We were searching for a place to have dinner in the city, and just when we thought we weren't going to find anything decent, we stumbled across this delightful little cafe. My wife is gluten intolerant so eating out can be a challenge at times however, the host (unfortunately I don't recall his name) suggested that they could make something up for her. So this fantastic gluten free meal arrived at our table. I myself am not gluten intolerant, so I ordered the gnocchi and it was delicious. The wine (both red and white) was exceptional as was the service. They also have a great selection of gf cakes of which the lemon sponge was amazing. The location was just perfect. Couldn't fault a thing. Simply wonderful. We will definitely be returning to this little gem.
Great meal, great service. Was walking down the alley way to find a restaurant, and Tony was fantastic and shown us the menu, as he caught our attention in a positive way. He had a great personality and humour, made our day more enjoyable in the city. Highly recommend the restaurant.
Customer service was excellent, food was great and we would highly recommend this place :)
Amazing coffee! Beautiful, well presented food and lovely service! Will be back and recommend all my friends!
Awesome service - coffee and lunch on Thursday as first time visitors, back for breakfast on Saturday and the lovely guy remembered us and our previous order! Topped off with great coffee and food. Highly recommend!
We are tourists from interstate and after we stopped and asked how they make their Chai Soy Latte to which we were told was the old fashioned way(💕), and if they used lactose free in their coffees we sat down to a delicious brunch and fantastic service!! So we were totally surprised to find the Brown Sugar Cafe in Melbourne CBD the ONLY place we visited for coffee (visited 10 other coffee places in 2days) who served lactose free!
Being a keen coffee drinker, I thought for a metropolitan city such as Melbourne whose cafes not serve lactose free as an alternative is actually doing a disservice to the travelling public! Thank you Brown Sugar Cafe!! I will earmark your Cafe to our many travelling friends who can only drink lactose free beverages!💕
Food was great and we were very impressed by the staff. They were very welcoming and we went back the next day for breakfast. Highly recommended
Loveeeeee this place!! Great coffee, food and service!! Always stop by when I’m visiting Melbourne xx
Yum! The pancakes, the lamington, the tea the coffee: all awesome - quick, prompt service and friendly staff �
Amazing coffee and cakes . Great service . The food ambience is awesome . It’s a lane way and the best you can have at evening is an orange cake and long black
Fast service, knowledgeable and friendly staff. Located in very busy alley, Brown Sugar is another fine example of Melbourne's cafe culture. Ordered the healthy start breakfast which I could not finish duw to the size ofnthe meal. My partner ordered the big breakfast which he also enjoyed.
Yes I am of a generation who thinks of the Rolling Stones when I see this cafe name. Located just opposite Haigh’s I. The Block arcade this little cafe had a really good all day breakfast menu and some tasty lunch options. I chose the chicken & bacon club sandwich with chips while KD had a hearty potion of fried calamari on a balsamic & Parmesan dressed salad. I enjoyed my “club sandwich” but it imagined it to be a true tri layered club instead of just a regular toasted sandwich with similar ingredients. Either way tasty. The fried calamari was light and golden and KD enjoyed the dressing and the dish overall. She kept stealing my chips which is ok as is is married to me after all (what’s mine is hers ).
Small amazing cafe situated right in the heart of Melbourne. Loved the location and loved the place. The ambience is top notch and the staff is courteous. Try their hot chocolate and go crazy. We definitely recommend this place.
Great find for breakfast.
Lactose free coffee was great to find first one was only half full but second one was much better.
Had eggs on gluten free bread which was also great.
Lovely lovely service by the waiter. So attentive to our needs and made sure we were looked after. I enjoyed my coffee here. The location made it just that much better.
Always great service. I usually have the big breakfast but had the smashed avo today. Quality was good, eggs could have been a little fresher (maybe some yummy big double yolks from Sth Melb market) and I had to order a second egg (I reckon it should come with two).
Coffee was good. Service is always excellent from friendly staff. Ambiance in the Block is always great, great place to people watch.
We walked passed this place while we were at the block, and had the steak sandwich and the chicken grilled salad. There were an ok size, however it was very tasty which was perfect as we were going to have desserts at the Hopetoun rooms
Great service and extremely friendly staff! Very quick response time even when you send food flying off the table. Food was quick to arrive too! Would definitely be returning in the future!
We love Block Arcade Melbourne and it's tradition now that we have breakky there at least one during our southern stays... Another great place for breakky, our last big feed there was delicious with amazing fresh juice!
Gorgeous little cafe tucked away with lots of character!! Great food and fantastic hospitality from staff- absolutely loved it!! I had the vegetarian breakfast whilst my boyfriend had the big breakky both with great success. Coffee was also pretty good
Had three coffees (not by myself!) in this Euro style cafe. Good coffee, good service and a cosy atmosphere. Great lighting. Cakes look interesting.
I like to eat tiramisu cake here. It's really nice and it's not my first time being here. But always the best choice for me when I feel wanna eat cake just for a bite. Service fast and really friendly. For sure will come back again.
We arrived at around 10:00 on Saturday morning, we seated straight away by some very friendly staff.
Coffees arrived straight away and they were good. Living up to the Melbourne hype.
I order the spiced scrambled eggs and chorizo. Presented beautifully and tasted delicious.
My partner and I had a coffee each and a breakfast for $38. Excellent value for the quality.
very tasty and nice food at affordable prices. ambience and environment very friendly. very good customer service. overall very good experience. good work guys
Nice n tasty delicious food . Very good atmosphere and ambience of the place. Very friendly staff specially the owner Steve and gerogia are very good at what they do. Always a good experience.
Went here for a weekday lunch. Managed to grab the last table which was good. We both took a special, the mushroom risotto. My friend asked for them to leave the chorizo out because she is vegetarian which was no problem. Risotto was pretty tasty. Thought it was expensive though ($20). Service was friendly although a bit full on and pushing a bit too much.
Returned after a few years and it's just as good as I remembered. I suffered food envy as the dishes coming out for brunch looked superb and I'd already eaten. Great coffee, friendly and efficient staff, a good place to rest during a shopping spree!
Been here with a friend 1 week ago! It was almost 4 pm but they were nice enough to prepare breakfast for us!
Food was good and serves were pretty generous.. freshly squeeze orange juice was delicious and coffee was ok.
Staff were really friendly and the place had a good vibe.
I will definitely try this place again considering is one of the few open that late for breakfast with a good quality of food.
George N Mandroulias
+3.5
Nice café, hidden away in the side streets. The staff were welcoming and efficient. The meal was decent in portion for the price, and most likely I would revisit.
I enjoyed a lovely soup here a couple of days ago. It was perfectly seasoned, the temperature was perfect and it looked visually nice. I also loved the warm Turkish bread that went with it.
Super fast service
Great basic eggs Benedict cooked perfectly. Good coffee and happy staff make this a regular when out and about shopping. Cute lane way location
The chicken and mushroom pasta is really good, but the coffee is a bit disappointing, I ordered a latte but the froth fill half of the cup but it's still a okish coffee? Anyway thought the Benedict and the chicken mushroom pasta are pretty good!
The staff were really attentive and the food came out quickly. It's a small space for a cafe though so everyone has to sit really close to each other.
Awesome from the moment we walked in - really fab service, friendly and helpful. Food was really great too, we had the calamari salad and chicken focaccia. We only have a few more days left in Melbourne and have lots more places to try but I'm actually keen to go back again tomorrow hahah!
Apple and Cinnamon Porridge. Really enjoyed the Apple and Cinnamon porridge was very delicious. A lovely young girl to greet you and show you the menu.
Great Breaky!. Had one of the best bacon, french toast and maple syrup breaksfasts ever!
Bacon was perfect!
God coffee too and real nice atmosphere.
I think I've found my new local!
Eggs good (cooked to perfection). Sauce, not bad (needs more). Ham, delectable (needs more). Bread, Chewy (GET RID OF IT)!!
Brown Sugar Cafe, as long as you order right, is a nice space to stop out of the hubbub of Bourke Street Mall and get yourself a decent feed albeit a touch overpriced for what it is. (Some of the foccacias going out looked great though, and priced at a more reasonable $13-15 with side salad). Give it a go for lunch (or order better than Mr Behemoth did for breakfast).
The World Loves Melbourne
+4.5
“I’m no schoolboy but I know what I like!” exclaimed Mick Jagger in the famous Stones song. I wonder whether he was referring to the coffee and breakfast options at Brown Sugar café in Block Arcade. You’ve got to love Block Arcade. Steeped in history going about 130 years when the fine citizens of the day used to “do the block” in their leisurely stroll.
As you can probably tell, I am pretty happy with my visit to Brown Sugar Cafe
Hidden gem. This place is absolutely astonishing for the people who thrive their life in the search for good food. staff is very kind and attentive. we were looked after well. great food. definitely must a visit
I was fortunate enough to find Brown Sugar Cafe on the weekend when I was walking through the city.... There is no other way to describe this cafe other than as Melbourne's Hidden Gem! My food was absolutely delicious and the staff were very accommodating to meet my dietary needs! I would definitely recommend this place to those wishing for great food and exceptional service!!!
Went to brown sugar today for a quick lunch today and really enjoyed my first brown sugar experience! Sitting at the tables outside in the laneway made me feel as if I was in Europe! The coffee was really good and my burger was delicious! I'll be back..
Not Bad. Not bad But wayy to expensive for me would rather go somewhere else for this money
Always impressed. Fantastic food and service!! Not sure why some have complained about service. We have been there 3 times at their most busiest time of the day and each time the food and service has been faultless! Very busy saturday lunch there !!! Their beef lasagne is quite tasty and generous portion. Highly recommended !
Staff were friendly, food tasty & quick. Great location too. Recommend the French Toast with Apple & Maple Syrup & the Spicy Scrambled Eggs with Chorizo on the specials board. Delish.
Delicious !. Amazing! Mixed beans Soup was the best I've ever had. Disappointed Brisbane doesn't have anywhere nearly as delicious! ! !definitely come back
A very good cafe in Melbourne.. I had really good grilled chicken salad with fetta cheese and my partner got a grilled corn bread with bacon and italian beans.He really enjoyed his breakfast. overall, the food was really nice, staffs are very friendly. Service was also very fast.Good place for quick breakfast and lunch.
Had a great lunch here today, amazing lamb pie for my husband and lovely soup for me w war fresh bread. Good service, good price, a great location to stop for lunch when shopping. Will return!
Great service and extremely tasty breakfast - sweet corn fritters with smoked salmon absolutely lovely and poached eggs cooked to perfection!!
Filling breakfast in Melbourne CBD. Lovely pancakes served with strawberries and maple syrup, I ordered a ham and cheese toast coz I thought pancakes wouldnt fill my morning cravings but NO, I had to have the toast take away!
Nice place for breakfast. I had the corn fritters which could have had a little more fresh corn in it but there was plenty of flavour with th tomato and rocket so overall was a pleasant meal with friendly staff and nice atmosphere.
Was quick & easy. food was decent, not fabulous but what we wanted. good service and nice location
I like this place but the food is average
Definitely one of my fave cafes in the city! Best coffee and the foooooooddddd!!! Omg!!! Fresh ingredients, both breakfast and lunch always satisfy the most difficult taste buds (like mine 😆) Amazing customer service, great prices and the owners, Robbie and Ivan, treat you like a family! 🙌🏼👏🏼 well done guys!!!
I had brunch today here with my girlfriend, nice and cosy cafe in this beautiful lane, good heating for winter, outstanding customer service and the food was out of this world, the minestrone soup was the best I’ve had in a long time, salmon omelet was nice and tasty and the French toast was delish! Lovely to have this experience specially when you work in hospo and know how hard it is at the moment! Thank you guys.
Our first time visiting this restau after being recommended by a close friend of mine. I really enjoyed the food and atmosphere. We ordered Big Breakfast, Egg Florentine and Brown Sugar Deluxe Beef Burger. The quality and flavours of food have a remarkable depth. In addition, the staffs are very friendly and approachable. Will definitely come back and bring more friends over.
Very Melbourne kind of a lunch place... great laneway atmosphere, great food, great service.... Seating inside away from the laneway traffic is good too.
was walking around the city and found this awesome cafe in the Block Arcade. Ruberto was an absolute gentleman and gave top notch service, not to mention the magnificent coffee.
Head down and try it!
This is my regular Cafe when I visit Melbourne. I love the food and coffee. I’ve experienced excellent service on every visit. This is a small Cafe suitable for my family. Toilet is available and always been clean. I’ve posted a photo of my vegetarian breakfast and the menu from my recent visit. I’ll definitely return.
6 of us had an early lunch here yesterday. We had 4 different Focaccias and they were all absolutely delicious. The food was fresh and the coffees and tea were hot and very good. I think the owner is new only recently taking over the cafe. The service was quick and friendly. Would highly recommend
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