Review Cru Wine Bar - Kew

A wonderful experience. We had a great Friday night at CRU. Chloe took such good care of us and she is so knowledgeable about the extensive wine list. We sat in the beautiful courtyard and really enjoyed the music. We later moved into the front restaurant for dessert, nothing was too much trouble for Justin and his coworker. The entrees in particular were delicious, but the staff really make this place special. We are looking forward to returning soon.

I had my birthday party at CRU and it was amazing. The atmosphere was warm, in spite of the cold night. The food was also delicious and Paris, who looked after us, worked really hard to make sure we had a constant flow of food and drinks.

Friend’s recommendation for lunch. Great wine bar vibe with the art pairing. Will come back for another try.

Cru has a lovely atmosphere and a great menu with extensive wine list. Chloe was very helpful choosing our wine to match (she is a sommelier) and Zoe was very attentive and not intrusive at all. The house made gnocchi was light and fluffy, I really enjoyed it. My friends loved their crab pappardelle. We had a really nice night, can recommend Cru.

Attended the special Valentine's dinner early session, so one of the first couples to arrive. Owner Tony was completing his briefing session with his staff to ensure the smooth running of the evening from his special 3-choice "Fixed" menu of 4 courses. Great food, great atmosphere and a huge wine list which satisfied even the most discerning couples. Great to see Valentines from 20 yo to over 70 yo in our section of the restaurant enjoying each others' company and having a great time. The stem of roses in bud as a parting gift from CRU was a very pleasant and unexpected surprise. Pity Valentine's day is just once a year!

Fabulous restaurant. great food, fantastic wine list (Rockford Basket Press Shiraz 2017 ,Bravo) and modest prices. Service is A1, can't wait to go back there again, the staff and owner are really friendly. I highly recommend it!!

Delightful! Style, Service and Sensitivity. Always challenging to dine out with a youngster. At CRU, our granddaughter was welcomed, treated appropriately especially in accepting her reasonable requests to alter an item to suit and in receiving her thanks for the experience. Great menu, wines and ambience. Highly recommended.

The staff were very kind and the food was delicious :)

My partner and I came here last Friday night for dinner. We decided to have a few share plates. The quail, broccolini, pork belly, eggplant, and haloumi fritters were all delicious! The pinot blanc and valpolicella by the glass were terrific. Topped it all off with a spiced pumpkin tart that the waiter recommended. We'll be back!

Had another great weekend breakfast at Cru on Saturday! Loved having the spring sun out and watching everyone’s pups have a good time out back in the courtyard! Starting to get a bit of a Lycra brigade too, that’s when you know a place does good food and coffee!! ��

We had our daughters 21st in the Cru Shed. It was a great night. Cru did a wonderful job of food and service. Impeccable. I highly recommend them.

Amazing food, great coffee, fab service! This quaint gorgeous cafe by day - restaurant by night has a great menu and wine list. But the espresso martini is to die for ❤️

What a great place CRU is. Team who understand and care for their product and restaurant. Great wine list with lots by the glass. Food is fabulous - spring lamb a must have. Absolutely recommend a visit.

Lovely cosy little wine bar. Great selection of local and imported wines and tasty, nourishing dishes. So lucky to have this around the corner. �

Best coffee ever, i had the coconut latte. Cannot remember the server name but service on par. Love it. Will definately go back.

A massive thank you to Colleen, Tony, Stefano and Adrian for their wonderful hospitality hosting our engagement/send off party over the weekend. Everyone couldn't stop raving about the beautiful canapes and platters and lovely accommodating staff, who allowed us to open up the doors to the shed and make use of the beautifully lit up courtyard on a warm night. The space was absolutely perfect for an intimate get together with close family and friends, we couldn't recommend CRU more! We will definitely pop in soon for breakfast before our big move in December, thank you so much!

Cute lil place..great coffee and dessert.. found it by accident after dinner. Was put in a funky heated room out the back where we relaxed for a while.

Had an absolute lovely experience! Both Colleen and Sophia were incredibly sweet and they went above and beyond to make us feel welcome. 10/10 service!!

Awesome little spot with a cracker of an Italian wine list!

Great service and fabulous delicious food! Our girls dinner out was a lovely night had by all thanks CRU!

The chefs are awesome .. food delicious Good wine selection.. bit small area but all over nice..

My favorite. Amazing staff, fab food n coffee, sweet outside bit

Best bar in Kew with great food. Atmosphere is friendly with great service from staff that know their stuff

I have been coming to Cru for years, and I always love it. The menu is simple and they don’t over complicate things. They have such an amazing range of wines and always know what to recommend. I especially like the risotto and the sea bream tartare.

Good coffee but the staff (maybe even the owner) was not kid friendly. So avoid if you have kids and are just looking for a chilled Saturday morning coffee time.

Came here for dinner. Food was pretty average considering the zomato score. Serving sizes were on the smaller side - if we hadn't come with 50% off with The Fork Festival, then then it'd be expensive for what you get.<br/>The food:<br/>Pork belly -very fatty, lacking flavour/seasoning<br/>Soft shell crab burger - was alright, nothing amazing<br/>Cabbage rolls - not bad<br/>Meatballs -meatball was alright, but sauce lacked depth and just tasted like tomato<br/>Caponata - nice flavours

Booked for 3 people and got seated for a table for 2 and it was very squishy.<br/>Food here was tasty and relatively fresh but quite expensive for the small potions . Probably wouldn’t come back if I didn’t have the 50% offer.

The interior is a little dim and intimate. We went there for dinner however CRU also does breakfast as well. We ordered a few mocktails, entrees to share, mains and desserts. The staff were super friendly and welcoming to start.<br/><br/>Highlights: both entrees were good, my fav would be the soft shell crab sliders, crispy and buns were soft. The cauliflower was nice and sweet. The beef cheek was super tender and cooked well and the glaze was delicious and accompanied it really well after. The duck was incredible and cooked to perfection, had a nice marmalade taste to it. The earl grey pannacotta was delicious and my fav! The mocktails were also amazing.<br/><br/>Lowlights: beef cheek was a little bland without the glaze sauce, had to season well with salt to help balance the flavours. The dessert we had (forgot what it was called) had alcohol in it which was fine but i felt it was overpowering and soaked into the dessert too much i couldn’t taste the dessert that well. Some people might like it strong but i felt it overpowered the flavours. <br/><br/>Overall: i would love to come back to try other things on the menu especially brunch. Had a good experience overall.

I have been to Cru a few times now and each experience leaves me wondering why I return. While it’s a cute little wine bar with perfectly good service, each time I have found the food to be lacking.<br/><br/>Last night I ordered the linguine special and the pasta was so severely over cooked, some strands of pasta were literally clumped together like a ball. Admittedly I didn’t complain as I had to be at another appointment by 7pm.

Food 3.8/5<br/>Service 4.5/5<br/>Ambience 3.9/5<br/>Overall 4/5<br/><br/>The rösti was nice and crispy. Choc chip pancakes were well-balanced and hazelnuts added texture to the dish. The meatballs were slightly overcooked and the sauce was nice. Coffee was not great.<br/><br/>Our waitress was very attentive and friendly - provided excellent service.

Visited for weekend brunch. Genuinely friendly and helpful service. Was seated in the back area. We were initially worried that it would be too cold out back, but turned out to be a separate fully covered glass laden room in the courtyard area, with heating lamps.<br/><br/>Love the fact that they serve their breakfast menu until 3:30pm. Good coffee and well presented dishes. I ordered the Eastern Eggs and shared a Stop 80 slider, both were very tasty (especially the sliders!). The Falafel in Eastern eggs were a touch dry when eaten alone, but were fine when combined with poached eggs. And Chili salad involved lots of fresh chopped chili!<br/>Others ordered the Pumpkin and Haloumi Fritters with Avo and meatballs, which they seemed to genuinely enjoy. <br/><br/>One note is that they have a credit card surcharge irrespective of total bill cost (whereas most places now have a minimum spend for surcharge). However meal was a complete steal due to the ‘fork’ festival discount. Would visit again, even without discount.

CRU is a nice place to go for afternoon tea or morning tea. I had the panna cotta it was alright. I like it how they change the flavour every day. Also i like how it is a cafe bar and wine.

The Waiters that serve you are lovely and the food is delightful, they do: wine, food and even great baked sweets. I had the calamari with was pretty good, the pannacotta was also good and the milkshakes were great.

We had the degustation. 59 dollars each. <br/>The same amount of individual dishes costed 79 dollars in total as per the menu. We are paying 118 for what should be 79.. While the restaurant branded it as a “degustation menu”.<br/><br/>For starters we had three tiny blini to share, three miniature koftas, and ONE beef cheek to share, and of course one dessert between the two. <br/>I would have given it 1 star if it wasn’t for the very tender and flavoursome beef cheek.<br/>Service was rude and rush. Will not recommend or visit again.

Food consumed:1. Arancini Balls (x3).  Nicely cooked, nothing special in the flavour though. Probably needed something to dip them in.<br/>2. Porterhouse Steak.  Just a steak with a pot of chimichurri.  The steak was cooked to my request (medium) was unspectacular -and a bit dry.  The sauce didn't really bring anything to the party... it probably needed more substance and less of the liquid ingredients.3. Shoestring fries.  My least-preferred type of chip (lack substance and go cold quite quickly), but at least the menu says that's what the are, which is a definite positive.  Nothing to see here, although the ketchup they serve with the food was quite a nice one.4. Fish Special.  Went unfinished due to a texture/flavour that wasn't to the eater's liking.  Unsure if this was because of the variety of fish.  The addition of polenta chips didn't help... I'll never understand polenta.5. Nutmeg & Orange Pannacotta.  Texture-wise, it was okay: not as delicate as it could have been.  They did manage to balance the nutmeg quite well and the candied orange that came with it was nice.  The chocolate ganache that accompanied was too thin, however.Points for supplying a nice helping of some pretty decent toasted, gluten-free bread for my dining partner.  Staff were very pleasant and the place itself is nice enough.<br/>However, I find it hard to imagine returning on the strength of what we had.

My Husband & I are regulars at Cru and have loved this place for the food, wine, service and atmosphere. Unfortunately the “Paella and Sangria “ night this evening feel far short of mediocre. The new space should never have been used, it not up to any standard whatsoever. Cru should have limited their numbers to comfortably accommodate within their current premises and kept their regulars happy. Sadly the Paella was beyond average, non existent ambiance in the back area we will not be returning to these evenings.<br/>

Cru is a cute wine bar in Kew with a cute, quaint European feel. Marble tables, stained glass, and a spacious courtyard with a retractable awning contribute to the vibe.<br/><br/>I didn't try any wine, despite the name, but did have a great soy flat white and a try of the very tart yet sweet and creamy green smoothie plus protein. It contains several ingredients but mostly tasted of sour apple, which isn't everyone's forte but I liked it.<br/><br/>For my meal, I tried the pumpkin and haloumi fritters (plus avo, highly encouraged) while my friend tried the rosti (plus haloumi) - both of which were came out looking colourful and gorgeous. I was happy to see chunks of haloumi throughout the fritters, as I was afraid the taste or texture would get lost in the dish. It balanced the sweet pumpkin nicely.<br/><br/>I didn't love the corn salsa though, as it contained raw onion and capsicum which are hard for me to stomach. A marinade would have helped retain the crunch but broken the veg down a bit. Otherwise though, I was very satisfied with the dish, the drinks and the service. I'm interested to see what Cru has got in store for dinner.

Wow wee. This place ADVERTISES happy hour 4-6pm on a blackboard out the front. Order the drink AS ADVERTISED that were on the HAPPY HOUR list and when I go to pay the shockingly RUDE waiter with the Italian accent tells me that I do not get the discounted price as I did not mention happy hour. <br/>Would one not assume that if you advertise it out the front and I come in during those advertised times that I am there for the happy hour? <br/>This waiter fought me on it with illogical ideas such as if I do not tell them I want happy hour prices then I do not get them... what?!<br/>To be honest, it's a great little wine bar with nice wine and food, but because of the appalling way that CRU treats its of customers, I doubt I will ever return.

Old world feel ... complementing their food.<br/>Good to be back, it has that magical vibes of an olden European/Parisian style cafe; period building, quaint, warm, large glass shop front, wood, Bentwood chairs, long lounge cushioned bench seats along one of its wall, Mosaic, lined bar, rows of wines on display and proper yet casual waiting staff. <br/><br/>Plenty on the Brunch menu; between 7-8/10 ... caramelized, smoked thick cut Bacon is the way to go if that's the intent with the Eggs Benedict.<br/>6/10 Pumpkin Haloumi fritters, good but overfried.<br/>9/10 Stop 80<br/>9/10 $22.00 Kingfish, it was simply divine, sharpen the Ginger dressing and Goat's cheese <br/><br/>Latte 7/10 is good, but more can be done to complement their food, Matcha latte 6/10 needs to be more intense and creamier, not gritty.<br/><br/>I think dinner is still what they do best; ambiance, food and wine. Might have to come back again to soak in more of this old world feel. JT-23/07/2018.

My partner and I came here last Friday night for dinner. We decided to have a few share plates. The quail, broccolini, pork belly, eggplant, and haloumi fritters were all delicious! The pinot blanc and valpolicella by the glass were terrific. Topped it all off with a spiced pumpkin tart that the waiter recommended. We'll be back!

Mother’s Day lunch was a complete FAIL in all regards. Booked for 1.30pm . Meals didn’t come out till 3pm. No offer of bread or apology. My barramundi was cooked well but lacked seasoning. The cauliflower purée was nice but it was only a smither. Herb salad was literally a bunch of mint leaves thrown on the side. When asked for a refill of water, it came out dirty, cloudy with black bits floating on top. Informed the waiter and he said they weren’t bugs, he may have dropped food in the water jug!!!! Huh?? We asked to speak to the manager. He came up and sort of apologised & said it wasn’t intentional!! Jeez I hope not!! If they could do more wrong, they did. Dessert came and we were short one plate. It did arrive when we questioned it but we were already leaving as we were over it by then so I didn’t get to taste the sorbet although it did look good. When we went downstairs to pay, we thought the manager was kind enough to take off the kids meals and drinks but only to find out afterwards we were charged a 10% surcharge!!! Unless Mother’s Day is a public holiday, that’s a first for me. As a mother and first time customer, I was extremely disappointed. My one meal of fish and mint for $45 was below average, waiter was inexperienced and had no clue. To offer to take the kids meals and drinks off was kind but to sneak in a $45 surcharge was a further kick in the guts. I won’t be coming back. <br/><br/>

I highly recommend dinner at Cru. We started with the veg and charcuterie boards which were excellent choices for starters for our group of 8. I had one of the specials - a chocolate pasta with lamb, in mushroom and truffle sauce. It was absolutely fantastic, and the sauce was top-notch, tying all the flavours together. The staff were highly capable striking the perfect balance of friendliness and professionalism. The seating courtyard out the back is a really lovely place to sit, particularly when the weather's fine. The only negative we found, was that the options for booking were 6 or 8 pm. Having chose 6pm, we were told that we were required to vacate the table by 8. This was absolutely fine and we weren't hurried, but we were aware of it throughout the meal. Absolutely keen to return!

Definitely not the first nor the last time we have been here. <br/>Tony looked after us really well all night and our cocktail and wine suggestions were perfect choices for our food and the night we wanted to have.<br/><br/>Food came our in good time and was delicious as per usual.<br/>Its refreshing to go to a restaurant with a concise food and drinks list. <br/><br/>Thank you for the nice night. <br/>

Menu is alright, nothing special. However the 'Stop 80s' are delicious and good value (when they charge me the correct price which isn't often). I do NOT rate the staff my friends and I used to go ever week on a Friday before school in year 12 and they always looked in a terrible mood, nor were they friendly or even pretended to know we were regulars. Food always came out at different times and they would ALWAYS forget certain specifications. Coffee is very nice but expensive

A massive thank you to the CRU team for their wonderful hospitality hosting my fiance and I's engagement/send off party last Saturday night. All of our guests couldn't stop raving about the beautiful canapes and cold meats and cheese platters and lovely accommodating staff, who allowed us to open up the doors to the shed and make use of the beautifully lit up courtyard on a warm night. The space was absolutely perfect for an intimate get together with close family and friends, we couldn't recommend CRU more! <br/><br/>It was such a memorable night, thank you so much guys!

I chose the eggs royale, a light tasty combo of rum cured ocean trout, thinly sliced English muffin, poached eggs and hollandaise. Sometimes I find English muffins can be so bready and heavy especially with a buttery rich smooth hollandaise. This hit the spot and sustained me through our four hour catch up!!!<br/><br/>My other companions all chose the polenta cakes - I wasn't lucky enough to catch a taste but the smell was divine! Crispy polenta, wild truffled mushrooms, spinach and parmesan shavings. The addition of poached eggs and bacon looked like a smart addition for The New Zealanders while the others were very satisfied without. By the looks of their very clean plates and their relaxed smiles, they enjoyed that magical mushroomy truffly polenta mix!

Cru wine bar is a lovely place to have breakfast, lunch or just grab a coffee or tasty piece of chocolate cake. We have tried almost everything on the breakfast and lunch menu and enjoyed it all. Staff were lovely and accomodating but make yourself known if you go in the morning as it can get incredibly busy . There is a sun filled courtyard area down the back as well that might accommodate you. <br/><br/>Will return. Not very well suited to prams or anything unless you use outdoor seating.

Went here for a mid week dinner. Good service. The wine and the negronis out shined the meal as the waiters helped us pick out some absolutely delicious options. <br/>Food was good as well however it didn't 'wow' me.

Came here last Friday night and made a last minute booking which was made convenient to do online. Ambience was lovely, cosy front of house extending through to the courtyard in the back. Food was a bit of a letdown though I must say, the squid ink polenta chips were quite dry and the duck main was a major disappointment, it was dry and found it inedible. We had some of their cheeses for dessert but their portion size for the accompanying quince paste was tiny unfortunately to share amongst two.

The food here is delicious and it has a really unique menu- especially for brunch. There were lots of things on the menu that I had not seen before in Melbourne which was really refreshing. The service was always excellent with the waiter always checking in to see if we were ok. <br/><br/>My only complaint is that the portion sizes were pretty small, especially in comparison to most brunch that I've had in Melbourne.

Love this little joint! It's the perfect place to pick up a really good morning coffee and then cruise through on your way home for a knock off wine. Great service, good food and the blonde guy who works behind the bar is absolutely gorgeous!

The food and service is always lovely :) the staff always remember my order and recommend new exciting specials! The coffee and cocktails are the best in the area! Would highly recommend for breakfast/lunch/dinner

This is certainly a nice little place with a very cool vibe (albeit a little noisy at times) located at quite a weird location at the top end of Glenferrie Road.<br/><br/>Service provided yesterday by the waitress was spectacular and incredibly friendly (a lady who truly enjoys meeting people and likes her job) and food was provided incredibly fast. A simple order of poached eggs on multigrain was delivered superbly, although one of the eggs was slightly overdone. Incredibly tasty though and the aroma of the dish was divine!! ☺️ Unfortunately the accompanying soy latte wasn't particularly noteworthy of anything spectacular, but was still good.<br/><br/>Returned today with some workmates for a coffee run and was more impressed with the soy latte, so I'll be interested to see how consistency goes over the long-term. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area to see for yourself.

Was a really great little place! We came for a coffee to check it out and ended up also getting one each of the sliders (pork belly / bacon & egg / soft shell crab) and some chips - absolutely delicious!<br/>The waitstaff were all really nice and friendly, we had a nice American fella from Tennessee.<br/>Really cool venue, will 100% be back to try out some dinner & wine.

Been here numerous times. Love the courtyard in the back of the cafe. This place has good coffee and nice brunch and lunch options. Will continue to go back here

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Very nice restaurant with very nice waitress! Service is Devine and it makes you feel like home! Food is awesome as well. The house Shiraz is great! Fish of the day is perfectly cooked, crispy skin and tender inside! It opens up to 11pm and even we talked late they did not push us! Definitely recommend!

Cannot recommend Cru more highly for an event or a meal! I recently organised a bridal shower and Colleen was SO helpful in organising a beautiful menu, catering for dietary requirements and organising the perfect morning. Such a lovely venue with delicious food, drinks and the best service. Everyone went above and beyond for us. Massive thanks to Colleen, Brett and all the staff!!

Hosted a 25 person event in the Cru courtyard and shed last week, and it went off without a hitch! Cru was incredibly accommodating (even with some of our more difficult guests), and the staff were so friendly and welcoming. The place has such a relaxed vibe, and it was a fantastic night.<br/>We have eaten dinner here many times before, and can honestly say that they maintained the same excellent standards even when serving all 25 of our group. People raved about the gnocchi, and I personally loved the steak. <br/>I highly recommend this place for hosting events, the food and wine will be flowing, and then you can always pop back the next day for coffee and a great hangover-breakfast :)

We came to Cru for a christmas dinner so it was a set menu. The service was great by the team and very patient with a big group of people.<br/><br/>We had share entrees and had a choice for main and also dessert. The mains were filling and decent portions. I had the barramundi, whilst my other half had the porterhouse steak. Both were cooked well.<br/><br/>The biggest call out has to be the dessert though. I am not sure if this is available on their normal menu but desserts to go for: Affogato (Vanilla ice cream, expresso and amaretto liqueur) which is absolutely a match made in heaven. Also another not to be missed: Macadamia & pear Semifreddo - the flavours are well balanced and it's a dish that is not overly sweet. I would happily come back here just for the desserts.

Had heard good things about this place. Why did we wait so long to finally try it out, better late than never I guess & it will definitely become a regular breakfast spot. I had the Eastern Eggs which I can't complain about but I had serious meal envy for my partners meal, the zucchini & corn fritters. He let me try his, as he always does & I know what I'll be having next time. Coffee was also good, as was the service

在kew library再过去两个block，误打误撞进来买了第一杯拿铁就一发不可收拾，这应该是我来墨尔本以后最满意的一杯咖啡了。amazing的味道，非常浓郁纯正好喝，比学校旁边的咖啡店还好出几条街。然后去买了第二次，味道还是依旧，不如第二次那么惊艳，马上要搬家了，希望在走之前还有机会去吃一下简餐之类的。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。

Went here with a group of work friends & I got the falafel wrap and chips. It was pretty good, but I really wasn't a fan of the chips- there was about 10 massive ones (but I'm more a fan of more and crunchy haha) decor and staff was good & my friends enjoyed theirs better than I did

Great food! Service is good and outdoor area is lovely on a nice summers day. But coffee and food is just outstanding, I love the lamb wrap I get it every time, also love the pancakes they taste delicious! Thanks CRU for such a great dining experience

First visit at Cru, cafe setting looks more like a bar than a cafe with heaps of wine/beer list. Ordered the Parisian mushrooms which was fantastic. It's served with thick-cut soft and buttery brioche. We also ordered choc chips hotcakes, sadly this dish was the let down. It's way too sweet with no relieve. It came with choc chip hotcakes, honeycomb, chocolate ice cream and Persian fairfloss. Not sure if i will be returning..

Just had a lovely breakfast at this warm and cosy little cafe!<br/><br/>This cafe was recommend to us by friends and we are quite loyal to our regular so it had big shoes to fill!<br/><br/>I ordered the eggs Benny and my partner the salmon rosti. Service was quick, fast and efficient! The food was absolutely amazing - one of the best eggs Benny I have had in ages!!<br/><br/>If you live in Kew - this has got to be one of your locals!!

I popped in for a quick lunch with some girlfriends midweek. We had no problem with grabbing a table and the waiter was charming.<br/>I picked the salad of salt and pepper squid and leaves. Light and tasty.<br/>My companions chose breakfast options for lunch. They looked nice and one girl remark that hers was spectacular. <br/><br/>I think that I will return and try some more tasty morsels from this local.<br/><br/>Sometimes difficult getting a carpark around here.

<br/>Cru has that lovely warm European feel that I just so adore in a café. Whilst I’m enjoying sitting hear enjoying breakfast there’s lots happening at this bustling café located at the end of the number 78 tram line in Kew. So as you can imagine this lovely cafe attracts many patrons from around the local area.<br/>If you get to sit at one of the banquette’s of single tables along the wall as you enter, this then leaves you to look out at all the action of the barrista making coffee after coffee as customers are ordering their morning caffeine fix’s. Mobiles are ringing, the espresso machine blasts out steam, the cutlery rattles and conversations are all competing in a symphony of sounds in this bustling café on a Monday morning.<br/>The staff are very low key, but are always there to take your order and are only too happy to give you the changes that you might need. There’s gluten free toast, eggs any way and yogurt with berries in neat baby blue coffee cups, how good does this get? They know what they’re doing here at Cru and nothing is left unchecked. From the superb chefs who turn out dish after dish of great food to the professional wait staff, you are well looked after whether it’s for breakfast , lunch , dinner or just a coffee.<br/>The lunch and dinner menu’s are peppered with classics but they have an amazing range of tapas and sharing plates that make this place one of those hidden gems that you keep coming back to. I’ve tried the churros with delicious chocolate sauce, the amazing Italian meatballs in a rich tomato sugo, and any way that they prepare their duck, it is always mouth watering.<br/>Egg dishes and the usual breakfast selection is available each day for breakfast and lunch is on the all day menu but dinner is always a seperate seasonal one that is full of Italian and Spanish flavours to keep you coming back for more.<br/>If you need to work it's BYO wifi, laptop and notebook and with a fabulous 5 senses coffee you are set up to answer all those emails and important texts.<br/>Dogs are welcome in the sunny rear courtyard, loads of tables and with a section covered by a screened pergola with vines, this is a great place to bring the pooches.<br/>Coffee is 5 Senses – Synesso Machine. There’s Cape Grim sparkling water, Ace juices and an amazing 150+ wine selection from countries such as Australia, France, USA and Italy. This is a must try for their superb ‘Collections’ of wines.<br/> Ask Ruthie Melbourne Rating- Excellent.

Big Crew Breakfast was very satisfying. It was a nice touch that they put in a gourmet sausage instead of a cheap coles sausage you sometime get with a big breakfast.

The CRU burger is one of the best I've had in Melbourne. The brioche bun is soft and slightly sweet which compliments the remaining ingredients. The meat pattie is succulent and juicy. There is a perfect balance of flavours happening in this burger. Highly recommended!

We were all excited to try this place after reading some great reviews and thought we'd be in for a great meal when we walked down the back to the pretty courtyard. It was set out really nicely. When we received the menus we were a little surprised at how expensive everything was, but we accepted it must have just been a quality place! My partner and I both ordered the sliders (soft shell crab and pulled pork) at $18 each. We had planned on having wine but were deterred by the prices (nothing below $10 including the house wine). Food came out reasonably fast, but we were shocked at how small the food looked on our plates. We know sliders are little but this was not an $18 meal! They were quite tasty, but one of our pork ones had the tiniest piece of meat in it that we felt the need to take a photo. We thought it would be too mean to post here, but we were not impressed! We finished our meals still feeling hungry, without having any of the waiters come to check how everything was. My partner asked for the bill, and the waiter (manager?) said he would get it. 5 minutes later he walks past us without the bill and without any acknowledgment. The place was not overly busy at the time and there were other waiters walking around slowly that did not look busy either. We went up to the register ourselves at this point. Not a good lunch experience for us, maybe we'll give them another chance for dinner.

What happened here? Tried for the first time a few months ago and the food was amazing, but came again last week and the quality went down. The menu is now not as exciting as the past. A lot of tables around the back but a slow wait for food.

Had a lovely meal here for dinner. Upon arrival I was surprised at how tiny the restaurant was, but then we were led to a lovely courtyard at the back. The ambience of Cru is sensational! It's the perfect place for a date. The service was great. The staff were very attentive and professional.<br/><br/>Shortly after ordering our food we were brought some bread and olive oil. Our meals arrived promptly and we were extremely pleased with how well-presented they were. However, my duck breast was very over cooked, making it tough and chewy, which was a big shame because I loved all the other elements on the dish. My friend ordered the pork chop, which turned out to be huge! We also ordered a side of fries. They were OK, nothing to shout about. They reminded me of Maccas fries to be honest. The aioli saved it.<br/><br/>Overall an enjoyable meal, mainly due to the lovely ambience. Might return to try something else on the menu.

After the closure of Movida, I started coming to Cru in the hope of finding a friendly, and good cafe that was local.  After today I've had enough. The males who work behind the bar are impolite.  They seem to have an entitled attitude and have on each occasion made me feel like I need to seek their approval to be there. Whilst I like the iced latte, I like it at lots of other places where I am treated with respect.  As others have mentioned, if you sit down and wait for them to come over, you could be waiting awhile, and if you order a drink at the bar you are waved off and told to go and sit down.  They seem to have their favourite customers who get the special treatment.  One would think that they'd have brought some water over for me when they brought some over for the man next to me. But perhaps  I am not regular enough to get the special treatment.  When I went to pay, the person there didn't even look at me and yelled at his co worker to deal with my 'order' as he was busy.  He then went to chat to a more important customer. The guy who came over to take my money didn't get a tip but seemed to be expecting one. So yes, I will keep my 20 cents. I won't be back either.

Cru at the moment is topping my list of favorite Cafe/restaurants in Melbourne. <br/><br/>The design of this place is that of classy comfort. Quickie outdoor, classy main area, cool small seatings along the walkway to the back of café open up to rustic family area and the sun soaking wonderfulness of the outdoor area. Kudos to the person who plan and design the space here. <br/><br/>But Cru is all about amazing food and excellent services. I love both their breakfast AND dinner. Although almost all the selection have a bit it magic in it...including their coffee...Below are my absolute favorite. <br/><br/>Stop 80. Don't ask. Just sink your teeth into this magic version of bacon & egg brioche and be amazed by how small tweaks in a simple offering can bring it to a new level. What's that special ingredient? Relish. <br/><br/>Parisian Mushroom. This wonderful combination of truffle oil and a medley of different fresh mushroom served on fluffy soft bread...heavenly...<br/><br/>When you just want simplicity, quality and belly filling...Cru Breakfast serves one of the best version of big breakfast. <br/><br/>I have great respect for Cru because they are one of cafés that are serious about the quality of their food & coffee. As someone who loves cooking, I appreciate the little things they do.<br/><br/>Service is warm, wonderful and incredibly refined for a small cafe. <br/><br/>Dinner experience is equally awesome and it deserves a separate review. Gives me the excuse to come back a few more times to "properly" review the food. :)Nelly Law

Favourite place. I have been to Cru more times than I can count and have rarely been disappointed. Speedy food and accommodative waiters. Food and drinks have always been superb. This is my go to place for a good meal.

Enjoyed the special cheese-inspired menu for Good Food Month. The Vegetarian was well-accommodated with pillows of gnocchi in place of the steak-frites. Wine matching truly excellent, and service worth crossing town for. Just beware you will be in close proximity to your neighbours, as table space is tight. You may just be as lucky as we were to overhear intimate details of c-grade celebrity beauty treatments... Don't worry, the food is good enough to distract!

CRU has amazing food and amazing atmosphere I love it so much it made me become a regular. The staff are really nice and friendly they now know my coffee order but never my food because I'm always trying something different with all the new meals they bring to the menu. This has become one of my favourite places to go for breakfast lunch and dinner. Love the coffee and the courtyard is probably my favourite place to hang out especially before exams. I wouldn't be surprised that CRU is the reason why I'm gaining wait seeing as the food is to damn good to miss out on.

So impressed with the service and food, I went there for dinner last night, it was for a group dinner and there were about 40 or so of us but all the food came out fully cooked and in a timely fashion. The appetisers were all tasty, (we had a selection from the menu, I suggest the meatballs) and my main was also very good. All the staff were kind and courteous (holding doors open for people, bidding kind farewells etc.), working in hospitality myself I was judging them as soon as I entered right up until I left and I noticed that they had enough staff on that night to deal with a group our size (and to service the rest of the restaurant) and all staff had been trained very well. The only thing I thought to be a negative is that no females worked there, at least when I went in none were working, I hope this was just a coincidence because workplace diversity is important :)

I was debating between the Hotcakes and the Shakshuka but was craving something savoury so the Shakshuka won. The ‘Shakshuka – two eggs in San Marzano tomato sugo, sweet capsicum, basil, chilli, grilled sourdough ($16.00)’ tasted delicious with the rich tomato sugo, the freshness from the basil, and the smokiness of the charred bread.

Good food, great courtyard, great service. Like the vibe and outdoor seatings, great for family with young children. We'll come back for food.

Really great food! But unfortunately the cafe is hugely let down by the terrible service. The staff are friendly but incredibly slow. We waited for 10 minutes to receive a menu, and another 35 minutes to have our order taken. Luckily, the serving sizes are generous and the food is of great quality. Would have rated more highly if the service was better.

Wouldn't waste my time. Ordered a Nicoise salad. Ended up with 1 potato sliced up, 4 olives, 4 cherry tomatoes, 7 beans, overcooked egg, some salad leave no capers and barely any tuna. No dressing or seasoning. Steak and salad - steak was over cooked and salad was 3 cos leaves. Not going back. All this for for $40 and left hungry.

Lovely ambience. Sat in the courtyard on Father's Day in the sun. Had the Tremendous Breakfast, scones with jam and cream, and Chai latte. Could have had slightly bigger portions with the big breakfast, but the scones were fresh and light.

Cru used to be on our favourite list of brunch places, especially since it is just conveniently downstairs. Over the years I feel their service is just getting worse. We went in today, greeted briefly by someone and that was it. We then went up to the counter, waited for another few minutes, and pretty much asked if we can sit somewhere. There are staff everywhere but no one looked interested. Luickily we got our coffee orders in fairly quickly, cos after that it was another 10 minutes of trying to get eye contact with staff and asked if I could order food. Don't get me wrong, the food is still superb. Roesti is still C's favourite, and I had a nice pork belly broiche bun, but the service!

Quite a disappointing breakfast! Service was poor throughout the whole time we were there! Food was poor for the price. Cru is also over priced vs. competitors in the local area. Would definitely not recommend.

Where has good customer service gone? I felt like I was burdening the staff by just being there, when it came to paying it took at least 5 minutes for anyone to even acknowledge our presence. My partners poached eggs were cooked to perfection but my fruit toast (which really shouldn't be hard) were burnt and then turned on the opposite side to try and hide it. I had high expectations as I had read some great reviews, but I was left incredibly disappointed.

It's refreshing to see a place like Cru Cafe & Wine Bar. Tucked away in the quiet end of Glenferrie Rd, Kew is a traditional style bistro European bistro dishing out simple, no frills food and very reasonable prices.  . Although the crew behind the bar and at the kitchen are mostly Italian, the food is a mix of different European influences, including Spanish churros and Greek hamouli.

I come here quite regularly. The food has constantly gone downhill, takes forever and paired with the arrogant staff, I see no reason to return anytime soon

I've come many times for both breakfast and dinner. After my last visit, I'm done. The service and quality of food has really gone down hill. A lot of the staff seem new and can't really answer basic questions about the food, like is the tuna cooked or cold for a salad. As other viewers mentioned, the portions change and can seem like a real rip-off. I swear the dinner portion of gnocchi is smaller than lunch for the exact same dish! My mushrooms were completely overcooked and covering a dish in herbs doesn't make it look any better if it's only two tiny bits of toast. A friend had a burger with a completely broken up patty that literally had cheese holding it together on the stale bun. I used to love popping in for a coffee and having a chat with the baristas before the tram. It's really not the same anymore. Still making a good coffee but wouldn't waste the money on inconsistent food.

I would definitely say I am a cru regular, and this review is long overdue. The food is doubtlessly good, however it is inconsistent with size and portion. The atmosphere of the setout is welcoming and cosy however customer service is lacking. I have been going to cru since it opened up, and the waiters have consistently been careless, non-attentive and unfriendly. I would go again for the food but expect a 15 minute wait for a hello....

Been wanting to come to this place and glad I finally did. Love the courtyard seating. Ordered the blueberry and ricotta hot cakes with yogurt ice cream, the ice cream was excellent. Also ordered stop 80, delicious breakfast bun. Friendly staff, great service and great food.

Food delicious, coffee good but very cramped. The fact that it's busy is good though I guess... Looks like a great bar too! Must come back after dark!

We had breakfast at CRU. Was good, imaginative, pleasant ambience and local cafe character. Waiting service friendly when you finally got it, food slow to arrive. <br/><br/>Figured we would try it for dinner. It did not start well. They did not have my booking and appeared mystified that I should insist I had one. Fortunately it was 7pm, and they seem to have a late crowd. But the breakfast experiences just magnified. <br/><br/>Food menu excellent, albeit pretty limited. And the food was very good indeed. Extensive wine list, but staff had very little idea of what was what. <br/>Waiting service required standing and gestures to get any, staff too busy chatting each other up! Food really slow to arrive. <br/><br/>Almost irresponsible, we'll probably irresponsible, wine service. Staff obsessed with pushing wine onto us. (In direct contrast to food service). Like, half filling large glasses ( 5 to 8 standard drinks) while we had not got close to emptying a glass. Do not drink and drive from here, unless you are prepared to exercise a lot of control and be firm. One could draw some cynical conclusions from this. Coffee excellent. <br/><br/>My guests and I left confused. Was it a good experience or something else. No doubt food was excellent but really slow to come. Wine list over the top given staff knowledge on it was negligible. <br/><br/>At the end of the day we figured it was all let down by amateur, inexperienced staff. They did not even know what CRU meant. They meant well, but ...<br/><br/>If I was a local I would try again. So give it a go. But it is only just a 2.5 for me. <br/>Geoff

Dropped in for a bite, only ever had a quick coffee before.  Now I know why.  Some of the rudest service I have encountered in quite some time, not to mention a less than impressive brunch.  Wouldn't recommend, Won't return. Not even for a coffee.

Very Rude Service. Very nice ambiance, nice food, but the guy with the French accent is sooo rude & made nasty comments twice. I'm not going back to be treated that way. What a shame.

Food was nice but portions for our breakfast were inconsistent,my friend's breakfast burger was tiny

Chai Latté was very weak and just tasted like plain milk and the muesli I had was very watery and was quite disappointing..however your chips are amazing...would go back just for the chips and maybe try your eggs or something else because they look very nice. I've had the grain salad from here too and that was quite good. I'm torn 50/50 on whether to give you a thumbs up or down. Back courtyard is amazing so I'm leaning more towards a thumbs up

Had a mid-week brunch here. .... Had a mid-week brunch here.<br/>Quiet and pleasant atmosphere, yet still had that cool Melbourne coffee/cafe vibe. <br/>Service was prompt, friendly and professional. <br/>I had the breakfast rosti, with some extra bacon, and my girlfriend had avocado on toast, with poached eggs and bacon. To sum it up, the food was excellent!<br/>This place is well worth the visit.

Posted on April 17, 2015 by Sarah Cru 916 Glenferrie Road Kew (03) 9818 4366 In the leafy suburb of Kew, the guys at Cru are bringing the locals some tasty treats after the morning school run. Peering through the glass it’s easy to feel this place would be right at home amongst the cafes of Fitzroy: it’s got the same vibe that makes it feel like a hidden secret only locals are allowed to enjoy. But take a deep confidence-boosting breath and walk through the door and you’ll be rewarded with some fab fare. It’s a narrow space, but deceptively big. Grab a seat along the narrow bench opposite the marble counter, otherwise make your way past the bearded baristas and down the narrow alleyway and you’ll find a surprisingly welcoming outdoor area out back. The menu is inspired by the Mediterranean and the Middle East. The shakshuka eggs – eggs baked in tomato sugo with basil and chilli served with sourdough ($16.00) – are a common sight on menus these days, but are a favourite nonetheless. If you’re feeling a little more adventurous, the Middle Eastern inspired eggs with felafel, chilli, humus, plenty of herbs and some real pita bread ($17.00) is something you won’t find everyday and worth making the trip for. The doughy pita bread is a great alternative to sourdough, great for mopping up those poached eggs and hummus. Just watch out for the chilli though if you can’t handle heat – this one has a real kick to it. Even the fruit salad ($13.00) has it’s own Middle Eastern spin. A selection of seasonal fresh and poached fruit come served with labneh flavoured with dates and toasted quinoa. It’s a nice, light start to the day. If all that sounds too scary, rest assured you’ll still find classics like smashed avo on the menu. This Cru’s version comes with minted peas and lemony ricotta ($14.00). Add a side of bacon if you’re in the mood. The lunch menu is full of baguettes, burgers, salads and sliders with interesting combinations such as the crab slider made with soft shell cra

Amazing Breakfast!. We stopped by at Kru for breakfast, and was so pleasantly surprised by the wide range of food. The staff were also very friendly,and service was quick and prompt - they take well to dish changes/additions. And the food was DELICIOUS!!! Very happy with our meal and service and will definitely be back again!

Cru has been one of our favorite finds this Summer.

Cru Cafe, in Kew, has both options as well as an undercover heated outdoor area. Cru does all day breakfast and all day brunch... just the way I like it! The menu was straight forward yet had a good variety of dishes and the prices were quite reasonable.

Along with the rest of Melbourne, my weekend mornings begin with a list of potential brunch places to try. Along the other end of glenferrie rd lies one of my fail safe cafes for breakfast, lunch or a quick coffee. I was enchanted by some of the more unusual brunch combinations when Cru first opened, such as the kedgeree and the crispy roesti, which came with a delicious pile of endive, capers, salmon and poached egg. Mixed into one mouthful, it’s the perfect start to any weekend. Besides 5 senses coffee to wake you up, the phlavours of pho juice is a novelty. Admittedly, it doesn’t taste quite like vietnamese pho (not that you would probably want it to…) but a combination of apple and mint is refreshing and healthy. Cru also does a good version of the typical angus burger on a brioche bun – with pickles on the side and seasoned fat chips, it makes for a very satisfied customer.      About these ads div.wpa>div { margin-top: 1em; } #google_ads_div_wpcom_below_post_adsafe_ad_container {

Phlavours of Pho was seriously refreshing. I could mainly taste the apple and pineapple, but it did leave a similar burn in your neck like the last bit of pho soup, so maybe that was the fennel syrup? Anyway, it was great on a 40 degree day.

Ended up at Cru one day, having been forgotten at Snow Pony (another story) down the road. Cafe looks deceptively cramp from the street, but actually has a lovely back courtyard. Funky and cool vibe without intimidating those of us who aren't! Friendly service. Busy place. Were told it could be a long wait on the food orders and asked if that was all right which is always appreciated. It was a late Sunday arvo lunch, so we were happy to hang. The soy cappuccino - for the art The Stop 80 brioche burger was fun and tasty. The coffees were good and there was no more than the usual wait for them. A side note (so my buddy can “let it go”) – she decided to go for a soy cappuccino instead of her usual soy latte - for the art. Her cap came out with “soy” written on it! Hilarious. Mine (full cream cap) had the usual brilliant feathering art. She claims discrimination as a soy drinker, on top of the 50c plus premium soy drinkers already gripe about. Added to my growing list of fav cafe choices.

Cru is a delight. A dining experience that recalls images of a youth finding the first dandelion of the spring and wistfully blowing off the pollen into the forthcoming season of warmth… Wait. No, it’s not. It’s not like that it all. Cru is just really good food and really good coffee and really, really good wine. Nestled on the corner block of Glenferrie and Cotham roads, Cru has been gaining a rep amongst residents of Kew as a new local favourite. Owned and run by four middle aged professionals, Cru is the manifestation of over 2000 collective dining experiences. I sat down in the candlelight on a frosty Wednesday evening with co-owner Annie Rose (pictured below) – part sexual education teacher, part mother of three, total badass. Cru has been built on a shit ton of experience from our side of the table. Having lived in Melbourne for most of their adult-lives, Annie, along with husband Peter Rose and business partners Robyn Blake and Andrew Pickering have eaten out a lot. So when the

Cru is a relatively small cafe, situated near the busy tram stop at the intersection of Glenferrie and Cotham Roads. It has a clean-cut interior, with a white colour scheme. Service is pretty good, and the wait for meals and coffee is relatively short. It was quite full and busy with coffee orders on a Tuesday morning. Quality of food and portion sizes are decent and prices are reasonable.

Absolutely great customer service! The stuff is very friendly and lovely and the food is divine both breakfast and dinner. I attent cru a couple of times a month. I would love to see a few more meals added into the menu.

Florien. Not too filling but delicious as always

Hands down best breakfast in Melbourne

Frequent customer. Love this place. Always busy, yet we can always get a table. Staff are not overbearing and food comes of relatively quickly. Milkshakes are to die for, as well as their scrambled eggs. Only complaint is the price of the chips for what you get- a very small amount! Overall, a fabulous place we can always count on for a good meal.

Winning Wine Bar. Cru is a welcoming Wine Bar by night and great Cafe by day. <br/>These guys have an imaginative wine selection and consistently good food. I couldn't think of a better place to go in the kew / hawthorn area.

Roast of the day or roast of yesterday?. Was told that roast of the day was shoulder of lamb, table next to us got roast pork. After asking waiter was belly pork on the menu, was told that after the lamb was finished, then pork was available. Was the lamb yesterday's roast? Was it left over? Very fatty and unsatisfying. Too many other places to go to, not likely to go back.

Poor service, staff think they are too cool, barely smile or give off any warmth towards customers. Music so loud we couldn't hear each other speak and despite 3 staff on duty and 6 clients, all the tables had dirty cups and plates on them. Expensive for average fare. Won't go back.

Walked in. Asked how much a large takeaway coffee was. He told me "$4.80". I walked out. Are you guys for real? That's got to be the most expensive take away coffee in Melbourne.

Used to be good.. I used to frequent Cru for the coffee, atmosphere and great food. It was the only joint which seemed to be overflowing with hipsters, hence a sign of good coffee (and food). However, recently I went there for lunch and waited for 45 minutes before the food appeared and when it did, their usually awesome burger was absolutely disgusting. The presentation was lacking and the food was plain disgusting. I've eaten there on occasions before, but apparently due to the new kitchen staff, the level of pride in their work has also dropped. I will definitely not be back again, at least until I hear that a new chef is in the kitchen. Their food was not worth the price - even the fish and chippy across the road has better burgers, with a smaller price tag.

Average. I did like Cru but it didn't really blow me away as I had hoped. The chai latte was very milky and did not even taste like chai! The date labne and poached fruits in the fruit bowl were delicious and I really enjoyed the interesting texture of the toasted quinoa, but unfortunately, about half of the fruit was sour and underripe pineapple that was not particularly pleasant. All in all, I enjoyed the atmosphere of Cru but perhaps a little more needs to be done so that it stands out amongst the other great cafes in this area.

A relaxed local venue. Good food and an amazingly diverse (and lengthy!) wine list - great spot for a relaxing wine and cheese platter at the end of a long week. Our meals (dinner) were all very tasty and well presented, but service was rather neglectful - it's a fine line between allowing you to relax and not feel rushed and forgetting about you for long periods. We might have had more to eat or drink if we were asked! The tables are tiny - really too small for three to sit around for a meal, although they would be fine if just having a drink. Overall, a pleasant experience and we'd go back (but with an expectation that service was more attentive!).

Great cafe with great people. Cru has become a second home! The staff always do their best to accommodate my numerous severe allergies. <br/>Worth checking out both during the day and at night, almost like visiting two completely different venues! <br/>10/10 a must visit in Melbourne!

Most enjoyable breakfast experience. This morning we ventured to Cru for a late breakfast. I am a difficult coffee customer as I like hot decaf and skim ...yes I know not cool. The barista at Cru really nailed it today and I had the best coffee i have had in a long time. <br/>We also loved the fruit bowl - an unusual and really tasty treat: as well as porridge ( pistachio) bees pollen and labna ..delicious. The staff were really attentive and friendly even giving us tips on great places to visit on our upcoming family holiday to Bali...the Gilli islands! Will be returning asap!!

Staff too busy to serve!. Shockingly neglectful and sometimes rude staff. Love the venue and the food is delicious but I have visited on several occasions now and each time the breakfast service has deteriorated. I've had staff look at me and ignore my polite visual request for service - he literally looked through me then turned and walked away! I've been there at 9am on the weekend most times and it has not been busy so no excuses. Staff are just not looking at patrons to see when they need help!! They are missing the basics of service! So disappointing for such a great venue. A polite wave for service (there were 4 staff ignoring me trying to catch their eye) was responded to but brusque service and snatched menus left both of us gasping in horror! I hope the afternoon service is better!