Great coffee. It's a small cafe with simple brunch menu.
Batch Espresso is a Kiwi themed cafe in the heart of Balaclava. As a Kiwi myself, I really appreciated all the old classic NZ decor. Good to know there's a bit of home for me here too!
The menu definitely reflected all the ambience and products that surround the cafe - they serve up true NZ classics without all the thrills. I ordered the Goats Cheese, Zucchini & Pea fritters. They were definitley different to all other zucchini fritters that I've had here in Melbourne. They were the old school, flat style fritters but they were super tasty. The pomegranates also complimented the flavours really well.
Will definitely be back soon - I had my eye on the Sticky Date Pancakes!
Dawn has broken and the coffee has spoken. Staple diet of scrambled eggs, bacon and mushrooms. Hello universe, I'm ready to start my day. 8/10.
A stellar cafe in the heart of a competitive brunching spot! Certainly worth checking out if you’re in the area!
Stayed at friend's place at St Kilda East ne weekend and we were wondering for breakfast place nearby for Saturday morning. This place was busy and it's a sign of good foods, so we decided to try this cafe. It was a good choice as they served a nice coffee, and homemade almond milk also available. We ordered blueberry pancakes with vanilla ice cream and beef cheek quesadillas. The quesadilla was special menu of the day and it was a good choice, it was tasty and the beef cooked nicely done. Full of flavor and very was soft and melted in your mouth. Pancake was too sweet for our liking but the pancakes itself was fluffy and soft. Generally happy with our choices.
Used to be a regular here years ago and just recently returned for breakfast. Food and coffee are AMAZING! Service was efficient and friendly. Have definitely won back an old customer.
Batch pours the best coffee anywhere near Balaclava. Bar none. I stop here every morning - It’s the only way to start my day. Keep the coffee coming!
Eaten here twice. The first time had porridge with rhubarb and pistachio. Remember it being nicely cooked/creamy with a good balance of sweetness. Just ate there again and had avo on toast with beans and a poached egg. The beans were really well seasoned, slightly spicy. Avo was perfectly ripe and the egg was nicely soft poached with a silky texture. Portions pretty generous too and it felt like great value.. My meal and an iced latte for 19.50. Very friendly service too. Genuine people. Not standoffish or pretentious. Will return.
Finally, a place where the coffee and food is great and the staff are quick and attentive. A cosy place with a chilled atmosphere. Will be back again.
My friend is a smashed avo fiend and was recommended this place. I had the traditional scrambled eggs with sides which was perfect. Coffee was fantastic and service was great!
10/10 for the coffee! The focus of the staff on their attention to the quality of the coffee is second to none. The weighing of the coffee and the timer shows their diligence.
This is a great cafe,good selection of food options. In the past my favourites have been coco pops (reminds me of eating them in the 80s) and good omelettes.
Even if your not hungry, if your in the area you must try the coffee.
Awesome decor, great coffee. Recommend the buttermilk chicken, sooooo good.
Small place but easy to get a seat. Seat are very friendly as well.
A lot of good places in Bala, but its one of the best
This is one of our most favourite places. For breakfast, or lunch, the food is outstanding. Particular favourites include the omelette, sardines, smashed avocado with feta and creamy mixed mushrooms. Marie and Cam deliver the most amazing service.
This cafe never disappoints. Popped in here randomly last week after not being in that neighbourhood for awhile & decided to go there on a whim with a friend. While the staff aren't overly friendly or smiley, the service is always efficient. We both ordered coffee which was excellent & both ordered the Batch Smashed Avo, which is always spot on. Super generous serve of both avo & feta (perfect ratio of both - which I personally think is what this dish is about!!) on perfectly toasted sourdough. Simple, fresh & super tasty- Batch Espresso are famous for their avo smash for a reason, it's one of the best. Coffee also always great. Highly recommend during the week, (too busy for me on weekends) - overall great Melbourne cafe.
As local cafes go this one is a true winner. The staff are all friendly and attentive, the coffee is excellent and the food is first rate Melbourne cafe fare. There's queues every weekend for Batch in Carlisle street where there are plenty of other cafes which shows how good they are. We're blessed with choice for these types of establishments in St Kilda East (lucky us) and this is one of the best. Batch has been popular since it opened several years ago and the quality has been consistent. And they're all from New Zealand! 🙂
The coffee is excellent always spot on and delicious food smallish menu but excellent choices with super friendly staff. Go early to guarantee a seat. Local favourite!
Solid as f$@k can't knock the coffee or the grub. It's always busy and there's a very obvious reason. Good food, good coffee and good service.
Coffee And Food Enthusiast.
+4.5
Used to go here quiet a bit when I worked in the area, food and coffee was fairly good and consistent, it has more of a laid back vibe without being too hipster or pretentious, nor is it a fashion accessory to 'be here'... Just good food, coffee and vibes.
It Has got to be the best breakfast cafe I've been to in a while! Friendly staff, food comes out really quick and reasonable prices. Would defiantly come here every day if I could.
If you’re keen for an epic smashed avo, then a visit to batch is an absolute must! You’ll receive a mountain of it! There are few cafes these days where we feel like paying for avo smash is worthwhile... and this is certainly one! The roasted mushies are also insane if you feel like a side with your avocado and toast. The baked beans are fantastic and the coffee is great too! We find it hard to fault this place!
Great coffee from this place. I'm not much of a coffee drinker but I ended up ordering two because I enjoyed the first one so much. Pretty decent breakfast as well. Would definitely come back for the coffee.
What isn't there to love about Batch? Consistantly perfect coffee, a delightful display of sweets and a menu that will please the fussiest of eaters. The feel of the place is bohemian-chic, a must visit if ever in st kilda east.
One of the best granolas in Melbourne! Food is excellent - traditional dishes with a unique twist. Coffee is great too.
Really friendly service in a cute setting. Is sometimes tough to get a table but definitely worth the wait.
I had the Delicious smashed avo and Feta yummm - my friend had the toasted muesli which she enjoyed ! The coffees were good to - the staff aren't the friendliest and the cafe itself lacks atmosphere
Love this place! Best coffee in Melbourne hands down! Menu is consistent - hasn't changed in years. Love the corn frittatas and avo mash. Staff are friendly and give great service :)
Great tasting home style food, not the most fancy looking, but genuine flavour. And some solid coffee to complement the food. We'll be back.
God I love this place! Smooth as silk lattes. Service with a smile. And delicious food. Arguably the best smashed avo + feta in Melbourne. Perfect poached eggs. Batch ticks every box!
Love me some Batch! They have the best Avo Smash I've ever had. No joke. It's simple, yet delicious. If you're a huge avo and feta fan like me, you'll appreciate the portion and the creamy yet chunky texture.
My bf got poached egg on sourdough with bacon. I can't say the portion or presentation was amazing... But it was a lighter brekkie with a price point to match.
Coffee hit the spot and made my morning. We had 2 each!
I'll be back for more yummy bits and pieces soon. They often have some naughty treats like the triple choc brownie which is yuuuuuuum (forgive my uncontrollable mouth watering).
On a side note: they also sell Lievito sourdough that I treat myself to most weeks (only sold on weekends). It's $6 a loaf, but it's really a bargain! You can cut it yourself and enjoy nice thick or thin slices all week... Some gourmet to have at home. Sometimes they sell out, so get in early to avoid disappointment.
Had a brunch with my girlfriends today and decided to give this cafe a try. I ordered their special: pulled lamb sandwich with harissa, grilled eggplant and rocket salad. The lamb was really tender and went well with the soft grilled eggplant. A little bit of spiciness from the harissa gave a really nice extra flavour to the whole thing. Chai latte was great and love that they gave honey instead of sugar
A bit squishy inside, but loved the food and drinks. They were all good portions at a fair price point. Staff very friendly. A bit of a wait on weekends, but this is one of the better brunch spots in the strip.
Three Little Piggies
+4.5
This place is consistently great. Thumbs up for the service, food, atmosphere and coffee. So many yummy things on the menu makes it hard to choose. And it's a popular spot for weekend brunch, so get there early to avoid long queues.
Great coffee, top of the class regular breakfast and lunch option plus amazing specials. All served with alcohol and friendly service.
Place can get busy on weekend mornings, so plan ahead for that.
The Avo + feta mash was amazing !!!
Halumi burger was good. Fresh juices are a must try.
Staff was lovely.
It's your local cafe for a perfect weekend brunch.
Delicious coffee and really friendly staff! Love the fit out and the choice of sweet stuff on display. I ordered the spinach and potato hash which was a great portion size and flippin' delicious. Will definitely go back if I'm in the area again!
Amazing coffee. Amazing service. Always a good vibe in the store! I ordered my first coffee here and had to go back half an hour later for another because it was so yummy!
The fact that they serve coco pops with milk shows that this cafe like to poke a bit of fun at itself and not take itself to seriously.
I didn't try the coco pops but decided on the toasted muesli and a coffee. The muesli was better than most cafes but it was the coffee that was the hit!
The coffee was amazing! I usually don't rave (or even care) about coffee that much but I ordered a second it was so good. Something that is quite rare when I have breakfast.
Cute little place full of kiwi memorabilia. Only been there for breakfast but it's one of my favourites. Particularly love the black beans.
One of the good Cafes around. Really nice costumer service. Always all smiles there and the portions and prices are a bit more affordable by $1 or 2 compared to the other cafes. Anyway, we love everything about the food. I recommend the baked beans - my favourite. The Rosti.. The coffee yum
Oh my! What a gem! This place has got some serious character and is very retro. I fell in love with it the moment I stepped in. It is small local cafe but what a bomb! :-D
Their menu was a mix of the usual and something different. We ordered Avo mash and buttermilk chicken. Avo mash though sounds boring was done differently, which i loved about this place. Avo was super fresh and chunky. It had feta and Basil which added that extra flavour. Sourdough was top notch and i loved the fact that they cut the slice into a few small ones instead of giving a big one. Buttermilk chicken was absolutely delicious, it was crunchy and exploded with flavours. The chicken was juicy too. I wanted to finish off my friend's entire plate.
Coffee was sooooo good, you cant go wrong with coffee in Melbourne but this place is one level up.
Excellent coffee with a rustic retro vibe. Nice home made treats and good breaky menu e.g. egg and soldiers - yum. Good looking lunch menu too.
My friend had already arrived so I sat down immediately. The staff greeted me immediately and offered coffee! They were friendly and attentive and took our order as soon as we were ready.
Tucked away on Carlisle Street, Batch is pretty inconspicuous. It has always been one of my favourites. While the food isn't anything ground breaking, what they do produce is delicious. Their smashed avo is definitely one of the better ones around and I love their mixed mushroom omelette. Coffee is also pretty good too and is apparent by the locals who are constantly rotating through the door.
An eclectic little hideaway, from the hustle and bustle of Carlisle street- had lunch here with a few of my colleagues. Service was impeccable, coffee was great and QUICK.
Only had a very light & delicious brunch - caprese salad on house made zucchini - will be back again! cheers guys.
Ordered the spicy potato Rosti with poached egg. Really yummy but the egg was over cooked. Which sadly down graded the dish. Cappuccino was good, even had a good amount of foam which is rare. But again my poached egg just didn't make my meal
Lovely staff, delicious coffee and healthy fresh breakfast options! Tomato and basil not to be missed, as well as the smashed avo. One of my favorites!
Cannot fault Batch. From its exceptionally friendly staff, highly efficient baristas who provide my morning coffee at an extreme pace (who wants to wait for coffee??), brilliant breakfast and lunch food.
I guess the only issue is they're not open for dinner 😃
Perhaps we’re bias, but Batch is a cut above the rest – a consistent over performer that sticks to great food, great coffee, great service and nothing more. Their menu is updated seasonally, which can be sad if you’ve grown attached to one dish in particular. There are however, some items that will always be there, their signature Corn Fritters ($13.50), fruit salad ($12), granola and yoghurt ($11), the smashed avocado and feta ($13.50), and one of our all time favourites, the baked eggs (pictured below – $16.50). They also offer seasonal variations of their incredible buttermilk smoothie ($5.50). And what you will find without fail despite the calendar month, is the coffee. Being a Kiwi run cafe, it is no surprise they use the super, Supreme, which always makes for a strong, flavoursome coffee. And for the soy drinkers, Batch are Bon Soy users – theIr soy coffees are always really creamy and so perfect you wonder whether they’ve used milk. If you’re doing
A personal favourite is a touch of kiwiana in Melbourne. This café in the southeastern suburb of Balacalva is a Kiwi initiative, providing wonderful brunch options and great NZ coffee. The first time we went the corn fritters had sold out so I knew we would be revisiting so I could try this delicious dish.
t indeed put together a delicious combo for the tastebuds and we would definitely agree that it is up there in terms of flavour.
Really enjoyed it and would be happy to go back if I’m ever in the area.
Fritters set a mighty high standard for competitors, managing to perfect the corn:batter ratio without losing any structural composure. I noticed these had a hint of smoked paprika,...
Sunday Brunch at Batch Espresso ( http://urbns.pn/d4kV ) -great baked eggs. cozy vibe and prompt service. A must-try for brunch fans in Melbourne.
Happiness Is A Warm Gut
+4.5
I loved the atmosphere at Batch. It was relaxed, sunny and outfitted with quirky touches everywhere. All the customers seemed to know their way around too, and there was a lot of familiar, friendly banter with the staff. Definitely going to schedule another visit here.
Batch Espresso has been fuelling the good people of Balaclava with honest food and quality coffee way back before eating out was the cool thing to do. This small cafe, situated in the midst of cosmopolitan Carlisle Street, is worth visiting as part of anyone’s food journey. Although I do love sitting inside and getting amongst the hustle and bustle that occurs inside Batch’s premises, you will not regret nabbing a spot on Carlisle Street, weather permitting. It is truly a captivating experience to observe the eclectic crowds that flock to and fro. Batch has created a space that is humble, warm and welcoming for all people, from whatever walk of life you hail from. Retro black and white floor tiles are the absolute bomb and a rare sight to behold. Meanwhile, you’re looking at only 25-30 cosy seats inside which packs out like you wouldn’t believe. Best is to head down early in the morning or just after the lunch rush if you want to avoid any queues. Today’s chom was for lunch and praise
The eggs were perfectly cooked with runny yolks, which paired with the chilli chorizo were delicious to mop up with the crusty toast. The sight of baked goods tempted us to indulge in a slice of decadent rhubarb and apple pie ($5.5). It was cased in cake rather than short crust and served hot with clotted cream on the side. Yum.
I fell in love with Batch Espresso! The ambience of the place reminded me a lot of Atomica Cafe, even though their food menu was very different in terms of style. The staffs there were really warm and friendly to us. Ok, all of us being food fanatics, especially us girls, BR whipped out her phone, me and OWT with our Canon Gs, snapping away at the food.. the barista was so fascinated and amused by us that he even snapped a picture of us without us looking (little did he know that we noticed!). Anyways, we really enjoyed ourselves at this place, with great food and good company.. what more can you ask for! even though it actually was a very gloomy and cold day, considering that it hailed twice! The menu in a pretty book form! Piccolo Soy Chai Batch Espresso has earned one coffee star in The Age's Good Cafe Guide 2011. Curious to try out how good the coffee is, I got myself the piccolo that came with a pretty latte art, that features Coffee Supreme's South Blend. Strong with a nice, subt
My favourite in Melbourne. I've never gone here for breakfast and not left full, satisfied and happier. Smashed avocado is simply perfect, staff are extremely friendly and the barristas know their craft! I've tried so many other brunch places but always end up back here because I know I'll never be disappointed. I love you Batch!
Em
We are regular weekend brunchers. The food is outstanding. Coffee is good. Despite some reviews saying otherwise, we always find the service excellent. We've even been joined by staff on their breaks. To the super negative posters, maybe you're getting back what you put out. Bummer. 9.5/10 for this place.
Consistently good food, coffee and service. Love.
OMG Hash. The potato hash with corned beef and a poached egg is phenomenal. Add their hot sauce and it's even more amazing. The dish is filled with flavour, from the tiny cornichons, mustard, spinach and Lord knows what else but boy is it fricken awesome. Service is mixed. The blonde girl with black glasses is lovely, friendly and knows her stuff. The lady with the short dark hair however is always cold and sour, lacking all hospitality skills. She lets the place down a fair bit.
Lots of character. Coffee is good, and the hot chocolate a must- but it's so small in there! You almost sit on your neighbour.
Fantastic for breakfast. Went with good friends who are locals and who rightly swear by the place. Had the omlette and enormously fetching it was too. Loved every element. Beautiful coffee as well. Love the service too. Gorgeous NZ waitress with a bewitching smile and the fun manner to match. Doesn't get much better.
Finally got the hang of the way the staff work here. They're great. We all have our quirks;) Always a good brekky...the best scrambled I've had...but somehow the Sunday scrambled eggs are better than weekdays? Yum all round. And when it comes to brekky, I'm a very picky wench!
A regular favourite. Because the coffee is so good. Also - best Bloody Mary in town!
Great place for breakfast W.... Great place for breakfast
What is it with Kiwis and coffee?
I feel very at home here
Cozy Little Place. I've heard great things about Batch for a while. I went with friends for breakfast and was happy with the atmosphere and friendly service. I tried the baked egg, spicy black bean Mexican-inspired breakfast, which was a great twist on the more common breakfast burrito or huevos rancheros. The prices here are great for the quality and size of the food, making this a place I will definitely be returning to. I tried a shot of the coffee, which I had heard good things about, and was disappointed. Maybe it was an off day, or maybe the coffee isn't meant to be served as a shorty, but it was dark, bitter, and disappointing. Can't wait to come back and try the avo-feta smash and the spinach potato hash!
Still rockin. These guys must have been here for 10 years. Their menu is still exciting, one of the few brekky places where I actually struggle to make a menu choice, and incredibly well priced. Service is knowledgable and efficient and coffee (soy latte for me here) is consistently good.
Tasty food (try the haloumi burger yum yum) and seriously friendly staff (even when busy!) Loved it.
Love Batch! Great coffee (Supreme South Blend) Great food! Nice ambience! The muesli is unbelievable!!!! One of my favourite cafe destinations!
Best coffee in Balaclava, amazing staff and dog friendly! My dog loves their free puppuccino
Cozy Cafe with excellent food and ample of vegetarian variety. Smashed avo had very little quantity of feta cheese but it didn't compromise overall taste of the dish. Cafe has both indoor and outdoor dining space. Pet friendly. Off road parking available but can be hard to get a parking spot over a weekend.
Wonderful food, friendly and prompt service.
Fantastic as always - the delicious Rosti is always a winner and is the only proper Rosti I have found in Melbourne to date!
Pretty good flat white; nice and strong coffee flavour.
Another great Avo Smash from Batch! Love the coffee, food and atmosphere at this retro caf. Always greeted with a smile and the owner Christy is always down for a good chat. Generous portions and flavoursome food. A must visit place if you’re in the area!
Okay... so, excellent coffee. Had a bacon egg roll, very tasty! Staff are really lovely and I enjoy the bench bar to sit at and watch the world float by.
But one gripe. Why, on earth, do you only sell croissant’s on the weekend...??? I ask if you this... madnesses!
Aside from this. I recommend!
Take away coffee was decent, maybe a little bitter for my liking. Tiny place looks like a run down old school milk bar but is a typical Melbourne hole in the wall kind of gem. I’m sure a sit in experience would have been more memorable. Wouldn’t mind trying again after lockdown.
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