The Wandering Reviewer
+4
Watching other people’s meals being served for breakfast was quite mouth-watering. Today I had the pulled pork, roasti and eggs with harissa hollandaise. Generous amount of pulled pork and the sauce at the base nicely spicy.
Chai was good although I prefer it brewed in a pot. Still, it was hot and nice blend of spices.
Menu is extensive with plenty of choices. Dietaries can be catered for - just let the staff know.
This place is cosy and has a warm and inviting feel. Issus is licensed to if you’re after s Bloody Mary, Campari, Aperol or Mimosa then you’re in luck.
There is one step into cafe and tables are tightly knitted together so doubt its wheelchair friendly. Kid friendly, in fact there were a half dozen kids with families while I dined.
Playlist is nice and not too loud, enough to have me humming along.
Staff are lovely and quick to seat you, take your order and serve you.
Nice “pay it forward” jar at counter for those who’d like to donate.
Cute little place to have brunch. My beef ragu pasta was beautiful and hot, but my husband's big breakfast was a tad too oily. Wasn't a big fan of the brownie with fairy floss on top.
A classic little cafe in the cbd. Coffee is nice and food is good - scrambled eggs are always nice and fluffy. Service is good - they go out of their way to try and fit you in even when it’s packed. Food and drinks come out quickly. Great place to go during work!
Amongst the busy cafes of Centre Place, we decided to try a random one and boy were we glad with our decision.
Nutella milkshake - this had surprised me the most as I was expecting a regular milkshake tasting like Nutella but never would I’ve imagined it would turn out to be a magnificent freak shake! It was like heaven to me given my sweet tooth cravings! 😍
Benny chan and smashed avocado - both dishes had similar elements such as bacon strips, avocado and poached eggs but it all tasted yummy and worked out well. Was pleased with the generous portion served for each plate! 😋
Was happy with the experience and would definitely go back to try their other dishes! 👄
Not the quickest or most efficient service, nor the cheapest in this area, but nice fresh ingredients, well cooked food at a still reasonable price, in a busy, lively, tour-group-people watching setting. Amazing how many tourists walk through Centre place! After a few tour groups had passed though, I started to feel uncomfortable.. like an animal in a zoo exhibit might with all the photos people take of Melbournians in their natural habitat.. Anyway.. back to the food.. A very generous serve of smoked salmon, my fritters were delicious and the meal a very substantial size without making you too sick, my meal was a flavour explosion in my mouth! The chips were delicious and I am told the burger was just okay. Cleanser juice was refreshing on such a hot day! No complaints about my food.
The food was amazing! We had the eggs Benedict and the pancakes. The coffee was also top quality. The only thing that let them down was lack of smiles!
A busy Resteraunt is the first good sign the food is promising. Our last day in the city of Melbourne after a awesome weekend. Time for a tasty cooked breakfast. The food was tasty fresh and creative. The service was average. They seemed to busy to spend much time answering any questions we had. Would come back for the food.
My favourite brunch cafe every time i meet up with friends in the city - very nice food .. place can get very busy at lunch ... recommended ...
Food and service is consistently amazing. I bring all my friends here when visiting Melbourne and they all love it. There are always specials and the drinks are great too.
My family came for an early breakfast and it was amazing! We had the Nutella French toast which was delicious. The fritters were also a really good dish, especially for avocado lovers. There is also a specials menu. The only thing I could fault would be the cleanliness of floor.
Situated in the hustling bustling street in CBD. One of our friend introduced us to this place and believe me that the place was just average. We loved their hot chocolate. I had ordered for a fried chicken with rice from their special menu and the dish lacked taste. The chicken wasn't good at all. The house falafels were good. The mushroom risotto was not that great. Overall, a decent place to be in with friends but not great.
I had breakfast here with a group of friends Sunday morning and this little cafe was bustling and had a great atmosphere. The tables are a little squeezy to get into but there is plenty of outdoor seating. I ordered the eggs Benedict with a rosti and smoked salmon, all the foods were fresh and came out rather quickly. We order coffees but found they were on the cooler side and when asked for some warm milk the barrister offered to make us new ones (what great service!) I throughly enjoyed my meal at Issus and will be back.
Probably the best smashed avocado I've ever had, with really nice spinach and refried beans. Coffees were great as well. Service wasn't amazing, but nothing to complain too much about.
Fun and hearty Mediterranean-North African-Middle eastern influenced casual dining. A large range of home style soups everyday are a good start, and the meatballs were excellent!
Great little cafe hidden away in the very trendy Degraves St. Delicious food, particularly try breakfast menu and great for a coffee with friends. Strongly recommend
Loved it. We had breakfast today at Issus and really loved it. We were greeted and seated by a lovely young man who was very much on the ball, and obviously enjoyed his work. Great, vibrant personality!
I ordered a smashed avocado on gluten free bread and it was perfect. Probably one of the best smashed avocado's I've ever had. Taste and presentation were beautiful.
Our food came out very quickly, so too our tea and coffee.
This was our first visit here. We'll definitely return!
Trekking through the laneways of Melbourne CBD we crossed this little place for lunch. It is the famous Melbourne Cup Day so things are a little quieter than usual in the area, with a few shops actually closed today.
What made us stop here was the fact that they weren't the norm of this lane (ie just serving breakfast and/or pizza).
The better half started with a raspberry hot chocolate which she thought was awesome. Deciding on the menu was made a little easier by two potential menu items not being available. I had the pulled pork bun whereas the other half had the open lamb souvlaki. Didn't really care for the presentation of her meal as the lettuce looked like it wasn't fresh. Mine was fairly delicious however I wouldn't come here if I was on a health kick - food was a little greasy, but good all the same.
It was a tough star rating. I think a 3.5 would be suffice for this place.
Best Melbourne lanes breakfast. Every time we visit Melbourne we just have to get breakfast here at least once. The food is consistently delicious and always worth the wait for a table. Even though you're squashed into a little space that is part of the great experience of reading here. I'm a coffee snob and the flat white here is 10/10!!!
Do yourself a flavour and eat here. (Pun intended).
Chic decor, Spanish/South American influenced food. The usuals for brekkie but with an exotic twist. Partner normally an eggs bene fanned devoured smashed avocado with poached eggs & refried veabs on sourdough toast for $16.. Perfectly cooked & welk-presented with strong earthy undertones. I gad the fruit salad with greek yoghurt & toasted muesli. Sald on the raw side tho large serving. Greek yoghurt creamy & smooth, muesli with a touch of spice. Could've had less salad & more topping. Coffees smooth & prompt. Would recommend - but don't do what I did... Do go out of your comfort zone - it's worth it.
Food was tasty and well made, though service was lacking- staff weren't very attentive or friendly
My partner and I stumbled on this place by chance and were pleasantly surprised! It has a very relaxed vibe and the service was good. We both had the "three soft taco" meal and it was absolutely delicious, and just enough. Definitely will come back sometime soon
Friendly staff. Cheap drinks. Nice little venue. Sucked that kitchen was closed during happy hour.
I'm not sure how this place got 61% approval rating. We had a great experience. Food and coffee was great and the atmosphere was very relaxing.
Recommend the house falafels - delicious! Very friendly staff
Amazing prawn taco with avocado and corn salsa. Husband got the trio of tacos and was not dissapointed. Vibrant lane way with lots happening at lunch time.
Never disappoints. I stumbled upon Issus last year and I have never stopped going back. Fantastic breakfast, fantastic tasting plate, reasonable wine prices and jugs of sangria. I will continue to go to Issus every time I am in Melbourne. It has it all!
One of the best breakfasts I have ever had. Got there early, staff were great coffee excellent and the best meal. Order the Mediterranean eggs for sure!!
Stephen.donnet-jones
+4.5
Nice Place. Happened by chance on this place, great food and coffee, am going to replicate our meals at home and see what the kids think of it.staff were friendly; would return again.
Had lunch with a party of four and we all loved our meal. Soft shelled tacos were fresh, the pulled pork bun divine, the porridge delish (all day brekkie) and bruschetta fresh. Have been a few times and enjoyed it. Great spot on Centre Place.
LOVED IT. Very funky little cafe had the mezze plate with wife and we loved it
staff were friendly.. food was fresh & quick!
definitely go back! Thanks guys..
Good food. Fast service. Strong coffee. Fantastic big breakfast. They're generous on the bacon. I love bacon
Nicely presented food but stuffy on a hot day with dodgy aircon and fans.
Trio of Tacos. After a bad choice for lunch earlier in the day and three hours after padding the great laneways of Melbourne, I came across this perfect find. Very friendly staff, great service and variety in the one meal. Chicken & Tamarind; Beef & Spicy Sauce; Pork with Pineapple (very subtle) sauce. Tomato salsa, guacamole and shredded cheese on the side. Very pleasant way to end an afternoon. Thank you Issus.
Gastronome With Gusto
+4.5
First experience at Issus left me and my children unimpressed. However today I walked away very satisfied. Uncertain which offering to choose out of two the friendly waiter helped this indecisive Pisces... And he was right the smashed avo, black beans, poached eggs and feta were delectable. I will return
Love the big breakfast have been 3-4 times and thoroughly enjoyed it. Rate the flavoured hot chocolate too yum. Have not experienced bad service but have found its always busy an staff are rushing around.
Food is delicious, service is a bit indifferent, but I didn't really care.
Delicious!. We went here twice on our trip to Melbourne. The food was great both times! Middle eastern eggs were delicious and different! The wait staff were a bit dopey but we're from Perth and expect that. We were all pleasantly surprised and will visit again
Had breakfast here the other morning, it was a little slow but I have to say it was well worth the wait. Being a cafe owner myself I know what the morning rushes can be like, I was very glad to see that the standards weren't dropped even though they were very busy. Great job guys keep up the great work
An early morning breakfast with pancakes, Moroccan eggs meal and coffees.
The Moroccan dish was superb for the cold morning as it was steaming hot and delicious, with mini meatballs. Crunchy bread and great eggs.
The pancakes had great presentation, however were a bit hard and not very fluffy. The syrup and extra toppings made the meal good.
For a donation of $3.50, this cafe serves more than 30 meals to the homeless. A little extra can make all the difference, will come again.
I ordered the pancakes and an iced chocolate and both were pretty good. Really enjoyed the food and the decorations were quite nice. There was a bit of a wait for our drinks and food because it was really busy, but overall i really enjoyed it.
Great food & customer service! Everything thing came reasonably within time. Portion sizes are decent for price which is good. Ordered the homemade porridge & big breakfast both were delicious.
Beautiful, soul warming, fresh soup (veg + lentil). Casual and comforting place to eat. They help feed many homeless people too with a voluntary Pay It Forward option.
Great food but we had a very average long black......
Their fresh juices are absolutely incredible and the beef burger is probably one of the best I had so far in Melbourne!!
Friendly service, delicious food and refreshing fresh juice. Love that this little café is found down one of the laneways in Melbourne’s CBD - Will definitely be returning!
Had lunch here. Food beyond my expectations!
The homemade gnocchi was amazing.
The meatball eggs hit home equity the strong tometoie flavour.
Overall highly recommended.
Will come again
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