This is a very good place with a style and way all its own - and they have free WiFi - which in this country is quite unusual. The staff are freindly and very good and the food is simply delightful. The mix of creativity with the Sri Lankan influence make this place worth more than one or even ten visits. Highly recommended!
Was nearly put off by the hipster vibe but so glad I wasn't. Had the Kiribath (milk rice) and chicken curry for lunch - utterly extraordinary. Authentic flavours were spot on. Asked to speak to the chef - some hipster dude came out. When I asked if he cooked my meal, he sheepishly admitted that he didn't and they finally brought out a little middle-aged Sri Lankan lady - there's you're secret ingredient. Will be back for hoppers and Kottu roti. Would give 6 stars if I could.
Seriously, it was like 4 days ago when I ate the most amazing breakfast of quinoa falafel's, chorizo, smashed Avo (think melbourne has a law that this must be on every menu) poached egg, with a sweet corn dressing. It was the best thing I've tasted in years, salty, sweet and sour nom nom nom
Brilliant, authentic Sri Lankan dishes. Had breakfast and asked to swap a son-in-law egg for scrambled with chilli. No problems! Deeeeelicious!!!
Fabulous little gem to eat at. Authentic, delicious food that is made from the heart. The atmosphere was warm and trendy and the staff were fantastic! Definitely a place I will revisit soon. Well done guys!!!
Had the roti and the soft crab burger. Both fantastic. Could have worked our way through the whole menu if we'd had the appetite!! Yum!!
Perfect food, perfect coffee, friendly staff! Thanks!
Awesome food, great service, pretty cool place to hang out
Yum! Had dinner here, awesome vibe & friendly service. The Kottu roti and crab curry are highly recommended as well as the noodle cakes. Topped of with a Nutella hopper it was delicious!
If you are looking at modern Sri Lankan food. then this is the place to be. Nothing can beat the Hoppers and Kottu.
chicken burger and lamb salad nice
Their claim to fame is the hoppers and they sure didn’t disappoint. The other option that we have frequently here are the tumeric chai and I’ve decided to try the matcha latte. There a few of these other interesting choices of drinks here worth trying.
The only let down is that the hoppers are quite expensive for what you get; $14 for a plain one and with an egg at the bottom it goes to $19. Really not a lot of food for that amount. I was still rather hungry... maybe the additional curry is a better choice next time.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
We dropped by here for the first time for lunch today. There was a nice ambience about this place - parts of it were brighter and parts were more dim and cosy. Staff were friendly and attentive. The menu had some sri Lankan inspired brunch dishes which is not very common in Melbourne.
They use padre coffee and my friend quite liked it. The mushroom forest dish was very satisfying and my friend who doesn't usually opt for vegetarian dishes really liked it. The fried Enoki strands were crispy and tasty, eggs were done well and the mushrooms and greens were also great. The haloumi wasn't fantastic though - quite salty and hard.
The chicken burger was also very nice. A good amount of soy, sweet chilli and mayo in the burger made sure the burger was juicy. The bun was soft, moist and well toasted. The fries were crunchy and it was nice to have some sauce with it even though it was just tomato sauce. The weakest part of the burger was the crispy chicken. Some parts were over fried because it was thin and so that made it a bit hard and stringy. However, the thicker parts of the chicken were fine and tasty. This sounds like a big minus point but due to the sauce and the other elements done well, I didn't mind it that much.
All in all, although there were a couple of weak points in the dishes, I really enjoyed it and would most likely come back when I'm in the area.
I loved the vibe ! it was so chilling with the chilling music and I ended up staying there for hours. It was all packed for hours on Sunday when I dropped by. My food came out in like 15 minutes but it was not long to wait. Ice coffee from Padre was absolutely perfect and the food was decorated nicely and mostly it was super DUPER FRESH! The girls serving there were all really nice and I had a good talk with one of them. I never write a review, but this place is a must.
Great atmosphere and really comfy place. Staff were friendly and really quite efficient .i ordered the breakfast hoppers Coffee was beautiful but the combination of bacon and cheese didnt make sense and was bland however the hopper was cooked perfectly with crispy edge.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Been travelling around fitzroy for a while now and overheard that this cafe provide good quality dish. The place itself is quite dark inside but they have outdoor seating so it’s ok. Pavlov’s duck is actually a sri lankan influenced cafe served on a brunch style. How exciting!
We tried their melbourne dish and sri lankan dish, but firstly we start with coffee
Panda 🐼🐼🐼:
Coffee is good, very enjoyable consistency and aroma
Our orders are:
Big breakfast : mushrooms, bacon, chorizo, asparagus, eggs, sourdough. I salute the chef!!!! All component was cooked perfectly though it all takes different time to cook. Great texture and taste and its not too oily unlike other big breakfast
Pumpkin hash with smoked salmon:
My first time trying pumpkin hash brown and it tastes amazing! I also love how they mix the pumpkin sauce with coconut milk and served it as a sauce. Smoked salmon was ok but if you eat it together with the poached egg and the sauce... just can’t get enough
Friendly staff
Quick service
Pandon’t ❌❌❌:
Maybe consider cleaning outside seating once in a while. The table was very dusty
Big breakfast was dominated by strong salty flavor despite its fine texture
Hope to see their improvement and definitely will be back :)
My friend recommended this place as I moved to Fitzroy recently, so I stopped by. I ordered latte and it was really good with a good latte art. Temperature seemed perfect and bean taste real fresh.
The service was great as the waitress who served me was really attentive and prompt. I ordered two different menu and both came out quickly. Avo smash was interesting with the house-made hashbrown. It wasn't like my expectation at all because it was so much better. The girl serving me explained that they make fresh hashbrown in the house. They don't use instant sorta forzen delivered hashbrown. And it was so delicious! The other one was vegi brekky and that was a generous plate. Vegi looked all really freah and flavours were so good! They have some V and VE options too👍🏻.
The chilling vibe and music was good. I'm definitely going back!
This unassuming venue on smith street is full of surprises. I’d been wanting to go here for some time and recently got the chance. Although the decor isn’t as polished as others around I got a sense of a cool bohemian vibe. The service was pleasant and really friendly. I ordered the Milk Rice, this chicken curry and rice dish was just wow.. so good. It was so tasty and had excellent presentation. There are lots of other dishes on offer like the Hopper and Lankan Frenchy Croissant but I don’t think I can look past the Milk Rice. Do yourself a favour and tuck in. Yum!
I am half Sri Lankan, so I know what to expect when someone says Lankan food. I had the milk rice, and it was absolutely incredible. The rice was beautifully soft, the curry had the most precise balance of flavours, and the chicken was tender and juicy. I can not recommend this dish or this place enough. Just like my Aunties make a big family gatherings. And great coffee too!
Very friendly staff and in contrast to other reviews my partner and I found the service to be quite prompt, however there were not many other patrons in the cafe at the time. I ordered the poached eggs on toast which were done perfectly. One improvement could have been the addition of another piece of toast, as only one was provided for the 2 eggs. We also thoroughly enjoyed the iced coffees. I would love to come back and try something else on the menu.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Food at this cafe is great and the menu is slightly different from the other cafes. We had the scotch eggs and the benny breakfast which had a pumpkin harshbrown and two poached eggs. Really delicious. However, the service was a real let down. The cafe was not busy but we had wait for a while to be seated and ended up seating ourselves (even though there was a sign that says to wait to be seated). After another long wait for the menus, we got our own menus and water. Coffee and food took a long time to come.When the food came, we had to ask for cutlery as there was none at the table and service didn''t even realise this. There were 4 ladies who were serving the cafe. The pace should have been a bit more brisk and attentive. The service at the coffee machine was particularly slow. I overheard two different tables asking for takeaways of their drink in the end because of the long wait. The other thing was the metal school seats which were really hard and uncomfortable. Probably won't be back because it takes too long for a meal and the seats were really uncomfortable.
Delicious!! Nice ambience, great food. I had the traditional hopper and loved it. Had a taste of everyone’s brekky and would have ordered all again :)
Love it! Popped in for a delightful Saturday brunch. Easy seating but filled up pretty quickly. Ordered a chai and the egg kottu. The chai was delicious! One of the best I’ve had in a while. The egg kottu wasn’t too bad but was a little too moist and didn’t quite have a great flavour. Heaps of other great looking options on the menu though so will definitely be going back!
Started off a little skeptical when it took over half an hour for my coffee to arrive but after that the food and further drinks were all prompt and delicious. For lunch I ordered the braised lamb salad which came with chickpeas, rocket, goats cheese, sweet potato, pomegranate, almonds and a romesco sauce. This was genuinely one of the tastiest salads I've had in a very long time. The golden latte was also brilliant. Don't bother with the matcha latte though- vey bigger.
I am ashamed to say that I had no idea this place was down the road, or what food it served, basically I knew nothing about it. Me and a friend fancied a long overdue catch-up, and having been on nights, my only requirement was somewhere that served food within walking distance. LAMB & FETA BAGUETTE. Ok without sounding too dismissive, this was yum but don’t order it. My brain wasn’t working and this was the first thing I saw. BUT what you want to try is all the Sri Lankan goodies on the menu…
Just back from Sri Lanka so keen to try - food was overall very nice especially the vegetable curry and the kiri hodi (white curry) and I love egg hoppers - but I would have liked rice as well as hoppers to mop up the curries.
Nice spot, great atmosphere and good brunch food. Went here with my partner and we had egg hoppers. The highlight was the Dahl - very aromatic and sharp spices! Coffee was also really well made, overall - would come back for another brunch!
Been there for a cold winter night to give a try as I am not really big curry fine. However, after I ordered the crab and chicken, I changed my mind. The curry is mild and the crab is fresh, chicken is tender and juicy. Dip the rotti into the curry, beautiful~~!! Will definitely come back to try breakfast.
The breakfast hoppers are awesome. The food is fresh and flavorsome. Tried the turmeric chai latte and was pleasantly surprised. The quinoa fritters special are highly recommended.
Great brekkie with Queen Foodie
The Bircher muesli bowl looks great and tastes even better
Get down here - bottom end of Smith Street terrific little cafe
We recently travelled to Sri Lanka and after eating some of the most amazing curries, rotti and other traditional dishes, we thought we'd never be able to find anything close. But then, today we visited Pavlov's duck and we're proven otherwise. Authentic and delicious Sri Lankan food, Pavlov's duck serves both traditional and delicious dishes (kottu rotti- stirfried with rotti and curried chicken) as well as some dishes with a modern twist (such as the vegemite, avocado and goats cheese hopper). All dishes were tasty beyond words and really impressive. The dessert panacotta is an absolute must. They serve amazing coffee (including a great cold brew) and service is friendly and helpful. The overall ambience of the place is relaxed but fun. We can't wait to go back and try their dinner menu too!
Have been wanting to try this place ever since I saw it as I was driving down Smith St one day amd saw the name! Have to say the menu was a surprise with not the usual fare for breakfast... I tried the weird combination that is the Lankan Frenchy... but somehow it worked! Give it a go if you are feeling adventurous! Coffee was good
With a rather unassuming name, Pavlov’s Duck provides Melbourne with a trendy and modern take on traditional Sri Lankan cuisine. Even the more common breakfast menu items have a spicy Sri Lankan twist thrown in.
Carefully balanced flavours and textures were a common theme amongst the meals we sampled, which made for an incredibly enjoyable and unique sensory experience that’s bound to excite the tastebuds.
Perplexing little squished together combination of half regular Melbourne cafe / half regular Sri Lankan restaurant and an entirely incongruent name.
I'm curious enough about whether these two styles meld together in the avocado breakfast hopper to return in the future.
M For FOOD And Drinks Occasionally.
+4
Nice factory style set up. Coffee great was and arrived swiftly, the chocolate muffin a real treat. Stopped by by chance, would definitely do so again.
The misses and I had breakfast here yesterday, decided to go for a savoury (breakfast hopper) and a sweet (panacotta) dish and share.
The hopper was tasty and made me think of Sri Lanka: it's a bit hot but overall you taste a lot of spices, it looks rustic and was very filling.
Then the panacotta was served - please note that the 'hopper kitchen' and the normal kitchen are separated, so it can happen that dishes are not served simultaneously - and this plate looked like it was taken from a hatted restaurant. Very sophisticated and all the elements you look for: sweet, fresh and something crunchy.
All in all a great start of the day, accompanied by a great coffee!!
This is my 2nd time here for breakfast and I loved it both times. They have some really interesting options of breakfasts with a Sri Lankan influence. Both dishes I've tried here were delicious with fresh and well balanced flavours and a nice bit of spice. Good to have something a bit different for breakfast for a change. The staff were friendly and service was good and quick.
Been wanting to try this place for dinner for a while after having a couple of breakfast's here. Atmosphere is good and the Sri Lankan hawker food is delicious with a subtle combination of spice, chilli and sweetness. We had the banquet and enjoyed everything on the mains and entree, although next time I'd skip the desserts.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Came here with a gift voucher, the service was friendly and welcoming . Went on a Friday night. Greeted by the cook, cooking at the front window. Nice to see how your meal is made. Menu is not the same as shown on Zomato but maybe we had an evening menu. See my photo. I'm glad we had our menu. Everything looked appetizing. We ordered the "Hoppers hawker dinner". We thought we ordered a set menu but the waitress did not pick up on that, when she suggested that the hopper dinner is not a big meal. Anyway, luckily they weren't busy as when we realised no other food was coming out, it didn't take long. The hoppers were nice, the chicken curry not too spicy but the crab curry was extremely spicy. We were expecting just crab meat in a curry but it was actually small piece of grab with it's shell that you need to clean off yourself. Not a bad thing as a nut cracker and utensils provided and you at least know it didn't come out of a tin can.
We both ordered the lychee panna cotta for dessert. It was the most un SriLanken food on the menu but description hooked us both in and we were not disappointed. Presentation was superb and the different aspects of the dish made it an adventure from start to end. A must have dish.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Pavlov known for his salivating dog experiment would be proud to know that Pavlovs duck can have a similar effect on humans. Having heard of this place from a new friend in Melbourne, I quickly jumped on the Pavlov duck site and their menu had me salivating. Each dish is a fusion of Sri Lankan and western cuisine.
You walk into a bright airy homely feeling restaurant with interesting music, a lantern, brightly coloured chest of drawers, an open airy kitchen with interesting kitchen ware and portable stovetops (reminds me of my mums kitchen).
The service is friendly. The quality of food is amazing. The cafe is clean and the menu had a variety of options however portion sizes are tiny (unbelievably tiny) and as such the place seems over priced.
Between the three of us, we ordered the Lankan croissant, the chilli chicken curry with asian pretzel, egg hopper, matcha latte, mocha, and a cold brewed coffee.
The Lankan croissant is toasted or fried and one half is covered in some herby paste while the other half is plain. It is served with a boiled egg and a potato curry. The potato curry was infused and bursting with flavours. Not spicy but had the taste of Mustard seeds, coriander and some other spice.
The chilli chicken curry was just one chicken leg piece with very little gravy. The asian pretzel was sort of star shaped and was average tasting. I expected the milk pudding to be sweet but it was like overly cooked sticky rice that seemed to have a coconut flavour.
The egg hopper was nice and crispy and soft with a sunny side egg in the middle. You break off a bit of the hopper, dip it into the yolk, then the coconut sambol, the sweet onion relish and delicious homely tasting dhaal.
The mocha was deliciously chocolatey and had a smooth coffee flavour.
Definitely going back.
Alexander Rangie Gylo
+3.5
Food yummy, cultural blending of food fun. The Lankan Frenchy very flavoursome, the shards of Vegemite on the Avacado pretty edgy, not made to Western serving sizes for better or worse. Good coffee nicely fitted out place, easy breazy
Solid cafe with interesting menu - mix of modern Australian and Sri Lankan cuisine. Beautifully presented. The lychee panacotta was delicious but I thought some of the other dishes were overpriced especially the tiny side of beef curry for $7
A Chronicle Of Gastronomy
+4
Venture a little further up Smith St towards the outdoor factory outlets, and you’ll come across Pavlov’s Duck. It’s a busy Sunday, and the space can be a little tight, but the café exudes cosiness and warmth. For a taste of a more authentic Sri Lankan breakfast, hoppers make an appearance on the morning menu on weekends. You can watch the chef skillfully making these bowl shaped vessels and frying up kothu by the front window. There’s no regular omelette on the brunch menu, but on weekends you can get your hands on the prawn omelette hoppers. We try a plain hopper with dhal, coconut sambol and chilli onion, and also a prawn omelette hopper with house-made tomato relish. There seems to be a hint of coconut in the hopper batter, making each crispy bite even better. The prawn omelette is nicely seasoned and moist, and also nicely proportioned to the amount of hopper that contains it.
Came here for lunch today, food was pretty good. Had the brunch bowl and you can't really go wrong with spiced chickpeas, pumpkin, greens and cauliflower. The only thing that would have lifted the dish would have been some char on the cauliflower.
The only other negative was the food took a while to come out given that the cafe wasn't that busy.
The menu had quite a few appealing items and the cafe itself is quite nice so, overall I would definitely come back here again.
DAMMIT JANET I LOVE FOOD
+3.5
If you are looking for a unique brunch menu, look no further than Pavlov’s Duck! The Sri Lankan inspired dishes here are bold, full of flavour and wonderfully plated. Service was down to earth, and the warehouse-like space is typical of a hipster brunch place. A hoppers making station can also be found at the front so you can watch your hoppers being freshly made. In any case, I’m coming back for the hot chocolate.
Melbourniancritic (The Melbourne Experience)
+4.5
If you haven't tried Sri Lankan food before, or like us have been dying to find a place that does decent Sri Lankan food then you're in for a real treat at Pavlov's Duck in Fitzroy. This Sri Lankan inspired cafe ticks all the boxes for us.
Full review on melbourniancritic.com.au/pavlovs-duck-fitzroy
Ashanie Mekhala Perera
+3.5
Pavlov’s Dog is a simple psychology experiment whereby a dog is conditioned to associate the ringing of a bell with food, and thereby salivate. Well, Pavlov’s Duck serves up some tasty tucker worth salivating over too. Located in a chic, Bohemian-feel warehouse on Smith Street, you’ll find delicious brunch items fused with classic Sri Lankan hawker foods. It’s a hipster’s paradise.
Ordered the potato and fish fritter aka French Lanky for brunch. I really enjoyed the flavours, although there may be some who may think the fish taste is too strong. The Asian tabouli and soft boiled egg was a nice accompaniment to the croissant. Would definitely come back to try something else.
PS It also had a kids menu and clean facility to change nappies. Great place to hang out for those with young children!
We read about this cute and cosy little cafe offering srilankan food options and we decided to try it out for dinner. We tried the hoppers, the chicken roti roll and the fish cutlets. The hoppers were good but the accompaniments they were served with were some what bland. The chicken roti roll was hard and uncooked around the edges. The fish patties tasted like average tuna patties. Overall, food was quite unimpressive. Drinks on the other hand were amazing. Loved the Prana Chai and the green juice!!
My first taste of Sri Lankan cuisine was at Pavlov’s Duck down on Smith Street of my neighbourhood. I love the name of the place and was pretty happy with my dinner, although some of the items did get some mixed reviews from the full table. I think they do a more consistent brunch game, with dinner being a more recent addition for them.
Love this place! Delicious matcha and turmeric Lattes. The Lankan Frenchy is a croissant with a whole number of bit and pieces, including curried potatoes and a boiled egg. SO GOOD! We also tried the prawn hopper which was a winner too. The service was on point and the staff and awesome. I will be back for sure, the whole menu sounds wicked !
Love their interesting menu! All dish were inspired by Sri lanka cuisine and it was really hard for me to choose only one (wanna try them all!). 1. Mocha with special dark chocolate was unique and I really like its rich flavor. 2. quinoa felafel (highly recommend!) It was the best felafel I've had, it was warm and best match the avocado and another fruity smash, also the sweet chili sauce and sausage. I love all those elements came together. Wish to come again.
Beautiful food full of flavour and spice, perfect for sharing or just indulging yourself. Wonderful warm atmosphere and vibe, lovely wait staff, will definitely be coming back and introducing new friends to Pavlov's Duck 😊
Excellent fusion of French and Lankan cuisine.. Enjoyed Braised Lamb salad and pumpkin Chia pancakes .. The smoothies were great too .. Need to try other things .. Turmeric Chai Latte
Loved it! The inside is amazing - I felt like I wasn't in Melbourne. All the food options seemed great! Staff were friendly. I had the golden latte which was really good! And the roti with lentils was yum! The portion was a bit small but still really enjoyable. Will be back!!
Fitzroy café Pavlov’s Duck is a wonderfully surprising fusion of French and Sri Lankan cuisine. . While on paper that may sound strange – it works so well that it makes you wonder why we don’t have more of it in Melbourne, given our rich culinary scene and high Sri Lankan population.
Great menu, full of delicious food. Service was great, golden latte was the bomb! We stumbled on the place by default but will definitely be back.
I came here for brunch and what a joy it was to eat here. Ordered their hopper with dhal, coconut sambal and chilli onion...whoa! A total celebration of what likely began as poor mans village food. My meal was steeped in tradition and cooked with love. Balance was fantastic, creamy dhal, fragrant and refreshingly spicy sambal and sweet onions. You guys nailed it.
shortly before heading overseas, i was invited to a tasting night at pavlov’s duck on smith st in collingwood. the sri-lankan influenced cafe already has an established brunch and lunch reputation – the urban list even rates their fish + potato fritters as one of the best for melbourne breakfast. following a huge makeover and change in management in 2015, the cafe has excitingly branched out into a licensed dinner venue with a flavourful and experiential sri-lankan feast on offer! pavlov’s duck also proudly use local suppliers including daylesford + hepburn mineral springs co, larsen and thompson, natural tucker bakery, noisette bakery, padre coffee + prana chai.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Jun'17 update - Went here for dinner on a Saturday night. Was pretty excited because I like the breakfast here. On the menu there is a banquet that can be taken with a minimum of 2 people. Because we just wanted to try a few dishes, boyfriend and I wanted to order the banquet. However, we had another friend with us, he wanted the beef brisket. They said they only do the banquet for the whole table. Sorry, but that's not what it says on the menu, it says minimum of 2 people! The waitress explained it by saying that sometimes 2 people take the banquet and then the 3rd person on the table only orders something small. Firstly, what is wrong with that?? It's not as if 2 people order 'eat as much as you can' and a 3rd person doesn't order anything. If the banquet is too much food for 2, then why can't people share it with 3?? Secondly, our friend had already ordered his own full-size meal. It seemed that the waitress wasn't very experienced (she was young) and she wasn't empowered by the manager/ owner to take a logical decision where a logical decision is due. Sorry Pavlov's Duck, but regardless of the quality of the food, this is costing you a point on my rating, as it is very bad customer service.
We ordered a few different vegetarian curry's and a few roti's and the other Sri Lankan basket things. The food was pretty good and plenty (we took a little bit of the curry's home with us).
May'16 - Had brunch with a friend. All the dishes look exciting with interesting and healthy ingredients. I took Quinoa Falafels, it looked amazing (see photo) and was delicious. My friend took Lankan Frenchy and she said it was good. Service was friendly. Coffees were ok. All up just under $50 for 2 meals and 3 drinks.
A great tasting hopper and roti experience, just like you've been invited to someone's home. Very hospitable friendly and on tram line 86 at stop 20. Couldn't get much easier. $31 for 2 no drinks
Sharon Tauru #jazalajewels
+4
Full of flavour and great healthy cool option super smoothies.Spinach & berry was my favorite but the kids loved the cocao. Great quick power up ready for more shopping
Fabulous fusion cafe. Service was good and food was so interesting. The Pol Roti was a little small on the portion size side, but big on flavour! The addition of local
Monsieur Le Truffe hot chocolate says a lot about how carefully these people think about their community (and it was marvellous too). We will definitely return!
Chicken kottu is amazing !!! I'm not a spice head but mild was just right for me. If you like spice you will like this dish !l! Also comes in medium and hot but not for me.
I'd def try this will not disappoint
Interesting fusion dishes with a lot of flavour. Good coffee and some streetside tables. Slightly disinterested staff but well worth a visit.
Comfy little cafe on Smith st. The varied menu is fantastic, already flagged what I am gettting next time 😄
The Kottu Roti was the perfect serving size and absolutely delicious 😋
For the lovers of Sri Lankan cuisine try the Kottu Roti or the Hoppers.
Absolutely love it here! The food is fantastic, the staff are super friendly and the coffee is amazing. I'd highly recommend the coconut cold brew.
They also do $10 cocktails and $5 house beers at night!
The Spice Adventuress
+3.5
‘There is no love more sincere than the love of food’ – the perfect tagline for a restaurant!. Pavlov’s Duck can be a bit of a surprise. The name, the ambience, the menu – all of it can throw you off track when you first walk into this space. Located in Fitzroy, this café/restaurant has been known for its Srilankan influenced breakfast and brunch menu for quite some time now. But the ducks are soon turning to owls and expanding into the vibrant night scene of Fitzroy with an all new dinner menu from February 19th, 2016.
Saw Sri Lankan hoppers being prepared in the window this morning and stopped in for an unplanned snack. The hoppers with sambal and Dahl were amazing. Fresh vibrant flavours. I can't wait to return
First up: Thosai (fermented crepes) and Vada (spicy donuts) are served with sambar curry (lentil vegetarian curry) and green sambol (coconut, lime and chilli relish). This is a tasty start to the evening, and an easy first test of our skills at eating with fingers. The main event: Kottu with crab, chicken or vegetarian. Kottu is chopped up roti stir fried on a grill plate with egg, vegetables and Sri Lankan spices. To this base you can add any flavours and textures you like. The crab is the standout of the evening – moist and yummy; the chicken is also pretty good – spicy and falling off the bone tender; and the vegetarian runs a close third.
Linnie Eats All The Food
+3.5
Pavlov’s Duck is a Sri Lankan influenced brunch/cafe located at the other end of Smith Street where it’s a bit more quieter. Don’t let this fool you though, when you step into the cafe, the music was pumping and you feel welcomed instantly. I was invited by Pavlov’s Duck to attend their Pre-Launch Night and all opinions expressed are my own.
This eatery was absolutely adorable and very shall I dare to say it…hipster. It has a casual feel, inviting and very Melburnian. We were seated and waited for our food to come out! We had to get ready for a messy night since we all going to be using our hands (AWESOME SAUCE).
Pavlov’s Duck was an accidental discovery from a walk on Smith St, leading us to the reinvigorated menu inspired by the flavours of Sri Lankan cuisine. At first glance, apart from a few menu items, it looked like any ol’ brunch cafe menu, but you’d be surprised to find some Sri Lankan influence in something as simple as a croissant.Sri Lankan food is a rich melting pot of cuisines – with influences from its colonial heritage to the aromatic spices and herbs that we’ve all come to love. Vibrant murals of Victorian buildings, along with scatterings of wooden ducks, made us want to settle down with a Beatrix Potter book in hand.
The perfect combination of rich, tasty, soulful Sri Lankan food with fresh, organic and gentle ingredients. I'm picky with heavy foods for breakfast but this works so well!
Try the hoppers; traditional and delicious. Fantastic coffee as well.
Food--> 3.5
Giving an extra 0.5 cos of the vibrant and cool hipster looking cafe decor:)
Vibes count.
Thought the menu with its slight Sri Lankan twists were pretty unique for brunches in Melbourne you know?
Like the pumpkin and chia pancakes with a salad that had an Indian/Sri Lankan edge :) haha although the random bites of cardamom can prove to be a tad bit too jarring for the palate.
The pork belly burger that was just rightly sweet, salty with a refreshing slaw, tasted awesome though:)) a crispy skin would've pushed this to 4.5 honestly!:) hehe.
And thanks to Pavlov, I now have opened my eyes to kombucha ☺️
Hahappieats
What a lovely find! My friend and I just wanted to have coffee and stumbled into Pavlov's Duck with my 1 year old daughter. The staff was exceptionally friendly and really made us feel welcome, even with a playful little one. The food was excellent even though the portions were slightly on the small side.
I am excited when they will do Sri Lankan hawker food in January! Will definitely come back then
Great coffee from padre. Ordered the pol roti ($17.5) expensive considering that it doesnt come with any meat, but very flavorsome! The dahl taste is strong. Dont order if you dont like spicy. Downside: small portion (see picture)
Breakfast before a road trip and with no plans for the next week (so unlike us on a weekend and with a destination to go to) we needed a good start. We decided to try Pavlov's Duck and with the drizzly rain outside, we were lucky enough to secure a car park spot right outside. Good start!. I decided to have a matcha latte. I've discovered quite a like of these. This wasn't as green as I'd have liked but actually the matcha hit was there and I enjoyed it.
I was actually hesitating whether to try this place cuz I saw the ratings was only 3.4. However, two dishes from their menu caught my eyes so I've decided to give it a try. I find the fish & potato fritters interesting 😍👌🏼 soft shell crab's also good (p/s: the sweet potato fries as the side are really good) Coffee's 4/5 👍🏼
Unassuming cafe that does South-Asian inspired breakfast food. Their menu is a breath of fresh air if you are getting a bit tired of the smashed avocado, feta cheese and poached egg staples of many hip Melbourne cafes. The cold drip on the rocks I had before my meal was also a class act.
They offer a range of guilt-free dessert options, and have a changing seasonal menu. If you still need convincing, hop on to their Instagram and you will be sold!
Great coffee. I had the Pumpkin and Chia seed pancakes with Poached eggs - delicious! Perfect size, not too heavy. Love the Sri Lankan influence on the menu!
The roti dish was delish with nice flavours! Would definitely recommend that. Atmosphere was nice. Service was fairly quick. Perfect start to my day!
Very nice & relaxed environment, friendly staff, great coffee. Everyone in our group was happy with their meals except for the french toast - the portion was exceptionally small for a whopping $18.50!
Love the name of this cafe, and their tagline, “There is no love more sincere than the love of food” is perfect. A rustic warehouse kind of cafe with interesting knick-knacks littered around, I can’t help but feel a little slice of South-Asia whilst sitting in the middle of it all. Which is fitting as the menu is inspired by Sri Lankan cuisine.
Went to Pavlovs duck for a girls catch up, for some coffee and lunch. What a great place! Loved the atmosphere and service, very friendly staff, great food and coffee. A Sri Lankan inspired menu something with different a twist! We tried the pork belly burgers with the fat chips and for desert we had the hoppers with Nutella and banana. So yummy!!
The deconstructed chai late and hot chocolate were so delicious too! @
Really delicious food, amazing and friendly service! Portion sizes aren't massive either which I count as a positive :) well done guys! Made my day!
This Diner Is Anonymous
+5
Just moved to the area and finally got around to fully trying this nugget out. What a brilliant place! Loved the egg and bacon foccacia, and the chai came out with a tray with all the trimmings; extra cinnamon, honey and a big pot filled with spice goodness. Adore this place and its fab service. Amazing!
Brunch with a Sri Lankan twist! Very nice coffee. We were after a light breakfast, and the hoppers were perfect. Something a bit different! The shrimp omelette one and the coconut sambal ones were both great, and left us feeling satisfied without that big brekkie/brunch overindulgent feeling.
Love Pavlov's Duck!. We totally loved it. We visit Melbourne regularly and we always stop at Pavlov's Duck. The hoppers are the new thing we tried and were fabulous. Don't miss this beautiful place. The food, the people and place are fantastic
Industrial chic. Good coffee in an interesting industrial chic atmosphere.
A cosy pit-stop for the weary shoppers on Smith St.; an abode for those in need of a brain jolt with a caffeine hit and free WiFi for ideation...
OMG!. Food @ pavlov's duck = foodpron!
Yum!. What a find! Loved this place. I had the pancakes which were the best I have ever eaten.. Which is a big call as I've eaten more than a few in my time. The pistachio crumb, berries and icecream on top of light pancakes were delicious. My friend had the corn fritters which I'll be trying myself next time. Coffee was ok too. Service was prompt and friendly without being intrusive.
Will definitely be returning soon.
The 'Pol" Roti. Amazing flavours in the dhal/lentils, perfect combination with the sweet chilli sambal, egg and coconut roti. Very impressed.
What an interesting place to eat/drink. Fantastic take on the fusion food.
And such attention to detail.
Much better. So much better since it changed hands a few weeks back. Still not incredible but a good option if breakfast thieves is too busy. Coffee is great.
Great dining experience. Amazing atmosphere, friendly staff, great food with a good variety and awesome coffee. Special mention for the amazing mint Kombucha and raw vegan desserts - so tasty.
Sunday afternoon snack. Delicious spinach, mushroom and egg roti roll
with my face coffee - Padre
great atmosphere, pleasant staff
a good spot to take a break while shopping the travel gear clearance outlets on Smith st
Lovely spot for brunch!. Nice cosy atmosphere. Amazing coffee. I had the french toast and it was so delicious. Good value and friendly staff. Definitely recommend this place to everyone, and will be coming back to try the rest of the menu.
Nice warm and cosey environment. Cool art work on the walls and great decor. Amazing coffee, lovely fresh juices. Pulled pork was amazing!
New Management *THUMBS UP* & the Zesty Lemon Salad with Chicken OH MY!. DELISH!! Avocado, chicken, the perfect amount of red onion, tomato, greens and so much more! Awesome & wholesome - left me feeling great for the afternoon back in the office! Can't wait to take my man there on the weekend for brunch so we can try the other yummy things on the new menu (especially those gluten free sweets)! Impressed with the new staff too :)
Healthy and yummy! Great vi.... Healthy and yummy!
Great vibe and friendly staff :)
The coffee here is one of the best I've had in the area. It's a lovely little place.
Coffee usually excellent. Cafe has a great feel and the baristas, with one exception do a great job. It's enough to stop me going there, as I want to be assured of getting a great coffee every time. It's a pity to have someone let the side down when others deliver all the time.
Where is everyone?. Before I begin, I have to admit, that I am in fact a regular at Pavlov's Duck (long time customer, first time reviewer). Let me start off by asking where everyone has gone... I've been in Melbourne now (moved from Sydney) for over 5 years now and this is the first cafe I've been to that has it 'all', friendly staff that actually care about their customers, their jobs and the product, incredible food (simple but perfect), delicious coffee from very talented baristas and such a wicked lay out and vibe. I cannot recommend this cafe enough to any visitors looking for a non pretentious, cosy cafe. Could this be the most underrated cafe in Melbourne...? I think so (but part of me wishes it would stay quiet and peaceful).
Wow. Been to many places in Melb all had a great name for themselves but I have yet to be impressed by one
.untill now I found this wonderful place on the end part of Smith St fitzroy Called pavlovs duck the staff are all great and very helpful the coffee was great and food was amazing eggs bennie was to Die for and my partner had smashed avo yummo
Can not recommend this place enough I have told everyone about it
What a find! Smith St Collingwood used to be full of awesome outlets, but it seems that since Nike moved to South Wharf it's become a bit of a dead zone. We were hoping to catch some great bargains, but instead found ourselves at a funky little cafe. I had the Chicken Burger and it was delicious, so big that I sttruggled to finish it, teamed with a berry milkshake (made from their own compote). Hubs had the Steak Sanga, and devoured it. Servings were generous and the staff were happy to discuss numerous gluten free options for my fussy 6 year old. Next time we come to Smith we will be coming for the food, not the outlets! Oh and hubby gives the coffee a very enthusiastic two thumbs up and I'm a huge fan of the bathroom decor ;)
I came back to Pavlov's Duck for the best eggs benedict ever! These guys know how to make great coffee and never disappoint. A friendly, relaxed cafe. And free wifi, yes!
I think Pavlov's is awesome.. I've been to Pavlov's a few times and I've been really happy with the whole experience. Staff are friendly, food comes quickly and while my dietary requirements are usually a pain in the ass to explain (can have, can't have etc), it's not a problem for these guys.
One thing I really like is the new system for placing orders, and receiving your number, which makes it a more seamless customer service experience. Also, being kid-friendly is not easy in these parts but there's a lot to be said for small businesses willing to go the extra mile for their customers' comforts. Free Wifi! Quacktastic!
Perfect Coffee. Been to this place many a times. Relaxed atmosphere. great tasty, filling food. Caters for all dietary requirements. being lactose intolerant not easy to find a place that will accomodate. These guys are always very accomodating of my dietary needs. Great coffee, and fantastic staff. Check em out!
Great coffee friendly staff....and surprisingly good food for a small cafe...will be back :)
Pavlov's duck. I've been there on a few occasions now and each time the coffee is wonderful. The service is lacking sometimes and the staff seem very casual. When asking about the beans, I received a short story about each bean in the blend and the flavours which accompany them. The bargain end of Smith st has had its turn at poor coffee. These guys have a way to go but are on the right track.
Where everybody knows your name.... If you want snooty service there are plenty of places to choose from in the hood. If you want to go to a cafe and feel welcome choose Pav's. I don't know how they do it but they really do seem to know everybody's name. Lovely people, working hard to make somewhere that suits a diverse clientele. There may be 'suits' on laptops at one table, mums and prams at the next. It all works because everyone is welcome. No snobbery, just hard working friendly people who are making themselves part of the community (and giving back to it). And... the coffee is good and if you get there early and the muffins are still warm from the oven... mmm.
Must visit....... Stumbled on this cafe and was very pleasantly surprised. Great coffee, engaging staff, crazy/intriguing decor with the best Nachos! Will be back for more :)
Pavlov would have loved this place. Such a friendly atmosphere in this cafe, without all the pretension that sometimes accompanies the small cafes in this area. Extremely tasty menu: haven't had a meal that I didn't enjoy here yet! Great coffee too!
Great Service. Pavlovs Duck what a hidden Gem love the look as soon as I walked in, Staff were so friendly and accommodating to us. Coffee and Hot Chocolate got a huge thumbs up from us very quick service with the food and it was super tasty, I will definitely be back.
Excellent customer service & delicious food.. Love going to Pavlov's Duck for breakfast, brunch, lunch or to events where Pavlov's Duck have catered! Super friendly service and delicious food. Love their coffee and think it's awesome they share their wi-fi with diners too. Some highlights for me were the Smashed Avocado, Nachos and the Pulled Pork Sandwiches, they are all to die for! Be back soon.
Loved it. OMG, the mini beef burgers are fabulous! I loved the whole set up of the place, it was very cool and so eclectic wiht a great atmosphere. The service was excellent and the hot chocolate (3 kinds to choose from mind you) was delicious. Will definately be back to try more of the menu. Thanks
Great coffee. Fantastic coffee! Great service. Can't wait to try the breakfast menu - we will be back :)
Review - 11th August. Had lunch at Pavlov's Duck with the kids last weekend. Delicious food, great atmosphere, quick service, friendly staff. Good variety on the menu. All round a great experience and will definitely return.
Highly recommended, amazing food great variety with so much flavor. Friendly staff and service with a smile. Will definitely be going back.
I am yet to taste something from Pavlovs duck that i didnt LOVE. Its amaaazing food and fantastic customer service. An all round delightful experience :)
Amazing pastries and the fruit loaf is the best I've tasted. Well worth a visit.
Amazing menu. Great coffee. And extremely helpful and friendly staff. Will recommend to everyone I know in this area. Could not fault in any way. I think they've found a new regular.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Best brunch around. As a brunch connoisseur, who has tried many of the traditional top spots around Melbourne, I was very surprised to find this culinary gem in the midst of Fitzroy. There must be some top chefs in this open kitchen, as the menu selection is quite unique and extensive, for a relatively small place.
It's just been taken over, hence the name change from the previous Tucci Brown. Wow, the difference, in both appearance and attitude, is very evident. The new owners have clearly stepped things up with a new vibe and the upgrading of the interior that is ongoing. It's a cosy place to chill out with great music & very friendly staff. Business seems to have increased & I actually have to wait a bit for my coffee these days..but it's sure worth it. Love the big mugs (hard to find normally) but a larger takeaway size cup would be good to preferable.
I noticed that the large retail section has all but gone, replaced with more seating and a much cleaner , uncluttered look. Not so keen on stools, being a big guy, but there are chairs as well. The menu has completely changed for winter too & now includes some very hearty choices.
My menu faves are the porridge, cappuccino & white chocolate pancakes (to die for!) & the savoury French toast. The chicken curry is great too but get in early as it sometimes sells out. Love sitting outside & taking in all the Smith St activity, when we do get a warm day that is.
It's sure great to finally find an unpretentious cafe, amongst the sports-outlets part of Smith St, providing such great value. It's become my regular and I look forward to checking out the daily specials. Highly recommended for breakfast, lunch or coffee (great range btw)! It's dog-friendly at outside tables too, so looking forward to my new puppy arriving shortly...maybe a doggy menu on the way?!
What a delightful place this is! Interesting menu and very friendly and sweet service. I had scrambled eggs and they were cooked to perfection. My husband had smashed avo and it was delicious too, and beautifully presented. The coffee was good and we ordered a berry smoothie which was also good. We will definitely be going back to this place and I highly recommend you try it out.
Lovely lunchtime stop at Pavlov's Duck (great name too). Great service, good coffee and really tasty 'Milk Rice' dish of chicken curry.
Very nice place even on a cool winters morning for coffee and breakfast.
Coffee was very nice although a larger cup would have been good.
The poached eggs with smashed avo on toast were extremely nice. Eggs soft but not not undercooked,nice sourdough toast along with duck very very nice.
Beautiful ingredients, well priced, a quaint atmosphere and even nicer coffee. Will be back.
Food was really tasty. Staff were really pleasant, I would have liked more check ins but thats just me as I tend to do follow up orders with drinks .
Set up is nice, chilled vibe , love the decoration
Filled up quickly after 11am (visited on a Saturday)
Well worth a visit
Tried a hopper for the first time. If you haven’t had one, this is the place.
Went here on a weekend for breakfast, had the full breakfast, tried both the vegetarian and the meat (chorizo and bacon) variants. The place had a nice relaxed vibe and not too busy so don’t need to waste time queueing! Coffee was good and portion size was perfect, I think many may actually struggle to finish! Poached eggs were perfect. However, note it is on the pricier side for breakfast in this area, but not by much. Would like to visit again for the Sri Lankan style lunch options.
Today was my first visit to Pavlov’s Duck on Smith St. Great little local find, the space is bigger then expected with options to sit inside and outside. The atmosphere is pretty chilled, with a rustic yet artsy vibe. I ordered a turmeric chai latte which was perfect 👌The braised lamb salad was fresh, delicious and bigger then I’d expected. Reasonably priced with a great selection of healthy meals on the menu. Pretty sure I’ll be back. Highly recommended 🙂 Thanks!!!
An error has occurred! Please try again in a few minutes