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...
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.
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.
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 ....
Hidden along Waterdale Rd, semi-open kitchen, indoor and outdoor dining area with a long ex-Church bench, great recycling.
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.
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!
The salmon Rosti and Corn Fritters are good options. Coffee decent. Sweets at the counter up front if you're keen. And daily specials :)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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
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
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!
Some of the new staff need to be a little more friendly and not so clueless.
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.
My local brunch. I love Lip Cafe - the staff are really nice, the food is good and the coffee is tasty.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Tori Yelland Riddell
+4.5
My favourite breaky spot. I absolutely love this place, the staff are always so friendly and the food is amazing.
I go almost every week, sometimes twice a week and I am yet to be disappointed by this amazing café.
The specials are always the BEST.... Vietnamese beef salad is scrumptious and even the simple sandwiches are delicious.
Highly, highly recommend.
Friendly busy cafe. Went there in the morning. Coffee flavoursome. Service on my visit was polite and attentive
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.
My Rating 8/10
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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,
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.
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.
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
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.
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