Review Arcadia Cafe And Bar - Fitzroy

Came here for the bottomless boozy brunch on a Sunday and I loved it! Such a cute spot to catch up with friends + food and drinks were tasty. I loved the corn fritters, it was so good!!! Staff were very nice and friendly too :) The Waffles & green bowl on the menu actually looks very tempting too, so will bring my partner here to try them next time! -Yi Ling (@bellyyhappyy)

Arcadia has one of the quintessential Fitzroy cafe vibes - loved dining on the street and watching the bustle of Fitzroy go past. Their Eggs Benny had a delicious hollandaise sauce on some lovely warm toasted English muffins. The ragu pasta was also a hearty, meaty option and the sauce was very flavoursome. I would love to try their other sweet options next time (the french toast sounds very promising!) as I found the berry pancakes a tad on the sweet side.

If you are looking for good food and an excellent brunch spot at Gertrude Street Fitzroy, we highly recommend checking out Arcardia Cafe & Bar! The menu is super impressive with plenty of vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options and the dishes we chose were absolutely delicious! Trust us, there were plenty of smiles from us! We ordered: 🥞 Ricotta Pancakes (vegetarian) 🍄 Mushroom Medley (vegan/vegetarian) 🍳 Heuvos Rancheros (gluten free) We absolutely loved the vibes here! Customer service was friendly and attentive! We loved it here! With the sunshine out, we ate outdoors and had a lovely time watching the hustle and bustle of Gertrude Street and watching trams past us by.

The food here is absolutely delicious! There are lots of veggie options and places to sit. The staff are great and perfect for any cafe feed :)

Arcadia is definitely one of the best brunch places in Fitzroy, especially with their twists on the classic brunch dishes and their extensive options to accommodate dietary requirements e.g. Gluten Free, Vegetarian, or Vegan 🍃 We got: ☕️ Latte & Matcha Latte The coffee was delicious! I’ve also been obsessed with Matcha again and this didn’t disappoint. We always enjoy hot drinks esp on the rainy day we had 🥶 🍳 Huevos Rancheros We believe this was our first time having a crispy tortilla for brunch! It’s genius to have this as a brunch option as it’s quite hard to find in the morning and the dish itself was sooo freaking delicious 🤤 Andrew ordered this one and I was jealous, it’s not everyday that I get jelly of his food! 😂 All of the flavors and textures in this dish were spot on ‼️ The sweet, savory, tangy, bit of spice were well balanced. 🥗 Some like it Hot & Scrambled This dish was also very yum! I rarely get anything with avo but I can never say no to Sujuk! Then combining that Sujuk flavor with the spice from Harissa sauce was just *chef kiss* 👌🏻 Scrambled eggs were perfectly cooked, oh and the knife was amazing to cut through sourdough bread (this is rare find! 😂) As it was raining heavily, we preferred to dine indoor, but we could definitely tell how good it would be to sit either outside or on the courtyard when it’s a sunny day ☀️ Overall, we’d love to come back to try their other dishes as some were quite intriguing like Halloumi Burger, Holy (not) Cow Burger, Papa’s Pappardelle and more 😋

The best corn and zucchini fritters I’ve ever had - perfect amount of crispness and the corn was sweet and juicy. It could have been stacked for a neater appearance and salad was a bit excessive, but otherwise the dish was hard to fault. No complaints from my dining companion who had the Arcadian eggs and ricotta hotcakes. Ricotta hotcakes very well presented and the dulce de leche garnish was a nice touch.

Arcadia is a great cafe located along Gertrude Street, Fitzroy. Visiting on a sunny winter morning for brunch we opted to sit outside and take advantage of the sunshine. We ordered the Arcadian eggs, macadamia dukkah eggs and the French Brioche to share. For drinks we had the green cleanse and mocha peanut butter protein smooothies. Everything we ordered came out beautifully presented. For me the highlight was the French Brioche, it was amazing. Featuring brioche French toast with crunchy peanut butter, fresh berries, raspberry coulis, passion fruit curd, dulce de leche & rose water pannacotta, it was full of flavour and texture. All the components and flavours of the dish worked together beautifully. It was sweet but surprisingly not too sweet, the fruit and peanut butter balanced the sweetness. The macadamia dukkah eggs were lovely. Although simple in appearance, everything was done well from the halloumi to the blistered cherry tomatoes and the perfectly poached eggs. I really enjoyed the olive toast. The Arcadian eggs was another tasty dish. I liked the touch of sriracha in the hollandaise. Whilst the smoothies were filling and refreshing. Overall I had a great experience at Arcadia. The staff were friendly and the food was delicious. I recommend you check them out if in the area. I rate Arcadia ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5. Thanks very much for having me.

Totally recommend the place. Amazing food, nice drinks-just as strong as i like them :) and incredible service. Defs coming back. Worth the travel ❤

Popped by for lunch, and the food was amazeballs, both what I and the company I was with had. Nice and down to earth place. Came back for coffee today, and the vibe and service was excellent - thanks!

Nice place, nice atmosphere and really fresh and delicious food. Caters especially well for people on a gluten-free diet - the gf bread it serves is partciularly deliicious and always sliced generously - unlike many other places! Staff are always very friendly, and even when its really busy, they always welcome you with a smile and brief chat. Love having brunch at Arcadia and highly recommend it to others too. POST writing this review: visited Acadia Cafe again recently with friends and we had our usual (middle-easter eggs / Smashed Advocado x 2) and although the food is still delicious, coffee ok/good - staff friendly/courteous - we were all a little shocked when our meals arrived as there was more plate than food visible. Hungry and very disappointed. Arcadia's food - especially breakfast menu - is a cut above surrounding cafes, but so is it's pricing, so customers have a right to expect a full / fair sized meal.

Thank you Arcadia cafe and Daniel for taking care of us so early on New Year's Day you had so much fresh food and the best service and flavours to brighten our breakfast the V choc chip are epic !

I had the best breakfast cornfritter stack with poached eggs highly recommend lovely friendly staff

Nice comfy cafe with aeesome eggs and salmon on toast. Full of cool locals and excellent staff, love it

I've eaten here before and it's been fine. But today!! Holy shit where do I start. Ignored by wait staff until the barista told us to find our own table. Sat looking at the remains of someone else's breakfast for 10 mins. Had to ask 3 times to have table wiped. Ordered after 20 mins at table. Food came before coffee. Waitress self entitled rude and slack. You are NOT doing us a favour by serving us (badly).

Lovely coffee shop. Friendly staff. Beautiful food. Awsome coffee.�

Loved it. Coffee was delicious, staff were lovely and the potato rosti was yummmm

Hi Arcadia, The triple choc brownie I just bought from you saved my Monday with its deliciousness. Thank you!

Consistently good food and wonderful friendly service. The coffee yesterday was sub par but has been very good every other time.

Really poor service!!!! 4 staff not serving, watched us come in, take a seat.. Waiting waiting waiting, still no service. So we think, hmm maybe the big chalkboard sign telling customers to take a seat we come to you!!! Is incorrect.. So we stand at the counter only to have 4 staff ignore us, no acknowledgement what so ever. Food and drink is one thing but without service both you and your customers have nothing!! Never again!

I have been coming to this place for years -- service is great, food is even better -- only wish there were more spaces on Saturday/Sunday morning - but hey don't want it to become big and nasty - stay just the way you are ...

Always very good coffee. Same coffee all the time. No surprises ever with Campos

Big breaky was amazing and great value for money and the staff were nice

Great big Breaky, typical campos long black, can't go wrong. Had to wait a bit to pay when leaving but other than that can't fault. Thanks guys

Rumoured to be the home of the best sandwich in the world. You must all try their chicken and brie, but please leave some for me. It is my staple diet food.

I can only say, great coffee, great food and wonderful staff, keep it up guys!

Today there were three people in Arcadia, my friend and i and one other lady. The staff managed to forget our coffees, then attempted to redeem this with burnt ones. On our second order they brought out the wrong food, and then 15 minutes later told me they had run out of the food I actually ordered. With no apologies or remorse, they continued busily cleaning the store at 2pm on a Friday. When every other cafe is full on gertrude street and only two people in this cafe, let this be a direct reflection of the quality of service. This negligence has lost you two loyal customers that are in there at minimum once a week.

Simply said, bad and unapologetic. Very disappointed. Used to be one of our favourites.

Service has deteriorated significantly, plates and cups were dumped on the table at random and we were left to reorganise them ourselves (including getting rid of our empty cups to make room). The food used to be exceptional but something has clearly changed, quality has dropped a lot. The cornmeal waffle was tough, bland and chalky, chicken was rubbery and dry. We used to be regulars, but won't be back.

Best soy latte!

Nearly $6 for a coffee? $18 for a bagel that looks squashed? I recall this place charging $10 for a hot cross bun. I was hoping that it had changed but, alas, it hasn't. The staff turnover is incredible. From Easter not one familiar face exists. Save your pennies, people - avoid.

Absolutely loved my experience at Arcadia, beautiful food, perfect coffee and lovely staff. The atmosphere is so cozy and homey, perfect for enduring Melbourne winter. There is also an incredible selection of cakes to choose from which have been a joy to test out recently. Will be back!

I haven't been here for a few months so I was really looking forward to coming back post Covit and given that my last experience was a 5/5.<br/><br/>Unfortunately on my latest visit it was a shambles.<br/><br/>The service was friendly but completely disorganised.<br/><br/>I ordered 2 strong almond lattes and 2 potato rosti dishes as they sounded soo good.<br/><br/>The coffees arrived after about 10 mins or so then a waitress approached us some 10 mins after that to let us know that the kitchen had run out of potato rostis. Oh damn, they sounded soo good.<br/><br/>Ok my partner ordered a different dish and I ordered Arcadian Eggs on a dench sourdough English muffin with wilted spinach, topped with herb mayo, and served with a dill and tomato accompaniment. I substituted ham for crispy bacon for an extra $4.50c which I asked for twice. Yes no problem I was assured by the waitress. <br/><br/>And then before we know it my partner dish hits the table. Whoa great service I thought. You start I said as my dish should be here now too. My partners dish was finsihed before I got a picture.<br/><br/>No. Some 20 minutes later my partners dish is finished and where's dish. I was soo hungry now that I was reluctant to cancel so I waited another 5 mins or so when a male waiter came up and said that the kitchen is now out of spinach so can they substitute that with rocket. WT?<br/><br/>I ordered a Bloody Mary, not a virgin Mary and my drink was served just before my food. I was soo annoyed and soo bloody hungry that I didn't complain as I wanted some food!!!<br/><br/>Ok ok. Then I'm waiting again and finally after at least an hour has passed and a dish of bacon and eggs with rocket on toast hits the table.<br/><br/>This was not the dish that I ordered, but I am soo bloody hungry by this stage that I just want something to eat.<br/><br/>This was a joke. We were charged full price for my incomplete dish, as my partner paid whilst I was still eating.<br/><br/>I can feel my temperature rising writing this review. This was THE worst experience I've ever had. I definitely do not recommend this place to anyone!!

Have been to this cafe a couple of times and loved every visit. Not only do they have a great menu but also heaps of options to choose from in the display window that are both filling, vegetarian, healthy and very tasty. I most recently had the vegetable fritters which were served on a kale and sweet potato salad. I was left feeling super satisfied with the meal and enjoyed every vegetable part of this meal, even though I'm not usually vegetarian. <br/>Definitely recommend checking this cafe out when you are in the Fitzroy area!

Came in for lunch. In the process of sitting down when a tall young man threw menus onto the table and immediately asked us what we wanted to drink. As we answered it appeared to me he had forgotten to put his manners in this morning He did not appear to be listening or paying attention to our order or our question about cup sizes. In fact he left me feeling like I was too uncool and beneath him to be there. So I left after cancelling my order. Won’t be back. Won’t ever be cool enough for this young man. Good luck with your hospitality career young man. Good luck in life.

Atmosphere is relaxed and staff were great. Coffee is pretty good, but the food is decent but not great, and seemed a bit overpriced. There's just too much competition around here for me to make the trip back.

Roast Chicken Focaccia Sandwich and a latte for lunch. Sometimes it's the simple moments that provide me a resolution. Sitting alone in a cafe up against the front window looking out at the rain and passers bye. Service: 8/10, F: 7/10, Cf: 4/5

My favourite place for coffee in Fitzroy!! Staff are beautiful and we have never had a bad experience. The coffee really is a little piece of me! Must try!

Very friendly and great environment. I was there from 4.15pm to 5.20pm on Monday practicing for a job interview. When I left I realised everything around me was packed and the place had actually already shut at 4.30pm but the lady was so polite that she didn’t ask me to leave. Their service was beyond my expectation for a $5 coffee I had spent there. Highly recommend this cafe and would definitely go again but will make sure I leave on time! 😊<br/>

The manager working at this cafe is a delight! Service was very friendly and attentive with perfect timing between coffees and our meals. The smashed avo was on the slightly smaller size compared to other Melbourne cafes but still delicious. The toast cane buttered which was annoying as butter upsets my stomach so perhaps butter should be listed on the menu or on the side. The omelette was HUGE!!! Lots of sweet treats on display.

It’s a 3.5 for me, another example of why you need the half mark option. The cafe sits nicely on Getrude St and is a bright airy space. I had coffee here with a friend. The coffee was lovely and made exactly to my taste. The service was lovely from several servers younger and older. I didn’t eat here but will do next time.

Very average. Looks like any other cafe in Fitzroy. Has a nice outdoor area. Freshly squeezed juices gets a plus! Coffee was alright, not bad not the best. Food was average, pancakes a bit dry but looked very nice. Service quite bad.

Been the once and omg the tasty breakfast menu! The corn fitters with advo and poached eggs were a really triumph in flavorsome breakfast delight .. who woulda thought of capers too! Loved it a lot and cant wait to try the menu again.

Very disappointed with the service. Waited 20 mins and no-one served us. I had to grab my own menu and after asking the waitress how long it will take for coffee and food, she said she would check and get back to me. She didn't get back to me after 10 mins so we decided to leave. I spoke to one of he staff members who said he thought we were waiting for someone and no apology was given. As a local I'm disappointed and will not be coming here again.

Always guaranteed a great coffee & a great breakfast that's very much value for money. Staff are always very professional and try to accommodate where they can. I love sitting on the bench by the front window - great little spot to watch the happenings of Gertrude street

Very nice breakfast/brunch food and place to just sit and relax with a friend. Has amazing chai latte! I enjoyed the general atmosphere and vibe!

Only came here for a quick coffee, so dont know abot their food. But coffee was really good! One of the best coffee I had so far. Would love to go again and try more things there.

charming, cosy café, ideal for cold days. one of the quaintiest places i've been to in Melbourne. coffee was great and lived up to expectations. chai latte was a big disappointment - too much milk, too little tea, which made the whole thing hardly drinkable. a shame, since it was such a huge pot also. still, a beautiful place to just chill on a winter afternoon.

We had a lovely post-exam brunch here today, I loved the fresh and healthy lunch options available, the tasty salads and sandwiches in the window looked incredible. I thoroughly enjoyed my roasted pumpkin and eggplant sandwich with basil pesto and rocket salad for $12. The breakky menu looked pretty deluxe, but the lunch menu is a winner with affordable and wholesome choices :) Lovely, unpretentious service and the cafe provided for a cosy, casual and relaxing spot to enjoy a nice meal and cuppa in this awful Melbourne winter weather

This is a great spot - the fit out is relaxed (dark wood) and friendly rather than being hipster edgy and try hard. Our server was helpful and found us a table quickly and did not forget us despite obviously being busy. Our food came quickly and it was generous and tasty, cooked with love and care. We spent almost $100 on brunch for the four of us and it was money well spent. Recommend the sweetcorn fritters.

This cafe is absolutely fantastic. Had lunch after uni here with my sister and will definitely be returning. The extensive well priced menu, lovely staff and magnificent coffee are just some of the great qualities Arcadia offers. The modern interior of the cafe suits the relaxed vibe of Gerturde street where cafe resides and the presence of a small courtyard area out the back is a great addition. The huge array of salads,  savoury pastries of tarts and quiches, sandwiches, curries,  and sweet delights are on display in a huge cabinet at the front of the cafe. We started with coffees ordering a long soy mac that was brewed to perfection strong, hot and dark with, perfect balance of fruity texture. The creamy  cappuccino was also done well showing off the baristas elite skills. After much analysis of the menu we ordered the and The Arcadian Burger consisting of Angus beef infused with spiced basil and tomato salsa, topped with cheddar cheese on a bed of leaves and tomato, drizzled with relish and mayo and served with pickles and hot english mustard with added fries. The meat was succulent and the relish undoubtedly added a kick of spice but was well balanced with the fresh relish and strong cheddar cheese. We also ordered the Arcadia Big Breakfast done vegetarian style made up of poached eggs, roasted tomatoes, sautéed spinach, thyme mushrooms, tomato relish, and sourdough toast, with avocado instead of bacon  and spicy black beans instead of chorizo and halloumi cheese. The eggs where cooked to perfection bursting with runny yolk that filled the crispy sourdough toast. The tomato relish and avocado combined with the spicy black beans that where full of flavour added diversity to the dish offering Mexican flavours to a traditional Melbourne breakfast. The huge field mushroom and roasted tomatoes where by far the highlight of the as well as the overall serving size of the meal making for a sensational lunch option that will not leave you feeling heaving or bloated. Overall Arcadia serves outrageously good coffee and tasty versatile food in a comfortable homey environment aided by exceptionally friendly staff.

My BF and I just ate here and we've decided that Arcadia has ruined us for other cafes. I had the potato rosti stack and BF had the corn fritter stack, both were exceptionally flavoursome and perfectly cooked. I also had lunch here last week, a lamb salad flatbread with pumpkin hummus, which was what brought me back for breakfast today. The menu is extensive and I consider the cafe, a superior find. Also guys, thanks for the great service and ambience. We will be back next time we are in Melbourne.

I had the corn fritters with poached egg, avocado smash, bacon, chipotle mayo and a weird salad of rocket tomato and capers. On paper it seems okay, but  on tasting, the flavours of the dish are very confused. The caper salad gave the corn fritters a weird vinegary taste, and I am not sure how capers, chipotle, feta and bacon go together. Everything was cooked well, the bacon was greasy though, I had to mop the fat pools off with my napkin. Coffee was nice. <br/><br/>Staff are nice. I'd give them another go but would order something different.

Old school cafe that has been there forever. However the food is a little bland and I wanted to scrub everything (particularly the bathroom area) even my coffee cup wasn't washed properly. The staff seemed really over it, feels to be a passion missing.

The first meal of the year was going to be on Gertrude Street. Actually the intention was Archie's as my brother was convinced it would be open - according to his internet searching. However for the second time within 2 weeks, he was sadly disappointed by their closed doors. No matter, the beauty of Gertrude Street is the multitude of cafes and brunches to pick from.

Delicious! Great coffee, ate the middle eastern poached eggs and it was a beautiful dish, every element of the dish was yummy. Friendly staff.

<br/>I quite liked this place for the purpose I went for.<br/>I was needing a late lunch and most places were no longer serving food. Arcadia were still serving from there deli (up Til 4pm I believe).. I wandered to the deli expecting a sandwich or two but they had an impressive selection available which made my day. Weighed up the vego lasagne and chicken patties, ended up getting lamb meatballs and a salad. The food was healthy and fresh but wasn't very flavoursome. <br/><br/>I would definitely recommend this place for a simple, quick or not so quick lunch!

Went in on New Year's Day, and clearly they were swamped as there was hardly anywhere else open. They struggled a little keeping up with orders, but our food was delicious! I had the garlic and rosemary potato rosti with spinach, bacon, poached eggs and sweet bell pepper pesto, and my friend had the potato rosti with spinach, bacon, pulled pork and scrambled eggs. We were really happy with the food and will definitely be giving the place another try when it's a bit less busy!

Came in on the 2nd day of 2016. Happily ordered the corn fritters and the big breakfast,hoping my first breakfast of the year will be a satisfying meal. Well, the food was okay with no surprise. I do prefer the corn fritters from South of Johnston or Tram which they have more corn in the fritter.Half way through, it was to my shocked to find a short hair tucked inside the corn fritter that I was eating. This really shouldn't be happening. While i decided not to tell the waitress and quietly finish the other piece of fritter, i found that the staffs also never came up to us and check if everything is ok. I do come across most of the other cafe staffs checking with the customer during/ after meal if every thing is served,if meal is ok and etc. However, I was never asked with that question by any of the staff in Arcadia,not even when I was making the payment and they were not even full house or extremely busy at that time. For this,I will think their customer service is not good. They are all nice and friendly but not customer orientated.<br/>

Nice atmosphere. Large selection of meals but very plain tasting and not in a good way. We had the potato rosti and the bircher and they struggled to make these even taste good. Would not be returning.

Used to be one of my favourites on Gertrude St, but it's no longer the same. While the menu still looks amazing, the food that comes always lets me down. Potato rosti not at all crispy, as if was pre-made then heated. One time my toast was overdone (entirely light brown and impossible to even cut with a knife and fork). Just seems like there are a lot of compromises on quality. Many dishes are over $20, so you'd be hoping for dishes that are tip top. <br/><br/>In all honesty, the over the counter food selection (salads, pies etc) that you see behind the counter glass are actually better value for money and often less disappointing. <br/><br/>Saving grace is the amazing coffee.

Used to really enjoy this place, but had a horrible experience here recently!!!!<br/><br/>My friend is coeliac, and she made this very clear when ordering, stating that she was coeliac and would like gluten-free bread and poached eggs.<br/><br/>Halfway into her meal, she noticed that it was normal bread! She flagged the waitress who took the meal away and replaced it.. When she came back with the gluten free option, she didn't apologise or say anything.<br/><br/>My friend asked to speak to the manager as she can get really sick, however the manager told her she should "Eat at home if its too difficult to order out" and that it was a human error and we should get over it!!!<br/><br/>I actually cannot believe the rudeness.. no apology, no offer of compensating the meal.. <br/><br/>This is sooooooo dangerous!! It's one thing not to like the order, but it is completely different to specifically outline that you have a very strong food allergy and are coeliac and then be given the food you are allergic to!<br/><br/>My friend ended up in hospital later that night and we will be putting in a formal complaint as this is really very dangerous!

One Saturday, just after picking up our City2Sea race packs, myself, the other half and the other half’s cousin, J, were wandering down Gertrude St trying to find a place for brunch. Generally when we go out, I have always done my research and have a place in mind, but this time I had no idea where to go.

Great coffee and fantastically varied brunch menu. Arcadia has a huge variety of freshly made cakes, salads and slices. Atmosphere is friendly and comfortable - great place to relax and read the paper on a Sunday morning.

Always welcoming atmosphere. Great team there. Delicious cakes and food with great coffee too. Pretty packed lunch time. I would head in a bit before noon.

I had the eggs with salsa and spicy beans on cheese and jalapeno stuffed tortillas. Unfortunately the tortillas were way too chewy, and really dragged the dish down. My compatriots had the burger and the porridge, and they were both impressed. Perhaps I just made a bad choice off the menu.

Beautiful atmosphere gigantic portions . <br/>The food is good and coffee also. <br/>But seriously guys, not splitting bills on a week day and charging 50c ON EVERY transaction? <br/><br/>That's outrageous. <br/>

Good atmosphere and friendly staff. Just down the street from where were staying, I'm sad we didn't try this place earlier. I had the Spanish omelette and my sister had the banana spelt French toast. Both were very yummy. We will be coming back!

Stopped in here for a quick coffee early on a Sunday morning. The service was efficient and cheerful, the beverages (chai and a cappuccino) were pretty good, and the displays looked amazing! Looking forward to returning next time I'm in Fitzroy.

Beautiful, healthy and tasty food, served by happy people and best enjoyed with a good appetite:) ideal for both summer and winter as the selection is generous

Another great night of feasting in this five star restaurant, Arcadia never disappoints. Whenever we have friends in town we always take them here and they love it. It's at the top of my favourite Spanish restaurants.

The quality of the food here is outstanding and they never fail with an amazing breakfast/lunch and always serve good coffee. <br/>I love their selection of amazing salads and their portions are always very generous and the food is very flavoursome. <br/>Service is generally good, but can be quite hit and miss. Find that we are often ignored or forgotten about.

Recently gone a bit downhill following a change of staff in the kitchen, the portion sizes are smaller but the same prices for meals... Good little joint though and my first ever Melbourne breakfast was here!

Nice place with lovely staff. There coffee is nice and there corn fritters are really delicious. Overall a nice place for a brunch on the weekend.

Lovely Spanish omelette. The feta was notable. The coffee was ok but not stunning. Nice buzz and friendly service. Nice place on a Sunday morning.

Was pretty disappointed in their Bloody Mary. Drinking it was like mustard seed bubble tea. This mustard explosion is not quite what you're after when you're in need of a bloodos Maros and feeling slightly green. Aside from that, our meals were a little so-so. Not spectacular, certainly not bad either. Unfortunately the avo and tomato in the salsa that you get with tortillas were bland and tasteless. Luckily, curiousity had me order the spicy black beans, which absolutely saved the day. Best thing I ate there. We paid $67 to a strange fellow as we left, probably won't go back by choice....

Great porridge, coffee, and eggs! We had a super friendly British waiter, not much of a wait on the food, and the place had a nice atmosphere.

Omlette woes. I visited southpaw earlier this week and unfortunately had quite a negative experience. My partner ordered the omlette with chorizo with a side of relish and remarked that it looked rubbery and overcooked before he even took a bite. The two mouthfulls he took of his food confirmed this. He couldnt even sate his hunger with the toast on his plate as it was burnt. I ate most of my meal (mushrooms & pesto) except for the toast as it was also quite burnt. When the waitresss picked up our plates we told her that the meal was bad, and hardly touched for a reason. She said it was a shame. <br/>We went up to pay and complained about the omlette again. After a bit of umming and ahhing she did not charge us for the relish side ($2) or a tea ($4) that we ordered. The omlette was $19. We still payed over $40 to have an extremely dissapointing meal and be left hungry. I do not think we should of been charged for the omlette. If arcadias policy is that only a drink is comped when a meal is left uneaten then i suggest it change as we were both left feeling extremely unsatisfied and cheated.

Exorbitant prices !! - Decaf coffee and a muffin takeaway = $9.70. Seriously ?!. Decaf coffee and a muffin takeaway = $9.70. This is exorbitant. <br/>The muffin was nothing more than a banana sponge cake (granted sometimes the muffins are very good).<br/>Pricing yourselves out of the market.<br/>A quondam customer..

The lunch cabinet looked nice, with huge bowls of salads but decided to go for the breakfast menu, instead. We weren't too hungry and the portion sounds big. Half portions can be ordered at $1 less, but that seemed silly. Shared a full portion with A, instead. The fritters were nice, and the sauce was very spicy. R and I ordered orange and beetroot juice, respectively. Had to ask for ice cubes because they came out room temperature. It was a hot day and we were after refreshing glasses of juice! Arcadia 193 Gertrude St Fitzroy, VIC 3065

For those who don’t know, my standards for Avo Smash are lofty.  I usually prefer goats cheese, but feta is also pretty amaze, and there needs to be an egg included. At most cafes, they will charge at least $2.50 just to put an egg in some water and serve it to you (seriously, fuck that shit), and unfortunately Arcadia was no exception. They also really seemed to take the term ‘Avo Smash’ and run with it, because I ended up with Avo Puree. This puree also included the goats cheese, so it was really just a tasty, green paste on toast. This is by no means a bad th

This is my go to place for a healthy pit stop for lunch. The salads are to die for and large enough for a small army. The bright, airy space is also lovely for a spot of breakfast with a paper and morning coffee.

...really held true to the meaning of their name – the dishes were simplistic in concept, the atmosphere was busy but peaceful, and I can assure you that every brunch-goer leaves content.

I'm not exaggerating when I say that I was a very happy person after this meal - what an amazing start to the day! Arcadia only has 2 stars in its review in The Age's Cheap Eats Guide - but I think it deserves 3!! :)

muffins are freshly baked w/ flavours changing daily ♥ delicious, inventive dishes (breakfasts are the drawcard) appetizing spread of sweet & salad options on display generous portions excellent Calmer Sutra chai tea & the cafe's own coffee blend from Clique Coffee Roasters ♠ can be quite crowded so service can be slow & less than pleasant (might have to remind them of your order) ☆ Arcadia 193 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy, Australia VIC 3065 61 9416 1055 Mon-Fri: 8am-5pm; Sat-Sun: 9am-5pm middle eastern spiced eggs on rye w/ red pepper pesto, spinach, poached eggs & hazelnut dukkah pan fried mash potato cake w/ spinach, bacon, poached eggs, mayo & pesto calmer sutra chai latte & a tub of honey corn fritters w/ smoked salmon, fresh rocket, poached eggs & chilli coriander yoghurt dressing tea leaves & spices middle eastern spiced eggs on rye w/ red pepper pesto, spinach, poached eggs & hazelnut dukkah corn fritters w/ smoked salmon, fresh rocket, poached eggs & chilli coriander yoghur

I am still asking myself how this place is surviving on Gertrude Street with neighbors like De Clieu and Birdman Eating? At least you now know better than to waste ya pennies here…

Arcadia deserves credit for it’s relaxed vibe and unfussy attitude. Solo diners wanting to rock up in their trackies and bury themselves in the weekend papers over brekky will have found a good spot.

They do have a nice homely atmosphere and a lovely courtyard, like the some of the other Gertrude st cafes.

We waited quite a bit for our ice coffees, and our excitement died down when we realised that all we got was a pathetic teaspoon of ice cream in it. and… it was topped with cinnamon.

I've spent a fair bit of time in Fitzroy lately … it's such a hub of exciting and interesting eateries, shops and bars. The sort of place that can take half a lifetime to explore properly and the sort of place to stay when you find the place that fits yo

With so many great cafes on Gertrude Street, both old and new, it can be difficult to choose where to go. My advice? Just start from one end and work your way down :-) That way, at some stage you'll make your way to the pine-tree stencilled windows of the excellent Arcadia. Arcadia ticks all the right cafe boxes for me. A relaxed and airy interior. Friendly, it's-your-neighbourhood-joint-where-everyone-knows-your-name kind of service (the girl behind the counter called me 'love' the whole time, which I found to my surprised that I enjoyed). Huuuge servings of good food. My most recent breakfast at Arcadia consisted of Mexican eggs on rye with tomato, avocado and coriander salsa ($14.50). When I explained I couldn't eat poached eggs, the waitress quickly suggested scrambled or fried eggs instead and I'm glad I went with scrambled, as the mound of brightly-hued eggy wobble was just gorgeous; the chef did not cross the fine line between perfectly scrambled and rubbery eggs. My plate also

There was a time, not so long ago, that the term Breakfast of Champions [reference to Kurt Vonnegut's book of the same name] was applied by some of my closest partners in crime to the consumption of alcohol before midday. This term got bandied about quite

Other popular dishes include a pork neck roti and a Reuben's special. Everything on the menu sounds lovely actually and I returned to try more but it was too late in the day and they had stopped serving food (at 3pm daily). Still in time for a great latte though!

Good food, although a little pricey.

Pretty poor service & although food looked good, it was not very tasty. Coffee ok

Poor service. We had to wait about 45 min for our meals with the cafe not being that busy. Very disappointing as no one came to let us know what was happening with our order.

Terrible restaurant. Gertrude Street is full of groovy little restaurants and cafes so there is no room for rubbish. We had brunch here today.It was terrible. I had the cheese and corn cakes with smoked salmon and poached eggs. Sounds good eh? Well the salmon was full of bones, the poached eggs were hard as bullets and the corn cakes were pale and rubbery and tasteless. My friend had some other kind of hotcakes with an avocado salsa, also with rock hard unrunny poached eggs. She was very unimpressed. the coffee was good though. The service was so slow and inattentive - once our meals came we did not see the waitress again and had to finally go in and pay. The dishes were over $20 each which was a total waste of hard earned cash. We walked away discussing how annoying that was to have wasted time and money on such a bad meal. Lift your game Arcadia!

Pretty underwhelmed. Juice was fresh but served room temp, mexican eggs lacked freshness all round, ie depleted herbs in salsa, tortillas were stale. Overall concept and menu is good but lacking vibrancy and finishing touches, ie fresh herbs, seasoning, extra virgin, whatever and plating seemed thoughtless and rushed.

Somewhat mediocre. The decent crowd size suggested it should be a pretty good spot. Wide selection of display food and menu items. Ordered the chicken and kale pie and mushroom, caramelised onions quesadilla . Generous with portion, but underwhelming in flavour. Coffee was fairly good. Service is reasonable.<br/><br/>Unlikely to be back.

Like it. You know how sometimes you walk into a cafe thinking, it's lunch time so you should eat, but nothing on display really appeals? Have never had this problem at Arcadia! The food is great, lots of healthy yet delicious options. Great coffee. No matter how busy it gets, the staff always bring water to the table, top it up, etc, yet will give you space if you look like you want to be left alone. Excellent cafe.

Awesome little cafe.... Good service, delicious breakfast. Unique menu selection. Well blended flavours. A real winner.

Price bracket. Another poster touched on this, but for some reason I feel the need to elaborate.<br/>sure, you may have items on the menu that are under $15 but that isn't the point. It's not a total lie, but it is misleading. Clearly the average price of a meal is above that and your classification should reflect that. I don't mind paying a fair price for good food, but just tell it like it is.<br/><br/>I quote the urbanspoon FAQ on this topic<br/><br/>How Do I Determine the $ - $$$$ Price Range Of A Restaurant?<br/>The Price Range gives users a general idea of what they can expect to pay for a dinner main course at a restaurant. If there are only one or two choices above the general range, then go with the lower range. If there are a few choices, it’s better to go with the higher range.<br/><br/>anyway, I hope this helps.. people can be fickle (and pedantic) on the internet

I really want to say that I love Arcadia, but each time I have been I've been disappointed. The menu looks amazing, but quality and service let this Gertrude street gem down. The coffee was both times delivered cold and the smoothies are expensive for what they are. Unfortunately will not be returning as there are too many other cafés in this area to try

Vegan?. Hi guys! <br/>Ive been to arcadia once before (and adored it) - but just wondering if you guys had any vegan breakfast options? Was going to head there tomorrow with some friends who are vegan and wanted to check first. Cheers!

This place is underrated! Best brunch I've had in awhile, food was gorgeous. Get the baked eggs with cheese kransky, better than hardware societe imo. Also the tarts were so good even my boyfriend wanted one. Much better brunch experience than some of the overrated places like three bags full or Manchester press.

Three times bad luck. I can excuse a misfire from a cafe on one occasion, but three? Come on. The first time I was there, they delivered the wrong dish. Fair enough, no dramas, the dish I got was tasty anyway, though the service left a lot to be desired. Second time they didn't put my order in and I waited 20 minutes, asked where my order was, and they assured me it was on its way. It wasn't, and it wasn't till I followed up again 10 minutes that they realised they didn't have it. The third time they got my order wrong again. Such, such poor form. Given I work in the area and have a plethora of fantastic cafes within walking distance, fair to say I won't be coming back here again.

Just left this little beauty after a quick lunch with friends. The menu was varied with delish breakky items (available until 4) and the front counter offered some amazing salads and home made pies/curries. I had the slow cooked lamb shepards pie with a side salad added. The serving was huge and I left very full! Service was great and the staff were friendly. I'm going again for sure!!

Well the listing as under $15 is a total lie. I can't believe how expensive this place was!! We sat down to look at menus but ended up only getting coffees because we couldn't justify spending $17 on a couple of fried eggs and shallots! The staff were all pretty I attentive and uninterested in us either. It took 15 minutes for anyone to ask us if we wanted a coffee. Was looking forward to eating here but completely turned off by prices and service.

This cafe is one of my new brunch favourites. Mexican eggs with avo, salsa and tortillas were completely delicious and the portion size very generous. Pot of chai was huge and hot and one of the best I've ever had. Service was efficient and professional and the atmosphere was warm and welcoming. I can't wait to come back and try everything on the menu! Keep up the good work.

Disappointing, to say the least.... Probably the most pathetic 'cafe' I've ever been to. Rude service, burnt coffee, old dry salads, also has the same sort of vibe and atmosphere that one would expect in a Westfield food court. Nice try but lift your game, you're in Melbourne after all.

Amazing salads. Dropped in for lunch and grabbed a nice seat by the window. Was served quickly even though it was pretty busy. Coffee was excellent but the thing to go back for were the salads. I mixed and matched 3 types and cant believe the variety of food on the plate. Delicious and super healthy. Great job.

Poor service. We ordered soup and a salad, both were premade. we waited more than 1/2 hour, when I queried I was told they were busy. I then noticed that they had simply forgotten the order, they then raced to micro the soup, it was served cold, again no apology. I would accept sorry we stuffed up. <br/>a shame the food is good but there are too many good alternatives that can serve a good lunch quickly and efficiently

Can't fault it for breakfast and lunch. Excellent coffee and well placed seating in Gertrude street, been there since before all the newcomers to Gertrude, and for value, for quality and for ambiance, it still has what it takes to show the new comers how things are done.<br/>Great coffee, and good service. The poached egg dishes are all excellent with generous proportions and the filled rolls, baguettes etc etc are all ample and full of variety, Mediterranean colour, goats cheese , egg plant, peppers, salmon etc etc etc<br/>In summary, a busy place, and still the luminary it was, it still is. And bright and cheerful, easy to read the paper with great fresh juice too

Very slow, avge food. Friendly enough, but after having to repeat the order, it still turned up missing some eggs. Waited ages too.. Won't be back.

After waiting far too long for our meals to arrive we were very disappointed. The eggs were overcooked, one of the orders was wrong and all the toast was burnt, do not plan on going here again any time soon

The coffee was so good I could have easily smashed down another afterwards. This is a rare occurrence for me. Bravo.

Great for a late breakfast.

Overrated, overpriced. Overlooked eggs, and terribly expensive sides. Mushrooms were nice, roast tomato was tiny and tasteless, everything had too much butter. Our brunch here was terribly disappointing. We won't be back again.

A favourite lunch haunt on Gertrude St. Every time I visit my sister on Melbourne, we spend at least one day in Fitzroy / Collingwood and this is our usual lunch spot. Tasty and with good veggie options. Some of my favourite options: mushrooms with potato mash, roast pumpkin, nuts and baby spinach salad, veggie moussaka. Great coffee. This is Melbourne we're talking about. Best of all, speedy service, (many options are heat and serve) as we are usually rushing to get some more shopping done.<br/>The long table at the front is often occupied by writers and is a great place to people watch. I love watching Melbournians in their sartorial splendour...

Gave Arcadia their 3rd and final chance today. Why offer table service and then leave me struggling for 15 minutes to get the attention of a member of staff? It's so handy for my work that I really wanted them to prove me different this time but once again, the staff were hopeless, the food was average (chewy roast potatoes and a shaving of halloumi that definitely did not merit it's inclusion in the salad's title!) and as always, totally overpriced. If I hadn't already made mind up not to return, cheekily adding on an extra 50c for using EFTPOS without even telling me would definitely have been the nail in the coffin!

Average on all levels. Over the years, I have popped into Arcadia and then regretted it - each time it has the same issues, service is very average - getting the attention of a server is really difficult and this is from start to finish, it's just too hard. The service is slow, the food is average and I'd suggest you go elsewhere.

Dreadful and Desperate. I really want to like this place. It's location and atmosphere are great, but everything else is the pits - below average, especially for the area. I've tried going back a number of times, but no more.<br/><br/>I'm not overly picky but on 3 occasions, I've sent back my soy latte because it was thick and lumpy, only to get dirty looks from the hipster barista. It's a soy latte, not complex physics.<br/><br/>Some days you get table service, others you don't. Mind reading is essential. <br/><br/>And for the what it's worth, the food is desperately average and way to overpriced. Mince with El Paso seasoning in a tortilla is not a burrito worth $14.50. AND...to top it off...they charge an extra $0.50 for using Eftpos or credit cards. Seriously!?!<br/><br/>Enjoy the bad taste of desperation if you go to this place. I've finally learned my lesson.

Fab food but don't go if you are in a rush..... Fantastic variety; generous portions; superb coffee but sllllllllloooooooowwww service. Every time I have visited the service is incredibly slow. <br/>The only downside. However I will return as I love what is in offer.

Twelve Thumbs Up!. Every time we fly down from Sydney our first stop out of the airport is Arcadia. Amazing service, the most creative, tasty breakfasts and unique yummy snacks! I would recommend this restaurant to everyone! One of the best in AUS!

Amazing Food!. I come here quite often and each time the food is just what i need. Great salads and amazing stews and sandwiches. The servings always very generous. The staff are always very easy going and happy to help. Though it can be hard for them as lunch times and weekends can get very busy. <br/>Also coffee tastes great though, i highly recommend this cafe for those passing through Fitzroy!

Lovely place, great food. Set up in the fresh courtyard, with beautiful smells coming from the kitchen, ready to spend my afternoon eating, drinking and banging out a few emails and phone calls, only to find the place has no WiFi! No going back any time soon.

Good food poor service. The food here is really great but I often feel as though I've personally annoyed the staff when I walk in the door. I've been told to order some things at the table, some at the counter, and been looked at like an idiot for not being sure of when I'm supposed to do what.

Mostly great breakfasts, but avoid the Scandinavian omelette. Great flavour of chai latte but always arrives lukewarm. Amazing fresh muffins. Good service although it looks like they could use extra help as waitresses are always extremely busy

We had coffee. J (latte): I don't know... It was a pretty smooth coffee. Not the best for the area but still enjoyable.<br/>A (latte +sugar): I can always sense when I'm not wanted *cries*. The staff seemed annoyed that I came in, and very happy when I left. I'm very sensitive, in the words of Pumbaa- "I'm a senstiive soul, though I seem thick skinned". The coffee was nice though, so I'm in an emotional pickle.

Sunday breakfast for four. We had a table for four on Sunday for breakfast. Three of us ordered smashed avocado and eggs which would have been delicious except it wasn't hot. The fourth person had an omelet which was bland and very dry. Service was average but the venue and coffee was great.

The best!!. This place does the best scrambled eggs / general breakfast of anywhere I have eaten around this area.<br/><br/>Not to mention the chicken and brie toasted sandwich that is in my top 5 favourite things to eat. Delicious!<br/><br/>The service and coffee here are also usually fantastic.

Nice. Good soups, breakfasts and salads...nice decor and the service is good

Best brunch place ever! Corn fritters with bacon by far the tastiest in Melbourne. It's a very busy place and service was adequate enough but definitely not the worse in Melbourne. Love it!

Food was good but service was poor to say the least. Never felt so discriminated in which the food did not compensate for.

Just stopped in for coffee and it's a lovely place, would like to come back for food. The only downside is that the coffee blend seemed quite acidic which curdles the soy milk. Was still nice though.

The place to be!. This place knows their food! There's a great mix of standard dishes and daily surprise/special dishes. I often find myself caught between ordering one of my reliable favorites or some new exciting looking dish.<br/><br/>Arcadia is great proof that putting fresh, great looking food on display can draw the people in. Just checking out the display is a fun experience that may make you salivate.<br/><br/>Great team of core staff here - but from time to time it can be tricky to get their attention when its really busy.<br/><br/>I'm sure I'll be heading there for as long as its around!

Cool spot, nice drop!. Great cafe/restaurant hangout. Staff were really helpful and friendly with dairy intolerance's. Coffee was delicious and food was decent. Most items are overpriced though I feel. Especially with all of the competition in the area. Probably try somewhere a bit cheaper next time. Great spot though.

Used to be one of my favourite breakfast places in Melbourne. Went back in December after a long break to find completely different staff, attitudes, menu and atmosphere. Staff were incredibly rude, menu nowhere near as good as the old one, food average, atmosphere cold and forced (not to mention awful electro music). Clearly the place has undergone a big change. And it sucks. Will not go back and would not recommend to anyone.

Since the apparent staff changeover last year, prices have been hiked while service has taken a dive. The guy with the grey hair who normally works on the till is incredibly rude. Unfortunate, as the food is still pretty good.

Over priced, bland and rude. wont go back

Delicious chunky meat and vegie lasagna.

Best breakfast I have had in the 3 weeks I have been in Oz. PW from NZ

Delicious food and super generous servings!

Family breakfast. I always find it exciting when my 50 year old mother suggests a place for breakfast, then describes it as "hip" and "eclectic". So today we visited Arcadia, and I wasn't disappointed. The wait staff were extremely friendly and bursting with energy. Our food and drinks came to us in a prompt manner and both myself and my parents loved every mouthful. The eggs were cooked to perfection and everything was brimming with flavor. The drinks, of which I highly recommend the apple, pineapple and mint juice, alongside my soy latte were delicious. I will make a point of it to revisit Arcadia, and will be suggesting it to all of my work colleagues and friends. Thank you for an amazing breakfast experience!

If we need a guaranteed good breakfast we are sure to come here. The staff are lovely and don't let the chaotic atmosphere get to them, they are attentive and when I asked for a soy shake advised me they use icecream and checked if I wanted to include or not ! :) it's a teeny bit pricey but I'm happy to pay because it's so delicious !

Lemon ricotta hotcakes!. I'm not usually one for sweet breakfasts but the lemon ricotta hotcakes here are to die for :)

We feel sorry for the chefs that did an amazing job producing delicious food as the service was terrible! We waited for our meals for 50 minutes and when they arrived they had forgotten one meal! A bit of apologizing would have been appreciated from the unfriendly staff. Won't be rushing back.

Campos coffee passes test...

Gave de clieu three tries and got three mediocre coffees. Tried Arcadia once and got one great coffee. Will be back.

Will be back. I must say I've been to Arcadia a few times and it's been great all times, I had breakfast on the weekend and it was great- I had the middle eastern poached eggs with dukkah, my friend had the corn fritters with salmon, we were both very happy with the service and the meals. The barista was super friendly and we both had an amazing coffee, I love Campos coffee and he also made it well! <br/>Will definitely return.

My eyes are bigger than my stomach. This is my regular cafe. The cafe has a really good display of the food and i often wish I can eat them all. I love their muffins cos they have this crusty top and the flavours are just out of this world. I love this cafe cos the food is fresh and whilst service can be slow at times, good food takes time to cook. The place is usually jam packed on the weekend. So you got to be a little patient. It is worth the wait.

Yummy times lots. We have eaten here many times for both lunch and breakfast and we always impressed. The service and food are more than just good. The only downside is that the do cash only.

Bircher was top notch. IBircher museli soaked in pear juice, macadamias throughout, fresh fruit on top and an accompanying shot of fresh OJ = YUM

The service was quick and the portions were plenty. The menu items have their twist which adds to the already pleasant experience sitting in the sun in the courtyard. Definitely a great Brekkie to start your day. Coffee was ok. The vitrine of salads, sandwiches and delicacies are bonus.

Arcardia. Arcadia is a bright cafe on Gertrude st and it wasn't that busy when we popped in for brunch.<br/><br/>I ordered the corn fritters and loved the freshness of it. It doesn't beat the corn fritters at three bags full though. The poached eggs were a bit over done, but overall, lovely flavours. <br/><br/>My friend ordered the baked eggs with chorizo and pumpkin and it was hearty.<br/><br/>Service a bit slow... and the muffin we got for dessert was pretty tasty too!

Lovely. Friendly service, greeted with smiles! Coffee arrived quickly (Just what we needed on a cold afternoon, Yes, It is Summer in Melbourne). Also enjoyed a lovely and healthy looking ball thing with bits of dried apricot, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, oats and sultanas. A tasty snack!

Crap service - took 50 mins to get food and when it turn up 2 of the 3 meals were cold!! Way too much vinigar in the eggs. Lost me now arcadia.

Food was good and great taste with good portion sizes. But it is very noisy... Hard to hear what the person next to me was saying. Service was a little slow, our food was waiting on the counter for a long time before the waiter brought it to our table.

Worth the wait.. Great brunch spot and a go too for a unique fresh feed. They advertise the menu for the following day on facebook and everything is always super tasty and plenty of it. <br/>Gets packed on weekends but they try to accommodate not that many appreciate it! Ok i start my rant now...why do people turn up to a cafe see its jam packed and expect the staff to miraculously find a table in an instant. Grrrr Inner city urban chic attitudes i suppose...now bloody wait its worth it!

Great environment, great service, great menu. My favourite is the corn fritters, poached eggs and smoked salmon - really yummy every time. Can be tricky to get a table for 3 or 4 on weekends for breakfast but it's worth the wait.

Service was absolutely shocking. Got there at 2. Went to order at the counter where there were 3 waiters standing around trying to look busy. Stood for 10 minutes until one of them finally looked at us and said it was table service. So we ordered pre-made salads from the deli and coffees. 25(!!!) minutes later and after enquiring the waiter where our food is, we're told the coffee order didn't go through and that our docket is coming up next regarding the salads. Meanwhile there are 5 waiters standing around chatting. Coffee comes and then at 40 minutes into the wait our salads finally arrived. My friend did not get the salads she asked for and they did not include the bread that I ordered. Seriously, What a joke. Avoid at all costs. Unless you like waiting 45 minutes for food that you didn't order and surly, rude wait staff.

Why?. It's beyond me, why anyone would go to Arcadia. For a start, they don't use Bonsoy, which is a major faux pas for any self respecting soy drinker. Secondly, the service is deplorable. To be honest, I don't have time to be treated rudely, especially when I am paying for a service. It seems that the arrogant staff at Arcadia pride themselves on their terrible service skill and revel in being rude to customers. Thirdly, the food is pedestrian! It is boring and uninspired. Arcadia, you need to get some culinary inspiration from books for cooks down the road.

Arcadia anyone?. A great little place, seemingly always busy. The staff are efficient; hustling all around tending to the stream of patrons. And table service. The norm for Melbourne, but much appreciated when you hail from "please-order-and-pay-at-the-counter" Adelaide...<br/><br/>The place has a good feel and serves no-nonsense quality café food. The breakfast choices are varied and well-presented. Always somewhere to head to when in Gertrude Street, a street known for its many and varied eating establishments.

Waited ages for a table, and none of the servers seemed to know we were there: we had to tell 3 different people: As if blocking the entrance wasn't obvious enough! The food all looked great, and was ok. The juices tasted like water (Three Bags Full's are much better!). Poor coordination between pre-prepared lunch & salads and brekkie items. Two of us had eaten lunch by the time the brekkie made it out. Oh and same for the couple next to us! I think take-away salads might be a better bet.

Really good cafe for breaky. Plenty if tables and the communal table which is great for the read if the weekend papers! Staff were nice and the vibe was really bustling and welcoming. We ordered coffees and had to send them back as they weren't hot but they were cool with it. The food looked amazing. The bircher muesli w fruit was tasty while the poached or scrambled eggs were super. Pretty solid serving sizes too. The selection of muffins, slices, cakes and salads looked impressive. So too did the focaccias. Overall a great cafe that I'd go back to in a flash!

Sloooooowwwww................ Service was certainly very slow - still, very busy on Sunday at 1.20 pm. However, coffee was on the cool side - temperature-wise. My meal arrived 20 minutes after my companion's - maybe they lost my order? I had to enquire after it at least 3 times - how long does it take to poach 2 eggs??????

Bad coffee and slack service..... Took ages to get served. When we did, they managed to "forget" a coffee. No apologies. When we asked for it take away as had to get somewhere else, we still had to wait for another 15 minutes by the door (with some rude looks from the "coffee maker" - note def. not a barista!). As it turns out the coffee was weak and too hot. No wonder it was the only place we could get a seat on Gertrude Street that day.......

Worth the wait!! This busy cafe is really good. Beautiful fresh orange juice and the food is awesome. Had the baked eggs with chorizo-was sooo good! My wife had the lemon hot cakes and she was in heaven! Bit of a wait as is so popular with the locals, so be patient, and also no eftpos here-so bring some cash with you. Quality all round here. Would definitely come back! Highly recommend.

Absolutely love the food, good coffee too! Hard to pick from the window as it all looked so nice. I had the chicken panini with stuffing and mayonnaise, definitely one of the best rolls I've ever had. Well done!

Two times dissapointing. First time I went there for brunch, we ordered 3 dishes from the brunch menu selection. I would have to say none of them impressed us. One of the dish actually came out simply with loads of avocado, tomatoes and a piece bread. Nothing interesting there!<br/><br/>The second time, we ordered some food (beef ragu some sort?) from the display and were so let down by it because although we loved the big portion but it turned out to be very very salty that I couldn't go through with it after two spoonful. Yes it was that salty!!

LOVE IT!!. I had mexican eggs at arcadia and the lemony avocado, tomato and coriander salsa was matched beautifully with two perfectly poached eggs - I was very impressed. The service was great - I was served by a lovely brunette. The coffee was exceptional - I chose to try the single origin they had on offer - the flavour was superb. I love the cosy atmosphere at arcadia at this time of year. I'll definitely be back to try one of their other yummy sounding breakfasts.

Rubbish!. I will start off by saying the juice I had was delicious. Besides that: RUBBISH. I ordered 'mexican' poached eggs. There is certainly nothing mexican about these poached eggs. I got two terribly poached eggs (microwave style), with a chopped up UN RIPENED tomato and some chopped avocado....WTF! Absolutely dreadful. How could they serve this? Service was average, food took along time to come, and no EFTPOS? Arcadia = CRAP

Customer service?. Arcadia has great food, but I have tried tocal lthem several times over the last few days and they do not answer their phone or call back after I leave a message. Most frustrating as I want to book atable for 6.

Crap service.. I have just had lunch at Arcadia, its Labor day and it was late in the afternoon, we arrived very hungry and liked the look of the options in the cabinet and thought we would not be waiting long for our food. None of the staff acknowledged us when we walked in, there was a lack of service, no one bought us water the staff looked like they had had enough and just wanted to go home, our coffee came out well before the food which we waited quite a while for considering all they had to do was heat it and add salad to the plates, when I asked if the food was coming the waiter went to look he did not come back to let us know what was happening, it was only when we got up to leave because we were sick of waiting that we were told that our food would only be a minute longer. The fritters we order were nice however the lamb and spinach wrap was not. Apart from a lady (who I suspect was the owner) who took out order and later let us know our food would be out in a minute none of the staff were pleasant or helpful.

Really tasty food. And huge servings to match!

Disappointment !. A group of us went to Arcadia with high expectations of an amazing breakfast; we went in, expecting table service, but no one served us for 20 minutes until we had to go up and ASK them whether we ordered at the counter - at which point they just nodded. Apparently on the weekends they have table service but during the weekdays they are too busy for it?! ?! Further, I paid an extra $3.90 for a serve of mushrooms and they forgot to put it on my plate. The eggs were VERY small, but they did the get the poaching right. <br/><br/>Overall:<br/>Poor service<br/>Average tasting food<br/>Exceptionally overpriced<br/><br/>& I wouldn't recommend the place to anyone else.

Dissapointing...lack lustre service. Not many vego options, the food in the cabinet wasn't labelled and no one offered to help. The food was ordinary. Wouldn't return or recommend.

A lot to like about Arcadia.. The place was buzzing for brunch on Sunday and I imagine it's like that all day, every day. I was one of ten from a meetup group, table booked, so no waiting. Coffee orders were taken as soon as we individually arrived. Sadly the flat white I ordered was undersized with only three sips to finish. The service was good with all meals arriving close together on such a big table. I had the pan-fried hash potato with poached eggs, spinach, bacon & pesto which was delicious. My only gripe, and everyone else's (bar the one person who got them and didn't like them that way!),was that none of our poached eggs were soft & gooey. All were disappointingly hard. The lunch offerings on display tempted you to stay on past brunch and while away the afternoon but save that for another visit.

I'm so full! Roll me out the door!. One of the things I enjoy most about Arcadia is how you can choose as many different items from the lunch cabnet and put it on one MASSIVE plate... and thats the small option. This cafe is very generous with its servings. I had pear, blue cheese and walnut salad along with some eggplant pilaf ( um delicious!! ) and topped off with a massive scoop of grilled chicken greek salad... sounds totes randome but trust me on this. The staff are quirky and some of the over heard conversations were rather amusing but the overall atmosphere was really nice. I'll be back as soon as my food digests

LOVES IT!. This place has been a fav of mine for a few years now. And it never disappoints. Breaky is always spot on and the coffee is delish. not many places around that you can get 2 essential elements right. Arcadia does it right. It does get busy but i admire the staff for being able to rush around and multi task. I don't mind waiting for a table when i'm rewarded with perfect poached eggs and billie holiday in the background.

Awesome soy chai latte (not the sugary syrup like at other places) and try the mushrooms with spinach and goats cheese for breakfast - really good! Like it alot. Good easy atmosphere too

YUM. I love this place. Where else do you get a menu that constantly changes with such a fresh variety of soups, salads etc? There is always something awesome. I had the mushroom lavosh 3 times last week. So yum. Serves are very generous. Staff are lovely (even on the weekend when the place is crazy busy), coffee is excellent. Good honest place.

Staff still high from Friday night. What is it with 'off your face' waiters on a Saturday and Sunday morning? I mean, I get WHY obviously, but what I don't get is why the manager/owner is totally down with it?<br/>We just wandered in, no greeting, sat down, someone brought water but no menus. We got our own but it was only breakfast so I flagged down a waiter and he told me the lunch menu is on the wall up the front. Glasses dropping everywhere. "What's the pasta of the day?" I asked, "uhh.. dunno..uhh..bacon?" <br/>Can we order please? Can we pay please? "uhh...what did you have?" - looking at ticket in hand. One chick looked so spaced out I thought she was going to faint. The pasta was nice but not worth the hassle of dealing with waiters more interested in how cool and hungover they look this morning than working.

A side of Awesome!. Arcadia Cafe was a wonderful experience, the scrumptious food, the fantastic coffee and the cute girls who rush around the place serving you made for a great atmosphere. Quiet retro tunes occasionally playing and a swell magazine subscription makes it a nice place to take a break.

Utter crap. Went here for lunch, too busy, service awful, food very plain, over rated rubbish...oh and make sure you have cash on you cos they don't accept eftpos or card and nearest atm is a bit of a walk....how can a busy cafe like this not have these facilities

Great if you avoid the Bloody Mary. I've never had a bad brunch at Arcadia - the Mexican eggs are a particular favourite. The Bloody Mary, however, is revolting - the special addition of (I think) lime pickle is a disaster - avoid it at all costs!

Plllffftt. Arcadia's food sucks... Everything is smothered in feta, butter, salt or brie. Their muffins and sweets are lame and dry. And above all their staff are meek and stupid.