Review Thomson Cafe Food Store - Northcote

Stumbled upon this cafe on a walk the the other day - im so glad i did! super cute and homey feel with top notch coffee, even my dad was impressed and he has high standards. Nice discount on the keep cups, sustainable and winning! staff were super friendly too (as well as easy on the eye ;) ).

This used to be my favourite cafe. It has a great courtyard and I’ve always liked the food. Unfortunately the last couple of times I have been it’s like you are bothering certain staff members by being there or asking a question - they speak to you rudely and in a cold tone as if they can’t be bothered to serve you. I won’t be going back anytime soon. There are plenty of nice places around. It is disappointing as this place is close to my home, but it’s not worth paying to be served by rude staff.

Coffee has been so disappointing lately. $6.20 a pop you’d expect a great coffee. Female that works behind counter is lovely and always friendly to approach…. The young blokes not so much. Good cafes start at good customer service followed by good coffee. Disappointing.

Good cafe. Easy to sit inside or out. Good coffee, seems to be a favourite place to stop for a coffee while walking the dog. Pleasant staff and looks to be a favourite with the locals. Nice place to stop for a bite to eat and a coffee and relax by yourself or with a friend. The menu doesn't look too extensive, but has some variety.

I've been going here for a few years, and while the ambience is pleasant, the service tends to be slow and a few of the staff can be rude. For example, once we were stuck outside during a storm and had to remind the staff several times to help us move inside.

Best bagels I’ve ever eaten. Incredibly friendly and fast service. Great music and atmosphere 10/10

Such a lovely owner, plus the food is delicious! Highly recommend trying the salmon and cream cheese bagel!

such a nice spot! coffee and food is fresh and delish, they have tons of vegan options which is great. staff are so friendly and accommodating, and there are lots of cute dogs to spot nearby too 💛

A beautiful cafe hidden in the Northcote back streets. The staff are so lovely, the coffee is ALWAYS amazing and the food is really great too.

Great place, staff friendly, peaceful place to go

Im not sure if this place has changed hands? We used to be regulars and really loved the place. Really good food and coffee. However, we went today and popped in to the cafe to tell them that we were going to be in the courtyard. I was told quite rudely that we couldn’t as it was closing at 2.30. I said that we’d just sit outside the front. We did so and I noticed that it was only just 2.15. We had a very average chai latte amongst other things. We used the toilet in the way out and noticed the sign in the courtyard said open until 3. I don’t think I’ll bother again, sadly.

Nice local feel here. Darkish decor but it works given the light the large front window allows in. The place has a warm homely feel and it was good to hear the happy chatting and chiding between the staff. It all adds to a happy amiable atmosphere. Beautiful coffee here. A lovely deep dark and lovely offering with silky flavour and excellent length. I didn’t try the food here but will next time. The menu looked good.

Excellent local cafe. Good quality coffee. Crispy bacon baguette is fantastic. And don’t get me started on those pork & fennel sausage rolls. Don’t buy them in case they run out when I want them

Love this little local cafe - coffee is always great, egg tarts and muffins are really tasty and fresh. I like the fact you can buy bread, eggs and take home meals too. Great courtyard out the back and very friendly staff. Such a gem of a cafe for Northcote.

This place has so much charm, it makes you feel like your sitting right at home, it's not pretentious or trying to be something it's not. <br/><br/>Ordered the roasted beetroot on sourdough and the pulled pork baguette. Beetroot was the hero, roasted perfectly. The chickpea and garlic smash was really good, I'll attempt to replicate that at home. But I felt like it needed something more, not sure what maybe more of a sauce, an egg or maybe just feta instead of Parmesan. But not a bad dish otherwise. <br/><br/>The pulled pork sorry but it was really bland, it needed some oomph in it, some hit of spices or some flavor. It was just tasteless meat. Only ate half because we felt bad, but it wasn't fun. Such a let down because it's sounds so good on the menu but just disappointing. <br/><br/>Coffee is great, service is exceptional and the staff are extremely friendly and chirpy.

Great slices and jams. The kumquat jam is amazing.<br/><br/>I just wish they would do something about the coffee, it is truly awful. No flavour. What is Strada Coffee?

The only thing that sucks about this cafe is that there is this strange customer, a regular (I think) who always just decides, without asking, to sit next to you. He's about half a foot tall, furry and orange. Be wary of him. He doesn't say much, but he touches people inappropriately. And he's not afraid to sit on your laptop keyboard if you're sitting outside.<br/><br/>Other than that, the food, the service, the amazing coffee.. it's probably the best cafe in Northcote.

Popped in for fairly rushed post Sunday soccer snack so didn't get the chance to try more than crumpets and coffee. Both however extremely satisfying. House made lemon curd on the crumpets yum. Service was happy smiley and prompt, lovely little spot

Came here today for brunch with friends. I started with a soy latte, which was good. I had the medley of mushrooms on toast with a side of coddled egg. It was very yummy. I would prefer a poached egg though. Will return for sure. I like that its tucked away in a back street away from busy High Street.

Only had coffee here but What a great little spot. There is something special about those old milk bars/businesses located off the beaten track that are converted to cafes. Can't wait to come back for breakfast or lunch as menu reads well.

The food is ok but definitely not worth the prices they charge. The staff are consistently rude and make it clear that they are doing you a massive favor by acknowledging your existence. With so many other cafes nearby that have staff who are friendly and helpful there is no need to trouble the staff at this cafe.

I love the sandpit out the back, the cosy set up in the front and the interesting tea selection. <br/>The food and smoothies are delish. <br/>I am all for anything kid friendly and this place suits me just fine

I've never written a review on of these platforms but this totally annoyed me. I just tried to order a simple coffee and pastry to take away - I literally waited over half an hour, yes it was Saturday but they weren't overly busy. The staff could see me waiting there patiently for a very long time and not once did they mention it might be a long wait, but when I finally did get my pastry they didn't apologise and were actually quite rude! There's plenty of great friendly coffee places close by - definitely won't be back.

Great place! Food was really tasty,offer is different from the usual cafe menu.Coffee was good.Really baby-friendly (high chair,change table,sand pit...wow!),and nice and friendly staff.well done!

A visit today for lunch, was impressive. The best food and coffee experience in ages. Delicious lunch special and a tastee bean dish - both nutritious and bounding in flavour. Coffee was a winner, my partner in crime almost had 3 cups. Even fresh baked Spelt bread loaves for sale from a local Carlton North bakery. Impressed. No place is too far to drive from to experience this warm and inviting nook amongst the residential area of Fairfield. A must return soon destination.

Serving size was generous and the eggs dishes that we ordered were very tasty. Staffs were so friendly and really made you felt at home. A great spot to sit outdoors during the sunny days and enjoy a leisurely afternoon.

Absolutely amazing cafe. Good coffee. And the breakfast was so cheap and huge! I got the beans and just finished them, so delicious not to finish. They were only $14 too! And my boyfriend got the large avo and couldn't finish it but it was all such amazing quality.

Beautiful little cafe away from the madness of Station St. Good food, good coffee a nice place to relax in the winter sun outside if you're lucky

Cute venue, so-so breakfast, narcissistic staff, and please keep the dogs outside! Disgusting to see staff letting dogs inside, patting them, then going back to serve customers without wiping hands. Alley cats were lining up at the door. Didn't appreciate the staff butting into our conversation, or telling us we could sit anywhere, then after we'd sat down, telling us we'd have to move if a bigger group came. Very rude and immature behaviour. Staff need to work on their interpersonal skills, and raise hygiene standards.

Local produce, rustic feel. This cafe, which also sells a range of home-made produce such as jams, sauces and preserves, has a rustic, no-nonsense feel to it. The menu is smallish, but features many items that are suitable for vegetarians, vegans and people with gluten intolerance. With raised garden beds on the nature strip outside providing some veggies and herbs for the kitchen, and the courtyard and toilet only accessible by going outside, around the corner, and through the side gate, this cafe has a very relaxed, country feel, so if fine-dining is your style, this is not the place for you. But if you want tasty, seasonal food in a great neighbourhood setting, it is recommended.

My new fav local! Great menu, great food, great atmosphere, good coffee, excellent staff. Courtyard for summer. Cosy indoor area for winter. Seasonal menu. I have been here half a dozen times over the past 2 months and have never left disappointed. Good work guys

Bye Bye from me. I have been a fan of this little cafe since it opened - good homemade food , coffee, delicious produce and warm, welcoming staff. I have taken many friends there and the last few occasions, one of us has requested, politely, that the music be turned down. This has usually been done (with some relyctance), but today my friend asked that it be lowered "so that we could hear ourselves speak" - to our shock and surprise, staff said it was not possible, saying that the owner insists "it stay at this level" and "this is the mood of the place"!!! And we were further told that "that's what the outdoor tables are for" - on a cold day this was hardly appropriate. <br/>I'm very sad and sorry to not be going back to Thomson Street Foodstore, but I feel this lack of hospitality draws a clear line...

I love the breakfast quesadilla (there are three great options to choose from incl two vegetarian) - it's great every time, any which way!

Take a turn down Thomson Street – a Northcote thoroughfare with a reputation for Christmas-light contests between neighbours – and you’ll luck upon off-the-beaten-track Thomson Street Foodstore, a haunt where locals indulge in cracking coffee and simple fare. Inside, this made-over milkbar has polished concrete floors, hanging light bulbs and lashings of natural light. The exposed brick walls are dressed with colourful murals by Amanda Hayes; a warren of shelves houses homemade goodies – preserved lemons, chilli sauce, syrups, marmalades, relish – that had Mother hankering for a closer look. There are a handful of tables including the compulsory communal – all full the morning of our visit – which compelled us to take a perch at one of the deep, window-facing breakfast bars where we were quickly seen by a lovely waitress. Foodstore’s menu isn’t a culinary trailblazer; its offerings are uncomplicated and unassuming, centering on dishes that can be easily and quickly prepared. Those with

Sorry gus but you missed the mark for us. Really nice staff but that's about it. Took us over two hours to complete breakfast. Food was sooooo small and really poorly done. Eggs over cooked. And son over priced for the portion size. We were literally so hungry afterwards we could have eaten the whole dish again. Bill was $60 for my husband and I am two year old son. Won't be coming back.

Check out their courtyard.. I'm very lucky to have these guys at the end of the street! I'm a sucker for plain old avocado on toast, and their serving is generous with lots of feta, lemon, and crunchy seeds. I also love the house made, traditional crumpets.<br/>The ladies here are very friendly and have a nice, imaginative menu which works with their limited space and facilities. This also means that if it's busy, expect a little wait, but they usually have a selection of cakes and treats (including gluten-free, raw/ vegan) to snack on if you can't wait.<br/>Their little courtyard has recently opened up too, child-friendly with a sandpit and some toys and room for prams. Their herb garden comes complete with Morris (Maurice?) the very confident ginger cat who basically has his life proper sorted. <br/>They also sell bread, milk, and other basics plus olive oil, chutney, and assorted fruit curds which would make great gifts for the food snob in your life.

No so hot potato. Competent food with no wow factor. We had some kids that just wanted hot potatoes. Kids version is $8 each, so we wanted to substitute bacon with something else, and that turned out to be "coleslaw". And that was just chopped carrot/cabbage etc without any dressing. That aint coleslaw, that's just chopped veggies. My Reuben sandwich and my partners melt were fine, but as I said, nothing outstanding for the price. The crumpets were just weird doughy yeasty buns, that needed a bit more cooking. The smashed avo and feta open sandwich was generous though.

Great place. These guys are my local and I frequent them for both coffee and breakfast/lunch. Coffee is top notch and the menu rotates seasonally. Lack of traditional kitchen limits their range somewhat but having tried almost everything on the menu I can say that their ingredients and preparation are both superb. Staff are very warm and friendly, though the service is generally faster than the food preparation when things get busy. The specials board is almost always a winner, particularly soups/slow cooker items in the winter time. I highly recommend this place.

I always thought this was our secret. But it seems not as there are always a few locals around. Such a nice place and it's always nice to 'find' something so delicious on a quiet little back street in quiet fairfield. Much better stuff on offer than station street and always a cool spin on their dishes.

Most amazing paleo raw cacao almond milk hot chocolate mildly sweetened with maple syrup ever!!! Didn't have time for food but looking at everyone else's plates... We will me back!

Was told they don't have the facilities for poached eggs. Hmmm. It's not that complicated is it?

The great thing about this cafe is their ability to be busy but still retain a relaxed environment. A simple yet tasty menu is complimented by simple yet tasty coffees (you don't need to worry about single origins or filter coffees). This is the perfect place to retreat from the rain with a book!

I go here because........ Having spent many an hour at this quaint and charming little cafe in Northcote sipping on my lattes or munching on something from their menu board I am so glad that there is such a place in Northcote that consistently delivers with great service, coffee and food. As a foodie and coffee junkie, everyone in Northcote should get behind this little gem of a place and make it their local haunt. You want be disappointed.

Good coffee and decent food but I'm a little but concerned that the staff don't know what 'vegan' means as the 'vegan open sandwich' contains goats cheese.

The Reuben. Really good Reuben sandwich.<br/>Definitely going back!

Brilliant. Wow - this place is super special! What used to be an old run down milk bar has been transformed into a foodie's heaven. All alone in a suburban street, you'll always be able to find a park which is a big tick but the real magic happens inside where the food and coffee are spot on. Enjoy this little gem :)

Good Place. Nice and small, lovely staff, yummy food

The over all feel of the place "Luke warm". The aesthetic is by far the best part of this new cafe. Friendly staff service. <br/> Do not be critical as you will perhaps like I was be told you are wrong! As for the coffee, too hot.. The quesadilla nearly stone cold and while they did try and accommodate requests I agree with the bacon post below: eat here only if you have not one fussy bone in your body, otherwise risk leaving more than a little dissapointed. In fact other than that I will not be back of my own volition! Beware the dodgy café that tells you it's right and your needs cannot be met.

Cute. I like that it's not a huge cafe. Coffee was really good, had the crumpets with lemon curd (so good!). I want to head back in and try some more dishes. They have takeaway meals for the freezer for when you don't feel like cooking dinner, great idea!

Yum! Really tasty baked beans, great coffees and very nice house made bread. Delicious!

I've been here a few times now and it has always been great, it's so nice to have a menu that is more interesting than "bacon & eggs"! I'm slowly working my way through the menu, favorites so far are the baked eggs & quesidilla. The roasted fig special was amazing.

Fabulous coffee, unique menu, but not very accommodating. I went here for brunch this morning with a friend who was after traditional bacon and poached eggs. Couldn't do as they didn't have a stove? Regardless of a side of bacon being possible on some other menu items? The crumpets were nice, but rather plain. Bircher muesli looked amazing, coffee was delicious and overall ambiance was warm

Awesome Little Local!!. This place really does tick all the boxes. Coffee is excellent, I enjoy it strong and at no extra charge you get an extra shot! The food is consistent, I eat there most weekends and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere. The service is also second to none, with wait staff that actually know what they are serving and have a clear passion for food.

After reading the reviews, I decided to try Thomson St Cafe. I went with a couple of others and we all really enjoyed our breakies. The coffee was great too. I recommend the homemade crumpets with lemon curd. They were delicious!!

Just Perfect!. This cafe realy does seem just perfect! The food is realy great, interesting but not so complicated you need to ask 20 questions, and realy fresh healthy stuff. Although I'm not a vego or vegan or gluten free myself it was nice to see so many options on the menu catering to everyone. We tried a Vegan muffin and gluten free house made crumpets (in addition to our egg pots, yum) just because we were curious, they were absolutely as good as regular muffins and the waitress told us that compared to the standard house made crumpets the gf version are actually even lighter! Served with house made lemon curd how could this be better. Coffee is great to, organic blend and demeters milk, nice range of unusual smoothies, house brewed ice teas or freshly squeezed juice if coffee isn't your thing.

Great atmosphere but needs consistency with food.. I really like this little place. Off the beaten track and with a lovely array of healthy choices to be made.<br/>I did, however, have one negative experience and I urge the owners to take note.<br/>I ordered the avocado and feta on toast and was served brown, stringy, over ripe avocado. I left it on the side of my plate and the staff cleared it away with no comment. A little thing, but it turned me off going for awhile. When you pay good prices, you expect consistency and premium produce. People also chat about such experiences, and for a newish establishment, in a very competitive area, it is consistent attention to detail that ultimately breeds success.<br/>So to the two girls preparing the food, please ensure that your avos are fit for consumption before charging premium prices.

Great coffee, delicious food!. Gorgeous cafe with delicious food, perfect coffee and a lovely atmosphere. My favourite breakfast treat is the organic basil omelette with baby spinach and goats cheese. I always add salmon! <br/>It's also a great place for people with food intolerances. They understand what fructose is and make delicious GF bread on site!

Beautiful place! I come down every morning to get my coffee! It's great atmosphere is also very inviting to pop in and have some delicious avo on toast or an amazing potted omelette!

Friendly.. The most friendly and relaxed cafe I have been to.

Great local. Very relaxed little cafe. Good vibes. Good food, better sweets - esp the cheesecake, delicious. Could do with more veg options however for lunch however, esp as in northcote/Fairfield lefty pinko town

Amazing food, fantastic location with plenty of parking. Love the decor also and the whole vibe of the place. Will definitely return!

Great for gluten free. I think most food is made on the premises. Innovative menu with great smoothies and juices. I enjoy the local feel, quiet street and friendly staff

No good too many cool cafe trying hard to be different the food is poor

Lovely little local. I am loving the rise of the local cafe and Thomson embodies the sweet little corner shop turned local cafe vibe well. Great food and even better coffee accompanied with a local feel where you will probably run into someone you know. Also have a great range of organic and gluten free fare for eats and sale to take home.

Cute. I quite like this place, it's the new kid on the block. It has a nice vibe, the coffee is fine. I thought some of the food was a bit pricey ($14 for a sandwich!) but everything is nice and fresh. The avocado and feta toast for breaking is very nice. I hope these guys do well, but they may need to look at their menu and pricing, especially given the fairly stiff competition nearby.

Noticed this little gem open a few weeks ago. Pretty interior and great coffee. Food is fresh and healthy. Will be back!

Great coffee and really delicious healthy food. Like the sangas and ploghman's platter. Most things made in house including delicious relish. Really pleasant location and pretty interior.

  I want to share a little gem with you. Don’t tell too many people though, this space is small and intimate and would be ruined by hordes of hungry Melbournians. Its charm comes from its simple food, wholesome philosophy and gorgeous staff. I would like to preface this write up with a disclaimer. These divine folk provide me with my morning coffee every day – excellent coffee might I add. Now while I didn’t know them when I first moved into the area (I still only know them in a caffeinated capacity), it is possible that I, like Stockholm syndrome sufferers have become emotionally attached to this place. How can you not feel deeply for the person who hands you that warm cup of coffee each morning? They have also come to know my name, my order and my style of clothing – the barista/owner told me recently she found a pair of pants I just must have. She had me at pants. Anyway, I’m getting distracted. Thomson Café and Food Store, found well and truly off the beaten track in Northcote is a