Review Willo Cafe - Kew

A tucked away brunch place opposite the kew ovals and cemetay, they have a great cold drip coffee if you ever want that but we went for brunch. I suggest you sit in a more open part of the cafe if you don't want to be forgotten about, but otherwise food is pretty good and well priced and came out all at once!

Great coffee and savoury goodies! We love coming here almost every morning to get a coffee before work. Friendly staff and always smiling. The only thing I would recommend is expanding the vegan menu. In terms of mains there isn't much. A salad (need to remove eggs) and oats/muesli. If they would add another vegan option (hot main) that would be amazing and definitely eat here more!

Atrocious coffee, excellent pancakes and rosti, average eggs benny, good service and convenient parking. There’s always a weekend crowd grabbing takeaway coffee, though I was thoroughly disappointed. The long black tasted extremely bitter and burnt. It wasn’t palatable. The cappuccino was overly milky and had a very thin layer of foam. The flat white was milky too and probably the only one that could pass as coffee. 0/5. The pancakes were fantastic and the side of bacon requested crispy were very crispy. The side of Rosti was really crispy and delicious too. However the Eggs Benny was quite average with just too much going on. 3/5 Service was great and the team was polite and friendly. There’s lots of parking out front. 5/5 With lots of cafes in the area and such a competitive industry, the coffee really needs to be better. Probably will not return even though the pancakes were great.

I was told off by a female staff (not in a very polite manner) not to bring my dog into the cafe (indoor) when I was just by my own (no where to tie the dog leash and no staff helping at outdoor area that time) and I just want to do payment after my breakfast. To avoid all this, it’s better to put a notice outside stating NO dogs allowed to come in. Anyway, now I know I can pay at their take away window. But got to know this in not an enjoyable experience. For dog lovers, please remember to pay at their take away window if you have no one to look after your dogs.

I would have given 4 stars as good service, outside is lovely, coffee and milkshakes great, but it needs: (i) a full spring clean all throughout the inside- dust everywhere, speaker cables, cobwebs in corners, (ii) bit more patience from the main barrister (my kids just needed a napkin and got a told off for disturbing him - soured the experience, (iii) a bit more fly management inside, (iv) a tidy up in the back garden, (v) some acoustic fixes in the small rooms, (vi) maybe a move to home-made chips rather than packet (although they were good!)….

Place looked busy so had high hopes but it was a little underwhelmed unfortunately. Wasnt much cohesion between the flavours and they came out lukewarm. Quantity is good though as well as the price point. Maybe what I ordered just wasn't my thing so worth checking out overall.

DO: The corn fritters. DON’T: Want to sit in, the takeaway menu is great too. PROTIP: Park across road for the little ones to run off brunch after.

Came in for a hot chocolate and some lunch… wonderful food and extremely friendly service! A very lovely environment to be in. I would highly recommend coming here!!

Nice coffee and great chilli scrambled eggs

This place is not bad by my standard but it's certainly not amazing either. The coffee and hot chocolates are a bit overpriced for the taste and the food is just above average.

Small takeaway coffee but charged $4.30, and more importantly, the taste is below average. I would rather get 7-11 coffee for the same price.

Great coffee and food with a friendly local vibe however I’m surprised that considering I come here most days, the owners and staff still don’t know my name or even my order.

Tide’s out on small takeaway latte - and at $4:20 !! Shame would have been a lovely local . Not to worry others to choose from!! Generosity opens the heart!!

Great space, great coffee, great service! My only let down about this place was the lack of creativity with the menu. DO NOT GET ME WRONG! The food i ordered  (scrambled eggs, sausages, mushrooms, halloumi and smoked salmon) was delicious :) But I'm not the type to go simple when it comes to brekkie, i want something that knocks your sox off, so yes 100% a great place with great food, just not as exciting as I like it.

Visited here during the week for a quick lunch. I loved the coffee (Allpress). I had a long black which was exactly to my taste on this day; lots of flavours and all of them delicious (coconut, caramel, chocolate, oh, and, overwhelmingly - coffee!! - sweet!), none of the harsh acidity which I've learned to anticipate in so many cafes! I could relax and enjoy every last mouthful! I had a toasted wrap and appreciated that I was able to order a half-serve, more than enough for my small appetite and fresh and good. I will certainly go back!

We were really excited to try Willo Cafe when we drove past it, the manager was nice but the waitress who served us was rude and demanding. Upon arrival we were greeted promptly, however the waitress who served us was pushy and we felt rushed to order our food. In the end we found out that they close at 3PM from Instagram and we arrived at 1:45PM, while I can completely empathise that it may be frustrating for customers to come right when you’re about to close up the kitchen but I would’ve appreciated if the waitress managed our expectation and said something like “Just so you know our kitchen closes in X amount of time” instead of demanding us to have a seat and rolling her eyes at us for wanting food rather than coffee. She also reapproached us 3 times in a span of 5 minutes asking, “you still thinking?” and snob us off for not placing an order yet. The food was average and to top it all off the staff in the kitchen was cleaning with oven cleaner while the customers were still in the restaurant! The chemicals from the oven cleaner was rising into the air, effectively we inhaled particles of that product and it started burning our nose and throat. For those of you who don’t know much about oven cleaners, it is incredibly toxic and you MUST be wearing gloves, goggles and mask while using this chemical. One of the team members who may have been the owner vocalised “Close the kitchen door, always tell you guys to make sure the kitchen door is closed,” this just tells me that its not the first this has happened and it’s a small cafe so closing the door isn’t enough! If that product is used to deep clean your kitchen, your customers should never be exposed to it.

Loved the waffles the best i have ever gotten. Great staff, very friendly and have great food. Lovely little cafe looks fresh and cute, will be coming back again

Coffee is alright however you can get better coffee in the area . Nice cozy cafe and friendly staff. Tried a couple of dishes , Very small portion it's more like appetizer in modern Australian restaurants . Won't consider it next time I'm around!

Best bao in Melbourne!! and very friendly service - alas bao is being taken off the menu which is a real shame. The coffee is very nice as well

Had a nice lunch here. The interior is nice and simple but nothing too imaginative. The food I had was good but my drink was quite plain. One staff member (suspected owner) was very nice and friendly, surly old blond woman however needs to try to smile to improve the atmosphere for their patrons.

Was hoping for more than two roasted mushrooms when I ordered the mushrooms on brioche. That said, the dish was tasty... I just wanted a lot more for what I paid for (and I was hungry! Please forgive me for wanting more on an empty stomach). The pal thought similarly of her four heirloom carrots... the dishes felt more like appetisers. Coffee was serviceable.

Beautiful staff<br/>Beautiful food<br/>Beautiful coffee! I cannot find a single flaw. Every experience is a great one at Willo and I am tres excited to see them grow!!

Fantastic local find! We have driven past this place and it's always been busy and today we found out why. Using produce from local providers this cafe has put their own twist to some of your classic brunch favourites. The benedict with apple and sriracha hollandaise was to die for and the chilli scrambled eggs with roti benefited from the thoughtful addition of Thai herbs. Even if you are just looking for a coffee it is well worth the visit. We will be back!

Stumbled apon this place as we needed a coffee hit, and for once we didnt look up the zomato rating before trying this cafe. We were pleasantly surprised! We were greeted by friendly staff, and after seeing the menu we were quickly persuaded to order as well. The Barruta salad was amazing, so fresh and flavorsome, and the eggs were cooked to perfection. Coffee was great, service was very quick, prices really good. Definitely recommend this even over many of its nearby cafe counterparts, which may have better ratings  but often disappoint..

I don't know how the score for this place isn't higher. I can only assume that savvy locals are downplaying it so it doesn't get even more busy than it already is! Their coffee is brilliant. Their food is beyond delicious and their service is warm and friendly. So great to have somewhere like this just up the road. Highly recommend.

Excellent coffee. My extra hot skinny latte was exactly how I like it. Breakfast portions were rather substantial. Scrambled eggs were well done.

Stopped by for a quick lunch! Coffee good and the BLT was tasty. Friendly staff and not to busy. Have been before and would come back again. Very much suited to the locals I think

Excellent service great coffee and a fantastic menu have had several different all excellent .perfect lunch or breakfast size meals staff are really great always enjoy going there

Willo is excellent. Great coffee and food options. A small place facing the sun most of the day. Around the corner from another great Kew cafe, Ora.

Lovely, light dining room and we were seated immediately on arrival. Relatively small but diverse menu with good vegetarian options. Delicious Allpress coffee and friendly attentive staff. <br/>Easy to park nearby and a number of tables out the front for those with dogs.

The only bad thing about willo was the fact I came on a day the doughnuts weren't available. <br/><br/>Struggling to pick something to eat I decided on the buttermilk pancakes, good choice on my behalf. Coming with vanilla marscapone, berries, maple syrup and julienned Apple, and 3 fluffy pancakes, it was quite a substantial meal for the price and so delicious. <br/><br/>I was also lucky enough to grab a bite or so of the halloumi burger which was delicious, salty enough and the avo and slaw to cut through. <br/><br/>Had a really delicious meal, friendly service, and about $60 for 3 people. <br/><br/>(Doughboy Doughnuts available Tuesday's and weekends FYI)

Brilliant newcomer located in the back streets of Kew. Such friendly and inviting (but not overly familiar) staff and such delicious menu options. All members of our large party were well accommodated..from the toddler critics to the older carnivores and herbivores!!!

Gorgeous little quaint café not in the hustle and bustle of Kew. <br/>Had an amazing lunch. Smashed pumpkin with goats fetta, poached egg, wild mushroom & caramelised onion. It was a perfect dish. Serving size & flavours all hit the mark. My partner ordered the halloumi burger and that too was outstanding. <br/>Coffee is All Press beans which is one of my favs and my latte was also perfect. <br/>But what makes this café stand out from the endless cafes popping up everywhere, is the managers/owners. These ladies know how to operate a business! They are friendly, efficient and make you feel like at home. <br/>Can't wait to come back! <br/>

Visited here for the first time for a Sunday brunch! I was pretty keen for it to be good, as we just live around the corner! Very disappointing! Ordered poached eggs and toast, I'm always very clear when ordering this that I would like the eggs cooked hard!! Not runny, not soft, HARD!! I'm also very used to sending this dish back when the eggs are not hard! <br/>Meals arrive, eggs are runny, take plate to counter and explain I asked for hard eggs, lady at counter was very apologetic and returned the plate to the kitchen! Then another lady arrives at my elbow with said runny egg in her hand!!! And questions what's wrong! I explain I asked for the eggs hard, she then informs me the chef has said this is hard!! Arrogant chef much!! You may like to cook things a particular way, but if a customer requests something specific it's in your best interests to just do it!! Unfortunately, but unsurprisingly, we will not be coming back!!

I felt like something sweet so I decided to have the ‘Buttermilk pancakes topped with vanilla mascarpone, maple syrup and seasonal fruits ($14.00)’. The combination of the syrup, vanilla mascarpone, and the ripe fruit was scrumptious! The pancakes were also fabulous and I loved how the dish had just the right amount of richness that left you wanting more.

New kid in town ..... well .... one end of Willsmere Rd, Kew. <br/><br/>7 weeks old and that corner is getting congested with good food and coffee now, better for the public. Parking is not so much of an issue with this soon to be good food centrum, don't tell the City of Boroondara, they might want to start another Parking Meter business soon.<br/><br/>Mid morning suns, plenty of natural lights, quaint, not so noisy, lots of timber, just a pleasant, delightful ambiance away from the Eastern freeway, unless you are unfortunate enough to be sitting next to a male singing celebrity, not so tall, trying to gain everyone's attention by airing his personal love life dilemma in such a small public place, relax, chill there are more important things in life, like people dying all over the world, Orlando ??? ..... great article by Rita Panahi, $1 million divorce cost for 10 years .... however to be fair I did noticed your Louis Vuitton Damier Graphite Canvas matching backpack and wallet, they look good.<br/><br/>Must commend the proprietor for the set up, keeping the original character, just a great conversion and use of the "forgotten" building, fully utilising that big front glass windows and a nifty tucked-in entrance, yeap, outdoor front sitting area are under cover, it comes complete with blankets to tamed our warm Melbourne's autumn weather. <br/><br/>La Marzocco & Allpress coffee beans, Soy Latte was well made but lacking in punches and character, but the Muffin was great, can taste that gooey-ness, home-made feel about it. <br/><br/>Great service ladies, thank you. We will try the rest of your Menu soon .... looks inviting.

What a gem! Awesome spot in Kew, easy to stop in, hard to leave :) good coffee, good menu, neat fitout and lovely personalised service. Now I've found it it'll be hard to drive past the Chandler Hwy exit 👌

Very happy that Willo has opened. The Willsmere Village was crying out for another cafe with decent coffee!<br/>Good coffee & food, friendly environment and helpful staff.

This Cafe opened up about a month ago and is always busy any time I drive past, so thought I'd check it out today.<br/>Willo has a cool set-up with nice furniture and lots of natural light. The staff were lovely and the food looked delicious (and reasonably priced) but I only had eyes for the DOUGHBOYS DOUNUTS! <br/>They are also in a great location with plenty of parking available. <br/>Will 100% be returning to test their coffee/hot chocolate and good looking menu in the near future! Can't wait!

Great new spot in Kew, serving perfect smooth roast coffee and the food is right up there with fancy CBD cafes. My favourites are the smashed avocado with Meredith's Goats Cheese (Yum) and poached eggs with ham hock and apple cider hollandaise. If only it was a little closer to my home, I would spend every day here.

Every time I've driven by this vacant building, I thought it would be a perfect place for a cafe, so I'm glad to see that Willo decided to open there. It's not a huge cafe but it has great seating and big open windows to let the natural sunlight in.<br/><br/>For a Wednesday brunch, it was almost full, with quite a handful coming in and out for take away coffees. Initially when I walked in, all the staff said hello, smiled and kept moving, but no one stopped to see why I was standing there. Tad bit awkward, so I just interrupted a staff member and asked if I could sit at one of their spare seats.<br/><br/>I ordered the breakfast roll and also thought I'd try the salted choc brownie to go with my coffee.<br/>Everything about the breakfast burger was awesome. It has the right mix of inclusions. It's juicy and messy - definitely not my most lady-like display of eating, but it was so delicious I didn't care. The salted caramel brownie was also a nice addition to my meal. Not too salty or sickly sweet with caramel either.<br/>Coffee is good too.<br/><br/>There's nothing overly fancy about this place, but that's what is charming about it. I hope they can keep it up and I'm sure to be back to try more on their menu.

I have been here a few times since it opened and every time I go in I keep in mind that they are new and to put my judgements aside.<br/>But it's basic things that I find Willo lacked in for instance : -on arrival I hadn't been greeted or attended to and everyone seems to be all over the place. <br/> - the barista needs to be pumping out coffees a lot faster (waiting for 10 minutes plus is not good) it is also very stressful to watch disgruntled customers asking over and over if their coffee is nearly ready.<br/>- on my second visit everyone's food came out at different times which was quite disappointing<br/><br/>The food is good I'll give them that , the coffee is superb also. They just need a little time.

Willo Cafe! How exciting it is to have a new kid on the block. I went to the opening last Wednesday and it was chaos, waited a little longer than usual for food but it's expected in the first week of opening as they are finding there feet, but must I say the wait was worth it. I had the smashed avocado with ham hock along side a delicious double shot latte from the All Press espresso collection, it was well worth the wait.<br/><br/>I am now a regular and the staff down at Willo have it on point. The food is amazing the coffee is delicious and the staff are delightful. <br/>I can't wait for my next meal.<br/>I urge anyone in the area to go check it out, it will not disappoint.

Thank goodness for Willo. I've been watching the decline of Ora for the last year or so with a small sadness in my heart as what I regarded as one of melbournes best cafes has become increasingly to cool for school and there coffee has gotten worse and worse.<br/>Then along came Willo, low on fan fair serving a nice double espresso in a clean and POSITIVE enviroment. The food has a certain feel of melbourne 3 years ago with a good smashed avo, fritters (grilled not deep fried), good bacon and a cabnet full of salads and toasted sangas.<br/>This isn't fine dinning or sparkling water with your black coffee, this is fun food and good coffee done well with a happy and positive enviroment. Love it. Will certainly be back when I need those good time feels and a coffee with out attitude.

Came in to try out the much anticipated Willo Cafe on their first weekend open. It was absolutely buzzing with customers, and had a beautiful ambience inside coupled with an authentic fit out. The service, coffee and food were great, give these guys a chance and you won't be disappointed.

Oh dear. A lovely fit out inside but the coffee is terribly weak and no match for Ora's beautiful brew. This local won't be returning anytime soon.

New cafe in Kew just near Ora. Came in yesterday and was closed. As far as I know they open 7 days but Monday was closed. Best to inform customers on social media if they are closed. Menu does not look professional with crossed out items. Food was ok and has lot more to offer in the area. Take away food fridge looks empty with sausage rolls and some sandwich doesn't look appetizing. Will come back again once the new cafe settled down and has a better menu.

Tried out this newly opened cafe a few days ago. Fit out is looking awesome and staff are really friendly! My chai latte was beautiful, however smashed avo wasn't anything to write home about. Avocado almost seemed as though it has been puréed, they need to keep it fresher in order to compete in the cut throat Melbourne smashed avocado business. But I think once they straighten a few things out this will be a beautiful little brunch spot.