coffee's great and from PMC and the food is super good, heaps of brunch and lunch options.

Cool and fancy brunch spot, called Stagger Lee's. The staffs were also super friendly too. I ordered the pan fried buttermilk chicken. Overall, my chicken meal was good as tge chicken was super crispy. And my friend ordered the steak burger & she said it was good.

Been here twice now, and both times we had amazing service and great food and drink! First time was with a group of 11 people, and they catered to us so well (one of the only places in the area that would). The staff were highly attentive and really friendly, I'll definitely be going back!

I was only able to try the coffee here on my last trip, so this time, I made sure I was able to squeeze in food despite the fact that we'd just come from brekky down the road. And what better than buttermilk fried chicken for a second brekky eh? It came with cauliflower rice, jalapeño and lime mayo and kimchi. Soooooo good! In fact, the best cafe food I've had in all my Melb trips (so far!). The batter on the chicken was so tasty and it was crunchy as hell. The boy scoffed all the cauliflower rice - couldn't believe how something so healthy tasted that good. Loved this. Definitely going to be a must visit on all future visits. Fantastic coffee too. Win win.

My wife took me here on a whim this morning. Had a fantastic brunch. The place was pumping, and the head waitress was very businesslike. However, her appie was super friendly. The food was quite simply top notch. My wife's shrouds had the best polenta that I have ever tasted. My omelette was really good and tasty. I was a bit suspicious of the green peas served with it, but in the end it really complimented the rest of the plate. The only downside, and it was slight, was that the coffee was very strong. Highly recommended.

Place: no ridiculous queue outside, fun and friendly staff<br/>Food: average, nothing to really complain about, nothing to really rave about either. <br/>

How cool is this cafe?<br/>Once an old sandwich bar, the team have turned this place into a fantastic foodie hall (well not quite a hall, but it's better than just a cafe). <br/>Had some brekky that included the bacon croquettes that were delish!<br/>

Yep! Superb breakfast here. Service, staff were great. Nice vibe. Coffee was good. <br/>The spanner crab and pea omelette was so yummy. Would be nicer if the radishes were pickled, but it was so yum without that. My fiancee had scrambled eggs with bacon and the bacon was crispy and great.

Absolute favourite brunch/lunch/cafe spot on brunswick St. Always want to stop in for a chai, coffee or something to eat. Lovely staff and atmosphere<br/>:)

A very enjoyable breakfast. Friendly service, a relaxed vibe. Two delicious juices, a spanner crab omelette and an eggs and bacon later, my dining companion and I left flavour satisfied....

First time here, I had the berry badass waffle, omg it taste amazing. Didn't wait too long for coffee and food even though the place were completely packed. Very happy with the service as well.

When looking at the menu I was torn between the buttermilk fried chicken and the the beef brisket toastie. I decided on the toastie and now I'll be having a nap because my body has diverted all its energy into digesting all the rich awesomeness that was held between two humble pieces of bread. This is the Maserati of toasties, I feel like a king

This is probably one of my favorite places to eat in Fitzroy. My coffee is always well made and the menu is filled with heaps of great things to try. I can never decide what to get when I'm here because of how amazing the menu is. Have been 3-4 times already this year and ordered different things each time and always enjoyed them. Highly recommended and is my go to place to take my friends when we go out for brunch in Fitzroy

My friend and I ordered the shrooms 'n' truffles and the spanner crab and green pea omelette respectively. They were both delicious! It is a cafe definitely worth checking out!

I've passed by many times without stopping, but the menu looked so awesome that I knew I'd need to have lunch there one day.<br/><br/>I came here alone on a Thursday afternoon at around 1:30-2pm, and ordered a coffee, and buttermilk fried chicken, although there were several things on the menu I that sounded interesting. <br/><br/>Don't bother with the chicken. It was thickly breaded, dry, and bland. <br/><br/>And the coffee? The coffee was good, not great.<br/><br/>Service was poor. Actually, I should be fair and say that the waitress who served me didn't have a great attitude. She basically asked me, "Yeah, so what do you want?", which was rude. However, I saw another customer get decent service from another waitress.<br/><br/>I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone, but I may give them a second chance. If I do, I'll update their rating accordingly.

Walked in, greeted, seated, was given menu, ordered coffee - simple as that to create good impressions. I noticed the two different Proud Mary blends and my attention was captured instantly by the red apple blend. Luckily that was the one I was served with. <br/><br/>Hands down the best long black I have had for months. The 4 group handle manual Synesso Coffee Machine orchestrated by its coffee guru did its magic. Clean, well-bodied, textured and creamy long black. Flavors of red apple, honey and green grapes - hallelujah sister.<br/><br/>I ordered the truffled polenta and forrest mushrooms. I was instantly hit by the beautiful light scent of garlic which felt like home. the mushrooms were nicely pan cooked - not overly done which was great in order not to get that mushy texture. <br/><br/>The venue is hipster inspired although these days unless overly hipster no impressions are made. Our eyes are so used to this type of decor that it needs something extreme to make an impression. Nothing special here other than a nice, toned down cafe with relaxing tunes to enjoy a nice breakfast. <br/><br/>Service was a little rushed - not gentle but not rude or aggressive either. Just neutral in my opinion which is not on the plus side if you ask me. I can see there is the potential of leaning into the negative side if the venue is packed.<br/><br/>Overall great coffee and food with some improvements on service. Great job guys...

Amazing breakfast on Brunswick street! I have only ever had the Bircher and the cave man granola here but both were so good! The cave man granola was definitely my favourite, offering a sweet breakfast that is very different to what I have experienced at any other cafés. It is deliciously nutty, sweet and flavoursome, with the highlight probably being the pumpkin and coconut flavours. <br/>They do great coffee here too, staff always seem super busy but are always polite.

Cool cafe the waffles were so good I could eat those again in a heartbeat.the sandwich was great I'd would come back for sure.great selection on menu great looking cafe

Amazing creamy polenta with the mushrooms and truffle. I definitely recommend the espresso coffee with the honey taste. Delicious. Perfect place for brunch.

Went into this corner cafe today and it definitely exceeded our expectations! Service, Coffee and Food quality was EXCELLENT! <br/>We had the <br/>1. Stack & Billy burger : comes w Bacon croquettes which is simply AMAZING. <br/>2. Shrooms & Truffles<br/>3. Steak & Eggs<br/><br/>delicious!

I've been here for the first time yesterday and I have to say that was a really positive surprise..I usually get the bircher muslie when I go out for brunch and I'm always really picky about it, their bircher was one of the best that I had in such a long time and well presented too!!all the other meals that my friends had were goodlooking and as they said tastefull!!service was attentive and the ambience really cosy!I will be back!!

Just tried the shrooms and truffles and it was beautiful! There were so many interesting menu options I wanted to try them all. Will definitely have to come back soon

Stopped in to try out a local joint. Good food, quick service, very accommodating wait staff. Ordered the Burger, good portion taste and came with bacon croquet's. No complaints, I will return.

Great place - spacious, friendly and knowledgeable staff, perfect coffee and a menu that is unique and different to your standard cafe. The Caveman Granola was pretty tasty. Well worth checking out

I really like this cafe but if you're on a diet you'll miss out on the best dishes. Think contemporary American with the calories to go with it. I like the truffle mushrooms and toasted sandwiches. They have local Almond Milk and their gluten free bread is nice. Good coffee.

I like it. It isn't amazing & most times I feel that the service kinda lets done the food. But in saying that last time I was in I recieved some of the best service I've ever had & felt the food was below its regular excellence. Maybe I was just so impressed with the floor staff... I'm not sure. either way I would still highly recommend.

The last time we were here we ordered the gangsta milkshake - caramel pixie flavour. It was super tasty and made from caramel syrup, vanilla ice cream, milk and honeycomb. The staff were friendly and helpful.

Original, tasty dishes. Sublime coffee from Proud Mary. Really loved the attention to detail on each plate and the eclectic personalities of the staff.

Over summer, Trading Plates went and checked out Stagger Lees , a super cool café in Fitzroy. Stagger Lees head chef, Chris Hamburger, was kind enough to let us in on some of his tricks of the trade and what goes on behind the scenes at Stagger Lees. The flavour-loving chef comes from food royalty, with both his Mother and Grandmother being cooks.

‘We can stay up late, swap manly stories and in the morning, I’m makin WAFFLES’. Donkey from Shrek knows how to live the good life. This long weekend, we took his advice, heading to Stagger Lee’s to swap manly (or rather womanly) stories, with a side of buttermilk waffles. Long weekends call for indulgences, after all.<br/><br/>The Shrooms ‘n’ Truffles is a quintessential winter warming dish. That gleaming confit egg yolk, those thin shavings of pecorino and the smell of truffle wafting through the air. Hungrycookie has a weakness when it comes to Truffles and this #instafamous dish satisfied all expectations. Every restaurant has it’s star and for Stagger’s its the Shrooms. Our friend opted for the ‘The Simple’, a non-complex dish of breakfast favorites – avocado, trout and poached eggs on thick sourdough. A tad too simple for my ravenous appetite, plus the weather is bloody cold! Sugar lovers will gravitate towards the buttermilk waffles with a side of pistachio gelato and scatterings of vibrant berries. The crunchy element comes in the form of a Canadian maple nut crunch.<br/><br/>The sister to Proud Mary is equally as attractive and delicious. So, set your alarms and head over to Brunswick Street.

I woke up feeling hipster yesterday so I decided to casually saunter down and assimilate myself into the cult (...ure) that is the glory of Fitzroy. Took a photo of the entrance of Stagger Lee's and since it didn't turn out blurry (and therefore, utilisable!) I took it as a sign that I should enter (jokes, I stalked it on Urbanspoon first like we all do. edit: which has now changed to Zomato).

Stagger Lee’s on Brunswick Street for its mean brunch menu. This Fitzroy hot spot specialises in simple and sexy comfort food. Think BBQ beef brisket toastie, spanner crab and green pea omelette or the infamous American corn beef hash.

Disappointing. Average food poor service

Food was well presented but was fairly average especially given the price. Coffee was nothing special, service was good.

Brought to us by the people behind Proud Mary’s (read more about Proud Mary’s here), Stagger Lee’s is an absolute gem in the middle of crazy Brunswick Street. Situated on a street corner, if you weren’t specifically looking out for it, you’d just about miss the tiny sign on the door, but you can’t miss the other signs of a great café – the smell of coffee and the buzzing patrons, both inside and out. I’ve visited a couple of times and each new visit has been better than the last which keeps me coming back for more.

What's all the fuss about?. Not that great - there, I said it! <br/>Lumpy soy latte and fat bacon burger had odd combination of flavours...

Dissatisfatory. Unacceptable awaiting time for meal<br/>Unreasonable charges on coffee with extra($3.8 + soy 50¢ + strong 50¢) and on extra $3 Poached egg with meal<br/>Inadmissible size of meal

No blends just single origins! Weehaa!. I loved to stop over here for coffee, i got talking with the manager and he mentioned they have an EK 43 grinder and get the best extractions possible from their single's. I was impressed. I tried their ristretto and tell you what i went back for a second. I was in a meeting so i only gazed over coffee not anything to feast on. I would pay them the price for their coffee, but unsure about food. Also, they gave good welcoming service. And thats what matters!

I wanted something full of calories so I picked the ‘Stack and Billy Burger – black angus shin patty, bacon, catsup, aioli, American mustard, pickles, cheddar served with bacon croquettes and greens ($16.50)’.

It's okay. $4.30 for a strong coffee is a bit of a joke though. Most of the menu is overpriced.

Pretty expensive menu. Be warned. A side of feta cheese with our poached eggs was $5. The cheese was a 2cm block. How? Quesadilla portion average. Overall pretty average.

Hit and miss. I've had a couple of things, some was good and some was not. Coffee is alright, they do it their way I guess. Not my favourite.

Best Eggs and Sides around. Unbelievably delicious scrambled eggs, avo, mushrooms and buttered spinach. Coffee is pretty great too. Can't wait to go back!

An Enjoyable Stagger. I was between appointments but could feel the allure of the place once I got inside. I only had time for poached organic eggs over toast but thoroughly enjoyed the outstanding coffee. Spacious, cool inside and with a corner location, I must say I was a bit staggered in a nice way by the layout, the hipster barista and the Newtown Sydney styled menu. Fitzroy has many retro dwellings and shops that seemingly struggled from the past, and it is establishments like Stagger Lee's that are vital in helping to revitalise this charming but old suburb. Stagger's can be a gathering point after dark with its right mix of music, bar, coffee and food. The tram line makes it accessible and offers an alternative scene away from nearby Lygon Street.

Love this place! Awesome comfort food and banging coffee. My new regular spot!

Worst breakfast experience I've ever had. Never have I had such a bad experience at a cafe for breakfast in my life. After waiting 10 minutes after sitting down to even get menus, the waitress was very rude when asking for our coffee order. We received one coffee after about 15 minutes. We then waited another 10 for one of our other coffees. And the third we went and asked about after another 20 minutes had passed and then didn't even get an appology about the wait when we finally received it!<br/>The food was also crap. My scrambled eggs were so runny that they more so resembled vomit on a tiny piece of toast. My partners eggs were still half raw. Needless to say, none of us enjoyed our meals. <br/>I could not have asked for a more disappointing experience. I wouldn't return to this place even if someone paid me, and I've never said that about a cafe before.

French Toast!. Hands down the best french toast in Melbourne! Fact!

Average. The menu is hard to read, the coffe is average and the eggs were over cooked and the bacon was way too salty.

The Simple - Avocado, Tomatoes, Pesto, Goat's Feta, Dill, Olive Oil. Fresh and delicious

Excellent flavour. My father and I spotted the place and made the spontaneous choice to give Staggers a go. Wow! I had the truffled polenta with mushrooms and he had the beans dish and we were both extremely happy!<br/>The truffled polenta was so light and creamy and full of Samsung flavour, paired with delicious mushrooms.<br/>Dad loved the flavour in the beans and the smoked ham hock!<br/>Great food, will definitely be back for coffee!

Coffee is good!. Just popped on for a coffee so can review on food, yet! The coffee was great though and the service we received was very friendly. The food menu & what was on display looked delicious will definitely be back to try.it out.

Amazing!. I looked at the menu prior to going to Stagger Lee's and what ticked my boxes was seeing: Butter fried chicken, black angus shin burger and bacon croquettes. Everything was spot on! The taste was amazing and everything worked so well together. The staff was very friendly and the atmosphere was great!

Ah-mazing! Came here with m.... Ah-mazing!<br/>Came here with my partner on Saturday, he had the pappardelle- brilliant! I had the stack & billy burger, it was perfectly cooked to medium & easily the best burger getting around Melbourne. The end bill was suprisingly cheap, it's pretty hard to come across quality food at these sort of prices these days! Will def be back.

Heard of this place as it won "best new cafe" award from The Age Good Cafe guide 2014. Went for brunch one Sat. Ordered the Stack & Billy burger and Roasted Lamb. The beef patty was only medium cooked, still pink in the middle, it's a serious risk of E. Coli/food poisoning, And I'm a fan of lamb dishes, but this lamb dish had slight gamey smell. the coffees weren't great either. <br/>Personally I think this place is overrated.

Hmmmm. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy Stagger Lee's; the service was quick and the staff were delightful, but I feel as though it was missing just that little something. I had such high hopes for here, being the younger sibling of the outstanding Proud Mary, but unfortunately, the chai latte was just average, the servings were on the meagre side and my granola did not come with the promised coconut milk. The granola was still tasty but the flavours did not deliver as I had anticipated; the menu just doesn't translate from paper to the dishes. <br/>Stagger Lee's has lots of potential but I think it just needs some fine tuning in order to compete with all the other fabulous spots in the area.

Top coffee. We didn't end up eating heee but as far as coffee goes they nail it. <br/><br/>Do try it..

I'm generally not one to leave reviews. But I can't help it. The coffee! That food! Feel free to read it as another load of ephemeral wank. But After that level of pallet stimulation I couldn't just leave a blank.<br/> A feeling of elation rushed as the first plate was placed. <br/>Pickled white anchovies, sourdough, foraged fennel and chives on an aoli base.<br/>With every bite, harmony and balance has been achieved,<br/>Sour fish, such bursts of flavour. I'd eat this everyday happily.<br/>As for the roasted beans and hot water, such complete complexity, I know I really ought'a.<br/>Sit and sip on a mountain top. Just me and the coffee. All distractions forgot.<br/>A filtered geisha from Panama, much more delicate than the usual espresso enema.<br/>The next dish is so delish I can't describe. But the components I can list, with hope of making your taste buds feel alive:<br/>Crushed baby peas; wonderfully flavoured horseradish cream; asparagus with a smoky char; zucchini and hazelnut vinegar(ette); crunchy brioche croutes; this meal is the koots! Topped off with a confit golden yolk.<br/>The whole dining experience has managed to evoke, pleasure from most all my senses<br/><br/>Eat here. Drink here. And let it inspire your own rhyming sentences.

So good!. LOVE the french toast, you HAVE to try it. OH MY GOD. Such a great cafe

Good option. I love the area and Stagger Lee's is a good new place from the Proud Mary people. The coffee was great, nice and strong, and my baked beans were delicious. The portions are generous.

I come here once with a friend for a coffee. and the lady sat me down and the kitchen closes at 3 thats what the lady said soo i had a coffee. it wasnt bad but i had better. thier food is so overpriced 12.50 for soup up can make that home it would be cheaper. i didnt like it i wont return

AMAZING!!!. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Stagger Lee, the food and coffee is divine. Choices are amazing, the only problem is you want to try everything. The staff are fabulous, especially an English girl that works there who is always so attentive and upbeat! Definitely recommended for a breakfast or lunch date!!!

A miss for me. I'm not sure what went wrong here, but unfortunately I did not share the same experience of other diners when I ordered "The Mexican". I thought nothing of the dish tasted nice; the tortilla tasted like flour if you know what I mean, the filling lacked flavour and the sauce was just not my thing. For avid chai latte lovers out there, you can probably skip this too. I have to say I'm disappointed as I had higher expectations, and for a $20 meal I think it is way overpriced.

Best. Porridge. Ever.. I've been in twice now and both times had the buckwheat porridge because it is bloody delish. Service is friendly and prompt. I did have coffee but can't even remember if it was good because the goodness of the porridge eclipsed it from my mind.

Beautiful food, coffee and staff! Recommend highly

Great Food. Great food, genuinely good service, wait staff had it all calmly under control despite the hoards of folk waiting for a table. Reccomend the "mamma's stack". Can get better coffee elsewhere. Will definitely visit again.

Nice variations on menu.. I had the beans with ham, morcilla sausage, dill, and the crusty bread, a very rich and indulgent dish (even though it's not massive). My partner and I shared 1 and it was by far enough. Enjoyable and different to the norm with an interesting balance of flavours and menu. The Soy banana smoothie was outstanding.

Went for breakfast Sunday morning. Place was buzzing. Had eggs with avocado and mushroom and my girlfriend had the French toast. Meals were great , expected more from the coffee however coffee was just average. Nothing special at all. Will go back for the food though

Great coffee, haven't had a chance to try the food yet, but it looked very tempting. Staff are nice and it seems to tick over without hiccups which is what you want.

Great service great food. Loved this place. I have gluten and egg allergies- the waitress was awesome and let me know what I could swap/ change in their menu. I ended up with the Mexican with mushrooms instead of eggs. Yum! good coffee too.

Horrible coffee. Just had three take away strong soy latte. Cost $14.70. The soy was curdled! The Barrista left the steam wand in the milk jug and walked away, i was a bit worried at that stage but assumed that the fancy machine they've got allows for this so still took the coffees. had a sip and it was horrible looked inside and the soy was seriously curdled!

Best food!. I had the mexican, burger, bacon toastie all of which were cooked and flavoured too perfection. Coffee was great as were the staff. Will definitely be back

Amazing yummy breakfast, recommend the Mexican breakfast and pear juice!!

Fantastic atmosphere and unbelievable service from this great new cafe. Food was amazing and outstanding strong coffee.

Mr Cave would like it here. First time visitors to Stagger Lee's (love the name love the song) and we will be back especially for the Mexican breakfast, yummo. The staff were friendly and on the ball. All in all a good morning was spent there.

Happy!. Great spot to grab a take away latte! When sitting in the husband is happy with the Mexican breakfast and we both enjoy the filter menu.

Not Worth Their Salt. Service: Popped in during a relatively quiet time and the service was friendly, helpful and prompt. <br/><br/>Food: The food sounded fantastic on paper but left much to be desired and was ridiculously salty. I had a burger on which the mustard and pickles rendered everything inedible due to their saltiness. I also wish I asked for it medium as it was rather well done. My friend had some bacon sandwich thing and could only manage a few bites once again due to excessive saltiness. A salad accompanied both meals and it was well doused in vinegar, further adding to the unpleasantries happening in my mouth. It was reminded me of the cheap side servings of salad you get at crap cafes at uni or Maccas.<br/><br/>Coffee: Had two coffees one of which was a strong flat white that tasted just like milk. The other was an espresso that I ordered at the till after noticing they were using EK grinders for their blacks. I opted for the premium offering, a $6.50 espresso and accepted an invitation to drink it in a porcelain cup. To my surprise I was given the cheaper black option in a take away cup (very average and still expensive). I'm guessing the barista just misread the docket (not a mix-up as I was the only person waiting for a coffee from the two baristas just standing around) as he told me which one he gave me during the exchange but all in all it just added to an otherwise disappointing venture from across the city. <br/>Drinks: I also had a salted caramel milkshake. At $10 it was a good milkshake, but certainly did not taste like a $10 shake. My friend's soy chai was rather weak too.<br/><br/>When I travel between 30-60 minutes to a hyped up joint, pay a premium and see an exquisite fitout/coffee set up I tend to expect more than what I got. The random no-name cafe up the street from me does it better and for peanuts in comparison.

Massive rip off. My fruit salad was not much more than a few scraps of rockmelon with one teaspoon scoop of yoghurt for $12. Definitely not going back when there are so many better options nearby!

Staggeringly disappointing. I was supremely disappointed with the experience at Stagger Lee's. We dined this morning (Monday) at 10.30am and the place was already incredibly packed. We were seated by a gentleman who didn't seem to care one way or another if we were there or not, and left to peruse the menu. After about five minutes the man came back and took our coffee order (a skinny flat white and a latte) and left us again. The noise was incredible and we had to raise our voices to be heard. We ended up choosing our breakfast which was the bircher muesli with goji berries, strawberries, chia seeds and coconut yoghurt as well as the pumpkin bread with pumpkin marmalade, walnuts and frozen yoghurt. Our food arrived quite quickly and was delicious (although I feel the goji berries didn't belong in the muesli) but our coffees took about twenty minutes to arrive. The coffee was room temperature and they had given us a skinny latte and flat white when we had ordered a skinny flat white and latte. The coffee was very disappointing. The staff were disinterested, the coffee was cold and the food not worth the trouble. I wont be returning nor recommending.

8 bucks for a tea?! Tell him he's dreaming!

I have tried the quinoa salad and its probably the best quinoa salad I have tried so far. Good combination with the smoked almond and potatoes, and the sauce is not as sour as other restaurants. The mocha is beautiful and smooth, I like how they have chocolate at the middle.

An unpleasant experience. Stagger Lee's was really disappointing. It started off with us being treated very rudely by one waitress, who thought we'd walked right in and cut in line for a table (despite us waiting for twenty minutes and her being the one to put us on the list) and telling us off for doing so. While the gentleman who had actually seated us was lovely and clarified the misunderstanding, it didn't make up for her rudeness. Food was SO overpriced for what it was, our "pork bean ragu" from the Big Boi's Breaky was more baked beans than ragu and was characterised by a general lack of pork (sorry, I don't think one tiny piece of sausage and scraps of pork aren't really enough for a 20 buck breakfast). And as a so called "Big Boi's" breakfast it was alarmingly more a stew or soup, certainly not big and certainly not an appetising breakfast. <br/><br/>Overall, service wasn't great and food was very overpriced and unappetising. Only saving graces were one polite and friendly waiter, and consistent coffee. Sadly, I won't be back.

Most absurdly over priced basic cafe food. Straight up lazy affected staff folk too who want you to know that they really don't care about anything. There is a ten dollar milkshake. It's 250 mls that you could get at the milk bar but it's worth trying if you're having a good day and feel guilty about it. This will make you feel ripped awwwwf.

Not as good as proud Mary's but still delicious. On the expensive side though

I ordered the mexican... Holy moly amazing! Taste sensation! The coffee is amazing (lover of proud Mary coffee) finished with a sweet dessert and left very satisfied!! The wait staff were attentive and very knowledgable. So excited these guys have opened on Brunswick street. I will definitely be back!

Well well well this cafe enters the congested but mostly average Brunswick St scene with a kind of thumbs-in-ya-jeans swagger with a rimmed hat tipped forward. Basic styles room with almost requisite polished concrete floor, rubbed back semi painted beaten up bricks and bare light bulbs, sultry oozing soul vibes playing just low enough that shazam can't pick it up. Can't remember what was in this space beforehand but fair to say that this will drive solid traffic this way. We got here 10 mins early on a Sunday and they let us in to enjoy our first coffee which was extremely Industry-Beanish in flavour and taste. I went for what was suggested as a lighter option - the Mexican which was a lavishly arranged medley of spotted perfectly runny fried eggs in layered soft tacos, corn-avo-tomato mash and a salad of radish (who does that for breakfast and gets a way with it!) slaw with a tangy little salsa on the side. Epic! No other 4 letter word for it. The place filled in 20 mins and will continue to enjoy the success it deserves on this strong debut. We will be back for more sublime magnificence. Seriously.

Food: decent. Coffee: good. Value: average - a very small side of Meredith's goats feta cost $5. Would I come back: no - nothing to rave about, especially not their uppity attitude.

Hmm. The only positive from my visit was the acai-coconut smoothie. Another place so cool it'll be successful regardless.

Stagger Lee's. Wow,<br/>I heard this restaurant many times it's really famous in my area just like CateringOnTheMove many people are talking about it so I was thinking to go to that restaurant and the restaurant was awesome and I definitely go to that restaurant again.

Truely epic coffee. Had a Colombian Geisha as espresso thru the EK grinder. The vibe was really nice, warm and comfortable. The staff happy & friendly.

I was invited to go try this restaurant out yesterday, this place being Proud Mary 's sister cafe' has a very similar feel. Very hipsterish with its fancy lights and its industrial walls.  Its table displays are cold drips, it has a nice selection of pastries. I was told the coffee croissant is meant to be really good. For drinks i ordered the Panama pour over and it was strange, i could not place what the different flavours are, sweet fruity but it had other flavours. This coffee bean can be used for espresso as well as filter so i also tried it as an espresso. Not many beans can work with espresso and filter, well it will work but the flavours will not be right.  Our friend had the Caramel Pixie Gangsta Milkshake, it had salted caramel with chocolate chunks. It was really sweet and crunchy and huge. It is big enough for 2 people. For lunch i ordered the the Butteril Fried Chicken and it was absolutely sensational, The chicken was really crispy but in the middle was so tender and not dry. It came with cauliflower. It was so balanced,  one of the best meals i have had in a long time and i don't often say that. Our friend ordered the Shrooms 'n' Truffles, it had roasted pine mushrooms with truffled polenta, egg yolk and toast.  The last order was the Fitz-Royale, it had Asparagus, cashews, avocado and a poached egg. For dessert we shared the Coco Pop and salted caramel french toast. It was so well balanced, the sweetness from the ice cream and coco pops, but the raspberry gave it a bit of tartness  and crunchiness from the honeycomb.  The food and coffee was outstanding, it has not been around for a long time and i know once people catch onto this place it will be impossible to get into. While it is new and quiet i will have to make the most of it. If you like my pics or blog please click on the top 100 Blog link and vote. Thanks again Kind E-gards Dale Stewart Leave a comment as well ;)

...Herb mushrooms were excellent – order them as a side even if you get the bircher. - Commendable serving size of avocado. Plated as an entire half scooped out of its skin, when you’re paying $4 for avocado it’s good to see you’re getting (nearly) your money’s worth.

Lee Shelton, also known as Stagger Lee, was a pimp from St. Louis, infamous for shooting a cellmate who stole his Stetson. Lee was a proper badass – and there are some interesting theories surrounding how Lee got his nickname: some say it was because he went ‘stag’, a friendless and dangerous recluse & others suggest he lifted the name from a riverboat called the Stack Lee, known for it’s on-board prostitution. With a history like that, it’s no surprise that a café in Fitzroy is named after this fascinating rogue. Stagger Lee’s is a bit like the cooler older sister of Proud Mary. The one who wears leather jackets, and who you watch from your bedroom window, as she sneaks out and drives away in her boyfriend’s beat up panel van. It’s edgy, a little bit dirty, but somehow you still love it. Nice little touches of native nature | Trouble in the form of a six month puppy named Jack – we forgot to bring a bone to distract him so he gave us strife by barking at every dog he saw. Mum and I de

Stagger Lee’s is the newest cafe offering from the folks behind Proud Mary in Collingwood, and despite being on nearby Brunswick Street was a whole lot easier to get a table at! B and I went along to check it out for brunch one sunny Saturday, and we were pretty impressed with the offerings! We started with our regular drinks offerings, an English Breakfast Tea ($3.50) for B which came in a cute matching tea set, with plenty of milk (lack of milk is B’s pet peeve!). I went with my soy flat white ($3.80) which was really delicious, slightly bitter with a nice crema on top. An excellent start! The menu is really well labelled with lots of vegetarian and vegan options (or able to be made vegan), as well as gluten free and paleo choices. Both sweet and savoury are well covered, with the standard breakfast fare given an interesting twist. B ordered the The Simple – vine tomatoes, hass avocado, Meredith goats curd, basil, olive oil & Murray River pink salt ($15.50) with an additional poached

School holidays are here, and thus another brunching with brother post. I’m fast running out of new places to try – with many repeats of the same menu items at varying locations. We tried Stagger Lee’s this time – an unassuming cafe on busy brunswick st, with seemingly no line on weekends (hooray!) Greeted by friendly faces, we started off sitting on the bench over the hardworking coffee machines, with a full view of the baristas pushing out coffees. I chose the baked beans, with shredded smoked ham hock cooked through, topped with chorizo and a poached egg. The garlic toast wasn’t anything special, but the dish was perfect for winter – warming and generous. Brother got the hipster juice – nice pear, apple, mint and lime. Although refreshing, I’m starting to question the ridiculously high prices for fresh, (sometimes cold pressed) juices as the new craze?! Brother ordered from the lunch menu, and I immediately regretted my menu choice. The roast cauliflower and quail was my kind of dis

So … obviously being Saturday I’m going to go have breakfast somewhere cool. Today I want somewhere I haven’t tried before: so first a quick rifle through The Age Good Cafe Guide 2014. Whaddia know – best new cafe award goes to … drumroll …a place called Stagger Lee’s in Fitzroy (of course), specifically, Brunswick Street (it would be). So we pile into the lobster-mobile on the coldest morning probably ever. Blackburn J is having a slight grumpy day – lots of “why can’t we just have breakfast down the road” to which the clear answer is “because we’re going to freakin Brunswick St so shuddup”. Bring on Brunswick Street! This image of two cats crowded into the same igloo isn’t particularly relevant to a cafe review – it more goes to demonstrating how cold it is. Fast forward to Stagger Lee’s. Very now – very Fitzroy. Warehouse-style interior, distressed walls, worried naked hanging lights, mildly concerned concrete floor. The brains behind Proud Mary are also behind Stagger Lee’s and you

Stagger Lee definitely has not staggered onto the Melbourne restaurant scene, in fact quite the opposite, it definitely feels well thought out and planned and the fact that it drummed up so much publicity initially definitely showed how much care they put into producing a new cafe (whilst also injecting some much needed energy onto the Brunswick St brunch scene - save for Hammer & Tong). While Proud Mary (the same owners as Stagger Lee) was ground breaking for its time and remains a godfather of the Melbourne brunch scene, they couldn’t quite catch lightning twice with Stagger Lee. It’s a strange feeling when the food reads quite creatively off the menu and yet feels uninspired once it hits your tastebuds. Also $10 for a milkshake?! Sure it’s flavoured creatively and is basically liquid ice cream, but damn, Stagger’s probably breaking the wrong ground here. In a Sentence: Wait for the lines to die down to give it a shot.

...it had a relaxed, casual vibe, perfect for anything from a catch-up to a place to grab a coffee while doing some work. It’s a vibe which I feel is missing from many cafes as they become busier and more popular. Chris Hamburger’s menu is based around simple comfort food and coffee is single origin only. My pick from the Winter Menu was the roasted lamb. Priced at $16.50, I was worried there’d only be four pieces of lamb on the plate. Not to worry! There was plenty of meat to go around. I loved the colours in the dish; such a pretty plate! The ingredients all went really well together, from the comforting roast lamb to the smooth, tasty hummus and the fresh pop of the pomegranate seeds. The molasses brought a nice depth of flavour and tied the whole dish together. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised and thoroughly satisfied with my meal. I’m interested to see what their Spring me

...has a slight punk feel, but the decor is the usual hipster warehouse. Bare brick walls, dangling light globes, wooden tables and metal chairs... The burgers a delish and reasonably priced with croquettes and salad – and they’re nice enough to split it in half for us to share.

Another great brunch place in the city. Can you believe after all this while I have not been to Stagger Lee's yet? But I finally did! Of the many great brunch places Fitzroy has got to offer,  Stagger Lee's is a strong contender and I highly recommend it. The menu offers serious choices and it was very difficult to nail it down to these two. We decided to pick something savoury and something sweet just to balance the ying and the yang. And to start off, we also had coffee from Proud Mary's . It only made sense because Stagger Lee's cafe was a collaboration between Proud Mary's owner, Norlan Hirte, and Chris Hamburger, an ex chef from Aylesbury. Rusticism still maintained, or else it wouldn't be Melbourne wouldn't it? Skinny Cappuccino, 3.80AUD + Latte, 3.80AUD Did I ever tell you that I love a good long black too? But often they cool up too fast and they don't taste great cold, hence I order white coffee all the time. Plus I get to admire latte arts which brightens my mood instantly. Brunching with my girl Sashia is always fun, because she encourages me to take more pictures. And I realised, oh yes its been awhile since I take pictures with food. Shrooms 'N' Truffles, 17.50AUD Shrooms 'N' Truffles is Stagger Lee's staple and you should heavily consider ordering it if you have never tried this one. Plus, its something totally different that you would not get elsewhere. I was most excited when the menu mentioned that there is pecorino pepato shavings because I always swoon over Italian cheeses. Half of the plate was polenta covered with an egg yolk on top, the other half were pan roasted pine mushrooms with two thin slices of toasts. The truffle sprays were visible and the smell of the truffle was very distinct that it gave me pounding headaches because it was just stellar. Pretzel, Honeycomb & Salted Choc French Toast, 15.50AUD Two slices of chocolate toasts or some sort was what we were expecting, but nope, its a rounded French Toast that tasted amazing with scooped

Marked only by a small chalkboard, Stagger Lee’s is a bright new addition to bustling Brunswick St.  Having been to Proud Mary, I had high expectations of Stagger Lee’s, given that both cafés are opened by the same owners. One thing different of my brunch adventure this time, though, was that instead of going with the usual crew, I met up with my coursemate, friend and fellow food-blogger, Elizabeth  (go check out her blog!). The interior of the cafe is quite similar to Proud Mary, rather spacious, which I appreciated.  But we chose to sit outside as it was nice and sunny, vis-à-vis was rather dim, even though it was daytime.   Thankfully there wasn’t a queue when I got there (~ 12.30pm on a Wednesday), but strangely I was left standing at the entrance for a couple of minutes without being shown to a table.  Another patron came in soon after, and while waiting the two of us struck up a small conversation.  Finally we were shown to our respective tables after a staff member noticed our presence. For my coffee, as usual I went for a long macchiato, but was really happy to see that they had two blends for the day – and one wasn’t Ethiopian.  I am well aware that Ethiopian blends are becoming more and more common in cafés in recent months, but the saltiness of the blend just doesn’t appeal to me.  I opted for the Guatemalan blend, and was really pleased.  The long mac in Stagger Lee’s is certainly better than Proud Mary.  The only unfortunate thing about the long mac was that despite it being served in a glass, the layers were not well-defined.  The layer profile looked somewhat latte-ish, just slightly darker due to the milk-espresso ratio. For my main, I decided to go with the roast lamb, which sounded really hearty and shiok .  However, when the dish arrived, I was slightly unpleasantly surprised with the plating, as it seemed somewhat overly complicated, and to make things worse, the lamb was chopped into small pieces.  Moreover, while the menu did state that there

Stagger Lee’s might at first seem like your run of the mill, over-priced, hipster-filled, brunch-serving northside cafe, but don’t let the exposed brick work and finger tattoos fool you – they’re doing something different.  They’re serving their coffee single origin. No blends. They explain  on their website  that they’re grinding it with a EK 43 Grinder, which I’m sure means something to someone, somewhere, but those words in that sentence just sound like caffeinated wank to me. Regardless, their coffee is good. In fact, it’s fucking good. I went back for more a week later, and now my life is plagued with some seriously meta questions, like whether my other coffee providers also grind their single origin beans through an EK 43 Grinder, and whether I should get a finger tattoo. The place looks alright. Yo

25 March 2014 saw the opening of Proud Mary owner Nolan Hirte's second venture, this time on Brunswick Street:  Stagger Lee's . Not quite open for two weeks yet, this place is already ridiculously busy, and has a lot to live up to. Guaranteed foot traffic, some outdoor seating, a nice amount of natural light, proximity to all the action of Brunswick Street, and a window bench for people-watching ensure the place is set for the levels of popularity everyone expects it to enjoy.

With plumbers bang-banging on our roof since 7am this morning, who could blame us for wanting to escape from our house for a spot of brunch.  And what better way to spend our late morning than to check out the new cafe by Proud Mary’s owner.. STAGGER LEE’S . Its fit-out is very modern with chic minimalism but exudes warmth and is very spacious for big groups of peoples, prams, wheelchairs – you name it. The coffees were amazing and we also tried...

The Roasted Lamb had my name all over it. A bed of velvety smooth hummus paired with the most succulent pieces of lamb oh so beautifully charred with the perfect ratio of meat and fatty goodness. The toasted nuts and rich tangy pomegranate molasses added depth and complexity, whilst the tissue thin slices of radish, winter herbs and pomegranate seeds added bursts of freshness the dish. Really, how could I say no   Stack & Billy Burger   A lover of burgers, my friend naturally opted for the Stack and Billy Burger. Featuring a Black Angus shin pattie, juicy bacon, radioactive yellow mustard, catsup, creamy aioli, tangy pickles and cheddar melt served with bacon croquettes and fresh greens, my friend absolutely inhaled this with grin plastered to his face.

...Staggers Lee is an unassuming café on Brunswick Street. From the outside, it looks like a typical neighbourhood café, unpretentious and far from hipsterish. But step inside, and welcome to the world of naked light bulbs and single origin coffees.

Our visit was pretty freaking great – there were some definite hits – but there were also a few elements that needed some slight improvement. Considering how young Stagger Lee’s is, and comparing the café to the calibre of second openings for other successful Melbourne specialty coffee locations, there are only a few crinkles to iron out before I would give them an easy 10/10. Other cafes looking to branch out, take note: this is how you open a sibling venue!

Click to view slideshow. Menu : It was a long awaited catch-up for the four of us – G, J, M and myself – and we decided to stick to something that was central between the four of us. This place happened to be Stagger Lee’s – located on Brunswick Street in Fitzroy.  I have heard many good things about this place ever since it opened up and was keen to check it out for myself. Stagger Lee’s is brought to you by the people of Proud Mary – it is a collaboration between Proud Mary owner Nolan Hirte, former Proud Mary general Manager Monica Chhay, Head Chef Chris Hamburger (ex The Aylesbury, St Ali North) and Mun Soon of MGS Architects and owner of Krimper Cafe (refer to http://thegrazingpanda.wordpress.com/2013/08/26/krimper-cafe-hidden-warehouse-style-treasure/ for my blog review of Krimper Cafe). Stagger Lee’s is named after a pimp / bad-ass from St Louis – he infamously shot a cell mate in the 1900s for stealing his red Stetson hat and since this time over 400 musicians have retold the s

On Brunswick St, just near Johnston, Stagger Lee’s is a joint venture between Nolan Hirte of Proud Mary’s in Collingwood and chef Chris Hamburger (ex-Aylesbury). The name? Branded after ‘bad-ass’ St. Louis pimp “Stag” Lee Shelton, murderer and star of the American folk song Stagger Lee, covered by Bob Dylan, Huey Lewis and even Nick Cave, amongst many others. Coming from the folk behind Proud Mary’s, of course the coffee is going to be good, with a slight twist the coffee is single origin only, no blends. For those not of the coffee persuasion, there’s booze and ‘gangsta’ milkshakes of the salted caramel and cookies ‘n’ cream brigade. The menu is inventive without being too out there, but still familiar enough to anyone who’s been eating at any of the newer generation of cafes lately.

The joint venture of Stagger Lee’s combines forces from a number of talents, including: Proud Mary’s owner and previous general manager, former head chef of St Ali North Chris Hamburger and the quiet achiever of Melbourne’s café s

The Pumpkin and Walnut offers house-baked pumpkin loaf, vanilla infused spiced pumpkin jam, candied walnuts and yoghurt ice cream. (Not sure whether the Canadian maple syrup was missing as a dressing??) I really liked this one. It’s different, it’s a simple-ish pumpkin loaf that is slightly moist, slightly crumbly, given texture by the candied walnuts, additional flavour with the pumpkin jam, then a slather of the cold yogurt ice cream. It is visually attractive too. For $16, I’m happy with this order.

This one, from the owners of Proud Mary, is curiously named Stagger Lee's, after a pimp who shot his cell mate for stealing his hat.  Gee, must have been a really nice hat.  

There seems to be an endless list of new cafes always opening up in Melbourne, I do understand because Melbournians love their brunch meals and I’m definitely one of them :) This time Stagger Lee’s a new venture by Proud Mary   a long standing favourite cafe of mine and arguably one of the most popular cafes. Not far from its sister cafe, Stagger Lee is located on the busy Brunswick Street in Fitzroy becoming a new neighbour of Naked By Satan, N2 Gelato, Babka and many more eateries. Mr Bao and I caught up with the always beautiful Sarah (Sarah Cooks) , we organised to meet up at 12pm, I expected a super long wait but it wasn’t too bad if we wanted a table inside it might’ve been a 10 or 15 minute wait. We got a little impatient and thought it was warm enough with our big jackets so we took a table outside.   I could definitely see some similarities of the menu between Stagger Lee’s and Proud Mary, there appears to a few more Asian inspired dishes on the menu here though. Either way, I

A major part of a cafe's attraction is its ambience, not just the quality of its food and coffee. But when you tick all the boxes of atmosphere, food and seriously great coffee you have a winner. Stagger Lees is everything a cafe wants to be. The World Loves Melbourne had the task of taking Canadian friends to a standout cafe in melbourne and Stagger Lees came up with the goods.

The truffle presence could be smelt as soon as the dish was placed down in front of us, but more importantly, it could also be detected in taste. The sharp cheesiness of the pecorino and crunch of the croutons and toast also contributed to the dish’s top form. 

Booze The best bars in Fitzroy Little Creatures Formerly the Fitzroy stables, complete with laneway running through its middle, and later a wool store, it has a kitchen serving up food all day and night, including pizzas, sharing plates and sweets, and occasionally taps kegs of limited run Little Creatures beers that may never see the light of day elsewhere. Price : [Lunch & Dinner] $$ Open Hour : Mon – Thu: 10:00 am – 11:00 pm Fri: 10:00 am – 12:00 am Sat: 8:00 am – 12:00 am Sun: 8:00 am – 11:00 pm Address : 222 Brunswick St, Fitzroy Food :  ★★★ Service :  ★★★★ Ambience :  ★★ Cost Performance : ★★★★ Localness :  ★★★★★ Read our review

Posted by FoodieAboutTown on Saturday, January 17, 2015 · Leave a Comment   Breakie is a funny thing, for me anyway, I usually have to force myself during the week and weekends are usually a late brunch. Then there’s the $$’s factor when you pay over $15 for toast and eggs never mind if you want to smush and avo or some delicately crumbled goats cheese, there won’t be much change from a $20. I struggle, I really do, I have perfected my poached eggs at home and I can get a nice pack of Ocean Trout from the shops plus my low fat corn cakes means I can whip up a mean brunch for the price of the couple of coffees we have if we go out. Then there are the queues, the crazy Melbourne breakie culture means most places have a queue for tables and rolling all at that up I would prefer to pop on my perculator and have a lazy brunch in my pjs! BUT saying that when friends offered to chauffeur us over to Brunswick Street and try out Stagger Lee’s I put all my issues aside and we are fully on board and ready to go before 10am. Assuming that everywhere would be a bit quieter post Xmas we did score a cracking table outside next to the cute puppy and the friendly staff were super quick to get menus and waters in front of us and coffee orders on the go. Stagger Lee’s is on a corner and looks great, all glass windows make the outside come in and vice versa and on a sunny morning it is a great spot to park yourself in. The menu is fab, I love breakie with a difference, if you are going to splash the cash you might as well get something extra with your eggs and toast. Plenty of good sides as well as dishes like the The Cave Man Granola with toasted almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, coconut, cranberries and medjool dates on a spiced pumpkin puree with coconut milk or Coco Pop and Salted Caramel French Toast with Coco pop cream pat, vanilla ice cream, honeycomb and raspberry crumb….. oh yes if I was allowed sugar that would be the one! The Simple offers a good all round healthy opt

I have been playing what I call "Brunch Roulette" on Fridays.  There are so many cafes in the Fitzroy/Collingwood area nowadays I practically just drive that way, find a parking spot, and we wander into the closest cafe for our weekly brunch.  On this happy Friday we parked in front of Shocolate and wandered into Stagger Lee's, which was a wonderful piece of luck as I had wanted to come here earlier in the year but it had just won awards and I was a bit shy of crowds.   So happy happy us as I sat down and ordered a mocha, which of course brought me deja vu feelings of Stagger Lee's older sibling  Proud Mary . I ordered the Mama's Stack ($19) which on the menu was shaved corn beef, pressed potato, black cabbage, soft poached egg and horseradish cream.  My corn beef was cubed rather than shaved (not that it made any difference!) and it was mighty delicious. I presume the pressed potatoes makes this a "stack"?  Regardless, Bubs wol

The appeal here comes from the fact that it’s opened by the people behind Proud Mary nearby, a place that consistently serves up spectacular coffees with a hearty brunch menu to boot.

Despite my initial reservations, I was absolutely exhilarated to be bowled over and fall in love with Stagger Lees. I'm already considering what to have next visit, and will definitely plan to try out one of the 'Gangsta Milkshakes', the salted caramel one with chocolate chunks has my name all over it...

The service throughout our various meals was friendly and efficient and we were asked each time with genuine interest how our meals were. To which I responded ‘EXCELLENT’ each time.

Stagger Lee’s is bringing the hipster back to long neglected Brunswick street at a prime corner location.  Big glass windows allow for people watching from outside in and inside out.  The fit out has an industrial feel with polished concrete floors and exposed brick walls.  Warmth is added though the mint green painted back wall which is echoed in the cute salt and pepper shakers on each table.  Like Proud Mary’s, Sta