Joanne Lung
On the corner of Collins and Spring Streets check out this cute, cozy cafe serving house-baked pies! A giant black board lists the full menu. Place your order and presto! The pies arrive piping hot with salad and a fabulous chutney.
The Sample Pie is half beef and red wine, half chicken and leek. The Shepherd's Pie comes with a slightly crunchy top like potato royals. Generous sizes, lots of wholesome ingredients meant this was a hearty meal.
Simple, functional setting made the best use of the tight spaces available. With polite, helpful service and quick turnaround, this place is a good spot for quick lunches.
Daniel Tan
Famous for their pies and their macaroni & cheese. The pies fillings are very delicious and packed with meat. The mac & cheese is also a healthy serving and is very rich... you need a big appetite to attack this dish. ☺️
Karina Jones
I had the beef and mushroom pie. The staff were very friendly. The filling of the pie was absolutely tasty and piping hot but I was very disappointed with the pastry. It was very soggy and a pie pastry should be crispy! I think they heat the pies up in a microwave which was very disappointing. Perhaps if you go first thing in the morning the pastry may be crispy but I went around 11am. I would have been happy to wait longer to have a pie warmed up in the oven, but a soggy pastry is a no no for a pie. I won't be returning unfortunately.
Daniel Martini
I think I've just had the best pie I've ever eaten here. Only Chicken & Leek left. Keen to try the others.
Paul Steele
Great little spot for lunch that you can easily walk by and not know it is there. The pies are really good. worth trying the split pie special (which is two flavours in one pie - half and half ) just try it!
The coffee is good and the staff are very friendly and helpful.
You can make a reservation, which is advisable as it gets busy.
Russell Newberry
Very Melbourne place. Tucked away, cosy, unassuming, and rock solid food and service every time. Pies and Mac & cheese (multiple cheeses served piping hot in a cast iron skillet) are stand outs. Coffee and wine are also excellent, and a muffin or similar to finish off goes down a treat.
Paulina Stedall
Very quaint and cozy hidden Melbourne cafe. The type of place where the coffee is good and the barista/waitress goes above and beyond to make people's day. Perfect stop to catch a breath before starting work early in the morning.
Yan Hong Tan
The beef and chicken pies are so yummy! Freshly made by the cafe owner! I love it!will definitely come back again👍🏻
Amid
Came here with colleagues, ordered beef and wine pie. I’m not a big pie fan and this is not an exception as it was nice but didn’t change my mind. Staff were attentive and good but again food was average. I probably won’t visit again .
GlennM
Delicious meat pies. Great lunchtime place at the spring Street end of the CBD. Cosy and friendly, there aren't too many better places to hold up on a wintery Melbourne day. It's a bit hidden so it's good if you want to experience the local's Melbourne.
Gee
3.5<br/>Excited to try these pies. Went for the half chick and leek and half beef in red wine. It was nice, although not a huge amount of filling for a $13 pie. Came with salad on the side for an extra $3. I imagine it gets pretty hectic through lunch hour.<br/>
One.hungry.girl10
Such a cosy little cafe serving the most delicious hot pies. Came here for a Friday lunch and it was lucky we booked a table and our pies. Once we were seated the pies came out quickly. I got the sample pie which was half a chicken and leek pie and half a beef pie. <br/><br/>The pie was delicious and piping hot inside. With a side of salad and relish it was perfect for a cold day.
J0yy173
On the corner of Collins and Spring Streets check out this cute, cozy cafe serving house-baked pies! A giant black board lists the full menu. Place your order and presto! The pies arrive piping hot with salad and a fabulous chutney.<br/><br/>The Sample Pie is half beef and red wine, half chicken and leek. The Shepherd's Pie comes with a slightly crunchy top like potato royals. Generous sizes, lots of wholesome ingredients meant this was a hearty meal.<br/><br/>Simple, functional setting made the best use of the tight spaces available. With polite, helpful service and quick turnaround, this place is a good spot for quick lunches.
MY NAmE IS Lee
Their sign says their pies are the best so we had to take a try.<br/><br/>We got there for lunch and they had already sold out of most of their pies so we ended up getting the pumpkin, spinach fetta & pesto pie and also a chicken avocado & mango chutney sandwich.<br/><br/>The pie was yummy and looks homemade, it’s a good size and with salad is filling. The chicken sandwich was just ok with the chicken a bit dry.<br/><br/>We will be back to try more pies from there again.
Fatcat
My favourite cafe down this end of the CBD. Love their pies and their mac n' cheese, coffee is also great. Overall, cute (tucked away) lunch spot.
Foodlover
This place is probably one of the most underrated cafes in the CBD. Tucked away inside the Alcaston House building, this cafe screams out nothing but warm breakfast and lunchtime vibes. They serve good coffee and breakfast and the pies here are like no other (chicken and leek my personal fav). Highly recommend if you haven't been!!
David Iesa
The best homemade pies in the southern hemisphere great service and great location!!!! One of the best experiences at a small cafe in the cbd
Missdelish
Cute cafe. Café Alcaston is a hidden delight at the top of Collins St with good breakfasts and amazing lunchtime pies. You can smell the deliciousness up Spring St and it's bewitching.<br/>Ten years ago you would have had to book for breakfast, between the secretive civil service meetings and the cozy business ones. Now there's more room to move but the muffins are just as good and the fruit toast rich and thick. In winter the porridge with poached fruit and maple syrup is a must.<br/><br/>This week, a pair of poached eggs on multigrain toast with tomatoes & mushrooms for me plus a muesli for a friend and drinks cost $33. Good quality, good friendly table service, good coffee my friend said! Only open weekdays but definitely worth a stop.
Andrew Osborne
Consistently good, this little gem in the Paris end of Collins St is well with a look. It's a small Cafe so it can get very busy in peak times. If you can't get a seat, they do home made muffins that are always a treat.
Kay Flores
Another "hidden" cafe along collins. Great coffee and super friendly staff. <br/>Very busy lunch place but they will try to seat you as much as they can - will just let u know that u need to clear out since your table ia booked at a particular time.<br/>Had the pie sampler - half-chicken and half-beef. I thought the chicken was tastier. I liked the stuffing much more than the crust.
Lam K
Hidden little cafe with great coffee. Perfect for a breakfast. Can get busy at peek times given its location. The muesli with stewed fruit was quite tasty.
FoodHedonist
I liked the excitement and adventure of trying to find this hidden cafe. Loved the set up and found it to be very cosy. Bustling with local workers, it gets quite packed.<br/><br/>We ordered their popular pies - half chicken and half beef - it's good for people like me who want to try everything. They came out pretty quick with a side of salad. I'm no pie expert but didn't quite like their pie. Salad was just leaves with olive oil and may be a bit of balsamic, can't remember, and it seemed to lack body - perhaps add a bit of fetta, cucumber or capsicum? Pie was piping hot with chunky beef in one half and chicken in another; I burnt my palate!! However, i think we didn't order the right items, other dishes looked better.<br/><br/>I really wanted to like this place; don't mind paying another visit for a different view.
Melbourne Glutton
A hidden little spot inside Alcaston House, this is certainly one that appeals to those who likes to seek out the hidden gems. When I visited one lunch time, there was a bustling stream of local workers, which filled the small café packed with tables that didn’t leave too much of a gap in between them. But the ceiling was tall, and brilliant rays of light streamed in through the windows. The menu is inscribed onto a large blackboard and there are sandwiches, pies, pasta dishes and even soups and juices.
Mtellambura
Went to Cafe Alcaston as I'd missed my train, and had to wait an hour for another. The entrance is rather unassuming, and the cafe is hidden on the Collins St side of the Alcaston building. <br/>The service was excellent- wonderfully informal and familial, and not at all overbearing. I ordered the bacon and eggs sandwich with rocket and pesto, which was delicious, and great value. The eggs were perfectly done, and the bacon not too fatty. If I had one complaint, the bread was buttered to oblivion, and while delicious, was not appreciated by my arteries!
Two Sheds
Terrific little cafe. An oasis really in a charming old building off busy Collins St. Had the Caesar salad for lunch today (see photo). Gosh it was good. Quite large with very generous helpings of chicken, croutons, bacon and cheese with a couple of anchovies off to the side of you wanted them (I did). The salad made for a very satisfying light lunch. Top stuff. I'm definetly returning.
Dan Szabo
Best coffee in the area, friendly staff, and god-tier banana bread and bacon and egg muffins. We are regulars and often the staff will have a table set up for us!
Krystal Stephen
This place never disappoints. I've had their sandwiches and they are amazing but their home made pies are to die for! My favorite is the chicken and leek! Yum!
Lobster
In the past week I have stumbled on two truly excellent spots to have lunch, one touristy and very now and the other a timeless classic in the best possible way. My first discovery was Bowery to Williamsburg. Bowery to Williamsburg - 16 Oliver Lane Strange – just about when I start thinking it would be nice to see more proper, yeasty bagels around Melbourne, and maybe some real, Noo Yoik Jewish sandwich combinations, I discover there are. Lots, in fact. I just didn’t notice while eating my way through a billion brunches and every possible way to prepare eggs, bacon and cheese toasties. Finally, I stumble across Bowery to Williamsburg in Oliver Lane down the posh end of the city. The place is decorated on themes of New York subway, and the food is authentic New York Deli – when I climbed down the stairs from the street into the cozy (and amazing smelling) interior and was seated by prompt, friendly person at the long, communal table I kept glancing around expecting Jerry Seinfeld to ma
Delicious Doris
Cafe Alcaston has a relatively full lunch menu of pastas, sandwiches and salads. But it is the pies that people come here for. Four pies plus the day's special.<br/>
The World Loves Melbourne
Cafe Alcaston is a hidden gem alongside the hustle and bustle of Collins Street and Spring Street. Duck in to this charming establishment for a classic Melbourne cafe experience. Unpretentious and consistently good, Cafe Alcaston is popular and a favourite with those that visit.
DodgyD
Consistently excellent despite personnel changes. I have bee frequenting Alcaston for several years. During this period it's barista and wait staff has changed many times over, however I am happy to report that the kitchen has maintained it's perfect balance of quality and servings and pricing.<br/><br/>For T/A coffee, BYO cup, this is the cheapest coffee in the area.<br/><br/>Can't go past scrambled eggs on toast - you won't leave feeling wanting more..<br/><br/>Tucked in to a secluded spot means this jewel remains a secret haunt of those in the know.
Seb
An enjoyable breakfast with friends - all visiting Melbourne. Place has a nice feel to it too.
Foodforthought
Great food great coffee. Must try the pies-- ! I'm not a big pie fan myself but these were delish. This place is Truly a well kept secret in Melbourne !
Lesleypodesta
Very disappointing. I have been going to Cafe Alcaston for over twenty years and I considered it one of the gems of Melbourne. Not any more. Today I ordered a bowl of soup for a late lunch (2.30pm). When it arrived it was obvious that the chef had scaled the bottom of the pot. The soup was so thick it was like a bowl of mashed potato, not even liquid. I'm on a special diet and I couldn't swallow it and the waitress agreed it was inedible. When I asked to return it I was offered a replacement meal but there was no other soup. I couldn't eat anything else on the menu so I politely declined. As I was leaving I was told I had to pay for the unbeaten soup as their policy is "no refund only a replacement meal". I paid, dumbfounded. Truly poor service and I won't go back. Very, very disappointing treatment from a cafe I have previously loved.
MelbourneMelody
Why do we pay full price for 3/4 cup of take out coffee?. What is it about this seemingly new trend by Melbourne baristas that they give you only a three quarters full cup of coffee when you get a take away, but still expect you to pay the full price?! It's driving me nuts... I really like the coffee at this cafe, but am getting increasingly cheesed off at never getting a full cup! Taking business elsewhere...
Karina Meldrum
Omelette was amazing. So much value
Sallyekong
Mac and Cheese - Winner. This is such a sweet little place. Tucked away on the corner of Spring and Collins St, it's very easy to miss and that's one of the nice things about it, I think!!<br/><br/>Its walls are painted in a lovely warm red with dark wooden features, which makes it very comfortable and easy to relax in. The little white windows with cactus plants are also a cute touch.<br/><br/>It was quite crowded when we got there, but the staff were very attentive and friendly. I ordered the mac and cheese, which didn't take too long to arrive.<br/><br/>One word - delicious!!!! It reminded me of an old fashioned dish that you would make when you're ill...just so comforting and the small serve of lightly dressed green salad was an ideal accompaniment. If you love cheese, then this is definitely the dish for you.<br/><br/>Only one very minor point to note - the small room was full and it was a tiny bit stuffy inside, so it would have been helpful if they had opened some of the windows. They had a small fan going, but after a hearty meal, some fresh air would have been nice.<br/><br/>Will definitely be back, since I already felt myself craving the mac and cheese as soon as I walked out the door!! Their pies also looked absolutely scrumptious!
Luke
Groovy, funky and well hidden little gem at the top end of Collins St. Brekky till 11.30 and a fabulous lunch menu. And those pies!! wow... awesome food and service guys, thanks, will be back for sure.
Monica C
Hidden cafe. A nice hidden cafe in CBD, very friendly services and quick serves! Would like to come back to try a few different items on the menu.
Matlock
Great little cafe with good food, coffee & service. Would come back for sure!
Armia
Cafe Alcaston, a hidden treasure among the craziness of melbourne's CBD.<br/>This restaurant boasts a wide menu with amazing House made pies, amazing service and a friendly atmosphere.<br/><br/>i will definitely be visiting this restaurant during my lunch breaks at work! <br/><br/>keep up the great work! :)
Travelling Palate
The service is a little slow but this cafe has great coffee and an consistent but solid menu. Great place to duck into for breakfast but not if you're in a hurry!
Happy Katherine
Best little cafe in the CBD. Fantastic service, amazing food, brilliant coffee and perfect atmosphere!
Hemalatha Ts
Poor service since August 2012. I have been to Cafe Alcaston few times before and have always loved it until my visit few weeks ago (in mid August 2012). Being a vegetarian, I requested clarification on ingredients of two items on the menu and when the waiter returned he had already made a choice for me that I was going to have rocket salad. When I requested to change the item as I am not a fan of salads, the waiter scurried off to the kitchen and came back with a response more like this, 'we can change the item for you but you still have to pay for the salad as the chef has started making the salad and we cant bin it'. Well, I told him it was not my choice but he kept a straight face and told me that I dont have a choice but to pay for salad and other time or just salad. I still beat myself up for not walking out of the restaurant then and there, but I realised I was with my entire team and my whole team love Mac & Cheese there. Anyway, neither i or my team wil have team lunches there.
Barbara
Great find. This place is a favorite of mine. Small, private, abuzz and the best home made pies with a glass of wine. A classy little hideaway and good value for money
Tarig.iesa
HIDDEN TREASURE.. Lunch here was sensational, the food was amazing with generous portions, staff were warm and friendly. Overall an excellent experience, this cosy cafe is a must try.
Sayaka
Gorgeous little cafe, excellent sandwiches and coffee, big serves and good value. Love it here.
Melbourne Food Blogger
Best pie I have ever had!. I went to this cafe on Monday during my lunch break and don't think I will be going anywhere else!<br/>I had the home made beef/red wine pie with their home made chutney on the side, which was absolutely delicious. My partner had the veggie pie and I couldn't wait to finish mine so I could start eating his!! A cosy little cafe, with a funky melbourne vibe, coffee was good too! great service, you can't go wrong! You must try this place.
Klf.tokyo
Tasty homemade pies & great coffee!!. This cafe has amazing homemade pies that are cooked fresh daily. Chicken&leek and the shephards are my faves and the blueberry, walnut and cream cheese muffin rocks! great coffee too and the staff are are friendly even though they're usually pretty flat out for lunches. A shame they don't do weekends, they're only breakfast and lunch Mon-Fri.
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