Review The Foreigner - Ivanhoe

Everything is gluten free! Sasha served me and did an awesome job! Sasha made sure my additional food intolerances were catered to and everything went smoothly. Overall really happy to have come here.

This place is truly one of the hidden gems of Ivanhoe. Amazing food, charming staff and quirky little restaurant full of personality and delicious things to eat.

For those who have a genuine allergy when it comes to Coeliac disease,this is the place. Most sufferers of allergies are catered for with the menu ranging from fish and chips to all sorts of pastries, lasangers. Bread baked on premises and nearby supermarkets supplied. Smallish Shop for all it has in it Pricing is good considering location and effort to put in to stop cross contamination of product's. Staff were very amiable.

Amazing cafe for a coeliac & even if you’re not. Really worth the visit. The owners put so much effort into recipes to make breads and bakery goods that are not just gf but really tasty. I very much enjoyed living in melbourne and having access to this!

coffees were wonderful, GF sausage roll and GF almond/raspberry croissant also fantastic. great service. you've earned yourself a new regular.

Best gf bread I’ve tasted yet. So impressed with wonderful gf food, helpful staff and fast service. Food is so good even non gf enjoyed the food. Couldn’t resist cakes to go too. Thanks Strada.

This place is amazing even if you aren't coeliac. Best parking is just around the corner as on-street parking is minimal. I can't tell you what my favourite thing is there because then they might be sold out when I go 🤣

This is a very nice cafe, the service was friendly and fast. The food and drinks were all very nice. My only criticisms would be that the top bread of one of our rolls looked quite mismatched to the filling and lower half. And it is not a particularly pram or pushchair friendly place and I would not recommend if there is more than one baby in the group. The cafe is modern, clean and bright. It has good opening hours and is in an easy to reach location. Overall I would recommend and will return in the future.

Really good. Came across the from the north west to check this out and left happy and content. Breaky burrito on point with some good spice and flavours. Moroccan eggs and breakfast HSP both also very good (and unique - I’ve never seen a breakfast HSP before) Wait staff also top notch. If I owned a cafe I would hire them all. Good shit guys.

Sunday morning brunch, new & very busy, understaffed with waitresses inexperienced. Took ages just to see us(& the people queued behind us) waiting to be seated. Ordered food and coffees, then waited a long time until food arrived, coffees forgotten completely. When food did arrive, I commenced my eggs scrambled with melted cheese, rocket and aioli wrapped in a burrito only to find I had a bonus -sizable pieces of eggshell through the scrambled egg, making my meal inedible. My companion finished their bacon & eggs before I could get the waitress's attention. Coffees were fine. We weren't charged for either meal, but were not impressed, there are lots of better places in the area.

The decor, atmosphere, staff and food were all top notch! Their 'fully bashed avo' was the best smashed avo I've had anywhere, and both the food and coffees came out in unbelievably reasonable time. Can safely say this is a new favourite and I'll definitely be back soon!

I've been coming since a short time after firstly opening. It's been wonderful every time. I am always warmly greeted with the friendliest service and the most delicious menu items alongside the best coffee in town. I've brought family and friends in and everyone has quite enjoyed themselves. I am In at least once a week and it is a favourite hang out with my gal. it really is the trendiest place around and I recommend it to everyone. xoxo

My wife and I have found the customer service not up to scratch. Some staff there are impatient, appear irritated and on occasion even rude. I was going there regularly (as the coffee was very good) but after the last time my wife was spoken to very rudely we decided not to go back. Disappointed.

The fully smashed avo was beautiful , coffee was good and the staff were nice and friendly. Will go there over and over to keep trying everything on the menu and just to enjoy the decor, the atmosphere and the friendly staff.

We had a very nice lunch for Mothers Day. It was busy of course but the staff coped amazingly well for a particularly busy day. The decor was fresh and light and looked like they serve many coffees each day with an extensive menu of different coffees to choose from! Thanks to Patrick & Jess for coming to take me out.. it was so nice so thanks heaps!!💗💕💗💕💗

I am a regular at foreigner , they are so friendly. The atmosphere is great. The food is always excellent. Coffee sensational. Yesterday I went in for some replenishment and was asked how I was by the waiter. I told him I was a bit poorly with a head cold. He told me he would make something for me to make me feel better on the house! A fresh hot lemon, ginger tea was just what I needed. Thank you

Amazing lunch with my beautiful daughter � Bashed avo and wagon wheel waffles � yum � Thanks Justin

Awesome staff with an awesome camel burger and mocha to match! Keep it up guys... ��

Great all day breakfast, loved the infused coffee cold drinks, great service, loved it!

Amazing food and coffee! The service is good and the people are so friendly �

Lovely juice, lovely staff, lovely atmosphere and artwork! Would recommend again!

Always worth a visit. Love the camel burger. Staff always so obliging and friendly to my dog...Jasper.

excellent service , flawless coffee, best breaky !!!

Huge shout out to these guys! They are pretty awesome. Loved the ambience and breakfast here. Definitely recommend these guys to anyone looking for a nice and light meal. Cheers!

Great food and good coffee. Nice and quick, no long waits. The breakfast HSP was amazing.

Been there twice and loved the food every time. The staff were helpful and far from rude. Planning on returning

great spot back soon 5 stars,great staff ,great food

Great atmosphere, excellent food, suburb staff. The coffee was perfect and baked potato was excellent: 100% will return

Never disappoints, great service, delicious food, amazing coffee and very friendly staff.

Great food and service. This is fast becoming my local favourite. Keep up the good work!

The foreigner has it all, really good food, very friendly staff, great decor and a car park right out side.

I love this place! They are always happy to accommodate my dietary requirements which makes eating out a lot easier whilst pregnant. Keep up the great work guys!

Not just for being open over the Easter weekend, but for the consistently delicious food and coffee.

Best coffee! And super friendly staff. Have just moved to the area and it is now my new local and regular cafe ☺

Great food and coffee, very friendly. Definitely be back.

Terrific Joint, cant fault it in anyway. Staff, food ambiance and COFFEE just sensational. My second visit , I will be back and so will the rest of my friends at yesterdays sitting .

Great Coffee, Great Staff and the best place in Ivanhoe

Lovely food Moroccan eggs sensational will be back soon

Great service, great food, great ambience. We attended after the Dawn Service on ANZAC Day and were warmly welcomed even though we were in Collingwood gear. Excellent coffee and everyone enjoyed their breakfasts. We will be back again soon.

Really fabulous coffee. Love the new space.

I rarely venture to Ivanhoe. This was my second time in the last decade – and my second time at The Foreigner Café. Busy with older locals reading newspapers and younger locals catching up with friends – this café is popular with all. There are lots of tempting vegetarian treats on the menu, with inspo from global cuisines.

Stumbled upon this amazing place in Ivanhoe, hidden away just off the main drag. Welcomed warmly, the menu is really interesting mix of Mediterranean & Asian fusion, you can find a classic dish and also something off beat which is all you want in a brunch place.<br/><br/>Ordered 'the Foreigner' and was not disappointed, full of flavour and texture with the freshest Turkish bread it was a delight and everything you want if you're a garlic lover. The triple choc chip pancakes had a rich and delightful mix of chocolate sauce and raspberry mousse with fresh fruit layered in between but the pancake itself had a little bit of an oily/fried taste to it & were a tad dense. The tea was fresh & loose leaf and the sparkling water came with a square ice-cube - a cute detail.<br/><br/>The staff were attentive and warm, found the atmosphere to be great mix between modern-youthful and family friendly. Would come back, probably to give the lunch menu a go looks fantastic!

I visit this cafe almost weekly for coffee or brunch. Have never been disappointed with the food or coffee. Love all the menu options, especially ‘the Foreigner’. The gluten free bread is the best I’ve had, from Strada bakery down the road. The staff are so friendly and are happy to have a chat without being over bearing. I would highly recommend this cafe to anyone!

Had such a great experience at The Foreigner on the weekend! We actually stumbled across this cafe after placing our names on the Pinkie waiting list and I'm so happy we decided to dine here instead! We sat outside and the crisp cool air with the rising warmth of the morning sun made for a gorgeous atmosphere. We ordered a whole bunch of coffees (+ round 2 because we enjoyed them so much). We also ordered the choc-chip pancakes (duh) which were drizzled with chocolate sauce and all sorts of colourful fresh fruit – a definite win! We ordered a 'Bashed Avo' as well as a 'Breaky Burrito,' 'Morroccan eggs' and a 'Breakfast H.S.P' which stole my heart! The cafe is also Halal friendly which is nice to find at a breakfast eatery! The staff were so friendly and had a sense of humour (even though the poor girl had no voice!)<br/>Will definitely be bringing more friends back here!

Been lucky enough to be able to go here on a few occasions. Opting for poached eggs on GF toast. What keeps me constantly going back is the GF toast. With great texture it compliments the eggs perfectly. The smoothie bowl is also a must. A charcoal infused base topped with fresh fruit. It was a perfect mid week breakfast

The absolute best staff/atmosphere I've ever come across in Melbourne. You're immediately welcomed in like an old friend, complete with jokes and sarcastic comments. The gorgeous interior and decor slaps you in the face like a beautiful summer's day. The coffee is delightful, and the food prettily plated up, like the "expectation" shot you tried to emulate, but instead uploaded your "Pinterest fail." You'll want to come back again and again. Safe to say, you'll never feel like a Foreigner here.

Love it! Been frequenting for a couple of years now and the service is consistent and impeccable. Great coffee and food to match. I've tried their Camel burger (not sure if its still available), the foreigners breakfast, the brekky HSP, and their pancakes. all YUM YUM YUM! Definite visit if you're in Ivanhoe.

Had the breakfast HSP, very heavy dish for an early breakfast but couldn’t resist it as it sounded so good, and wasn’t disappointed, very tasty! The lamb was delicious and the chips nice and soft.

Good coffee, decent ambience and quite reasonable food. This is one of the better cafes in Ivanhoe. I had a curry which hit the spot as the day was cold. Nice vibes and just off the main street so parking is a little easier. More a 3.5 but it was a mistake free operation so bonus marks! Reccomended.

We found this cafe on Instagram and knew we had to visit after seeing some of the posts. The cafe had a nice decor and was pretty busy for a weekday which is always a good sign. The staff were super friendly and immediately attentive despite the bustle, getting our baby a high chair straight away. The menu. Oh em gee the menu! There was so much choice with middle eastern influence and yet not screaming with ethnic. We had a hard time choosing because there were so many choices with the menu being so different to other cafes (and also halal allowing us to choose more than just veg!). Loved it. Loved loved loved it. The foreigner breakfast and the breakfast burrito were both tasty and we will definitely be back.

This place is great! Coffee and food are amazing! Only downfall is that it's so busy all the time and very loud. But no fault given it's so popular!

Everything was delicious. Food was very tasty. I had Moroccan eggs which were very rich but soo good, and my friend had the HSP - the seasoning was next level on the potatoes. Coffee was good too. Will definitely be back!

Friendly staff always ready to strike up a convo, lovely people. Nice coffee and some good food to bat. Bit of a change to the menu from my last visit but still a nice variety. Only problem is that lunch and breakfast time is separated and shop shuts at 3? (2 on weekends I believe) leaving relatively limited time to get in not during rush hour (considering it’s not too big of a store). But nonetheless would recommend!

My Key Three Pointers <br/>* Middle eastern flavors on the menu <br/>* You may need a map as it’s not in full view of the main Street. <br/>* loved the exposed bricks and the artwork of the world on the wall <br/><br/>If my beautician did not point out this cafe I would never have known about it. Hidden away on a side street not screaming for attention. My husband and I love middle eastern food and we could not go without trying. Definitely not disappointed, I loved my poached eggs on silky smooth eggplant with Turkish bread. If you have plans after, be prepared for the amount of garlic you will consume. <br/>The menu offered a point of difference and I did not feel like I was in another cafe reading the same menu. I looked at so many options and it’s a great thing when you simply can’t decide. The food came out super fast. <br/>I did feel like the service was not as personable as I would like. We got no hello when we arrived, took a seat, a menu was out in front of us and then we got are you ready to order. Lucky the food was good. The cafe was bright and inviting and considering we love Turkish sausage for breakfast I would come back again. <br/>

Friendly staff, scrumptious food (smashed avo was very tasty with a generous serve) & good vibe. Just around from the main strip with easy parking across road .

Great brunch at the foreigner this weekend. Got a table straight away on a Saturday morning. <br/>Smashed avocado, eggs your way and the special which were fritters. Haloumi isn’t normally an extra but they let us add it on to the DIY breaky. <br/>Coffees were good, staff were friendly and food reasonably priced. Will be back 👍🏻<br/>

This place was nearly a 4 star, but the service really let it down. I got the burrito wrap which was very delicious, but coffee was average and the service was a bit slow and sloppy. Friendly, yet not very attentive. My friend got the HSP and it’s worth a stop in for that if you’re a meat eater - delicious!

One of my all time favourite cafes. The food is absolutely delicious and I can guarantee you’ll be hard pressed to find a better coffee. <br/><br/>Did I mention everything on the menu is HALAL! <br/>Extra points for being inclusive 🎊🎉<br/><br/>Lots of onsite parking and a hipster layout that’s perfect for your insta. <br/><br/>Order the Foreigner breakfast, you won’t regret it. I order the same thing every time I come and it’s mouthwatering every time! <br/><br/>

Found this cafe to be slightly more expensive than the usual cafes but food was good, can’t say if it was worth the extra spend. But the coffee was really good!

Great experience at Foreigner today - perfect coffee, delicious Moroccan baked eggs packed with sweet capsicum, parsley, tomato and onion, and topped with nigella seeds, and super friendly service. The homemade hummus was a great touch. Can’t find a thing to fault!

Recently visited here & I ordered the breakfast HSP & my sister got the coconut porridge. First my sister order an almond latte which came out quite fast, but we had been waiting for maybe half an hour for our food. My sister thought they had forgotten it & I was like surely not it wasn’t busy. Maybe 10 minutes later the guy had came over & said he had forgotten to put our food order in & asked if we still wanted it. At this stage my sister & I were starving so of course we said yes. Luckily the food come out quite fast so we could continue on with our day. The breakfast HSP was so filling! it was really delicious. My sister liked her porridge but said it wasn’t very coconuty. We thought when we paid we may have gotten a slight discount since we nearly waited an hour for our food. But unfortunately we didn’t. Definitely liked the place & the food, just wished the food had been ordered when we ordered it.

The coffee here is damn good! Always had good service and the food is generally good but not consistent. I assume they have a couple of different chefs ?? It doesn’t matter as the coffee is way worth it!

Can’t fault this place.. standard Broadsheet decor with a few unique personal touches which took it to another level. Food was outstanding especially the Foreigner Breakfast. Coffee was great.. service was friendly and hip. Will return..good job guys

I disagree with “kid friendly”. There is no change table available. When I fed this back to staff I was told that they chose not to have one due to the mess created. A different staff member suggested I lay my 5 month old on the toilet floor to change him. Would you lay on the toilet floor? I wouldn’t. <br/>If you have high chairs and claim to be kid friendly then surely a change table is common sense. Food and coffee are nice enough, but I won’t be back, at least not with my baby and Mum friends.

Nice Peasant place. Attentive and friendly staffs. <br/>Good Coffee<br/>Spicy Flavoursome and filling Burrito<br/>Scramble egg was done very well with toast. <br/>Recommended in Ivanhoe

Great place providing a modern middle eastern twist to brunch.<br/><br/>Plenty of space and plenty of room at this hidden brunch venue. Usually quite busy but normally not too hard to get a seat.<br/><br/>Had the breakfast HSP and the foreigners breakfast. Both were delicious and provides a good shake up to the traditional monotonous brunch options.<br/><br/>Highly recommend a try for others

Pleasant little cafe. Nice space just off the main shopping strip in Ivanhoe. Coffee times two was good. My avocado bash was pretty good too. Everything was competently done but nothing will last that long in the memory bank. It’d be a 3.5 for me on the old scale.

Sunday 8 October 2017 at 11am. <br/>This is the fanciest, best presented cafe in the whole area of Ivanhoe. <br/>There is good coffee ☕️ to be had here.<br/>However the service on the day was slow and poor. <br/>Ordered - English Breakfast tea. Served Chai Tea. (This was replaced)<br/>Ordered - Moroccan Eggs 🥚 with Turkish sausage and feta. Served Moroccan Eggs (no sausage or feta!) as it took so long to be served I didn’t bother to have rectified.

Excellent service, from all staff. Always busy, but we seem to always get a seat! The breakfast HSP is the greatest thing I have ever put in my mouth.

The destination cafe in Ivanhoe ...<br/>Easy parking, 2 shops amalgamated into 1, spacious, rustic, Whitewashed, exposed etched Red brick wall, cleverly fitted.<br/><br/>Clever Menu supported by above average coffee and variety of extractions.<br/><br/>Young, cool looking, energetic, pleasant, excited and attentive floor staff.<br/><br/>Clearly the chosen cafe destination even that is not on the main esplanade, unbeknown to me that their sister cafe is Second Wife, Box Hill .JT-07/12/2017.

great customer service and food. Coffee is always good and the menu adjusts according to the season which is always a wonderful bonus. This is probably my favourite cafe in Ivanhoe. <br/>favourite dish: breaky burrito

Had a lovely experience here on Melbourne Cup day. Atmosphere was of the typical Melbourne scene with a colourful graffiti mural on the wall. The soy chai leaf latte had a nice, strong spicy taste and the corn fritters with prawns were delicious! Would love to try more of the menu - the camel burger sounds interesting.

Unique, filling, and delicious! The Breakfast HSP was amazing, and something I’ve never seen before, and the Foreigner’s Breakfast, although very different, was stunning and one of the best breakfasts we’ve had. The service was quick and friendly too, which topped it off. Would highly recommend stopping by for brunch and taking a seat outside to enjoy a relaxing and deliciously filling meal!

Awesome awesome awesome. We both had the Moroccan eggs and they were almost perfection in my opinion, topped off with delicious hummus on the side, the only thing thay could have made it better is one more slice of Turkish bread. My juice was a little too warm so needed a few more ice blocks.

Nestled away just off upper Heidelberg road in Ivanhoe is this upbeat little Gem. Large-ish seating areas over 2 shops, kid friendly and quick service. Outdoor seating located at the front of the shop where you may see a few dogs accompanying humans for a meal.<br/>Coffee and chai latte - good <br/><br/>Mains: the Breakfast HSP is good value with flavoursome, juicy succulent lamb. <br/><br/>The Morocco eggs don't disappoint. <br/><br/>The Foreigners breakfast was lovely, garlic labne was a nice addition to the eggplant and poached eggs.<br/><br/>Corn fritters with Prawns was a bit of a let down as it lacked in flavour and the prawns didn't do it for me. <br/>Verdict: loved it, have been back a few times since 😬

What a great little location, great vibe and great customer service. <br/><br/>The menu is quite small for breakfast but going after 12 yields a better menu. I got the breakfast hsp, which was a different take on the hsp. It was delicious and didn't feel greasy like the regular version. Great creation and definetly is a must try here!<br/>

We booked a table for 6 (we were put on a. Communal table) for Father's Day. Cute cafe with plenty of parking . <br/>I had the vegan pear, pumpkin, pomegranate, rocket and walnut salad which was ok but was lacking a flavor full dressing to tie it together. <br/>Kiddo had the vegan porridge.<br/>Hubby had the hsp fries which he really enjoyed.<br/>As a vegan I wouldn't rush back but the others enjoyed their meals.

Get the foreigners breakfast with beans instead of eggs. Most delicious beans in Melbourne (morrocan sort of flavor) with yummy crumbed and fried eggplant and garlic labne. I don't usually write reviews but I come here so often for this dish I feel I need to share the love.

A funky cafe with artistic exposed brick walls located in Ivanhoe's retail strip. Had a delightful brunch with friends here at The Foreigner. <br/><br/>The service was excellent and the coffee was soooo good, we all ordered another round! <br/><br/>While my friends ordered the standard eggs on toast, they all commented on how good the eggs were. <br/><br/>I opted for The Foreigner's Breakfast consisting of poached eggs on crumbed eggplant with garlic labne, burnt chilli mint and sage butter and toasted sage Turkish bread. This was delicious! <br/><br/>The cafe boasts views of Melbourne CBD in the far distance. There is plenty of parking across the road and surrounding streets. <br/><br/>Friendly staff and yes they even Split The Bill! Thumbs up from us!

Cute venue with a relaxed vibe. I had the smashed avo which was nothing special, the mushrooms were cold. Coffee was nice and service was good too.

We visited the Foreigner for Saturday lunch, it is a nice cafe with convenient parking. The venue can cater for small or larger groups, with a large table for 8 people and other tables for groups of 2-4. We ordered the breakfast burrito and corn fritters with prawns. The breakfast burrito had lots of veggies and was well seasoned - would definitely order it again.<br/><br/>The corn fritters were good, although the prawns were quite small. I also ordered the 'Refreshmint' juice which was alright, could do without it though. The food was served quickly and service was friendly.

Went here for lunch and couldn't pick what I wanted, everything sounded so good! I had a great coffee followed by the coconut porridge! The seeds added texture and the mix of fruits tasted delicious, would have been a 10/10 but the bowl was a bit big so it wasn't as hot as I like it, but other wise it was so delicious and I can't wait to go back and try more!

Awesome! Best cafe within 5km of our house in Bulleen, staff are extremely nice and the food is speciale. Have become regulars and plan on keeping it that way for a while.

Classic Sunday morning brunch spot.<br/>Some interesting menu items including the breakfast HSP (I did have food envy). I had the Moroccan eggs which arrived inadvertently hard boiled rather than poached. Otherwise it was good. Would head back to try the HSP. Breakfast burrito was good too

Nice food and good coffee. Would recommend the Moroccan eggs + turkish sausage, nice and spicy and The Foreigner's breakfast nice flavours, Turkish bread 👌

Visited this cafe two Saturdays in a row! Coffee is good but wow those baked eggs... they are to die for... definitely one of the best in Melbourne! Very busy little cafe... waited 20 mins for a table the first time so I rang ahead the following weekend. Breakfast hsp is good too although I find the BBQ sauce to be a little too sweet too overpowering, especially for breakfast. A tad pricier compared to other cafes and we were charged something that we didn't order the second Saturday but can't be bothered to turn back as we're 20 minutes away from the place when we found out about the error.

Visited The Foreigner today at 11am for brunch. The decor is unique and very well suited to its name. <br/>I ordered poached eggs on sourdough with an almond milk hot chocolate and my partner ordered the Breakfast HSP with a standard latte. The menu itself isn't filled with the typical items you'd expect but this is expected due to the name.<br/>My almond milk hot chocolate was amazing, full of flavour and probably the best I've ever had! My eggs were cooked as expected and my toast was easy to cut through.<br/>My partners breakfast was huge! We wouldn't call it a breakfast dish at all, other than the fact it has two poached eggs hiding under all the sauce and a lot of cut up toast which became really soggy due to the sauce. The latte was also very strong and served in a cup rather than a glass.<br/>Service overall was great and price was reasonable for what we got. <br/>Not somewhere you would come back to continuously for the food as it 'foreign'.<br/>

Busy place but worth a wait. Nice food, nice service not too expensive with some creative takes on some lovely breakfasts. Good coffee but the space is a bit cramped and hard to get a table on the weekend.

Have read a few good reviewsbout this place and thats why i decided to try out this restaurant on a weekday for breakfast. It is a cafe that filled with lots of mothers group. There were at least 3 groups of mothers and kids when i was there. I love the vibe there and also the art work on the wall. However,i was really disappointed with what i ve ordered. I really dont want to blame the menu but there wasn't something that i was really keen to try from the menu except for the pull lamb. Hence, i ordered the breakfadt HSP that has the pulled lamb,rosemary, thyme and potatoes and bread. Once the dish was served, i was shocked to see the huge portion of the food. I knew i definitely cant finish that. The thing that really let me let me down was that the whole dish was just filled with lots of dry bread, potatoes , pulled lamb, two poached eggs and lots of bbq sauce. Not a great presentation as the food literally just got thrown on the plate. As there was lots of bbq sauce, i cant really taste the rosemary and thyme. The pulled lamb just taste like bbq sauce..so disappointed. This dish would be a great breakfast for someone who is very hungry and doesnt expect much for a dined out breakfast. However,i came with expectations and left with disappointment. The creation and existence of this dish does seems like a joke to me. Will be back for the cafe but certainly not going to order this breakfast hsp.

Favorite breakfast place in Melbourne! I'm there every week! Great coffee! Awesome and unique combination of flavours and quality! Love the ancient grain salad, foreigners breakfast, breakfast burrito! Oh and the new breakfast HSP.

As a suffering uni student, there are times I would like to escape my home office or the library at uni without compromising my studies. Today I found refuge at The Foreigner where the lovely staff gave me the wifi password and fed me several caffeinated beverages while I set up camp with my laptop for several hours. Not only did they make me feel welcome, but the food coming out to other customers looked AMAZING. This has lead me to the conclusion that I will return for future study days as well as with my partner to enjoy brunch. <br/><br/>Super friendly atmosphere and staff.<br/>

Atmosphere, food, service and most of all the coffee is all blended together effortlessly into a lovely cafe experience, out doing everything else in the area. <br/><br/>The staff are warm, friendly and are always on the ball no matter how busy it is. Smiles all around. <br/><br/>The place has a bright, vibrant and funky feel but still manages to make it family/kid friendly. <br/><br/>The food and coffee are the best you'll find and great value for money. After many visits to the Foreigner I'm always delighted with everything. <br/><br/>This place is the best in Ivanhoe as well as the surrounding areas.

The best cafe in Ivanhoe by a mile. I have been frequenting The Foreigner since they opened and have watched them flourish and expand in to the shop next door. Service is always fast and friendly. They are knowledgable on their menu and coffee and their main barista certainly deserves a lot of credit for his skills. Industry Beans coffee. Have never been disappointed here. Pricing a tad high on some of the menu items but is reflective of the neighbourhood and general area.

When we paid the bill , we found waiters added in extra on the dish without we requested , we required to pay more at the end . <br/><br/>They use good coffee bean , but they just too busy and not enough time to make you a good coffee .<br/><br/>Food , yes ...please be patients and wait , good presentation , food quality is on average.

I liked the bright and open interior. The pulled lamb benedict was nice and fairly standard. The eggs were perfect and runny. The corn and prawn fritters were less delicious than they looked on paper. The fritters were soggy and pancake-y. Although the chunky prawn was really good, the spice/herb mix was a bit strong and off-putting for me. The egg this time was just a tad overcooked, unfortunately.

Awesome little space with friendly staff. Coffee is a bit hit and miss, possibly depends who's on machine. Food is consistently good, interesting additions and twists on standard cafe fare (I love the beetroot hummus in the avo smash) and several gf/vego options!

Every now and then even a well-researched, Instagram and Zomato addicted foodie like myself stumbles upon a hidden gem right on their doorstep (or, lets be realistic, a few suburbs doorsteps over). After a gorgeous morning at the local farmers market with my adorable Cavoodle Ollie and a gal pal, we decided to head for a good old fashioned Sunday brunch. I was recovering from a hens party that had escalated quite quickly the night before (all you can drink is not the greatest idea for a gaggle of over-excited women) and the sun was shining- I needed a hangover brunch and some much needed vitamin D.

Busy little place with outstanding coffee and staff who were very friendly. Will definitely return to try out their menu soon and spot on coffee!

The Foreigner is one of my favourite cafes in Melbourne not only because of the friendly staff and excellent service, but everything just ticks the right boxes here. As soon as you step in, you'll feel strangely at home, contrary to its name. With such great vibes, you wouldn't have guessed this double fronted cafe which is tucked hidden from the main street is halal and Muslim owned. <br/><br/> <br/><br/>You'll find some of your favourites on the menu such as burritos, hotcakes, morrocan eggs plus a few other exotic dishes namely the camel burger and green tea noodles which might take your fancy. The menu is very competively priced, especially being in Ivanhoe which is considered a higher middle class suburban residence of Melbourne's north east. This means, you'll get pretty decent meals and A class coffee that'll be worth your buck. <br/><br/> <br/><br/>They take pride in their specialty coffee sourced by Industry Beans and also have a filter brew bar available on the side. It is a family friendly environment with on the table activities like colouring books and readers to keep the kids occupied. Parking is not a problem as it is located in front of a large parking lot. They are open 7 days but take not they close slightly earlier than most cafes so do get in early. The Foreigner also has a sister cafe, Dosage, which recently opened in the South Eastern suburbs of Burwood. <br/><br/>Read more reviews at mmatcommunity.com

While where I live is very much the eastern suburbs, I have friends scattered across the city and when it's time to catch up I much prefer to go to them rather than having them come to me (unless they live close by in which case all bets are off and we go to Knox!). One of these fabulous amazing friends is a teacher buddy from old school who suggested we meet at The Foreigner in Ivanhoe for a coffee over the holidays. What a lovely space! AND IT HAD PARKING OUT THE FRONT! The staff were laid back and entertaining (there was an impromptu dance going on at one point which was very engaging) as well as really knowing their stuff about the menu items.

My partner and I came in last week and had the Brekky halal snack pack, was a great twist on the popular meal!! Service was also fairly attentive, keep up the good work.

Disappointing experience this morning at The Foreigner. One of the staff went to clear a table for me and my friend and got distracted by other customers and didn't come back. Then after waiting five minutes we were seated by another staff member.<br/>The same waitress asked us if we were ready to order coffee before we could respond a rude customer next to us said "if you're taking orders I'd like a coffee please". The waitress took her order and left the table and didn't come back until ten minutes later for our order. <br/>When the food came it was a barely warm.<br/>Won't be coming back which is unfortunate because when this cafe first opened it was quite good. <br/>Overall a very disappointing experience because of poor customer service with no redeeming features.

Love the interior in this cafe! The food is pretty good and the staff are nice . I think they should have more baked goods for those who don't want to have a meal.

Nice little place. Great ambiance. Staff friendly & attentive. We had a burger was superb! Flavour & juicy. Nice bun. Chicken burrito wrap was great too. Quality ingredients & simple but good flavours. Smoothies were good but had a strong yogurt taste which I prefer to be more fruity

Lovely cafe off the main strip. Nice atmosphere but busy so book a table to ensure a spot! Great coffee, tea and hot choc, have only eaten here once and had the coconut porridge which was delicious. Will definitely be back as the menu has a small but tempting range of items

Really loved this place the staff were friendly and the inside had a real buzz to it. The food was delicious and the coffee was great. Well priced, lots to choose from on the menu. The food was the highlight for me

Love this place, their service and foods are superb. Always have their lunch menu (love greentea noodle w salmon & corn and prawn fritters). The pan fried salmon is def spot on.

So happy I found this place especially since all the other cafes in Ivanhoe are very average. I live close by so I can't believe I haven't been there before, I'll definitely be coming back. Food was amazing, waiters were friendly and loved the decor and vibes of the whole cafe. Coffee was good but could have been a little hotter which was my only criticism :)

We come here<br/>At least once a<br/>Week. The food is diverse and caters to carnivores and vege lovers. The atmosphere is clean, light and uplifting. The guys that run it are so lovely and help make your experience wonderful. <br/><br/>The whole menu is well thought out and have some great specials that can challenge the usual<br/>Melbourne breakfast. I'm just waiting for a mushroom burger to happen.. Then I'll come for lunch also!

I visited here with two girlfriends on Sunday and was left wanting to love it, but didn't quite get there. On arrival I was so impressed with the fit out of the place, it looked incredible. It was pretty quite as it was quite early on a Sunday and staff were very attentive. We ordered coffees straight away, and they came out lukewarm which wasn't ideal. They were very accommodating in making new ones though which was great. The menu has a lot of options which is unreal, but unfortunately my option of the breakfast salad was a little lacklustre. I don't mean to compare but the breakfast salad at Miss Marie in Rosanna is worlds apart from this one. I feel like it needed more...there just seemed to be a pile of quinoa with some rocket. The yoghurt didn't have enough flavour, and there was not enough of the other items mentioned it would contain to notice them. My friend had the smashed avocado on toast which was also a letdown. The smashed avo was more like mushy avocado, and not a lot of it. My other friend ordered the pulled lamb benedict and she raved about this so 1 out of 3 was a wow! When it got busier the staff seemed a little flustered and it was quite difficult paying as no one was really on the register, and they all seemed a little lost. This place has amazing potential, just need to tweak a few things...I hope to be back in a few months time to see if there's been an improvement!

Ivanhoe doesn't have much on offer when it comes to quality breakfast venues. The Foreigner has a fantastic opportunity to offer great food, great coffee and great service in an area that is crying out for more. This place is consistently busy, and given the lack of options close by, I don't think that there are many excuses for the venue to appear understaffed, especially on a busier day (i.e. Saturday / Sunday). There are numerous reviews on here which highlight the poor service here. To an extent, I agree; not because the staff weren't friendly, but because there weren't enough of them! We struggled to get cutlery, despite having our meals in front of us, and we weren't checked on as regularly as one would hope, especially considering our drinks were empty. The coffee was nice. The food however was the real standout. The bacon in one of the dishes could have been cooked a little more, but was still extremely enjoyable. The beetroot hummus (on the Smashed Avocado) was incredible - really nice addition to this dish. In the end, whilst I believe The Foreigner could improve significantly in its service, we still enjoyed our experience.<br/><br/>Update: Some 9 months after my initial review, I thought I'd provide another update after my recent visit. The Foreigner has made some positive changes to its establishment, with particular reference to the more organised entrance system which has been implemented (not quite as chaotic, more comfortable for customers). Whilst not quite as busy as my previous visit, service was much better, with enough staff to provide a good level of service. Coffee was excellent. Their smashed avo dish is one of the best you'll find in the area - again, I want to reference how nice the beetroot hommus is! After reviewing 4 stars on my initial visit, my recent experience justifies a 4.5. The Foreigner should be held in the same esteeem as popular local, 'Miss Marie'.

The staff were friendly and the meals were special. We shared the fairy floss hotcakes and pulled pork, poached eggs on bagels. Both were delicious. The chai comes in a cute copper pot. It was nice and you could taste the spices -- you can have it brewed in milk or water

Had a great morning at The Foreigner, the service was really nice and the staff were very easy to get along with. It's great to finally get some good coffee up in Ivanhoe, but If you get a chance to try the chai -it's amazing. This place was really busy which is a great sign of good food and service. It also has a great selection of vegetarian items. <br/><br/>If you're keen on something a little bit different for breakfast, this place has it all!

Nice place and it is always busy, but the service hasn't been too special on several recent visits. The first time we ordered our coffees and waited for half an hour.... It was busy with a large group having breakfast and they completely forgot us. We were finally offered the coffees free of charge, but if we had have been paying we would have complained again, because they were tepid. On two subsequent visits the kids' milkshakes took ages and we had finished our coffees before they arrived. <br/>

I have ordered chicken wrap, the flavor was an amazing, and I have ordered Laté and the taste was unbelievable. i absolutely will come to place again .

I wasn't happy with my experience. We waited over an hour for food and coffee. My food was nice but arrived cold. The service was disorganised ; the chief was serving customers and clearing tables. I think they couldn't keep up with the amount of people they seated. <br/><br/>The staff were very friendly. They may have had an off day as I've been recommended there by a few friends.<br/><br/>I won't be rushing back.

I really like this Cafe, I have been there many times mainly for coffee however the quality seems to be decreasing lately. The two male Baristas make an awesome coffee, one I believe is away, and in his spot is a girl who cannot produce coffee of the same standard. I have been unable to drink the whole thing on some occasions :(

I was told I must go to The Foreigner, so I went on Sunday for a family brunch. The place is beautiful and the service is great but the food was ever so disappointing. I ordered gluten free toast (which has an extra charge) and what came out was terrible: broken pieces of toast that were so sweet. If you are going to serve GF toast make sure it is a good quality one like GF Precinct, they make awesome GF bread. Also the soy chai latte tasted like regular tea, no real chai flavour. I really wanted to like this place but won't be going back unfortunately.

Amazing breakfast!  Firstly I don't normally order breakfast at cafes (I feel I can cook eggs easy enough at home).  However this is not your average eggs and toast.  My favourite off the menu is the "The Foreigner Breakfast" and have not been let down on two occasions I've had it.<br/>  <br/><br/>How to describe "The Foreigner Breakfast" meal, it's tangy it's slightly spicy, it's creamy, it's buttery it's a combination of so many flavours and it just works!  <br/><br/>Two perfectly poached eggs are served on crispy egg plant, fried mint leaves, some chilli,, yogurt (or is it sour cream??), drizzled oil, crispy toast, loads of other spices which I can't identify cos I'm too busy enjoying what my taste buds are telling me.<br/><br/>Atmosphere is relaxing and staff friendly a great place to kick off the day.  My favourite breakfast hands down.

This is the closest thing to a hipster Cafe that Ivanhoe could muster. Ivanhoe is not only full of stiff upper lips, but when it comes restaurants trying to pry you away from your hard earned money, it's full of stiff competition too. If the menu says 'add eggs for $3.50' I expect eggs(plural), not egg. The appropriately named 'hippy juice' was perhaps a misorder on my part. I dislike their ideology so I'm not sure what possessed me to think I would enjoy their juices. I approached The foreigner café as I approach all foreigners; with an open mind and open arms but in this case the culture clash was a bit steep to overcome.

My hopes were high on entering the foreigner. They had a rating on zomato and the interior was really fresh and cool. However, the food and the service was very disappointing. Perhaps it was Monday-itis, but the staff were a little too nonchalant where it came across as disinterested and lazy.<br/><br/>Now the food. We ordered the smashed avo and the breakfast burrito. The "seasoned" mushrooms were raw and bland. There was hardly any Danish feta on the dish. The egg wasn't cooked as well as it could have been as the whites were a little too runny still. Not really anything special about this breakfast. It was really disappointing and I could have made better at home. <br/>They insisted the breakfast burrito should be eaten with the additional bacon, but when the meal came out they put it down and said "oh by the way, we ran out of bacon". I would think that's something you tell the customer right away, not after the meal is in front of them. Other than that, it was okay. However the scrambled eggs were a little bland. <br/><br/>The juices were nice, but expensive for the size.<br/>Would not recommend or return.

Fantastic place! Went here for brunch and was pleasantly surprised! Service was super friendly and genuine. Decor was lovely! I ordered the Moroccan poached eggs, and a cappuccino. The eggs came out with the Moroccan stew still sizzling which was so cool. And the meal was delicious! (Although stew took a while to cool down so I wouldn't recommend if in a rush). Cappuccino came out with a swan on it which was awesome! Those little touches just cheer you up!! My boyfriend and I read the papers provided and chatted while we enjoyed a lovely brunch by the window. Would recommend!

Best breakfast option in Ivanhoe hands down. Good coffee and a limited but decent range of food (yet to try anything foul!). Lacking in options for vegans.

We absolutely love this place.... There's not much competition locally for great coffee, so this place is an easy winner! Absolutely love the morrocan eggs too!

Every now and then even a well-researched, Instagram and Zomato addicted foodie like myself stumbles upon a hidden gem right on their doorstep (or, lets be realistic, a few suburbs doorsteps over). After a gorgeous morning at the local farmers market with my adorable Cavoodle Ollie and a gal pal, we decided to head for a good old fashioned Sunday brunch. I was recovering from a hens party that had escalated quite quickly the night before (all you can drink is not the greatest idea for a gaggle of over-excited women) and the sun was shining- I needed a hangover brunch and some much needed vitamin D.

Had breakfast here<br/>The quality of service is great and the atmosphere is cosy and nice. We were greeted by waiters quite promptly. However the food is a bit below par for the price. I had the ricotta hot cake and my friend had eggs on toast. Hot cakes were nice but presentation can be worked on a bit, especially for $16 but maybe my expectations are a bit too high. I have a bit of a pet hate for unappetising looking food but that's just me hahaha. The eggs we pretty bland and were $9.50 <br/>Still had a nice time though but I might order a bit differently the next time around

One of my favourite cafes ever!! The menu is so diverse and every dish is absolutely packed with immense flavour!!<br/><br/>There is no question that this cafe lives up to its name - all dishes are based on different foreign foods. There really is something for everyone and the quality is remarkable in each and every dish. <br/><br/>The coffee is always spot on - I love this place!!

We visit the foreigner weekly! Whether it be for brekkie, lunch or just a quick cuppa, the offer and service is consistently brilliant. Impressive menu, quality food and super friendly staff make for an unbeatable experience every time. Best cafe in Ivanhoe and surrounding suburbs 😉

The best cafe in Ivanhoe, has a lovely atmosphere and a modern vibe. The food and coffee are delicious and are made better by the welcoming and accommodating staff. Would highly recommend this place to anyone :) <br/>(Would also recommend the chicken burrito)

The Foreigner is a cute little cafe with a chic country theme with oak timber tables and white lime washed seats with creative use of lighting and a large mirror to give the impression of being a more open space. The house blend is by code black and my magic was smooth and velvety with a good texture and flavours of caramel, apple and walnuts. Perfectly crafted by the man with the epic 'mo. The Ancient Grain Salad was a textural delight with wild rice, quinoa, freekah, mung beans and rocket. The cumin yoghurt was bright and fragrant and it was all topped off with a perfectly poached egg. Serving size was also generous. If I'm in the area ill definitely go back.

Super good! Well worthy of the rating. Very happy bubbly staff! Baked Moroccan eggs were fantastic! May have had a cheeky bite of the ricotta hotcakes...not bad....very naughty! 😈. Single something coffee was yum. Would return!

This is a really cute cafe, it has a great fit out with lots of natural light and a relaxed vibe. The food was delicious, I'd highly recommend The Foreigners Breakfast (poached eggs, crispy eggplant and garlic labne - yum!). I'll definitely be back to try more things on the menu.

I'm a regular of The Foreigner for a reason: Excellent Coffee, great food, friendly staff and nice vibe! Even though it's a little out of the way for me, it's worth the trip every time.

Definitely the best cafe in the Ivanhoe area! The Moroccan eggs were delicious and I would definitely recommend them. The smashed avo with poached egg was also satisfying. A nice highlight though was the service. Friendly waiters who checked in on us frequently but not too much. It was refreshing to have good service at a busy cafe for once :)

This place is easily the best cafe in the surrounding area. They manage to excel on all fronts. Good food, coffee and service. Even when it's mad busy these guys deliver great service with exceptional coffee from code black with a nice rotating single origin. Enjoy a sweet brekkie in a unique fit out, i advise you go the morrocan baked eggs or the foreigner's breakfast. The only thing i would say could be improved is the layout, it could potentially be more spacious as it can get a little squashy, but that's nitpciking at it's best, definitely one to try!

Great coffee and lovely staff. Tried a few menu items which didn't disappoint either. Will be back.

Had dozens of coffees here and then one day took the plunge and ordered the Foreigner breakfast. Why did I wait so long??!! It was delicious. Had it again two weeks later just to confirm. Yep, it's a winner. Love this place, love those guys.