Located close to Elsternwick station, this cafe boasts a bright interior with plenty of seating. I decided to order their hot mama eggs and french mess with a latte. I found the hot mama eggs to be rather nice however, the dish felt rather small and the plate looked rather empty. As a sweetooth I was extremely satisfied with the french mess. The combination of croissant icecream berries and pistachios is simply a perfect match. Staff were extremely friendly. Overall this cafe is definitely worth a visit.
3.9
Mothers Instinct is a fantastic cafe on the corner of Glenhuntly and McCombie St in Elsternwick. Large and light-filled, it has a cheery ambience with its kitchen open to the eating areas. While this can mean some of the cooking smells pervade the eating area, that’s often welcome as the food is super. I had the smart way poached eggs and smashed avo on gluten free multi grain (pictured). It was delightful and healthy. Eggs poached to perfection - covered in seedy goodness. Food and coffee came quickly and the service was perfect. The coffee was fantastic - nutty, strong and creamy. The brekky special looked great too - brioche burger with chive scrambled eggs and house relish. Twosheds will return for lunch at some point, as the venue is licensed and the lunch menu looked great.
Loved it. 3.9
We ordered "my favorite" & "chef's pasta"
My favorite is gorgeous with scrambled eggs on hash brown a good mix. The asparagus is fresh.
Pasta is a bit plain and oily.
Service is fantastic!!!
I have been here a couple of times and have always had a decent experience. The coffee is a bit weak for my taste and the food is tasty but nothing to be wowed about. They have an interesting menu, something for everyone. However this place is missing something, not sure what. Mother's is in my neighbourhood and quite aptly positioned. I will be coming here in future for the comfort it provides me.
Really excellent service, all the staff are so polite.
The food is absolutely delicious. The serving size wasn't massive, but was enough to fill me up.
Will definitely be back to try some other dishes :)
Nice food. Doesn't shoot the lights out, but tasty.
Very expensive for the amount of food you actually get in your plate.
Wouldn't necessarily visit again:
It may be a little pricey for breakfast, but rest assured every single of item of food on yoir plate is cooked perfectly. The armosphere inside is warm, the Front of House staff are constantly friendly, and the Chefs always come across happy in their open kitchen. I go to Mothers Instinct because I trust the Chefs with my food - always.
I first found out about this cute little café in Elsternwick from my mum who was suggested by her colleague to try it out. We popped in and instantly loved the feel of the place – it was busy but not crowded to the point where they were obviously trying to fit as many people in as possible. The place was buzzing and on every occasion that I have been here, the wait staff are always very bubbly and welcoming. Even with a lot of other brunch options out there, it can be difficult to find a place that delivers consistent service every time and you never really get staff who have an “off” day here. From the waiters to the coffee guy at the register – it really creates a feel-good vibe. There’s also an open kitchen area so if you like that sort of thing, you’ll be happy to see all this good food being prepared.
Exceptional Menu with something for all tastes... from the Healthy... Gluten free to the downright decadent... great staff with a good sense of humour.... an ideal place for a "Lento" breakfast or lunch...
Best Eggs .... Cooked perfectly !!
Great to have a decent cafe just around the corner, & has now become a bit of a regular for a Sat lunch.
Quality coffee and an interesting menu. Service can sometimes be a little awkward at times when the waiting staff fail to listen to orders, but overall friendly and well intentioned...
I stumbled across Mothers Instinct while looking for a place to studying while my car was getting serviced up the road, and what find it was!
The staff were extremely friendly and accommodating!
The food was fantastic using fresh produce (I had the steak sandwich) and the coffee was excellent. Also, the menu is great for anyone who has dietary requirements with plenty of GF/V options and easily changed menu items.
The atmosphere was also great, there was plenty of natural light, the tables and chairs were comfortable and open kitchen was awesome, who could see your food being cooked fresh!
This place is great for a catch up over coffee and a meal, and is able to easily provide for singles, large groups, mothers with kids and all the rest!
If I am ever on this end of the city again I will definitely be coming again to get a take away coffee at the very least!
Absolutely love this place. The service is always impeccable and everything I have tried on the menu has impressed. Great coffee too. Haven't heard one complaint about it.
Jamil The Chai Wanderer
+5
Lovely service - the food was on point for poached eggs and trout side. But the witty service made it more fun as we bared the Melbourne cold outside, which is pretty easy as they have a cosy wind guard... Nice coffee, would come here again.
Relatively new, and a great find, this eatery has a modern fit-out, friendly service and impressive food that is really well presented. Their coffee deserved a big tick also! We will definitely be returning!
Went here on Sunday with my wife and 1 year old baby, and were treated to the best service imaginable by the waitress whose name I've forgotten. We were originally sat outside cos they were full, but asked if they could give us the next available table inside cos it was freezing and our baby was crying. They did so, and looked after us so well I couldn't help but come here and write this review. We're Elsternwick locals, we go here all the time for coffee, but it's so hard to find anywhere that welcomes babies and all the issues they bring. These guys are wonderful, their food is great, and they go above and beyond. Thanks so much. Ryan, Natalie & little Elyse.
I went to Mothers Instinct for a Sunday lunch. The service was very friendly and accommodating to children (2 older children, and 2 babies sleeping in prams). They even made space for the prams so they wouldn't get in the way of the other tables.
I ordered the chicken and avocado pide and it was nice, but I have to admit it was missing something to make it an absolute standout. However, the service was great, so I'll love to return to sample something else from their menu.
The food and service is AMAZING here. Every time I go there the food is perfect and coffee is awesome. The staff are very very nice and have a great attitude. The chef is a master.
The café is led by passionate owners - husband and wife team, Themi Milikouros (head chef) and Nicole Saade (front of house) who have an impressive amount of experience in Melbourne’s hospitality scene. We adored their zest and enthusiasm for ensuring a complete and enjoyable dining experience at Mothers Instinct. Every detail has been considered - from the slightly larger tables to ensure sufficient space and comfort to the provision of healthier options (that mum would approve of).
Love the set up of this new place. You can see your food cooking & the smell helps with building the appetite. Friendly staff too. The food is Fresh & tasty! Great value for money. The only limitation was the choice on the menu. But I would definitely give this place a go.
Great service and the coffee is great. Very attentive to people with children which is paramount in elsternwick with all of the young families.
Came in for dinner on saturday evening. Ordered the steak. This was the best meal I have ever eaten! Highly recommend this place, reasonable prices, amazing place, friendly staff, this place is a winner.
Holy avocado mash! Finally a local wherw the owner / chef takes pride in his food and staff, and staff are friendly, knowledgeable and willing to offer suggestions. I judge a place by ita omelette, and the baby beet, almond, feta and caramelized onions modified the way i like were extremely tasty, beautifully presented and perfectly sized. Kids ate the amazing pancakes, wifey the avo smash with poached eggs, and mate equally as happy with his pancakes! Happy to tell the owner to his face how amazing it was... and you should have seen his smile!
The name put me off for a bit. Tried it this morning. Great service and liked the open kitchen. Coffees fairly average, but the food really nice and well-priced. Had the corn fritters with salsa and poached eggs - really tasty. Will go back and try it out for lunch.
Great menu with a fair bit of variety, keeping up to the trend. Very friendly staff and Quality of food is really good. Beautiful set up inside the shop. Will be back to try their coffee.
Decided to have lunch with family at Mother's Instinct on Sunday and we were all really happy with service, food and ambiance. The cafe is large and airy preventing the feeling of being crammed in with other diners. The coffee was nice but not as hot as I would have liked. All the food was fantastic though. I ordered the feta, beetroot and tomato frittata with smoked trout and grilled asparagus. The frittata was delicious and the perfect portion size for a light lunch. It had a nice crispy exterior and was filled with a generous amount of feta and beetroot. The trout also added a nice salty component to the dish.
Love this place! It's hard being the new kid on the block but the food that comes out of the clean cut, open kitchen, it's delicious! My only problem is the coffee. With soy milk the flavours are there but normal milk it's lost
Food ✔✔✔️✔️ one of the best corn fritters I've had in Melbourne, just dont burnt the egg, overcooked. Gnocchi was good and wholesome too
Coffee ✔✔✔✔️✔️
Venue ✔✔ plenty of natural sunlight, cooking smoke smell, good food need some clean fresh air, better exhaust system needed
Service ✔✔✔✔ attentive
Would we go back?
YES, can't say no to Mamaz Fritters
We met some friends for brunch. The cafe was bright and airy, and the staff were welcoming and helpful. I had the avocado toast with some bacon on the side and it was delicious. The coffee was smooth and full of flavour. If you're looking for a nice place for a delicious meal, give this cafe a go.
Outstanding menu, food, coffee and service. Well done team 👏👏👏👏👏
Great coffee , awesome food and friendly staff . Nice location in Elwood
Happened to have come across this place as a google suggestion but definitely had a good time! Quick to be seated as there are lot of tables both indoors and outdoors.. good spread in the menu and something for everyone, will definitely visit again!
3.9
Mothers Instinct is a fantastic cafe on the corner of Glenhuntly and McCombie St in Elsternwick. Large and light-filled, it has a cheery ambience with its kitchen open to the eating areas. While this can mean some of the cooking smells pervade the eating area, that’s often welcome as the food is super. I had the smart way poached eggs and smashed avo on gluten free multi grain (pictured). It was delightful and healthy. Eggs poached to perfection - covered in seedy goodness. Food and coffee came quickly and the service was perfect. The coffee was fantastic - nutty, strong and creamy. The brekky special looked great too - brioche burger with chive scrambled eggs and house relish. Twosheds will return for lunch at some point, as the venue is licensed and the lunch menu looked great.
Loved it. 3.9
A delightful, vibrant space in Elsternwick. We stumbled upon this gem for a late lunch and were delighted to see that their menu encompassed a great variety of breakfast, brunch and lunch options, right up until 3pm.
It was also licensed. Our food was delicious, the waitress who served us was lovely and everybody in the restaurant was smiling broadly - chefs, wait staff and customers (many of whom seemed local and happened to know each other and frequented this eatery). The coffee, also, was divine. Highly recommend this gorgeous day time eatery….. Thank you.
Very good good menu, lots of options. Tasty food. Ideal for brunch on a weekend.
An error has occurred! Please try again in a few minutes