Review The Penny Drop - Melbourne

Dropped into this place today while the shops were closed and I am so impressed! Very fair prices and accomodating service. The atmosphere was so relaxing! With very modern and minimalist decor. The dragonfruit refresher was magical as the natural colour of the fruit changed the the drink over time. The citrus soda water flavour was great. My sole complaint was that the pancakes stacks were a little dry but nothing the accompanying maple syrup couldn't fix

One of the best cafes in the area also has tap beer ales. The food was really good as well. Barista is 5 stars and the service is good.

Excellent fresh food and drinks, comforting interior design and lovely staff. Just a tiny bit on the expensive side, as expected.

Average food, really good coffee. I'm marking 1 star instead of 4 because of a poor-mannered arrogant stuff here ruined the experience. My friend is lactose-intolerant. She asked for oat coffee but served with normal one. We didn't complaint although she wasn't feeling well. When we were paying the bill we mentioned this to the lady because the price was different. But her apologize was like "sorry, so what?" Hey if you are not happy ask for a day off. I'm not responsible for your negative emotions. If you don't care then don't even do that fake apologize.

Delicious food, spacious dining area, friendly staffs. Will return.

A modern look and feel with spacious dining areas. The food is generously portioned and very delicious. The quality ingredients really shine through. Their barista beverages and tasty and well made. There's also a good selection of ready made meal options in their glass countern along with some sweet desserts.

Poor experience, came here to celebrate Mother’s Day. Service staff were in attentive (early morning - not busy and lacked experience (serving dishes with fingers close to food). Found piece of plastic in the crab omelette, staff was initially dismissive and no apology provided. Overall food quality was nothing special, will not be returning in future

Been here a few times and the front of house team has always been very friendly. On my last visit, I had a smashed avo to share, which was plentiful and delicious (and a lot better than it looks in the pic!). Almond milk coffees could be improved, as the coffee does tend to have residue after a while. This can happen with almond milk, but other places prove that it's possible to have a smooth one too. What has me coming back is the stunning interiors, which have been thoughtfully designed to create an open space, yet one that feels incredibly intimate at the same time. Overall a wonderful experience, and a place I'd recommend to friends.

Great pasta and coffee, and beautiful insta-worthy restaurant fit-out.

The coffee and food are always good. We had the pork belly waffle and lamb ribs on the first day out of iso. This is definately our favorite cafe.

Grabbed a piccolo latte here today. The service was really friendly and the cafe was air conditioned but unfortunately my coffee was very average. <br/><br/>Oh well two our of three ain't bad hahaha

Ordered the pancakes - flavours were nice but the pancakes themselves were too dense and heavy. Ambience was lovely and the wait staff were attentive.

New place at box hill with young crowd. The staff and management is still new so a few mistakes for for drinks. <br/><br/>Give it some time hopefully it will grow to be a great place for meet up.

I was around Box Hill and went for a quick brunch with friends at Penny Drop.<br/><br/>I myself ordered the Pancake, it was really fluffy and the syrup on top with chocolate chips was a great touch.<br/><br/>However, my friends ordered the truffle scrambled eggs and chicken burger turned on to be lackluster. Scrambled eggs were more like an omelette and the chicken burger had too much component like edamame beans and coleslaw.

Had our Xmas lunch at penny drop on the weekend ! Exceptional customer service! There are few of us had special request for our food order! The shop was really busy especially during this time of the year, but I was impressed that the food came out exactly what we wanted! The coffee was spot on! Usually I don’t write review but thought should share the great experience with everyone! Will definitely come back again !

Closes whatever time they want regardless what’s written on the website for trading hours. NO RESPECT To CUSTOMERS AT ALL! Terribly shockingly rude staff. Refuse to contact manager for customer feedback. Nightmare experience. SAVE YOUR LIFE SND DO NOT GO!

Beautiful cafe with some unique options and wonderful service!<br/><br/>FOOD: I ordered the Probiotic Smoothie Bowl and it was definitely something different! The granola was a great portion and the smoothie base was something I’ve never tried before! Overall, it was a decent smoothie bowl and a different type that I’ve never tried and it definitely makes you feel good afterwards.<br/><br/>SERVICE: The service was pleasant and really attentive as well as friendly!<br/><br/>Overall, The Penny Drop is a gorgeous and great cafe if you’re ever in Box Hill and it definitely serves up some damn good food too!

I absolutely loved the food here and also the location.<br/><br/>As Box Hill is my old hometown, where I grew up.<br/><br/>Since then it has changed and became more lively and culturally for the better.<br/><br/>So if you’re in town, I highly recommend eating here.

This brunch place serves a mix of asian and Western dishes. Some of them sounds interesting and we ordered special menu for father's day. The chili crab is soft shell crab and the sauce is not very authentic in my opinion but still pretty good. The ribs are soft and basted with some smoky sauce.

We came here for brunch on a Sunday. We ordered the Wagyu burger and Philly steak sandwich. Both were decent but nothing spectacular. The coffees were nice though. Service was friendly and efficient.

Excellent food and service was not bad either. I loved my fish - which came is a soft soy and ginger base with greens and brown rice. I want to go again and again just for that dish!!!!!! :)

Came here for brunch and found it an ok experience, but not amazing. My French toast wasn't sweet enough and the milkshakes were a bit bland too.

Average brunch place in Boxhill with Asian Fusion brunch menu. Great place & amazing atmosphere for a Saturday catchup, but the food's pretty average. The staff members were really helpful and friendly nevertheless.

The first time I went to the penny drop because it was very convenient at home, the impact was good, but the second time I went to the friend to forget to order, waited for a long time and asked people to say that I am not interested in your order, the third time The last time I wanted to send my mother to the airport to think of her eating something and chose the penny drop. This was really the most disappointing. After less than fifteen minutes, I ordered a coffee and meal with a girl, but we waited. Forty minutes, I didn’t even see the coffee. I asked them that they didn’t order us. They were too angry, too disappointed, and would not go again.

The Penny Drop cafe has a menu that is modern with an Asian twist. Had heard alot about this cafe as it seems to be one that is conveniently located in Box Hill and situated amongst so many Asian food establishments, I guess it does stand out from the rest but still able to cater for the Asians too.<br/><br/> 🔆LOCATION🔆<br/><br/>The Penny Drop cafe is situated on the main street of Box Hill - Whitehorse Road which is quite a busy street, however the location is quite central as it is directly opposite to Box Hill Central.  The cafe is on the ground floor of the new ATO building <br/><br/>🔆SERVICE🔆<br/><br/>Great customer service overall. I arrived early to ensure to get a table with enough space for a pram. The waitress was really great and was able to provide a table and also a high chair as well.<br/><br/>However, after being seated for 5 minutes I realised it was not suitable as it was too close to the front door. When the door opens and closes I could feel the gust of cold wind. As my friend will bring her baby I requested to move 1 table further away and the waitress was very kind and understanding and help more to high chair to the next table.<br/><br/>Food service was very quick and all of our items arrived at the same time to our table.<br/><br/>🔆MENU/PRICE🔆 <br/>My friends and I ordered: <br/><br/>Eggs Baonedict, $18.50<br/>(Fried bao pastry, slow cooked pork belly, Asian slaw, pickled daikon, poached eggs, apple cider vinegar hollandaise)<br/><br/>Chicken Waffle, $21.00<br/>(Chicken rib coated with swicy sauce, crushed peanut, kimchi & spring onion waffle, iceberg lettuce)<br/><br/>Pancake Stacks, $18.50<br/>(Condensed milk mascarpone, bubbles, Thai tea parfait, almond crunch, banana brulee, fresh fruits)<br/><br/>Hot Chocolate, $4.00<br/>Fresh Squeezed Juice ( Apple, Orange, Carrot), $7.00<br/><br/>🔆VERDICT🔆<br/>The presentation for all our meals were beautiful.<br/><br/>I had the eggs banedict and I really liked how the bottom layer of my dish had the fried bao, it gave it a really nice crunchy texture.  The best part of my meal is the pork belly. It was very tender and juicy. The Asian slaw was refreshing, but wish there was a bit more of it. I quite liked the pickled daikon, it somehow really worked with all the flavours and added nice sourness to the pork belly meat which was sweet.  The poached eggs was on the border of just cooked as I cut open the egg white the yolk rolled out in one piece which was great and I poked it with my fork the egg was runny and mixed in with the pork belly. Overall a great tasting dish.<br/><br/>My friend was surprised when her Chicken Waffle when it arrived to the table because it looked massive on the plate. The chicken was stacked up on top of each other which was quite impressive.  The waffle was something she really did not expect to be so tasty - it had a nice crunch from the kimchi and spring onion. Very flavour-some. She commented that it was a bit annoying that the chicken had bones in it, if it was boneless chicken would have been much more pleasant to eat, however regardless the chicken was cooked well and had a very good kick of spice sauce marinate which she really enjoyed.<br/><br/>The Pancake Stack was quite a big serve and my friend was unable to finish it. She said the flavours were very tasty and it wasnt sweet at all. Initially she was a bit apprehensive as in the photo ( you can view photos of their menu online) it looked like it would be quite sweet however the fresh fruit balanced it out.<br/><br/>My friend ordered fresh squeezed juice in which you can select up to 3 fruits in the drink. She said it was refreshing and tasty juice but too much foam.<br/><br/>My hot chocolate was a bit too sweet and unfortunately not hot enough. It was just warm. I wasnt able to finish my drink.

This caf&eacute; is just magnificent. Even before you walk in you will notice how gorgeous the d&eacute;cor is! It&#039;s so pretty and clean inside. The team is super friendly too!&nbsp;<br/><br/>As for the food! It was great to see such a varied menu, with ample vegan options. I got to try:<br/>VEGAN BIG BREAKY: with avocado, tofu scramble, has brown, mushrooms - basically all the best stuff on one plate!!<br/>VEGAN TOM YUM: the flavours were AMAZING, and the serving dish was very unique!<br/>CHIA PUDDING: again, great flavours in this dish, and gorgeous presentation.&nbsp;<br/><br/>It really is a wonderful dining experience at The Penny Drop!

1 star for decoration, 1 star for service. Food was far from expectations. I ordered a Szechuan pepper calamari, but it’s just the basic fried calamari with nothing. It’s not even salty! <br/>I forget the name of main dish but it’s just ok with the taste, I only finished half because it really can’t attract me to eat them all. I would say that all Cafe I have been before have better dishes than it.

Having been an avid Melbournian brunch seeker for almost two decades, I’ve hardly got to come across a brunch spot with staff as inexperienced and unfriendly as this one here. And their staff are definitely not kid-friendly as per my family and my experience. <br/><br/>I arrived with my child in his stroller and waited to be taken to our seat. This place is quite spacious and there are ample seats, Given its location (Box Hill), there generally isn’t a brunch queue and there wasn’t one when I arrived (Saturday 11am). I was told to wait as the staff that served me wasn’t sure if I (a single ordering diner) should be given my own table or not. She approached what seemed to me was her superior and, he came over and asked if I had a reservation. I answered “No” and he ushered me over to a communal window seat instead of giving me my own seat, although there were many available seats as pictured. I stayed nonchalant and went on to order my food. <br/><br/>My other family members decided to join me so I asked for a table, and the same man from before said he could only offer me a four-seater table (we were a total of six), pointing toward a corner table with a Reserved sign on it. I did not question and agreed to move. They removed the reserved sign and sat us. At this point I can safely conclude that most of the Reserved sign on their tables were bogus as I was there for more than an hour and the restaurant remained as empty as I initially entered, if not quieter. <br/><br/>Our experience there was already unsatisfactory by then and we regretted ever stepping into this inhospitable restaurant. The food wasn’t all that bad but we couldn’t bear to ruin the start of our weekend further so I quickly laid my child down into the sofa bench and swapped his (Not Dirty. Affirmative.) diaper for a new one without much second thought. As I was finishing up, the same man came over to our table and told me off, saying that they have a diaper change in their toilet. I looked, did a double take, and there was no diaper room signage within sight. Perhaps I should not have presumed that they didn’t have a diaper change room and changed my child’s nappy there, at a discrete corner booth concealed by tables and chairs, but I believe that given how empty the restaurant was then, and how cold and windy it was outside, there ought to be some level of kindness and humanity, but there wasn’t. <br/><br/>We bolted out, certain that we will never return again.

We were invited to The Penny Drop today which was a lovely bright and modern cafe conveniently located across box hill station and the tram line. I started with a fresh orange and ginger juice given I have a germy cold in the hope that it would cure me. It was very refreshing either way.<br/><br/>Food wise we ordered several items the smashed avocado, French toast and pancakes and all were delicious. I really enjoyed the smashed avocado. The ratios of feta and cherry tomato were perfect and the pomegranate molasses on the plate gave it a lovely sweetness. The pancakes were super impressive. The Asian inspired topping of condensed milk mascarpone with Thai bubble tea parfait was insanely delicious and something a bit different which was nice to see. A really well balanced dish that looked beautiful too.<br/><br/>And speaking of stunning dishes the French toast was a really beauty. We were thoroughly delighted with everything we had today I really couldn’t fault any of it and with such an array of dishes on offer everyone will find something to please them

We were kindly invited to The Penny Drop for brunch. We elected to go on a Sunday at noon. I really liked the interior of the place: it was classy and chic decked in rose gold and white marble and very spacious. We were seated immediately and given water and the menus. <br/>After some deliberation we decided to order the smashed avocado with grilled haloumi and poached eggs, the miso mushrooms and the pancakes with bubbles. For the drink I ordered a matcha freakshake.<br/>My dish was the miso mushrooms which was sauteed mixed mushrooms with a sweet corn croquette, crispy kale, poached eggs and furikake. It was delicious! The crispy kale and the deep fried crispy enoki gave the dish lovely flavour and texture and the sweet corn croquette was smooth, sweet and soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside. The eggs were poached just right and the yolk was runny when I cut into it. I loved this dish. <br/>I snuck a taste of the smashed avocado and it was fresh, well-balanced and delicious.<br/>The pancakes were really fluffy and light. It was topped with condensed milk mascarpone, Thai tea parfait, brulee bananas, fresh kiwi and strawberries and tapioca pearls. I thought the addition of tapioca pearls was really unique. The pearls added a chewy texture that was quite enjoyable to eat. The fresh fruit provided a tart taste to contrast the sweetness of the brulee bananas (which were delicious) and the tea parfait and the condensed milk mascarpone was really restrained and not overly sweet at all. It’s so hard to find a pancake dish which is not loaded with sugar so I really enjoyed this dish.<br/>The matcha freakshake attracted many envious stares when it was delivered to the table. I have had some milk shakes and they were all way too sweet but not this one. The matcha provided a little bitterness and otherwise it was quite milky. I would have preferred the taste of the matcha to be much stronger as I love matcha but that is personal preference. <br/>All the food was beautifully presented as you can see from the pictures. The service was really good (as soon as I finished my mushrooms and started on the pancakes a waitress came and took my empty plate and dirty cutlery away and gave us sharing plates and new cutlery) and the toilets were very clean (yes that is important too). <br/>All in all a great place I would come back to. They have lots of great options on their menu (including milk tea hot pot!) so come and try it for yourself. Thank you The Penny Drop for the invite!

The Penny Drop started its life as a little coffee pop-up store in Box Hill. After seeing how popular it was, the penny dropped for the owners and the aptly named The Penny Drop café and all-day eatery was born.<br/><br/>This 100-seater restaurant has a truly inviting space with plenty of natural light streaming through into its open space that boasts high ceilings and muted earthy tones – perfect for those that wish to escape the daily Melbourne grind.

The Penny Drop is one of our favourite brunch places in box hill. The menu is interesting is asian inspired, with a twist. <br/><br/>We came for dinner and it definitely lived up to it’s reputation. Cocktails were delicious, “Strawberry Rum Smash” was my favourite. The Tom Yum was the highlight, filled with colourful vibrant ingredients and was flavourful indeed. Highly recommended for those looking to warm up this winter.<br/><br/>If you’re in box hill and looking to try something unique, drop in The Penny Drop and you won’t be disappointed.

Very modern restaurant. Nothing like this place near by, so it is a good choice if you are with a lot of people and they all have different tastes. The menu has all different cuisines. The Tom Yum looks impressive but the bowl is impractical on their small tables so only order if you are sitting alone or are on a large table. The burger and the minute steak were good but not amazing.

This cafe is so awesome! The interior is neat, well decorated and the place is so big with a lot of tables.<br/><br/>We noticed the baristas hard at work as we walked to our table. On the way, we also noticed a display cabinet full of delicious cakes and desserts.<br/><br/>For drinks, my friend got the Single Origin which he said can taste all the flavours that it had stated on a card. Apparently the beans were from Ruli mountain in Rwanda and you can taste subtle flavours such as strawberry, lemon, honey and brown sugar. Another friend got the Chai latte/tea and came in a fancy cup and strainer.<br/><br/>I got the Matcha by Konom which was a nice hot drink with a tinge of bitterness without sugar.<br/><br/>For the food we got:<br/><br/>1. Eggs Benedict - fried bao pastry, slow cooked pork belly, Asian slaw, pickled daikon, poached eggs and apple cider vinegar hollandaise. It was quite different to use the fried bao instead of the normal sour dough/muffin. The pork belly was really lean and well marinated.<br/><br/>2. Chicken Waffle - Chicken rib coated with swicy sauce, crushed peanut, kimchi and spring onion waffle with iceberg salad. It was quite different that they used chicken ribs as usually it is boneless, but nevertheless, my friend said it tasted better with the bones. The swicy sauce is the sweet and spicy combo which was similar to the korean chicken.<br/><br/>3. Coconut Chicken Risotto - Mushrooms, chilli and coconut lemon myrtle, with parmesan cheese. This was my dish and I enjoyed every bite of it. It was really rich, creamy and just so so delicious that I can't stop eating it!<br/><br/>We shared a dessert - Pancake stacks with condensed milk mascarpone, bubbles (which are pearls from bubble tea), Thai tea parfait, almond crunch, bananas brulee and fresh fruits. This was a very complex and thoughtful dish. Every element was executed well and matched perfectly together. Loved this dish a lot! The pancakes were very moist and not dry like other places do it. The toppings were not too sour or sweet. Best pancake dish I've ever had so far!<br/><br/>Thank you the Penny Drop for the invitation. We will definitely be back!

Went there for lunch yesterday. Convenient as it was pouring and I work upstairs in the office building. It is the LAST time I will be back, not even for coffee! I ordered the French Toast, it looked beautiful, until I found the long hair embedded in it. This is the second time I have found a hair at this place. The first time it was in my pizza. When I brought it to the waitresses attention, she told me there is no one in the kitchen with short black hair, and charged me for it. Serious?! Yesterday they offered to remake the French toast and again charged me for it because “we remade it for you”. Not even an offer for a complimentary drink, nothing! To top it off a few Christmas eve’s ago, I slipped and fell in there whilst ordering my coffee with a friend. I was out cold on the floor as I had hit my head....ended up with concussion. They charged us for our coffees and scrolls that day too! <br/>Umm sorry guys but you don’t know how to run a business, and you’ve just lost a customer. Never. Again.

Let’s start with the positives ! 🌟<br/>- It has cute decor <br/>- Nice ambience <br/>- Bigger than most other cafes<br/>- Closes late on saturday’s<br/>But that’s about where it falls short <br/>- Coffee is overpriced for what you get<br/>- Had the pancakes and they were a big let down <br/>- Friends had the halloumi burger which they enjoyed though<br/>Overall it’s a little on the pricy side and I wouldn’t go there again.<br/>I would suggest mr and mrs as an alternative !

The place is very clean and staff are friendly. <br/>Food is average, we ate the big breakfast but the food was over cooked and no flavour. <br/>Baked beans tasted like kidney beans in tomato sauce. <br/>Bacon tasted like water but mushrooms were cooked well.<br/>Coffee was great ($5.50 for a small - a little over priced compared to down the road), wouldn’t mind coming back for coffee but again a bit overpriced.

It is hard to find a nice cafe near Box Hill central unless you walk into Penny Drop. Nice and bright shop with big windows at front. Staff quickly to find seats for us as it was still busy at 2:30pm (kitchen closes at 3:00pm), ordered wagyu burger and waffle chicken, the portions are quite big and taste is delicious. Chicken and wagyu are both quite juicy with full of flavours. Prefer a bit pickles in the burger. Coffee is nice as well.

We stayed overnight at The Chen in Box Hill and the lobby cafe had recently closed down so ventured up the road to the nearest open cafe. We have been to The Penny Drop on a number of occasions now and today I grabbed a couple of coffees, toasted ham and cheese croissant and toasted banana bread to take back to the hotel. While I had no issue with the coffee the toasting of both banana bread and the croissant was woeful. Both clearly weren’t toasted enough. Cold ham and only slightly melted cheese and a banana bread that was cold to touch which of course I didn’t discover this until getting back to the hotel room mind so nothing much I could do. Annoying! <br/><br/>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br/><br/>Previous Review<br/>4<br/>The Penny drop opened initially as a hole in the wall take away coffee place while the building was very much still in construction but I'm glad to see the cafe has such street appeal now that it's the full deal. <br/><br/>It has a great look to it with light toned wood finish to the front and an attractive cake display/ bar to the side. We came for breakfast and walked from home quite early so we're one of only three groups inside. <br/><br/>It was a Sunday which I'd argue is the day for breakfast in Melbourne but our waiting staff listed off a couple of items that weren't available on the menu. Perhaps they had a bumper day the day before. <br/><br/>The menu was quite interesting. I'm a big fan of Asian flavours so I really like that these had been incorporated into some of the breakfast menu items. Coffee was ordered and came out. I rated mine tasty but weaker than I would normally have it. My wife had no complaints with her decaf either. For breakfast I ordered potato garlic waffle which looked just like eggs benedict with seaweed on top. <br/><br/>We also ordered the most delicious looking pancake stake with floss, and berry compote. Both looked stunning and were full of flavour. There was enough interesting items on this menu that I will be back. <br/><br/>The staff were somewhat disinterested and spent much of their time chatting and joking over at the far side of the building. Perhaps some down time before the rush.

I really like the interior of this cafe and really enjoyed dining in the environment. <br/>The food came relatively quickly and the smashed avocado and coconut chia pudding we ordered was very fresh and tasty! <br/>Can’t wait to come back and try some other dishes!

**3.5 stars** I like this place because you don’t feel rushed to order drinks just as you sit down. Staff simply come to you when you’re ready. <br/>Food-wise, it was average at best. We ordered the ‘smashed avocado’ where the toasts were hard but the avocado was nice. The ‘steak sandwich’ wasn’t really a sandwich but rather a steak and other ingredients on a toast. It wasn’t too memorable but it did fill the stomach. <br/>Drinks-wise, we loved the freshness of the blended juice and particularly the coffee which was just so silky smooth. I’d come back here for the coffee!<br/>Good service, orders come out promptly. Environment is bright, relaxing and comfortable. **NOTE: All cards accepted. Payment less than $15 will incur a 1.5 surcharge.

Staff are okay, not over friendly but not too friendly. Nice atmosphere. Been here a few times, serving size is decent for price and food menu changes quite often. Chicken waffles was yummy.

Excellent food and service, the pancake stack and vegan coffee were particularly tasty. Great ambience and service. Regularly visit here and always delivers to a high standard.

I'm sorry I forgot to bring my phone, as my breakfast was so pretty, I would have loved to share a photo of it.<br/>Luckily, it tasted as good as it looked.<br/>I had the pancake stack, with condensed milk mascarpone ice cream, with banana broulee and fresh fruit, finished with a dust of icing sugar and cute little edible flowers. It was a very generous serving size and I couldn't finish all the pancakes.<br/>He had scrambled eggs and bacon, with a generous side of avo and homemade bbq sauce.<br/>Lots of sides to add, If you choose, different sorts of bread to choose from.<br/>We enjoyed organic bottled juice and good coffee.<br/>Restaurant fit out is lovely and spacious.<br/>Service was excellent and friendly.<br/>Hope to return to try some of their other interesting breakfast ootions.

The penny drop is an excellent brunch spot.<br/><br/>The moment you walk in, you are welcomed pleasantly into a beautiful and spectacular dining area. The drinks are a mix of fresh, cold, alcoholic, mocktails, teas and coffees. <br/><br/>I had a fresh juice but it’s best to ask what fruit they have available. <br/><br/>My gf had the big breakfast. Usually the big breakfast is too big and overcrowds the plate. However this was perfect in quantity and size. To me it’s quality over quantity and this is far by the best big breakfast offered. <br/><br/>The lovely vegetarian croquettes were dazzling and delicious. It had a sweet inside filling of beetroot and sweet corn, but at the same time the sweet was cut with the tangy/salted pickle and to finish off, to freshen things up was the salad. <br/><br/>Both dishes were immaculate in presentation and sensational to the taste buds. I highly recommend this place and the owner was a delight. This is a must go place!<br/><br/>P.s. Service was fantastic!

Was in Box Hill and felt in dire need of some hydration and coolness as it was scorching outside, so we came in here and decided to order a drink and relax. Originally just wanted to order bottled juice but they ran out of apple guava which was the one I wanted, so ended up getting an iced chocolate instead. It was nice but a tad too sweet for my liking. The ambience is great however and is a perfect place to sit down and watch the world go by. Would love to try their food sometime.

Came here for a business / catch up with a colleague and it found to be wonderful. So busy. <br/><br/>It’s a large cafe and here is a lovely amount of light, space and plenty of great service. In fact the service is exceptional. <br/><br/>Located conveniently near many local businesses and on Whitehorse Road - it’s a great meeting place. <br/><br/>Menu is good. Portion sizes are great. <br/><br/>Do try the chai loose leaf tea and the Matcha tea was very good (according to my colleague). <br/><br/>Wheelchair friendly. Kid friendly. Good parking in the side streets.<br/><br/>Well worth a visit and will come again.

We came here for lunch recently, enjoyed the great service & lovely ambience inside. The coffee was excellent and one of the better spots to get coffee in Box Hill. We ordered the Hash Waffle Benedict & the Must Mushroom - the eggs, slaw & Hollandaise sauce in the Benedict were great although the hash waffle itself was very greasy and hard to chew, which was a slight let down. The first few bites of the Must Mushroom dish were delicious, although the miso duxelle was EXTREMELY salty and overpowering and I couldn't finish the dish. The fried semolina was also much too cheesy for my liking.<br/>Overall, a nice atmosphere and dining experience, although the dishes we tried were too rich in flavour which made them difficult to finish. Will probably come back and try some of the other dishes next time.

The Penny Drop is a charming cafe situated in the heart of Box Hill, with the tram terminus just outside. We had a lovely weekend breakfast there, variations of eggs on toast with sides. The coffee is excellent. There are a range of other breakfast options - waffles, pancakes, fancy ways to eat vegetables eg beetroot patties. The venue is bright and cheerful.

Keeping things interesting, there is an Asian inspired theme that runs throughout the menu. Take the popular Mr Ssam Benedict for example; The Penny Drop’s wild but inspired rendition of the humble Eggs Benedict featuring spring onion pancakes topped with a bean shoot salad, poached eggs, kimchi hollandaise and crispy fried soft shell crab. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with reinventing the wheel when the results are that impressive. Even the healthy options come with some twist: the Buddha bowl dressed with a slightly thickened green chilli coconut broth.

Great atmosphere and seating in this Box Hill Cafe. Familiar brunch options with an asian influence. Loved the hash waffle benedict! Tasty not to mention a very tender pork belly. Beautiful presentation. Coffee was slightly more strong than I would have liked but you cant win them all. Quite a lengthy wait for the brekkys to come out but once they did you knew it was worth it!

Good coffee and food (corn dish was amazing). Great friendly, quick but attentive service. Kid friendly. Would go back. Very conveniently located on way to hospital and train station.

We went to The Penny Drop today with the intention of eating desserts to reward ourselves, and I’m so glad that we went! I ordered the Pancake Stack which contained blueberries, strawberries, vanilla bean ice cream, honey comb, just to name a few. It was absolutely DELIGHTFUL! My tastebuds were blessed with an assortment of flavours which managed to stand out individually and not clash when eaten together. It also looks very aesthetic, which is definitely a bonus. However, the dish was slightly on the expensive side for me, which is a shame because I’d have it more frequently if it were not the case!<br/>The ambience of the place is relaxing and the decorations are also aesthetic, the whole place is just very pretty to look at. The service was also nice and friendly, but we did arrive at 2:40ish so it was relatively empty. <br/><br/>Overall, it was a really fulfilling experience and I want to come back and try other dishes on the menu next time!!

Ambience is just so fineee! If you're into aesthetics and all things minimal, this is the place to be. <br/>The food is pretty good, unlike what you may find at other cafes. Couple of the dishes are fusion with a twist of asian but still keeping it with the Melbourne-brunch-style<br/><br/>Note that parking is a challenge as it is in Box hill, so you may have to walk from their main under ground carpark. <br/><br/>Service is good, but meal price is a bit on the expensive side for me.

An oasis of calm in usually chaotic Box Hill, The Penny Drop offers some of the best Asian inspired brunches you’ll find.  When I think of Box Hill, I think of...

First of all, food was amazing. Loved my egg Benedict!! The drinks went wrong. My matcha latte was super powedery(if u look at the picture, you can see soooooooo much undissolved powder sedimented at the bottom). My friend ordered a flat white and it looks more like a cup of latte with a really thick layer of floss on top. Also, the flat white tasted sour.

Once, they've established their brands and got acknowledgement from food lovers, they expanded from a small coffee shop to the spacious brunch spot in refurbished ATO building on Whitehorse Road, Box Hill. We’re glad to be able to have dine in experience in The Penny Drop, Box hill. The cafe is located conveniently in the busy street and easily accessible by Tram, Train and private vehicles.

After having dropped into Box Hill over 2 years ago, The Penny Drop is still going strong. Their Loaded Chicken Waffle has a blend of both sweet and savoury flavours. Tasty fried chicken ribs are piled onto the moist sweet potato waffle and powdered manuka honey is scattered around the the plate underneath

Penny drop is one of my go to brunch places in Box Hill and it’s also one of my favourite places to grab a good coffee! <br/>I found the food here pretty affordable and had a decent array of gluten free, vegan and vegetarian options. For those who loves their coffees/ hot drinks, their is also an option to upgrade your hot drink to a mug. I loved warming my hands around the large mug. <br/><br/>We ordered The Penny Drop Breakfast, Rice Burger, Matcha Pancakes and Mr Samm Benedict. I would have to say everything we ordered was equally amazing and delicious! I can’t fault the food and I look forward to trying other dishes. <br/> I can’t wait to come back for dinner with the girls and grab a few drinks after work drinks!

When you here Box Hill you don’t think of brunch but the Penny Drop does a fantastic job of incorporating Asian flavours into a traditional, Melbourne brunch menu. With a very open interior aesthetic, and a variety of options and daily specials, the Penny Drop is a great option for those in the Eastern Melbourne suburbs looking for a delicious brunch getaway. Highlight of the day would have to be the crispy soft shell crab, and the dorito calamari!

This has to be my favourite cafe in box hill, there’s no other cafe like this around the area. Look how beautiful and fresh the food is, and was so delicious! Must try when you’re in the area

I may be slightly biased as I was fasting before coming here. But I'm very impressed with my visit. Beautiful quality food, and the cakes are scrumptious.<br/><br/>Will certainly be visiting again and shall update this review accordingly.

Located in the same building as the Australian Tax Office (don't let that deter you from coming!), The Penny Drop is a beautiful space - super high ceilings with ceiling-to-floor windows give the cafe grandeur and lightness. The soft pink theme is paired with wooden and warm golden finishes. And unlike many cafes of its ilk, there is comfortable, spacious seating (hooray!) and the background music is, shock, actually in the background! While there is a definite buzz to the place, there is no need to shout to your dining companions in order to have a conversation.<br/>The menu features Asian-fusion brunch options. All of the dishes sound very intriguing and make a welcome change from the usual poached eggs/smashed avo combinations you see around town. We all thought that the Lawyer's Mr Ssam Benedict was the best dish of the day. Deep fried soft shell crab perched on a spring onion pancake that was loaded with beanshoot salad and topped with poached eggs and kim chi hollandaise.

Food presentation was great, but built up expectations that weren't backed up by flavour. There was no spring onion taste in the pancake and the flavour combinations didn't really match. The bean shoots inside were also uncooked so therefore it was cold. The big breakfast was ok but the kale was very oily and the dish was overpriced. Service was good, but coffee unfortunately wasn't. Probably won't be back.

Though it’s in the middle of Box Hill, very close to the central, it’s not as crowded as you expect it to be. A nice place to have some coffee in the morning on your own enjoying peaceful moment. Would be lovely with a company too! Will definitely revisit as two or more 👀👅

Great service and defiantly a big fan of the Big Breaky. Defiantly suggest it as a must do if you get the chance. Easy to get too and the big space means that you get your own slice of paradise

Beautifully designed space, with ample room. Coffee is ok if you are a milk based espresso drinker. The food is creative, and Buddha Bowl a healthy option.

Ordered the soft shell crab with filled bean sprouts pancake and was definitely not disappointed. The crab was deep fried to perfection, with the inside still very fresh. The pancake resembled more of a crepe, having thin layers but still enough to fill you up. Overall, the dish went absolutely well together!

First time trying out Penny Drop and it did not disappoint. I had the smashed avocado with Yarra valley feta on seven seeds bread, was a very light and fresh meal, accompanied with my almond latte. The service was exceptional. Extremely friendly, the food and drinks came out in no time at all. Will definitely be back.

Food: Beautiful plating and flavours delivered as well!<br/><br/>The Crab-in-a-Wrap was a highlight. Four mini wraps with a generous piece of crab in each, not over-battered and you could actually taste the crab-meat. <br/><br/>As someone who avoids dairy if I can help it, I appreciated their df options that go beyond one sad option of an overpriced salad that most brunch places offer. The plating of the SNS Fritters had good flavours overall, though the fritters on their own were a bit dense and bland. The salad was a refreshing balance to the fritters. The mango salsa almost tasted like a chutney/jam, personally I would’ve liked it to be just fresh-cut mango.<br/><br/>Drinks: <br/><br/>The matcha latte is bitter and unsweetened, perfect for those who like an authentic matcha taste.<br/><br/>Service & Ambience: <br/><br/>Attentive and friendly service. The design of the café is a standout of course, with high ceilings and great natural lighting all around.

Came here for brunch and loved the stunning interior . It was very clean and modern . <br/><br/>The service was ok, just a little bit slow and the meal we had was quite average too . Everything needed more salt and we found the wild mushroom dish especially bland . Thought this place would be a great new local favourite but I guess I need to keep hunting <br/>

Been here a few times, the ambiance is nice and service is good but I find the food to be over priced for what you get, I was left disappointed both times I ordered food here as it just didn’t meet expectations.

No. Of Visit: 3<br/>Overall Verdict: Chef understands the art of fusion cuisine. Great brunch place if you're in Box Hill, chic interior and super comfortable seating, that need some improvements in speed. <br/><br/>Ordered big brekky: hakkanese sausage and garlic chives harsh brown really project a nice twist from its Asian influence into Australian Brunch. <br/>However, I don't think kale should be served raw in such a large bunch, without any dressing, it's just tasteless. <br/><br/>Coffee: quite slow TBH. It's about 10min wait every time. <br/><br/>Do-Not-Miss: Penny-in-Black (squid ink risotto) is flavoursome. Whipped Avocado is your Instagram friend LOL

A cool cafe on the ground floor of ATO office in Box hill. Love the decor and great atmosphere, friends who I went alone said the menu gets changed from time to time, so u will always find something new here.

Nice coffee! Definitely will come back!it is hard to find such a good brunch in Box Hill! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This place is near my house and it’s pretty crowded from time to time. It’s also located very near to the Box Hill Central so I guess why dont we give it a shot?<br/>We ordered Mr. Nanyang Benedict & Matcha Souffle Hot Cake. For the drink we ordered a hot chocolate and a coffee.<br/>They got a nice plating for the food and I love the coffee and hot chocolate. Also in looveeee with the decoration of this place

Who knew Box Hill had a 'hipster' cafe? Well Penny Drop was spotted and we simply had to go in. Boy were we NOT disappointed. <br/><br/>We tried the typical breakfast dish, poached egg, spinach blah blah blah and also the soft shell crab. Both were divine and certainly had a 'magical' touch. The coffees were gorgeous...and we are not coffee connoisseurs!<br/><br/>Next time you are in Box Hill but want to feel like you are in Melbourne, go to Penny Drop!

An absolutely stunning cafe that’s only a stone’s throw from home, I truly wish The Penny Drop was more to my taste as I would love to come here more frequently. <br/><br/>I have been here a handful of times for brunch (never dinner), and have found the menu to always be very bold and inventive with a strong focus on modernising traditionally East Asian flavours (predominately Chinese/Japanese). <br/><br/>On my most recent visit I had the Matcha Soufflé Hot Cakes ($20.50) which were beautifully presented but much too sweet for my palate and I couldn’t finish it. In previous visits I have had savoury dishes that were always just a bit too intense for me to truly enjoy. <br/><br/>I appreciate that The Penny Drop are trying to push boundaries, but I think some dishes do need a bit more restraint shown in order to appeal to a broader customer base.

Always their for their coffee but never for their food maybe because it’s situated at food paradise where so many other choice to choose from. Finally decided to give it a try and to my surprise what they serve us really. Very Asian taste and reasonably priced too compare to other places.

Popped in here yesterday with a friend for coffee at around 2.30pm. Our lattes were lovely - nice and strong and were served promptly after ordering. I’m definitely a fan of the cafes aesthetic. It’s very modern and chic with the large windows letting in a lot of natural light making it a gorgeous place for a catch up over coffee. It’s been a while since I’ve eaten here but the food being served to neighbouring tables looked gorgeous.

Average.<br/><br/>The design of the cafe was quite impressive especially with the round bar in the middle. I even read online that they had won an award for the design.<br/><br/>However, the food was a bit of a let down. We ordered the Pork Belly and also an Wagyu beef burger. <br/>My pork belly was tough to cut and chew. My friend burger patty was also quite dry. <br/><br/>Overall, the atmosphere is on point but not so much the food. Maybe I'll be back for a coffee. <br/>

Really enjoyed my meal. Ordered the potato and chive waffle. Whilst it looked like a very small serving. It really filled me up. The atmosphere was good with the tables spaced out enough to have conversations not overheard by other tables. The milkshake however was not the best milkshake I’ve ever had. It tasted like milo and was not creamy or rich enough compared to other cafes. The menu was very different and I’m looking forward to trying it out again.

Oily foods. Overcooked. Coffee is so so, but this cafe is very busy in the morning. If you don't want to be late to work, please give you 10 minutes here waiting for you coffee

I really love coming here, especially for breakfast. The food is always delicious, the coffee is on point and the restaurant is beautifully decorated. Love

Penny drop has a nice atmosphere. I ordered a southern fried crispy Chickenburger with chips as sides. I started with the chips and by the time I ate the burger it wasn't crispy any more. It had some good flavour but overall not impressive. Good and friendly service.

Most people who know me will know of my love hate affair with brunch. I often leave underwhelmed, unsatisfied, and unhappy. Plating is never really an issue with me, but it's usually a miss with the flavours and quality of food. Interiors are never really a question, and Penny Drops lives up to beautiful, simplistic decor that is easy on the eye. The natural lighting makes it perfect for those food envy photos. Food here sits on the average spectrum for me - nothing overtly exciting, but still decent. Staff are friendly too.

The coffee here is incredible! Staff and service are also excellent. The porridge is different to your normal porridge..I personally didn't really like the taste but $20 for porridge and a large coffee was great. The toppings were really rich and sugary. My friend had eggs on toast with sides and was really happy with her meal. I'd return but get a different dish.

The Penny drop seems to have one thing going for it, it's outfitting - other than that, it's one of those half baked ideas that needs to be refined and whipped into shape. The food isn't terrible but is forgotten once you've left with the coffee being slightly burnt with over-frothed and heated milk. The final straw being the service, so much for something called hospitality. Hopefully they can get themselves to a place where it's running smoother.

Cool vibes and crisp interior/decor. Came for a quick drink but must come back soon to try something on the food menu. Looks delicious! Even open for dinner 👌

pretty good coffee<br/>interesting menu, i thought my avo on toast was pretty standard, my friends really liked their confit mushrooms & japanese pancake. <br/><br/>what really bugged me was waiting for the food? <br/>it's not a busy cafe ie no waiting needed for a table like some of the really popular cafes. we were seated immediately but with no menus? no one was interested to give us the menus, eventually went to get them from the counters myself. <br/>took quite a while to get someone's attention for our orders & even longer for the food to arrive (we've actually finished our coffees by then). it would've been somewhat understandable if it were really busy but the fact is it wasn't. a 30-40 minute wait for brunch is bound to make any hungry person even grumpier. <br/><br/>

A wine/coffee bar which serves modern cuisine within a bright, clean, crips, modern, non-white linen table environment. A restaurant with a pleasant chic and sophisticated ambiance. The food and service I received was exceptional: perhaps I discovered this place on a unique night for my meal was within the top 10 of all meals I have ever eaten in 63 years of International travel. If this was not an anomaly then this place is an extremely rare find as it excels on every scale you wish a chic modern wine/coffee/restaurant to achieve. Simple but refined and very tasteful - it delivered a sensational experience.

Welcome back to Cards and Cafés! Penny Drop is located in the heart of Box Hill (along Whitehorse Road); with the train station just a short walk away. With beautiful glass windows surrounding the front of the café, allowing all the natural light to shine through, you’ll be happy to sit there any day of the week and enjoy a coffee, while you watch the world go by.....

Amazing Soy Chai Lattes & perfectly poached eggs. Open space, perfect for a change of scenery when working or studying away from the desk. <br/>Suits small to large groups.

The cafe was beautifully designed with a circle theme. The service was also attentive and friendly. Coffee was good, not great. What brought it all down for me was my main of Hong Kong pork belly. It was soooo dry and tasteless. I had to chug glasses and glasses of water down with it because I was hungry otherwise I would have left it.

Met a friend here as a half way point between our houses. Around a 30 min drive for me so grabbed a coffee for the road. Apologised when I arrived but as it was black coffee, I had only half finished. I thought we'd all laugh it off and I'd be seated by the window. Promptly told I could not finish my coffee inside - even if poured into a different cup. Asked to double check with the manager, as politely as I could. Though the restaurant was empty aside from a solitary table of two - I was advised they could take my coffee and hold it for me whilst I dined. Um, no. My friend and I took our business down the road. Silly decision not to exercise discretion by The Penny Drop staff. No amount of fake marble and rose gold decor could make up for such poor service. <br/><br/>And before anyone jumps in with their 2c on the potential licensing or "brand" issues - I live in inner Melbourne and have never observed anyone being turned away for daring to grab a take away for their walk to Sunday brunch. <br/><br/>This is Melbourne. The market is literally flooded with Cafes that look great, serve delicious food and pump out amazing coffee. Sometimes it's the service that sets a business apart. <br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/>

Loved the modern interior of this place! The Smoked Salmon and Cauliflower Salad not only looked spectacular but also tasted great. Don't think it's a salad and doesn't look like there is much but it does filled up your stomach. Haven't had a bad meal or service from here yet.. Overall, a lovely restaurant in the Eastern suburb, highly recommended!

Based on what I ordered I enjoyed my dining experience here! I loved the pink penny cocktail drink which was refreshing and just the right amount of sweetness.. I loved the flavors of the risotto and how generous they were in the different types and amount of mushroom in the dish. Would go back again to see if their other dishes are as good

Tasty food that is definitely not your average! Great space but would love to see an improvement with coffee.. But other than that service and atmosphere are great.

It's kind of so so food. Been there just because it's closed to my place and I am lazy to go somewhere else to grab the brunch. The takeaway chocolate mousse tastes yum.......