Review Lip Cafe - Ivanhoe

Thanks to the amazing people at the Lip Cafe for their incredible service. Currently stuck isolating (like everyone else it feels ), and they went above and beyond to help us out with delivering food, coffee beans and essentials for us with an amazingly quick and personal service, despite themselves being short staffed and facing their own challenges with the current pandemic. Always been our go to Cafe, and this is why. Can't wait to dine in again 🙂

I thoroughly recommend the Lip Cafe About 20 adults and children celebrated our mother’s 100th birthday in the rear courtyard area. The very considerate, friendly and helpful staff went out of their way to create a delightful space. The staff erected a marquis, and decorated the area with bright cushions, balloons and flowers. Although the kitchen was not open on a Tuesday, the staff arranged a delivery of delicious sandwiches. The coffee was of an excellent standard. The children were excited to have iced drinks. I will certainly keep the Lip Cafe in mind for further functions. Thank you so much on behalf of all Peggy’s family and friends.

So great to finally get back into restaurants! Lip Cafe is a really lovely cafe in the Waterdale road shopping district. Quick, efficient, lovely service. Catering for everything you might need - DF, GF, NF, V, VG how ever you eat you can eat it here. This morning we grabbed their Avo Smash and Potato Rosti - both were excellent and came quickly. We also grabbed a flat white each - and their baristas know how to use every Milk Lab under the sun. Highly recommend to go grab something yummy now we can eat in.

Always solid, really great service. Recently I have been loving their BLT. Pro-tip: the ready to eat meals in their fridge are great. Hoping the gnocchi is there next time - so good.

Lovely food and pleasently surprised for a tiny cafe. Decent menu and the coffee is exceptional

Worst hot chocolate I have ever had. The only chocolate you could taste was from the powder on the top and the milk tasted disgusting. Not sure if they mixed two different types of milk but it definitely was not normal full cream milk. Will not be going back here waste of money.

Good and service is good. Serving sizes have gone smaller over the past couple of years. Zomato mentions they have wifi but they don’t have wifi for customers. I wish they continued to offer that- just makes it easier to be studying or working from a cafe

Grabbed a quick brekkie here last weekend before Pfizer #3. Great coffees, hot chocolates and food. My wife said the almond croissant was one of the best she's ever had - up there with Noisette in Elwood. Definitely go.

Coffee always good but some - certainly not all - of the staff exhibit a petty attitude to the point of rudeness which is a pity for the other staffers who are doing their best to see that customers feel good about being there. We were actually regulars for a time, so it's all a bit mysterious. Fortunately there's good coffee elsewhere and more decent people, end of story.

Always liked this cafe however on reporting a long stray hair in the food the waitress was quite rude. No apologies just argued. Said it must have blown in from another customer. Very disappointing. Haven't been back.

Local. Food delish. Icead teas to die for. Staff lovely 🌟🌟🌟

Portuguese custard tart delicious, atmosphere chilled, coffee brewed to perfection, customer service spot on. Congratulations on a quaint spot.

AWESOME food. AwEsOMe service. Caters for gluten free lactose free veg vegan & no dietary restrictions beautifully. Thank you !!!

Best place for Sunday lunch...

Great service, kids friendly. Nice coffee and food.

A Diamond in the ruff!

My review relates to a coffee purchase on the 24rd of March 2020. That was one day after the PM announced all cafes need to close by midday. I went in and bought a coffee and the barista was the rudest ever. I have visited this cafe since the first owner started this business, then the couple sold this business to a guy, he ran it for a few years then sold it to the current owner. It is fair to say their food is ok but the service is never good as you can confirm this yourself by checking their reviews on other platforms. I have been living in the Ivanhoe suburb for 25 years and frequented various cafes in the area. It was appaling to receive such rude service from this particular tiny female barista, she simply shoved my coffee towards me and gave me a nasty look. I frequented this cafe and I believe they know my face. Hey I understand its covid 19 and many people have lost their job. I also work in the hospitality industry and I have also lost my job. Just because you believe Covid 19 may have been brought on by some other countries that doesn't mean you can become racist towards your customer. Whilst I was waiting for my coffee, another lady came in and she was being greeted nicely. I stood there and watched her disgusting behaviour, its unbelievable. Its downright narrow minded and very uneducated behaviour. Luckily most true Australians don't behave like this. I will never go back there and have also told all my friends living in the area not to visit this cafe ever again. Bye Lip Cafe.

My son and I had a lovely lunch at Lip Cafe. The food was delicious and the staff were very friendly and helpful. The atmosphere was warm and relaxed. Sam, the new owner was just gorgeous!

I love this place, healthy, organic and great staff. They change their menu regularly for new choices and great coffee. Ok prices and hidden away so quite peaceful.

Polite staff. Music was pumping and I couldn’t hear my friend at all. Worst chai latte I’ve ever had- no flavour so I didn’t even drink it. Food average. Better spots in Ivanhoe for a quick bite to eat.

Great food and coffee, however can take a while to come out so don’t be in a hurry. The space is a bit tight. Around the corner from us and we will keep returning.

I think I am addicted to the BLAT (Bacon Lettuce Avocado Tomato) sandwiches here. So delicious. The components are all just right: bacon that isn't too crispy, but lettuce that is. The tomato never disappoints, and the avocado is generous. The aoili brings it all together. So many wonderful textures and flavours that meet in my mouth. All served between two big, fluffy soft slices of sourdough. I've eaten numerous BLATs elsewhere, but they never quite meet the standard of Lip Cafe's, in terms of flavour, presentation, and balance.

The atmosphere in the back area inside was pleasant.Great to be able to share a pot of chai tea.Would be good if there were more vegan food options.

Food was pretty good and coffee average. Busy noisy location with no nice atmosphere, staff were rushed and not friendly at all. Wouldn't bother

The waiting staff are very rude to all customers, as i observed whilst sitting for some time. They ignore you when you ask questions, even though they have 'heard' because the  napkin is later thrown onto the table that asked for one 5 minutes prior. Menus are thrown on the tables without eye contact, there is no positive energy. The food is horrible. I ordered a salad with chilli and lime "dressing". It came with big chunks of chilli and a wedge of lime. I mentioned to the waitress that i didn't realise it had so much chilli in it. She snapped that i should have known from looking at the menu and still need to pay for it and can't 'exactly take it away'. She left it on  my table for an hour before taking it away. I next ordered corn fritters, which were inedible.

Came here for weekend breakfast. Service was friendly and efficient. Had the baked eggs which were much better than I had anticipated - a rich and flavoursome tomato sauce and the pesto was a great addition

Grunge, Rustic and it has legs ....<br/><br/>Hidden along Waterdale Rd, semi-open kitchen, indoor and outdoor dining area with a long ex-Church bench, great recycling.<br/><br/>It was a good find, enjoyable space with good food and coffee, watch out for 1/2 hr parking space. JT-24/11/2017

Went here for a late brekkie with the wife on Saturday and left with no complaints; if I could sum up the cafe in one word it would be unpretentious - a stripped-back dining space with enough homely character to make you feel comfortable, a reasonably straight-forward menu and reasonable prices. <br/><br/>We ordered eggs on toast and corn fritters between us, while I also ordered a ginger ale. Ultimately, we left none of the food on our plates and didn't feel the urge to eat further, the dishes were both fresh and came out reasonably promptly and the staff were all pretty friendly and discreet. I'd happily return again.

Little cosy cafe where you least expect it. Close to Heidelberg Repatriation Centre, it's an excellent place to grab a coffee while you wait for an appointment etc. Don't be deceived by the small front, there's plenty of seating at the back and outdoors!<br/>The salmon Rosti and Corn Fritters are good options. Coffee decent. Sweets at the counter up front if you're keen. And daily specials :)

Visited this local place after it was written up in Broadsheet - expectations were high. We were highly disappointed...<br/>The wait staff were indifferent and made us feel as though we were infringing on their time. We were seated in the "back room" and given menus. We weren't asked if we'd like a drink/coffee at that point. We were approached about 10 minutes later by a jovial waiter (the only one with a smile on his face) who didn't write our order down and, subsequently, had to come and check details twice, interrupting the conversation on the table to confirm our orders (easily avoidable if one has pen and paper handy...). <br/>We both ordered the breakfast. I ordered poached eggs and my friend ordered fried. My eggs were tasteless but fine. My friend's fried eggs were half cooked - she had to send them back. The bacon was too tough to eat. The mushrooms were bland. Most of our meal went uneaten. <br/>My long black was burnt and undrinkable. Its bitter taste reflected my mood by this point. My friend's latte was "OK". <br/>At no point between the delivery of the meal and coffees did any wait staff ask if we needed anything else. We had to "borrow" the salt from an adjoining table. I had to refill the table's water jug from the sink by the counter or risk dehydration. <br/>And, every time someone opened to door to use the restrooms, a waft of rubbish-scented "fresh air" surrounded the eating area. <br/>To add insult to injury, 2 breakfasts and 3 coffees cost $62.00. <br/>Won't be returning...

Cute little caffe. Place is very small and so if there are too many diners it gets very noisy. Food was nice and menu had lot of options - good choices for vegetarian people which I was happy with! Staff were friendly but not very attentive as they get busy chatting amongst themselves and delay serving u even after your have ordered something that's pre made like a biscuit! Due to close proximity to hospital and other small businesses they get lot of working class customers on their lunch break - staff should be understanding and attentive as lunch breaks are roughly 30 mins! No complaints about food but their customer service needs improving.

Horrendous service. While the food is not expensive, the attitude of the waitress is enough to put you off from stepping foot in that cafe forever.

I've come here about three times and won't be coming again. The two waitresses are often judgemental and obviously joking about the customers, which creates a very unfriendly atmosphere. The first two times I came the food and coffee were good but this time we ordered a "big breakfast" with and it was tiny. One mushroom, one small tomato cut in two, avocado that was clearly old, two eggs and a scrap of toast, for $20! It was flavourless and definately not worth the money. Also the girls left us waiting for 5 minutes when we arrived without bringing menus or taking our coffee order. They seem like they don't really want customers.<br/>

This place is a real hidden gem. Cute and cosy cafe and the menu has a wide range of options as well as specials. Will be coming back here soon.

My fav cafe for take away coffee over my break from work ! Fast and great service! A bit small cafe and busy most of the time , doesn't suit HPS people haha

Great menu, fast service and delicious gluten free options. Local favourite for me. Coffee is best in the area. Love the fresh home made cakes also!!

Honest, simple brunch with decent coffees. Don't expect anything super flash - this is a laid-back, reliable, quick and easy option for the locals.

The coffee and drinks are the best part of this cafe. A nice open atmosphere.. The food is simple 'I can make this at home' reconstructed cafe food. The staff is the low point and often makes dining here an unwelcoming experience. Never acknowledged and easily dismissed... There is only one here that offers a warming experience. Corn fritters are pretty bland and most things are over priced for their very average sized meals.

As a local & loyal customer we have always enjoyed visiting the Lip Cafe, not only for the great food but also delicious cinnamon scrolls and the coffee. Noticeable is that the staff can vary immensely  between weekend and weekday and with the quality of service. Unfortunately today I didn't have a pleasant experience. Not only tasted the coffee extremely bland, nothing like a good coffee and certainly not what I expect from the Lip Cafe, more so it was the service what was a big let down! The lady did agree to make a second coffee after I asked. I'm not someone who usually ask for another one. It was the overall attitude that will have me consider going back. With plenty of other coffee shops nearby I prefer to go to a place where receive a friendly & genuine warm customer service over a place where I face snobbiness and fake smiles. Disappointed!!

Coffee is good and food is tasty. Service was a bit slow, we were sat outside and then seemingly forgotten about. We ended up just going in and ordering over the counter. Still, a good local gem and worth popping in for a takeaway.

Living around the corner this is the only cafe with halfway decent coffee within walking distance.<br/><br/>I've tried to like this place, been several times, and usually get disappointed. If you sit out the front of the Cafe you basically don't get served. Having a dog, and enjoying fresh air, I usually try to sit outside, like I did today. I even caught one of the waitresses as she was cleaning a table and asked if I could grab a seat. She said yes, and I assumed she'd be straight back with water and a menu. I reckon I sat there for nearly 10 minutes without any service as they stood around chatting to customers inside. <br/><br/>I work as a waiter at a busy cafe in Richmond so I know it's not hard to be aware of and make sure that outside tables get served.<br/><br/>Seeya Lip, never coming back.

Love this place! Coffee is always excellent (we are there multiple times a week), food is delicious & most importantly they are very kid friendly with silicone babycino cups, cute gingerbread men for $1 and a huge bucket of toys! Highly recommend.

Dined in for brunch on a Sunday morning. Partner was served the wrong meal, which is fine as mistakes happen. However the correct meal wasn't produced until after mine was finished and no effort was made to rectify the issue. Service to the table was non-existent from the wrong meal being removed, to correct meal being delivered. We would have appreciated the offer of a complimentary coffee at the least. Being in hospitality many years myself, I was disappointed in this service. On the upside my meal was very tasty!

We tried this cafe the other week and were pleasantly surprised. Lip cafe did more than enough to earn a second visit from us. The grilled haloumi sandwich was customizable and falls within one of the best breakfast items I can remember eating. I can't speak for the whole menu but everything we ate was very good. Will definitely return

Went for lunch with a friend and my salmon rosti was good, however my friend was served partially uncooked chicken in her sandwich, not a good look. Charging for her lunch also not good for the cafe, prompting me to write this review! She was given a fresh (cooked) sandwich but I had already finished my meal and coffee by the time she was served. Poor form, have had better experiences in other Ivanhoe cafes and won't be going back anytime soon.

Their Vietnamese beef salad with white rice and fried egg is SO GOOD. Everything is well balanced and delish! I haven't got a chance to try another thing on the menu but I definitely will when I come back to Ivanhoe.

Nice retro feeling small cafe. The service was excellent, it had good coffee and the chicken and beetroot sandwich was very tasty, would definitely recommend it. The cafe was a bit cold but other than that, the experience was a positive one.

Great service, good coffee and amazing sweets. Big fan of the local neighborhood hideaway cafes. Though haven't a chance to try the rest of the menu but will do one day

I usually love this place with its amazing baked sweets and simple yet varied menu all made well. Coffee is fairly good and amazing for Ivanhoe standards. Sometimes I can find gaps in the service when the owner/or manager isn't around "seeing all" making sure everything is covered. I was looking forward to a nice lunch here but after I couldn't get either of the girls attention to order food. Eye contact and pleasantness was lacking and no checking back in on me. Others were being served and coming in and out before me. Granted they were busy but as a hospitality professional myself I know still this was still unacceptable. I gave up waiting and left after finishing my chai. Disappointed this time.

Great Cafe. Great cafe. Always patient with us and our little three year old. They changed hands a while back, and probably need to change their specials a bit once they settle down. But a great cafe to have in the neighbourhood.<br/><br/>Fave meal is the pulled pork sandwich.

Worth the trip. The free range chicken toasted sandwhich was delicious, however coffee was only so-so. Overall a pleasant experience

Okay. The specials are no longer "special" they are basically menu items that you barely rotate.

Ivanhoe whats happening?. I use to live around Ivanhoe and would visit here frequently, seems to have changed hands as it isn't any where near as good as it use to be. Its sad because I've started coming back here for business and it would nice to continue coming here but i don't think my wallet appreciates "breakfast" costing $40 for one person thats still left feeling hungry afterwards. <br/>My wife got chilli tofu when out with a girlfriend and said it doesn't taste right, its almost like they've just used siraracha sauce instead of making a sauce, also the beans and eggplant weren't enjoyable to eat. <br/>I always let the coffee talk when I go to a cafe and the coffee now is bitter with a burnt taste, when paired with soy milk you get over heated soy milk that curdles and is the consistency of curdled yoghurt.

Nope!. This is my second time reviewing lip, as its so close to home it would be just great for that morning coffee. Last review i went in on a super busy sunday and was left feeling a little underwhelmed and honestly sad for the staff working there, this time was a completely different story but I still left feeling underwhelmed but i wasn't feeling sorry for the staff! <br/><br/>It was Friday, super quite and my coffee was so burnt and awful I threw it in the bin as soon as I got home. My cake (can't even remember what one i got) it was a "crumble" of some sort, tasted old, dry and possibly over baked. It's a real shame because this place has so much potential but who ever runs it now clearly has no idea, as the people who previously owned it had so much love for it! all you have to do is look at the website (or the Lip cafe instagraml!) that clearly hasn't been updated for a while, because none of the passion is showing through anymore. <br/><br/>Sorry lip but this was trip number 8 and I just feel like a sucker for going back and hoping for a better outcome!<br/><br/><br/>-----22 Mar, 2015-----<br/><br/>Busy Sunday. Why would anybody think that one barista, one person on till and two people waitressing (one that had to keep jumping on the coffee machine though!) would be enough for a lovely sunny Sunday? putting more staff on means better customer service and results in happier customers! Because in the end I would've loved another coffee, but with a huge line of people and waitresses (waitress by that stage actually) running around like crazy it just didn't seem like it would take less than 20 minutes. Other than that the staff are lovely, average food and good coffee.

Inhospitable/unhelpful staff. Don't arrive at this cafe anywhere approaching 30mins from their early closing time. They are not interested in service, just clock-watching and will ignore you or turn you away with a scowl. Other customers already inside will have chairs put up all around them as a not so subtle hint. Why work in hospitality with this attitude?!

Love the cafe, needs less attitude!. I love coming to this cafe and love the coffee! But on Thursday the only thing that left a sour taste in my mouth was the disgusting attitude of the barista! Seriously if looks could kill and to think you can see your grumpy face from the door!

Cozy. Nice food and friendly staff. A little over crowded but worth it for nice atmosphere. I come here quite regularly.

Lip Café is one ever busy little spot and a dear favourite amongst loyal locals for a very good reason. The next time you are in Ivanhoe, do yourself a favour and bypass the main strip of Upper Heidelberg Road and head straight to Lip Café. Located amongst a small shopping strip on Waterdale Road, this café is small in size but large in what it has to offer in delicious and high quality food and coffee. Lip Café are usually open for breakfast and lunch, but recently they have been hosting ‘Burger Nights’ on Fridays from 5.30pm to 8.30pm. I came in one Friday night to try the burgers, as Lip is already a dear favourite spot of mine. I visited at about 6.30pm, there was no table service for Burger night, so you can take a look at the menu by the counter and order there. I am guessing this is the case because of the large amount of takeaway orders the kitchen was pumping out all night! Despite this, I found the service to be prompt and generally good. I tried the ‘No.1’ (cheese burger wit

The atmosphere was convivial and relaxed, with just the right amount of busy. Erin almost – almost! – convinced us to top off lunch with something sweet, but we resisted. On our way out, though, I clocked fresh-made biscuits baking in the oven – accompanied by more tantalising aromas – and suspect I shall be back on the bike one day soon to sample them.

So, to summarise Cafe Lip: I was a bit disappointed, M liked it, but I think we'll still visit again and try something else off the menu. I do like to support local businesses and everyone deserves a second chance.<br/>

Great but .... Like this place, but starting to look a bit grotty, dirty front windows, cake display cabinet glass looking dull - it's a turn off. Also Lip please don't make the mistake of thinking anyone can make coffee and that you can stick anyone behind that machine - we don't need more dud coffee in Ivanhoe. Barista please when you wipe your milk steamer with your chux super wipe please don't then wipe down everything around it - including the bench with that same cloth - yuck! <br/>Some of the new staff need to be a little more friendly and not so clueless. <br/>And do an audit on your cups, bowls and plates - if it's chipped toss it!

Local and charming. My wife and I head down to the Lip every so often for a lazy Saturday brunch. The food is always excellent, though we tend to hover around the same few regular dishes. It's pretty easy to tell they do care about getting quality ingredients, and put them together well. The portions are appropriate and well balanced. The only drawback is the service. It's hit or miss. There are a couple waitresses that are brilliant, but quite a few are lacking: inattentive, and unhelpful. Would love to see that improve. Otherwise great place for eats and chats.

Average. Nothing inspiring, I had the corn fritters and they were doughy and tasteless. Crowded and staff are more interested in their own conversations. Won't be returning.

Changed to stingy servings. Lip cafe used to be a great place for gluten free but I have been put off by a recent visit where I ordered gluten free toast that came out sliced so thinly it was actually only equivalent to half a piece. We all know that gluten free bread is costly but not THAT costly! The chai tea which used to be AMAZING has also lost it's flavour, such a shame as this was something that used to bring me back to Lip on a regular basis.

My local brunch. I love Lip Cafe - the staff are really nice, the food is good and the coffee is tasty. <br/>This has become our local for brunch, never had a bad meal. The main probably is it's getting popular and there can be a wait for a table.

Looking forward to trying out this local, but was very disappointed. The service was very slow even though it wasn't even a third full. We were sat out the back with no heating or direct sunlight and a door to the outside which staff kept going through letting the arctic breeze in. Meals came and were very average, much less than I can cook at home. The rosti wasn't crispy, more like moulded mash potato, the much rooms were okay, but no flavour, avocado okay, but the roasted tomatoes were rock hard and underripe, so much so I couldn't cut most of them. Won't be going back. Looked cool but didn't deliver on service, food or comfort.

Average.. Tried this place for the first time recently and was somewhat disappointed with the food and coffee. Coffee was burnt and almost undrinkable, so I left it and ordered tea instead. Brunch was average, the potato rosti which I was looking forward to, came out looking like a slab of mashed potato that had been shallow fried on one side only. The rest of the meal was bland and boring. I also agree that charging an extra $1 on avocado dishes is cheeky, considering there was only a tablespoon of it on my rosti. (And if you're going to change the prices, print up new menus instead of going over them in texta, as it looks mega tacky) There were no herbs or flavours added to pep it up a bit and I was disappointed in my $16 meal- a tomato, a field mushroom, some avo and potato that had barely any flavour wasn't worth it. This cafe seems to have their pricepoints all wrong. My husband's meal was good, but the omlette was a little overcooked. <br/>Probably wouldnt return as there was nothing really great about it.

Cute, always busy... BUT!. I've been here twice and really enjoyed my food. I've had the feta scrambled eggs both times with a chai latte to drink. Yum! The first time I went with my boyfriend, and we loved it, so I brought back my girlfriend the following week. Here's where the problem was: she ordered this baked eggs dish..... When it came out, it literally had SO MUCH OIL ON TOP, I thought it must have been a joke. It comes in a slightly deep terra-cotta pot about the diameter of your hand. We are both reasonable, college educated ladies and our estimates were that there was between 100ml-150ml floating on top. Yuck! When we went to take it back, the girl stood behind the chef's work and said "that's how we serve it, and that's how it's supposed to be!" Seriously guys, I don't know how that is edible! Every single bite would have been so incredibly lubricated. You would have literally been drinking oil! Not my type of breakfast. Anyway, they replaced her meal with the scrambled eggs, which my friend loved. But my God... You would have had to see that oil to believe it. I wish I took a photo.

Nice food. The cinnamon scroll was delicious....it was just fresh out of the oven. It was to die for, the smoked salmon breakfast was okay but I felt the serving was a bit small and a bit overpriced. However it was nice atmosphere and the coffee was great. I will definitely go back.

Disappointing. I have eaten at Lip Cafe numerous times as it seemed to be the only place in the area worth a look. I was initially disappointed but returned, hoping things would improve but they haven't. The dishes are extremely overpriced given the small serving sizes.... and adding an extra $1 onto all the meals due to a supposed "avocado shortage" is just stingy. Everywhere else in Melbourne seems to have avocados right now and charges no extra. The kitchen and coffee service is always slow and the waiting service at times borders on rude. I will not be returning again.

This is our first time here and we're really impressed with the coffee! One of the best around. Food was delicious too and fast service. Definitely coming back

Always yummy. We've been here several times and the coffee has always been great. At peak times it's a bit squashy. Service has mostly been pleasant and prompt though a tad slow sometimes when it's packed. The food has always been great and decent size serves. I really love having the Asian options and this morning's brunch of Asian style grilled fish on green papaya salad was delicious.

If the rating was on food alone it would be a 5, unfortunately service counts and it has gone down hill. <br/><br/>The loss of key staff means you can regularly sit waiting for service going unrecognised. I have walked out twice. I love this cafe and if they iron out these problems it will be back to its amazing self.

Love it!. Great coffee! Love this little cafe!

My favourite breaky spot. I absolutely love this place, the staff are always so friendly and the food is amazing.<br/>I go almost every week, sometimes twice a week and I am yet to be disappointed by this amazing café.<br/><br/>The specials are always the BEST.... Vietnamese beef salad is scrumptious and even the simple sandwiches are delicious.<br/>Highly, highly recommend.

So unfriendly. A sign says wait to be seated. But we were ignored. Left standing there in the way with a pram. <br/>Then we were told there's no room for prams. Fine, I left it out the front.<br/>Pork sandwich was really fatty. Coffe was ok but i had to go and ask for sugar. One of the moody teenage<br/> waitresses sat <br/>outside on her phone and had a ciggie. Not very professional. And they say say there's "tude" on my side of town!!! (Northcote/thornbury) <br/>Oh and by the way, there was loads of room outside for a pram.

Friendly busy cafe. Went there in the morning. Coffee flavoursome. Service on my visit was polite and attentive

Service. Yes going off previous reviews I headed down one morning for a lovely breakfast and yes for what I received didn't reflect the cost of it unfortunately agree with the rosti reviews was a bit disappointed but I guess most off all service was lacking and don't really like hearing the conversations coming from the kitchen being an open one you can hear quiet a bit of it and being a family friendly café the language wasn't accetable. Unfortunately wont be going back as couldn't justify the cost for the result to expensive.

The service was disgraceful, staff were self involved. The food was nice, but sadly definitely not recommended.

Unfortunately I have to disagree with all the positive reviews... This cafe is sorely lacking in atmosphere, and the food was at absolute best, very very disappointing. I believe any cafe worth it's salt should have the ability to identify seriously over cooked eggs, burnt bacon and almost raw potato rosti's. Was a shame they were all on the same plate. The pricing is excessive for the quality provided. On the positive side, the staff were quick and friendly. I am however afraid I will not be returning.

Top notch. Have been here a number of times and have been extremely happy every single time with both the food and service. A great alternative to the otherwise lacklustre fare in Ivanhoe.

Ivanhoe Gem. Whenever in the area I'm keen for lip. Simply put they have great coffee, and their feta scramble with avocado and sourdough comes highly recommended (from me). There is a nice natural feel to this place and they also make a great chocolate brownie which can be topped with ice cream and caramel! If your in the area give it a go, you won't be disappointed very reliable and solid cafe.<br/><br/>My Rating 8/10

Disappointing. I was disappointed after reading the good reviews. Pretty average food really and a bit on the $+ side for what it was. My potato rosti was nothing more than spud hash-brown. Excuse was "it is what happens to the potatoes at this time of the year". It's pretty simply really - if you can't deliver it, don't put it on the menu. I was offered a free coffee for goodwill (thank-you) but the staff member grimaced and didn't respond when I pointed out that another 3 people on our table were not impressed by the rosti either (no more compensation - not even the offer of a piece of toast to replace the soggy hash. Hope others have a better experience.

Chicken sandwich was yummy, not too much bread & tasty filling. Could have done w a bit more lettuce, but otherwise very good. Service was friendly & attentive.

Great soy chai. I regularly go to Lip Cafe for the soy chai. It's made from tea leaves, not powder or syrup. I really like this place and am glad that they are doing so well and seem to be always busy on weekends. On the 2 occasions that I have had food from here, it was very tasty. The new bench they put in at the front of the store works really well - good idea guys!

Not what I expected in Ivanhoe - more alternative and interesting! Having been there for coffee a couple of times before I decided to have lunch and wasn't disappointed. Only a sandwich, but it was fresh, with a generous filling and delicious homemade style chutney. I was tempted by a couple of hot lunch items for next time.... As a vegetarian I find the usual cafe lunches a bit samey, but there always seems to be a delicious curry or casserole on the menu.

This little cafe has an international twist of flavours combining asian cuisine with western cafe style most warming welcoming staff and very quick service

I love this place. My faviorite lunch hangout place. Good price for yummy food.

Brilliant!. The chai latte's alone are enough to head to lip cafe. The foods really great as well, fresh and quite healthy.

Very disappointing service. After waiting near the sign to be seated whilst other groups pushed past us and got served first. We finally got given menus only to be ignored for another 10 min, while both tables next to us we're served. In the end we just voted with our feet and left. Won't be going back. Ignore this cafe and head to Jackson Dodds instead.

Charming, cosy, a real find. Lip was beautifully and warmly decorated, fresh tulips in vases and homely colourful decor that is generously and cheerfully mismatched. Plenty of light; friendly and super competent staff; a barista who was making such amazing coffees it was a pleasure just to watch as she sent out coffee after perfect coffee. Food was great, imaginative without being wanky, service was very quick and the atmosphere among the staff seemed great. We stayed after closing and weren't hassled to leave in the slightest.<br/>Highly reccommended!

Amazing soy latte, service can be improved, used goats fetta in scrambled eggs made eggs a bit flat... Cool atmosphere, next time I'm going to try something else on the menu, worth giving a go, second time the charm?

Brilliant breakfasts, it's hard to find a brekkie place that is different from the pack but this is definately one that is. House made beans are a winner.

Love Lip. What a shame our best kept secret is out! Lip is what every suburb needs, an unassuming, low key spot to meet up with friends, have a breakfast date with hubby or just go and read the paper on your own. The coffee truly is exceptional, the food is predictably delicious and the staff... well, none of us are perfect are we? The owners are nice and put a lot of care into what they do best, ie. food and coffee. There are a couple of great wait staff and a couple not so great but you know what? It's our local and we do love it! I highly recommend the pork sandwich, vietnamese chicken and the curries, and of course the coffee!

Despite being nearly full at lunchtime, service was prompt and food came quickly. Lovely menu, including a number of vegan options and fairtrade coffee. Well-priced. Highly recommended.

Best coffee in ivanhoe almost possibly in melbourne. In one word. Awesome.<br/>Delicious variety of muffins to accompany the best coffee on ivanhoe. Their menu is always fresh and interesting. Had the porridge, wouldnt typically understand going out to pay for porridge at a cafe but it is definitely worth it at lip. Can get very busy but the owner is lovely and can tell puts a lot of care and love into this fine institution

A good breakfast/lunch cafe with some indian flavor overtones. Well priced.

Great consistent coffee but service needs tweaking. My son spilt a full cup of coffee over me and I was handed a cloth! No help cleaning up - no concern if I was burned - and charged me for a replacement coffee. Not ideal treatment of a customer - let alone a regular. Not happy - there is other great coffee in Ivanhoe (Tre Fontane & Creatures of Habit) s and service will be the differentiator.

Great food, fab coffee

Coffee coffee coffee. The coffee here is the best I've had, and keeps me coming back. The soy latte is the only one that's worth drinking in Melbourne.

Cool hip cafe. This is one of the better cafes around this area! Coffee is great and love the choices of fresh pastry, muffins, macarons all made in house. Cafe focuses on using fresh and tasty ingredients. Great place for breakfast and lunch!

Great Brekkie and interesting lunch!. Love the food here - the quality and variety of the mains is awesome. The brekkie is standard melbourne brunch style done well, and the coffee is the best in the area.

Great coffee, lovely friendly staff and a nice menu. Best coffee place in Ivanhoe!

Friendly staff - the owner is a delight - with good coffee, wonderful fresh food and tasty treats. Plus they're vegan friendly. Highly recommended.

Room for improvement. Unfortunately there are not much choices in the area and hence Lip stands out.. if you know what I mean. Compared to other similar cafes or those with similar vibes, menu and coffee - Lip is definitely let down by its service and wait staff; again if you've been to other similar cafes, you know what I mean.. But hey, there's no competition nearby, who am I to judge!

Awesome coffee, best in Ivanhoe! Great brekies as well. Service ok, not the friendliest peeps around which is a shame. Regardless you can't fault the coffee and that's all that counts.

Don't bother going anywhere else for breakie. Lovely, lovely, lovely,<br/>Read the reviews and had to try it for breakfast. Good quality ingredients, well prepared and good value. Pleasant staff and best of all is off the beaten track of Ivanhoe main strip. Really can't fault it.

Amazing coffee, great brekky!. This funky little cafe doesn't seem like much from the outside but you must take a second look. They serve up the best coffee North East of the city and do a really great value, not to mention extremely tasty breakfast!

Best soy lattes ever. Perfectly creamy and smooth

Friendly and funky. The food is always interesting and delicious. Passionate owner and cook and reliably great coffee.

Good food & great cafe - likes it. Have eaten at Lip for breakfast and lunch often over the past 6 months and have always found it to have interesting food that is tasty and fresh. Cakes are made on the premises and food is made to order. Excellent Allpress coffee. In a quiet suburban strip this is an improvement to the Cafe food available in Ivanhoe.

Terrible cafe. slow service. took my order quickly, but waited for 20 minutes for my breakfast when clearly there was no one else had ordered breakfast. breakfast was oily and doesn't justify the price for it. <br/><br/>coffee, just your average standard. barely hot, just warm. <br/><br/>won't go back again.

Lip is run by Julian Chew who is the chef / designer extraordinaire behind this fantastic cafe. The cafe is located at 226 Waterdale road in Ivanhoe, and caters to local residents, parents from the local schools and office workers nearby. Julian is a true epicure who has a huge passion for tradition and also trying out new things through his cooking, baking and brewing activities. This passion has been officiated in the form of Lip. As a former baker at one stage in his life, Julian continues this tradition through making amazing cakes and cookies.

It’s kitschy, it’s cosy and it serves delicious home style cooking all morning, all day. Finally, a no-fuss cafe in middle-class suburbia that has the comfort food we all crave! Catering for all, whether you’re on a diet, want to indulge or just want a good cup of coffee and cake. The staff are young, tentative, friendly and their recommendations are often right on. The servings are not super sized, but they’re delicate, fresh and full of flavour.

Lip Cafe is a small suburban gem that I’m sure has locals swarming during the day. The only downside is the parking outside which seemed to be very limited. Couldn’t remember if it was 1 or 1/2 hour parking. If you’re after a nice long relaxing lunch, perhaps park on a side street and walk there. Else it’s a fantastic spot for a quick but great bite and a good caffeine hit.