Review Feast Of Merit

Bennis Dennis

Yummy sharing plates with lovely hospitality. Started our meal with some cauliflower which was absolutely delicious. Crispy, salty and everything you could want in a bite. Followed that with a selection of mains - fish alongside some eggplant and again was cooked super well. The waiter was super kind and helped us sort a last minute table. Will definitely be back!

Uthpala Koralegedara

Lovely cafe to have brunch or dinner. Was seated upstairs in the open, which was nice. Friendly staff and good service. Food was delicious.

Ozzy Kunnu

Loved the coffee and chai, loved the food and absolutely enjoyed the vibe.... Feast of Merit is a very well known cafe in the area and anyone who has visited this cafe so far, will only have good things to say.

Ankit Charles Rodrigues

A rustic charm and in the company of a lot of plants, gorgeous food and friendly staff. We had the Chicken burgers, the batter fried cauliflower ans saganaki✨🧡

Mario Loizou

Delicious meals .. Duck and lamb shoulder definitely a must try 😋 Small menu but enough choices I think

Nurdan Aliyazicioglu

Went for dinner twice and same quality every time! Amazing food! Each dish was great and service is beautiful too.

Gustav

You can’t miss this place with the huge colourful mural on the side of the building. Huge open windows and plants hanging from the roof makes it feel cosy yet light and breezy. Food is absolutely beautiful - Great menu - and the Israeli Sandwich was sensational! Coffee is excellent , as is the friendly service. Nice spot to relax.

Katerina G.

Well, walked by today at noon, the place was empty, 5 people staff and we were told that they only accept only by booking because they were understaffed. Five people doing nothing and we couldn’t get a cup of coffee. Great! Hospitality over the top! Good luck with your business 🤞🏼🍀

Gil Zamudio

Absolutely fantastic food packed w awesome flavours. The braised radish is a must of experience. It pops in your mouth and brings you to heaven. Slow cooked lamb just melt in your mouth. Fresh dips and awesome bread. The service and the concept is brilliant. Thank you to all the awesome staffs ;-) feast of merit is a must.

Lynne Farrell

Feast of Merit is my favourite restaurant in Richmond. The food is seriously good with amazing flavours and I love the seasonal sharing menu. The staff are brilliant at customer service, providing a human touch and so warm and welcoming - you will feel very special. The ambience is funky, oh and did I say the food is seriously good! The dips with zatar grilled flat bread are to die for. I take all my visiting friends to FoM and they all rave about it afterwards. The philosophy of sharing and social responsibility of giving all profits to YGAP only adds to the amazing experience. Totally recommend a visit. Love Love

Ell Dakine

The main felt very meagre swimming in a huge ceramic plate A few shreds of salmon on a sketchy bed of greens dotted with fetta Very lack lustre and not worth the $18 Almond chai - yes they were the first ever in all my requests in many cafés for hot hot hot almond milk but the chai itself had no flavour Loved the style and layout Service super attentive and high energy -Food disappointing :(

Garry Putland

What a great place. The staff were lovely and the food was excellent. The dessert was heaven!! The place was buzzing. Got to come back!!

Ally Cassidy

The food was great & flavours amazing but the portion sizes for what u pay are small. Great atmosphere, great coffee.

Annette Seymour

I can't believe I haven't been here before. Great atmosphere, beautiful food and lovely staff. A little pricey but well worth it �

Kellie Wynne

What an amazing establishment. Had such a genuine vibe. Refreshingly honest staff and meals to die for. Highly recommended the feast. Beautiful end to an amazing day!! Thank you.

Alicia Schaasberg

Loved the food, the environment and the concept! The night we were there the service left an awful lot to be desired - our dirty plates were left on our table for half an hour and it was impossible to get a drink....and it wasn't busy at all.... will be back to give it another chance just based on the food!!

Diana Teo

Nice place with fantastic food and pretty good service. But felt like the pricing is extortionate and the serving is pretty stingy. 9 dollars for one dip and bread is separate for 5 dollars. 3 half slices of bread turned up, two bite sized each. Felt more like a 'Feast of Stinginess' .

Leesh Dumbell

We had Brekky here & loved it! The Coffee was Devine. Only recommendation would be to add more options to the menu as there wasn't a huge selection.

Shirin Albert

Loved the food and ambience! The rooftop bar is the prettiest and cosiest I've seen in a while. The place definitely has good vibes and knowing that all the money goes to charity gives it that feel-good factor too.

Melike Greenwood

Second time I've been and again totally loved it! The food was again exceptional the service warm and friendly. Not at all stuffy! They made a darn good Gin & Tonic which I strongly suggest to try! Cheers.

Rebecca Grimmant

Food was nice enough but the staff were disappointingly snotty, it was like we were invisible it’s not that hard to smile and be friendly wouldn’t bother coming back.

Kim Leggett

Favorite place to go for dinner. Great ambience with fantastic (and well sourced) food and friendly service. Always my go-to for dinner. Great for groups with the sharing plates/communal concept. Can't get enough.

Rob Barrett

Without a doubt one of the best. If you're in Melb it's a must. Tremendous food & finally I can say exceptional service & I mean exceptional!! Barramundi wings, mussels in a yummy sauce, spuds that make you wanna slap your Mamma & pork belly - oh the pork belly. I had to apologise to the table next to us for the sound of me chowing thru the crackling!!

Foodies.and.Coe

A beautiful open space that I've always been meaning to try. It was well worth it, the atmosphere was intimate and cosy whilst the food was delicious. The gnocchi simply melted in my mouth!

The Casual Diner

Will come back for: + Cauliflower Omelette Came here with some colleagues and felt like something light and landed on the omelette. Am so glad I did! The omelette was fluffy, the cauliflower cooked soft but still has a little texture, it was well spiced and delicious. The serving was also generous for the price you pay. Service was great, and the place was buzzing during lunch time service. Will definitely be back to try out some of the other offerings.

Bernardt

We had a terrible service experience here - sat down and ordered some coffees with the intention of ordering food, after more than a 20min wait we had to ask for our coffees again, only to be left waiting another 25mins without being served. We decided to walk out as our coffees never arrived, nor were we given the opportunity to order food despite prompting the staff multiple times. Very disappointed, you obviously don’t give a sh*t about customer service

Queen Of Food

3.5/5 Had a lunch event here and sat up on the rooftop. The food service was quick and bar service was really friendly. The food highlights were the calamari - lovely crunch but still soft and tender inside. A good place to visit in Richmond.

Lucy

Lovely interior - but the portion sizes are very small for the price you pay. We left hungry and unsatisfied.

Famished

I really liked the interior of this venue. They also have a rooftop bar, perfect for a tipple on a Summer day. Their menu offers some classics, as well as dishes with a Middle Eastern influence. My 'Fistik' had good flavour, but the crumpet was dry and dense. Price was quite steep for the portion size.

Melbourniancritic (The Melbourne Experience)

Feast of Merit in Richmond is a cafe by day and a restaurant by night. They even have a lovely rooftop bar as well. This much loved hotspot serves a fresh and organic flavoursome selection of Middle Eastern inspired food made with a great combination of delicious seasonal produce, locally sourced wines, craft beers, spirits and cocktails.

Cmzajicek

What an amazing night celebrating over some great food and drinks with friends! We made our own banquet style dinner to share between multiple people, and it was fantastic, so much food! Grab a bunch of starters, a few mains and a share plate and sit for hours chatting away, night set!

Nicole Tsiamis

Lovely atmosphere and staff. We ordered the falafels, eggplant and hummus. The falafels were extremely salty and dry. We sent them back and the chefs were friendly and offered to not charge us. Maybe it was on off batch, but would suggest their recipie needs tweaking. If you are going to give only 4 small falafels for $25 you want them to be amazing... We didn’t try any meat dishes so they might have been better.

Check Please

Maybe I don’t get it but the breakfast and lunch options of the menu merged together so I chose haloumi fritters with smokes salmon egg and dukkar. It was okay, the flavours were there, but cold fritters on a chilly morning don’t make the cut.

Ash

Fantastic venue in Richmond, that has a wide selection of drinks and food- designed to share. Unfortunately on the day we came, there was a private event upstairs so we couldn’t check out the bar area, but we tucked in for a great meal with some friends. Ingredients were fresh, filling and extremely tasty and offered a lot of menu items I’d never heard of before! Being on such a busy strip it is very busy and noisy in the area, so prepare to speak up to hear each other! Great place to come and unwind after work, or before heading to an event down the road.

Fatcat

Friend and I came here for a weekend brunch and I really like the chill vibes. Staff were very friendly, and the Somon I had was delicious. Will remember this place for future hangs.

Julie

I would’ve given 4 stars as the food was amazing. But unfortunately the manager in charge that night was not reasonable at all. I had the booking weeks in advance, and been looking forward to try for the 1st time with some of my friends... but they gave us a table near toilet where everywhere else was empty. When finally requested to be moved the second time (as the door to the toilet kept opened and it was a very cold night), they finally moved us to next table. At 7:45pm the gave us the bill (we didn’t request it). And even though I haven’t finished my wine, they asked us to leave as next guests are coming. As we walked out, we saw at least 6 empty tables and only 2 people waiting. What’s going on FOM?

WestISbest

Feast of Merit is easily the best eatery on Swan Street. I've had plenty of coffees on the run in the past and also grabbed a quick snack. This long weekend i decided to take the family down for a proper feed. SO GLAD I DID. Food, coffee, atmosphere and value were amazing! The big windows allow for people watching - and there's plenty to see. I heard they have a roof-top bar also, so that definitely looks like a place to book a work function! Thanks guys for a great day with the family.

Melbourne Foodie

Want to give this place another try as I think we may have come on an off night for the team at FOM. The food all came out COLD (even the dishes that were meant to be hot) and the small dark haired Waitress we had serving us was SO condescending and just too "cool for school", we felt completely unwelcome. It was as if she didn't want to be there....? The cheeky chap behind the bar was the complete opposite and a total joy, so that helped me lift the score a bit. We enjoyed the flavours so thats why I'm keen to go again to see if they could do better. The wine list wasn't bad though.

Ilovefood

Is this place under new management? Normally bustling on a Saturday morning this place was dead!! Breakfast was bland, avocado not ripe (hard and bitter) and my friend found a hair in her scrambled eggs. We had to continually ask for cutlery, or a pepper grinder to be filled up, or for butter, etc. Won’t be heading back!

Good Food Good Mood

Hubby and I went to Feast of Merit for a delicious ethical dinner. Their ethos is all about sustainable and local sourcing and utilising seasonal produce. The proceeds are also donated to charity which is very admirable and has the added bonus of making you feel you spent money dining out in a worthy way. The food itself is also impressive. The pumpkin with mixed grains and molasses and the broccoli with feta and dukkha were very flavoursome. As for the lamb shoulder, simply exceptional. As a $66 sharing dish it was easily sufficient for 3 people and bursting with those middle eastern style flavours. The bread and haloumi is also a worthy starter. Zataar and garlic oil on the flatbread paired with some grilled haloumi, perfecto. The service also deserves a mention as the staff were extremely warm. Perhaps the restaurant philosophy attracts the friendly type!

AaronN

Whilst the service here was top notch (everyone super friendly), we found the food a bit bland, and had to add a decent amount of salt to everything to give it a decent kick. The overall ambience was also a bit too loud and cramped for our liking.

Gabriel

Can't help but love this little Swan Street venue. Full of plants and good vibes, the dinner menu is well constructed with plenty of options for everyone, including a good selection of vegetarian dishes. Great selection of wines, spirits and beers. Thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Anthony Choi

Had an amazing experience at Feast of Merit recently. Very attentive staff, great coffee, delicious food, stunning decor. The lunch menu is a little small, but it was packed full of flavour. I have eaten here at dinner and this is where the place excels, with tasty Middle Eastern inspired food. Great little wine list too, plus a hidden rooftop bar. Swan Street is always busy, as is this little gem!

Sweetoothbrunches

Boasting a great and cozy interior, I decided to stop by for bruch. I ordered a matcha latte and the banana pancakes. While the food was tasty, I was disappointed and surprised to only recieve one small pancake. Definitely wasn't value for money.

Salty

Unfortunately we had a bad experience here. We were ignored when we walked in and had to flag down a waiter to order coffee. The coffee was slow to arrive but good. We then had to get the waiter again to order food which we then waited nearly an hour for. The food was very average, the toast was basically just warm bread and my lamb was dry.

Joan Lee

Food is absolutely amazing here. Stumbled here whilst looking for dinner and was amazed at being able to just walk in here without a reservation on a Saturday night. All the food here was exceptional from the labneh dips which are home made to the slow roasted lamb shoulder. All cooked perfectly and melted in your mouth. The fried chicken was juicy and not dry. Everything was in large portions and very filling. I cant wait to come back and try everything else.

Kimberley Mulcahy

Went in on a Sunday afternoon with Mum for lunch. Coffee was everything you’d want for a coffee before your meal. Lunch was ordered and came out very swiftly from the awesome kitchen team. I ordered the smoked trout dish and it was perfectly balanced, fresh and delicious! Mum had the lamb Benedict and the smile on her face after the first bite said it all - full of flavour, hearty and delicious. We stayed for a post lunch wine and shared the delicious spiced carrot cake. Our experience was awesome but the highlight was definitely the food, so much flavour. Will be back!

Amara

A complete and total 5 out of 5 for me! from the trendy atmosphere, to the friendly and accommodating wait staff and the AMAZING food; this place ticks all the boxes for me. I came here on a Thursday night with my father (thinking it wouldn't even be that busy so I didn't book-i should have booked), and did wait a little while; but was allowed to sit at the bar and could have even order food there too but a table did become available. We ordered a lot of food including 3 dips (hummus, tarama, and labne), flatbread, the eggplant dish, broccoli dish, falafels, octopus, and halloumi. All were incredible; the seasonings were on point, the flavours were delightful, portion sizes were just right, and everything came out in such great time. Also, all the dishes worked really well together too; so a bit of the labne dip would go nicely with the falafels, or the hummus surprisingly works well with the eggplant or the halloumi. At the end we still had some dips left and were offered more bread for the end so we didn't waste anything. I highly recommend this place to anyone seeking middle eastern food on any night of the week. I will definitely be returning here!!!

Erica Quan

Love the food and ambience, but a tad pricey compared to other middle eastern inspired places around Melbourne. Came here to cater for both vegetarian and non vegetarian eaters. I was very happy with my dishes - carrot entree and the cauliflower and other members said the meat was falling off the bone. Definitely the meat dishes are worth it, but for vegetarian eaters it’s a tad pricey for a vegetable based meal- $35 for a head of cauliflower (although delicious) which you can get from Miznon in hardware lane for $13 and it’s recently been “hatted”! The serves aren’t skimpy though which was nice- I was expecting smaller serves.

Magpie

Great food experiences at Feast of Merit a number of times, however the service unfortunately isn't as good as it could be. Alabalik is my favorite dish. Good wines by the glass or bottle. Always busy.

Hannah & Meilisa

Nice food with a middle eastern twist. We had the chicken burger, falafels and mushrooms with brioche. All were tasty but not amazing. They were also either understaffed or under prepared for the number of people meaning long wait times for coffee and food.

Jo P

Beautiful ambience and service was welcoming and friendly. Food was good but underwhelming! Went with interstate guests and was hoping for better. I had ravioli which really is star shaped pasta with a pumpkin sauce— little bland. Husband had falafel balls which were ok. A friend had chicken which he said was really good. Wine choices were varied and wines chosen were very good! Would go again if in the area but that’s it.

Snagos

Love this place! The place itself has such a warm cozy feeling with all the decor and lighting! My partner and I have had the slow roasted lamb with a side of potatoes and croquettes! Delicious! Serving sizes are large for mains and entree serving sizes are reasonable! Staff are nice, chatty and assist with any decision making of food! We come back every few months for dinner and love it. Next on the list to try is the falafels.. I’ve heard they are amazing!

Martina De Zilva

Upon receiving our food, realised that 3 of 4 meals were missing key components. Waitress tried to argue one meal didn't contain that and had to be proved wrong using the menu. Two meals were offered a free extra component but most vegetables were unavailable. No mention of this prior to ordering or when food arrived. Food was mediocre. Now that its a profit based business, its hard to ignore these flaws. Won't return.

LilSherz

Our meals arrived with missing components without explanation or replacement by the chef. Food was mediocre at best- won’t be going back anytime soon

Melbourne Digest

A beautiful woody, dimly but warmly lit restaurant space . The charred cauliflower was amazing, as was the beef cheeks which came with crispy kale atop a creamy, sweet hummus style sauce. The lamb shoulder was a decent size but begot the need for a sauce. The entrées we got- the octopus, the whiting and the roe and lime fingers, whilst did not overexcite, were well-presented and placed quite aesthetically on the table.

Luke Martini

If I could give 0 stars I would. Was refused service as we were not going to buy meals but just wanted coffee and desert, even though the place was 1/3 full at 7pm on a Sunday night. I guess the manager would rather no money instead of some money - ludicrous. Best avoid.

Dan Mack

A near perfect incompetent mess of poor communication and mismanagement of customer expectations. My friend's birthday dinner did not happen last night after booking two month's in advance. My friend booked a table two months in advance for 10 people for 8pm for her birthday. We were advised that there were two sittings at the venue. Given the size of the party, we went for the later sitting and, the venue advised that only the set menu was available at $55 per person. We booked for 8pm and turned up at 8:10pm to be told the booking was actually 8:30pm and that there were still guests at the table. We went away for another drink and came back at 8:40pm, and were told that there were still guests at the table. The waitress or manager could not nor would not advise a time for us to return or provide an apology or suggest any reparation. To their credit, the manager did not want to give an explanation because it would "sound like an excuse". In the end, we did not eat here to celebrate my friend's birthday. If you're a venue that has sittings, then take responsibility to enforce them. Utterly disappointing and saddened for ruining my friend's birthday.

Dreamer

Was excited to try this out with friends.Location and deco was great but the food was just not up to standards.Some of the food came out cold, dry in texture and lacked flavour.The sides came first and the mains came about 5-10 minutes later.For the amount of money paid-this was a massive disappointment after all the hype! Sorry

Simply WonderFood

I had been to Feast of Merit over 10 times and I recommended to everyone. Sad to say I went back last week and everything has changed! No longer can you find the same delicious cauliflowers or the range of shared dishes either. They only have two sharing options and a range of mains that didn’t impress. Sad to say the restaurant that once was in my top 10 of Melbourne and definitely my favourite to recommend in Richmond is now no longer a favourite.

Maria Georgopoulos

Great decor, fantastic service but completely outraged that I paid $29 for 5 small burnt dry falafels on a bed of hummus and a quarter wedge of avocado. It was the most dry bland meal I’ve ever eaten out!! Never going back!!

Gemma

We arrived at Feast of Merit and there were no available tables inside, despite many empty tables being reserved. Sat outside for a short time before an inside table became available - thank you! Had the fried cauliflower which was lovely and very different. Loved the crunchy chickpeas that went with it. Partner had the ravioli, which is just like a corkscrew pasta (no filling). This was a little strange as it had a yoghurt sauce. I guess just something we're not used to! Would come back if in the area.

Mo

Beautiful cafe along Main Street of Richmond near the train station. Lots of plants and comfy seating nooks. Very friendly service, but not overbearing. My friend and I were very slow to order and have our meals and they never hurried us along despite being busy. Would happily come here again!

Vestan Pance

Great food and friendly and attentive service. The atmosphere is lovely when they open up the windows on a sunny day. Great upstairs bar, nice and chilled out. Little oasis on a very hectic strip.

Angie

Been wanting to come here for some time but found our dinner experience underwhelming. Small plates were only 1-2 mouthfuls each which was a little steep, such as 2 slices of haloumi for $15. The Turkish ravioli was a generous serve but had no actual filling, it was just pasta in the shape of ravioli and mainly tasted of garlic yogurt. Slow roasted lamb shoulder was also generous in serve but had minimal additional flavour, with the apparent spices on top not penetrating through the meat. Drinks were reasonable and they do a decent whisky sour. Overall this place was alright but not a stand out in a busy area like Swan St!

Pink.rhapsody

These guys are fantastic. The new owners have come through brilliantly and the changes can be seen in every aspect. Loved the food. Will be back.

Dr S

I walked in around 12 on a Sunday and was seated straightaway. With a view of Coles there is not much in terms of ambience. As I waited for my friends I perused their menu of non pronounceable dishes. I got the zucchini haloumi fritter with hazelnut and warercress salad. My skim cappucino was great but the food was not. My fritter was raw mushy and tasteless. And I only got one. No cheese was found. My friends beetroot salad just tasted like bottled beetroot. No flavours. My other friend ordered a burger and didn't like the burger bun Quite disappointing They are no longer affiliated with ygap. There was no feast and their food was not of merit Service is quick They do split bills

Gerd

It’s an older popular spot on Swan St - a street which now has so many new places popping up the game is changing and little things matter. Lunch for 2-the roast chicken salad and the lamb burger (read Tavuk & Kuzu Burger on the menu). The chicken salad was light, fresh and simply presented. The Kuzu was shredded lamb shoulder on a very good brioche bun with slaw and pickled tomato. Pretty good. Lost half a point for the sticky table-clean but stick due to the type of distressed wood used. Pretty good may not be good enough.

Sally

Oh my.... this place was absolutely horrendous. I’m not usually that harsh but I saw 3.9 star cafe in Richmond what could go wrong?? It just went from average to worse... walked in, wasn’t busy at all, no greeting.. ok, found a table and was served relatively quickly. No water provided but cups on the table.. Ordered drinks which came out quickly. Matcha was average for $6 they normally come with honey to sweeten but this didn’t. I was writing an email on my phone and had a few cms of my drink left which got taken away when I wasn’t looking!! I thought I was going crazy. What waiter takes your drink away without asking?! Menu looked absolutely fantastic found it hard to pick something, eventually settled on big breakfast and zuchinni fritters. Came out fairly quickly, great. Food was absolutely disgusting. The only thing good was the poached egg. The fritter was mushy, the only thing I could taste was salt noooo. The watercress mess was saturated in lemon juice and again SALT. Literally tasted like the ocean, no other flavour at all. The big breakfast was also average but the part that blew my mind was the halloumi, rock hard and tasted like a piece of rubber. Couldn’t even cut it with a knife. So so bad. The sujok was completely burnt and hard. No one came to ask how the food was either so at the till I mentioned it. It became a very awkward experience explaining that the food was terrible (in the nicest way possible) the man didn’t seem too impressed with our complaint but took the food off the bill, great that he did that but I don’t like feeling like I’m complaining just to get a free meal, and my friend agreed. Definitely 10000% won’t be back.

MsConnoisseur

Stumbled across this middle eastern gem while on the hunt for coffee and dessert on swan st. We had dinner at Agapi but was not keen to have dessert there. The atmosphere was delightful, dim lighting, cosy and felt pretty romantic. The perfect place for our coffee and dessert. We opted for the Lokma and Muhallebi which is a Turkish custard. I have a Turkish background and very familiar with the cuisine. The Muhallebi was a beautiful reinvention of the original which is just Rice Flour, milk and sugar served with cinnamon. The fruit, rose water, nuts just lifted the flavors. The lokma was crisp and not overly sweet, fluffy inside and exactly how it should be. My 3 key pointers * The menu sounded very familiar to me. After receiving that Muhallebi can’t wait for the other twists you have created. MANTI I will be back to try you. * The service we got was really good and friendly. Did not feel pushed to leave, even when we arrived at 10.45pm * Most swan st venues have their toilets positioned outside, no fault of the restaurant but I can’t handle walking past smelly bins. Lucky I was sober

Daniel

Lovely food, a great environment and most of all, fantastic and friendly service. I took my Mum here for lunch for her birthday, and our afternoon was made so nice by staff who were friendly and genuine. Recommend highly.

Two Sheds

We really liked it. It’s a solid 4. This is like a middle eastern bistro with lots of twists. The food is solidly and consistently good. There’s not one dish that we didn’t like. Octopus, lamb, hummus, a whole snapper etc, etc. Every single one of them was good. I/we prefer Rumi which is sort of middle eastern fine dining with a modest price tag (if you choose the seasonal feast), but for modern middle eastern on this side of town Feast of Merit is a very good option. Service was good too with Madi an absolute stand out top draw performer. It was ridiculously hot in here tonight but you can sort of forgive it a little when the temperature hovers near 40 during the day. I’d even admit to a bit of a thrill going near the Sahara desert air like AC outflow on the way to the loos. A nice place that’s I’d happily revisit.

ThatGirlAlice

Great coffee, disapointing food. This place is so beautiful with great atmosphere and friendly staff. Lovely coffee. I had scrambled eggs on sourdough with a $5 addition of haloumi. The haloumi was grilled: came out charred and was crumbly and dry to eat. I regret not sending it back to be honest (especially at that price point for a side). Eggs were okay, needed seasoning. Would definitely have another coffee here and would maybe try again for food but was pretty disappointed with meal this time around.

Vege Eats

Place is very aesthetically pleasing and the food does not disappoint. We did the ‘feast of merit’ for $50 pp. highlights were the eggplant dish and the labne.

Pinch Of Bacon

Lovely decor. The tea was spectacular and the service really good. The danish was a bit heavy and the donut very heavy but both still tasted good. The open windows mean that cigarette smoke does drift in which is unfortunate.

Desiree Munro

Would give this place a lower score if it wasn’t for the smug feeling you get knowing you had brunch at a place that gives some of their profits back. Food was edible, nothing really bad about the food, and coffee was decent although if you like it strong you will need to state that, which is also fine, but service was a bit up and down. Only 2 of us but we ate separately as our dishes came out at different times. One dish did t contain 2 of the items we asked for so was taken back, twice. Generally speaking it took a long time to take our order, and we decided to linger and have a third coffee, which took a very long time to come out. I think as they have some volunteer staff working there, there isn’t really a system with wait staff. We were served by at least 3 different staff but none really seemed to know what was going on with our food or drink orders and we had to gently remind them a few times. Food wasn’t bad though. I’d probably go back, but not at my suggestion.

Robot.tomato.space

We had our team Xmas do here today and totally enjoyed the experience! The food was fabulous - absolutely love the cauliflowers, lamb kebabs, and the pumpkin dishes. The staff there were very friendly. Service is quick given that it was quite busy at the time in the restaurant.

Jessica Cook

Really cool food, all with a healthy style spin, love this place it's great and presentation is on point!! Came here with afew girl friends we all enjoyed our time and will be back.

Captain Tofu 💪🌱☘️🍀

Went in for a quick coffee and brunch. Food, out of this world. The chef really knows what he’s doing here. Normally when my girlfriend orders her usual, bread with cooked spinach and grilled tomato, it comes out plain. No salt or pepper. Just bland. But the time we went in, the chef absolutely spiced the dish up. Was delicious. Had salt, pepper and all these herbs (which looked like oregano and rosemary, although I could be mistaken). I ordered a dish with all these greens and nuts. Again, was amazing! Hats off to the chef(s) 👨‍🍳 👩‍🍳 Only downfall was that we had to wait 18 minutes before anyone came to take our order. Would 100 percent recommend Yum 😋

Don'tMessWithMyFood

Loved the food and experience altogether. Bookings welcome - main reason I decided to try this place for dinner. Went with all the waiters recommendations and was not dissapointed. Had a few smalls, lamb for the mains (succulent, well seasoned), cauliflower salad are the two that really hit the spot. Will go back again to try a few different options.. or even the brunch :)

Joseph LJ

Had dinner here with 3 friends on Saturday night. The service was really friendly and attentive. The food was divine, starting with some delicious oysters, flat bread and hummus. I highly recommend the roast free range Milwa chicken (this plate was massive, we couldn't finish it between us) and the fried cauliflower with labnneh and za’atar on the side. The venue is 4 years old and stunning inside. Loved the interior and bi-fold windows that looked out onto vibrant Swan Street. Make sure you check out the roof-top bar for a pre or post dinner drink. It’s the best kept secret in Richmond!!

Su Zeng

Swan Street is absolutely thriving, and so is Feast of Merit! Went for dinner last Tuesday night and the venue was packed. I have been following FOM on Instagram and was salivating at pictures of their new menu. Well, it certainly lived up to the hype! We started with some hummus and flat bread, and a delicious pork terrine for starters. We then shared the chicken and lamb, along with an amazing grilled zucchini, pea, mint and feta salad. All of the food was hot, plentiful, served promptly and was absolutely delicious!! We had no room for dessert, so we each finished with a delicious cocktail instead. Feast is an amazing venue for breakfast, lunch or dinner. And now with a wonderful roof-top bar, it will continue to be my go-to Melbourne venue.

D

Went out for a birthday lunch with a group of 10 people. 45 minute wait to receive a burnt brioche.. horrible customer service! Last time we will be dining here!

Dorothy Pearce

Really disappointed. The winter vegetables were difficult to locate in the bowl of lettuce that wasn't seasoned. The 'wrap' was as lack lustre as the indifferent service provided after a 25 minute wait. When the requested feedback on the lunch was provided, the excuse that there was a new menu coming really didn't cut it. The coffee may have good but the $42.00 bill didn't reflect value for money. No third chance will be given.

Chi Yan Sin

First time to come here. Moderate service standard. We ordered two mocha which barely have the cafe taste and too much milk in it. The mushroom sausage brunch set and breakfast feast are both disappointing us. Never come back again.

Angie Brown

Bland and boring food! My friends and I used to love this place, but we went there the other night for the first time in a year and were so disappointed. The lamb shoulder was dry and flavourless, with a tiny scoop of sauce on plain puffed rice (also not an entire lamb shoulder!). The cauliflower was also boring - it was plain cooked cauliflower with a bit of labna and about 3 sour cherries. Couldn't taste any spices or flavour really. Also the "prawns" were tiny shrimp, fried whole - I guess you're supposed to eat the heads and tails? It was salty and flavoursome, I'll give them that, but a bit of a rip off when you're paying $15 for the tiny dish and it looks like something that would be leftover at the fish market for $2 a kilo. The other sides were okay - nothing special though and again, overpriced. Overall - nice place, nice staff and great concept, but it tastes like a home cooked meal with minimal flavour and you can get much better food for $55 per head.

Neha Zalani

Great food and great service. Really love their warm welcome always. Good food options..loved shakshuka so much had to go back twice to the place. Nice vibe. Have tried the falafel fritter too really nice.

Monica Rose

Came to Feast of Merit with a group of 11 and had the $65 banquet. The first course is a strange assortment of pickled vegetables, potato chips, pigs ear, tiny prawns, bread and dip. The second is a selection of meats and salads. The third a number of shared desserts. Although some of the food items are a bit unusual the majority of the group thoroughly enjoyed the dining experience. Sharing all the food made it really fun and everyone enjoyed trying new things and discussing the food. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking to book a larger group in for dinner. I wish I took photos because the food looked great as well. We all left feeling full and happy. I don't feel like $65 was too expensive for what we received. I think it was good value and knowing where the proceeds go made it even better. Thanks!!

Bachd3

**update - with all the Chef changes that FoM has gone through it seems we getting a different taste and style every time we visit. Would suggest keeping the staples (hummus, coliflower, lamb shoulder, etc.) the same. Still decent but certainly not what it was. Dropping from 4.0 to 3.0 Great restaurant in the heart of Richmond that is a not-for-profit. The staff, food, and service is great. Everything is always good and always a pleasure to dine at feast of merit

Lily

Haven't visited this fantastic middle-eastern oriented gem for over a year so I decided to bring my English friend here as she's new to Melbourne and wanted to experience our culinary scene. feast of merit did not disappoint her, or me. The lamb shoulder just fell off the bones and melted in our mouths! The burnt cauliflower was charred perfectly but a tad small for 18. My friend didn't like it, but we both agreed that their special salad of day 'Egyptian roast potatoes with dukkah, spices and legumes' was AMAZING! Keep it on your regular menu please!!!!!!

Morault Rémi

Always a pleasure to eat there! Brunch meals are great but I definitely prefer the dinner menu: original, lots of difference flavour and spices you do not usually encounter. Price/quality ratio is one of the best I have seen in Melbourne so far! I recomend to book a table in advance as the place is often full. If you have to wait, just go to the rooftop bar upstairs and grab a drink.

Nadya

This place has one positive feature- nice interior design and for this I give it 1 point. Everything else from food to service is just plain bad. Our waitress, oh Gosh... cold, fake smile, everything done so methodically and sharp, you could just tell she didn't want to be there. She made us feel somehow uncomfortable, and every time she approached the table I cringed and hoped she'll go away soon. Food.. their chef must be in love. We had some pigs ear chips and they were so salty it actually hurt my mouth. And please guys, what's the thing with huge plates of dip and 3-4 tiny pieces of bread? Am I supposed to eat it with a spoon? Get some balance with your food please. To finish our "pleasant evening" we had another waitress bringing us our receipt, which we didn't ask for, and told us, we have to leave soon because our table was reserved from 5:30 pm. Surprise! No need to say that as we walked in we were seated at that table by the waitress and there was no mention about table being reserved for later. Anyway, you guessed it, there is no way I'll visit this place again, and I assure you, none of my friends will either.

Bonnyandclyde

We had a very enjoyable dinner here last night. The wait staff were friendly and welcoming and before taking our food orders, they explained the concept behind the restaurant and that 100% of its profits supported entrepreneurs improving the lives of people living in poverty globally. The restaurant was very inviting with perfect lighting and a charming mix of old brickwork and big wooden tables. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of gluten-free/vegetarian options on the menu. For starters we had Moreton Bay school prawns and flatbread with hummus which were very tasty. The prawns came with heads & tails, which I didn't mind, but may be too much effort for anyone wanting to remove them. The vegetable mains included fried cauliflower (soooo good), sprouts, spring beans and salad which were all very fresh and nicely flavoured. We ordered fish and lamb for our mains - the fish was beautifully cooked and so tasty - I only wish I'd had a spoon to lap up the sauce that came with it. Hubby tried the lamb and good things were said. We walked out feeling satisfied and happy. :)

Shona GH

We love this place and go there often. The food is great and so are the staff for the most part. BUT ... every single time one particular staff member is on he insists on turning up the music to nightclub levels where you have to yell to have a conversation ... or you just leave. Weekday lunchtimes - just a big fat NOOOOOOO! So disappointed because he is a repeat offender and it's turning us off from going back. Uugghh.

Costa

Awesome food. Had the curried lentils. Very full flavoured. Friend had the gyros. Loved it. Runny yolks for the poached eggs. Friendly service.

Espy Eats

Feast of Merit is all about sustainable, locally sourced, seasonal produce. It's also donates all profits to charity which is indeed a noble undertaking... but is the food any good? We fluked a table without a booking on a busy Saturday morning, a lovely spot really right in the front of house so we could see the frantic workings of staff as they power through producing coffee and dishes as hectic pace. Our waiter appearances fitted in nicely with the surrounds and organisation philosophies, big bearded and piercings. He had a great sense of humour when we needed more time to decide from the menu. We ordered our normal strong coffees and they both came out mega strong so if we came back we wouldn't need to order strong. Our food took a little longer than our coffees to materialise but was equally tasty and flavoursome. My dish was a little dry. It would have benefited from a chuntney or sauce to help out there. Overall we enjoyed the meal and the busy buzzy atmosphere within and so the food stands up for itself regardless of the restaurant philosophies and feel good factors in dining here. Coffee was a standout for me.

KITCHFIT

What a beautiful little place, to have a warm breakfast, on a cold Monday morning. Not only is the food delicious, the staff are friendly and attentive, and the environment is warmly and cosy. On top of that, the philosophies of YGAP and Feast of Merit, of a poverty free world, are heartwarming and genuine. It's really nice to see small enterprises trying to make a difference. Thank you guys for a great start to my week 😊

Rbcatran

My friends and I had such a wonderful dining experience here on the weekend. They catered for all of our various food intolerances (gluten, dairy, vegan) with no issues with the banquet, and were so great about it! Food was delicious, came out very quickly and the staff were absolutely lovely. Highlights were the GF bread, prawns, and lamb. Thank you so much for catering for our dietary needs so effortlessly! We will definitely be back.

Elle

Cool and well thought out cafe on Swan st. Staff are friendly and very accommodating. I really want to love this place. I think we went when they had an event on upstairs and the kitchen was busy. So our meals came out luke warm which is not great for a pulled pork dish. The chef and staff were really happy to swap the under done eggs also. Interesting menu, imaginative and not standard , which is quite refreshing. Main issue noted by my husband was the disproportionate size of dishes. My lovely chickpea dish was double the size of my husband's pulled pork dish. He had finished his dish, before I'd got through half of mine. Fun and interesting place for brunch. Would give it another crack there is a lot of promise here.

Sophie

One thing this place definitely promises; a new dimension to snobby! Terrible service, Oh and terrible food. I went there with my partner because he was curious about the place( as we live in the area and never been there before). The waiter thrown ( literally thrown) a menu in front us, then walked away shaking his head side to side as if we were not be supposed be there. Not worth it, considering there are a lot nicer places in the area.

Jade C

Staff were not attentive at all. We had to flag them down many times, often twice asking for the same thing. Some of the food was good but dips were far too expensive and the crackling was rock solid, impossible to chew. Not happy :( We also brought a cake for my brother's birthday and they offered to cut it for us and when they returned the cake it looked like a lot more was missing than the slices they had served us. It suspiciously took them 10 minutes to cut our 4 slices of cake.

M. T.

Went for brunch here with a friend. It's always fun when you have to google the ingredients on the menu - turns out mine was fancy words for Israeli French Toast with Persian Fairy Floss. Dish was delectable, would order again. Also ordered a Matcha Latte: would not order again from here as it was super dooper bland; $4.50 for the world's tinsiest cup of green milk is a bit steep

LifestyleByLily

Richmond is thriving with cafes and restaurants and when it comes to choosing somewhere for breakfast, it can prove quite tough!. We parked outside Feast of Merit and as Mr. B had been there before, we decided to go with that. Within ten minutes of arriving, we were seated and had our Long Blacks ordered.

Abbey Baldacchino

Not a huge fan of the menu contents or set of the dining. Also a little disappointed with the lack of vegan options but this non-for profit restaurant is doing a good thing and deserves support

Marina Mekhaeel

The most flavoursome and delicious brunch menu in Melbourne. The spices are nothing short of wholesome and provide a great taste of the culture behind them. Most importantly to me is that this menu and great service is provided by a not-for-profit organisation who's philosophy is printed on their walls and exterior for all to see. If you're looking for a relaxed vibe and food that's unique to everywhere you've been then this is the place to be.

Don Djoe

They had the best smoked bacon in Melbourne, I am pretty sure of it. We ordered scrambled egg with smoked bacon and I was in love with its flavour and crispiness. Yes somehow it was quite crispy. The be other dish, pork benedict, was just okay, a tad too sour for me. Its serving size, however, was very disappointing. It's just way too small and after paying bills it hurt more because it wasn't necessarily cheap either. The ice chocolate was also disappointing, it tasted like how I would make it at home with Milo, we were expecting it be more cafe like. Their coffee was thankfully good enough.

Andrew Miller

Another place who after becoming popular seem to have forgotten the basics of customer service. Having now being turned away on two separate occasions by blunt and unapologetic staff I won't be returning. I understand weekend breakfast is a busy time but the dismissive and apathetic attitude of the 'greeter' who essentially 'shooed' us off the first time is not how you treat customers (potential or actual). To return two weeks later and be told that "we're not taking any food orders because the cooks are too busy' (ON A Sat at 10am) and again be brushed off was the point I realized this place has lost its way. If you don't have the foresight to anticipate that Sat 10am may get busy and require additional kitchen staff then perhaps you've missed something. Even so, there's a right and wrong way to communicate the situation to customers looking to give you their patronage. Feast of Merit's staff are opting for the wrong way lately through a misguided and inflated sense of importance. Shame.

BEN STEWART

I recently shared a family meal at Feast of Merit in celebration of my 30th birthday. The pork and the fried cauliflower were delicious! I was particularly impressed by our waitress – a woman with short brown hair who is one of the best hospitality workers I have met! We will definitely be returning.

Food Hussy

It was a 33 degree day. I met with 3 friends. The coffee was great. The food was interesting and delicious. I shared the Kombucha gin cured salmon and Tabouleh with my friend. The service was a little too relaxed, but it WAS a really hot day. I shall return!

Nimalan Prakash

Every single dish on the menu is amazing and the staff are very friendly. The fried cauliflower, chikpea chips and the white chocolate dessert require special mentions.

T

The oyster Frenzy night here was really nice! Staff took care of us and the oysters just kept coming! Nice champagne too! Not only does this place have great events but they are for the benefit of fundraisers which is an extra bonus when you visit :)

Ljchwa

What happened to this place? Feast has a great concept, being a non-for-profit that donates its profits towards alleviating poverty in Africa, which makes it easier to stomach how overpriced it is, as at least the money is going a good cause. But the staff are rude and pretentious and every time I give it another go, I come away vowing not to return. Unfortunately its the only place for coffee past 4pm on Swan St (where I live), so every few months I give it another go. When it first opened it was amazing – the nfp concept was really appealing, the salads were reasonable and generous, the breakfasts tasty, the coffee really good (only place on the street to do a filter at the time), and the staff were super friendly, welcoming and chilled. We used to go there everyday and became pretty good friends with the staff, knew each other by name etc. The first year or so it was definitely the best on the street and our go-to. Sometime after that first year, maybe year-and-a-half, it started to change. Slowly staff changed over and the new ones coming in weren't so friendly, more abrupt and pretentious. The prices crept up (to at least 150% of what they were) and the portions got smaller. The barista changed and filter coffee went off the menu. Bad experiences became more common than good ones – we often had to ask to be served after waiting a while, we were ignored while trying to pay, they asked my mother to "move on" one time when she was having a coffee there waiting for me, we ordered a "winter feast" for $20 only to receive a mushroom, half an avocado and a small slice of pumpkin. I once asked to see a tea menu and was told they no longer had a coffee/tea menu by the waiter who then huffed and rolled his eyes when I asked him to give me some examples. The next time I went there I was given a coffee/tea menu. Another time my partner asked for some butter (for pumpkin loaf that was dry) and was surprised when paying to see that $3 had been added to the bill for a tiny disc of butter – he should have at least been told it would cost that much. The staff generally give off the air they are too cool/too fancy to be bothered with serving their customers properly. They've gotten too big for their boots. It jars with the concept of the place. I used to take people there all the time (sometimes visiting a few times a day) but have become embarrassed to do so, always ending up apologising for the attitude of the staff. I really wish they would hire some more genuine staff, I really love the concept and want to support it, but they make it too painful. I've never bothered to write a review but the way this place has changed is sad and disappointing. Thank god for Rustica opening last year, which has become our new local.

Jim Kydas

First timer. Love the concept. Very friendly staff pork sensational will be going back again. Great wine. Thank you for being on Swan Street #RichmondRocks.

Shoe

The food at Feast of Merit was really nice, however the portions were small for the price and the service provided by our waitress was quite poor. The service was slow despite the restaurant not being full, and at the end of our meal the waitress asked for a tip which we found quite rude. Hopefully the service quality can improve.

Helen

Run by a not for profit group - ygap- proceeds from this cafe help alleviate poverty all around the world. As we entered the coffee smell was lovely but we wanted something different so I had a tumeric latte with almond milk which was interesting to say the least! Another one of our group had a prana chai with soy milk which was really nice. The regular coffee and cakes were good too. Some of the staff were friendly and others a bit stand offish but service was quick and the vibes were pleasant.

Gerard Tiernan

Excellent food, ordinary coffee, slow slow service. Bit cool for school. Took one hour to get breakfast on a Sat morn. A little on the expensive side.

Martin

Superb and reasonably priced food in the rooftop bar, great atmosphere and wonderful staff. There was a minor mixup with the food that the team handled perfectly. We are looking forward to our next experience at this accidental discovery.

Fondue12

Definitely will not be returning! My coffee was almost cold when it arrived at my table, which is always a bad start. I ordered poached eggs on toast with avocado. The eggs were poached to perfection however the toast was black! I thought the eggs were the hard part of the dish, but apparently not. One side was black while the other side was undercooked. All I could taste was the burnt toast, completely devastated. My friend ordered the baklava, which was basically just lemon curd on a plate with some fairy floss chucked on the top. The rating is based purely on the perfect poached eggs with a half mark given for the portion size.

Stephanie Cowles

Whoever just made the tumeric latte this afternoon August 26th on Friday. You did a terrible job. I had your friends two days ago and he was amazing...Make sure all staff are at the same level. It was missing everything...It tasted like warm milk..That was super disappointing.

Bella Jean

I just came here to say - how can butter be an 'extra'!? On my toast? Outrageous. Seriously though, the food and coffee here are fantastic and all of the staff (bar one arts student/hates the world/holier than thou type) are equally as good.

Denny Patron

Great food and good atmosphere!! Get a group and go there and share it all, fish was great but the lamb was the standout!!! Went back her in June 2019 and food is still really good! Lamb share still the highlight.

Jenny

This place is brilliant. The menu is diverse, the flavours in each dish are brilliant, the wine is beautiful and the service is very attentive. It's really hard to go wrong here. I recently came here for the third time and have loved it each time. We didn't get to go to the rooftop bar.... Hopefully next time. Highly recommended!

Trading Plates

Bringing people together to celebrate sharing food, Feast of Merit takes it’s concept from Nagaland, in the far northeast of India, where people believe that wealth should be celebrated and shared. Daniel Kummer is the Event and Marketing co-ordinator at Feast of Merit and he explains “when a member of the Naga community comes into wealth they host a feast for the whole village. Everyone in the community is invited to join the feast which continues until the host has shared their wealth. This is called a Feast of Merit.”

Kiffdcosta

Food here was amazing! We had the eggs with hulloumi, lots of great flavours! The decor was great too, love the warehouse feel. Downside was that the wait was about 30 mins for a not so busy Sunday Arvo.

Generous Serve

Tried to start breaky off with the kombucha drink. We were informed the mixture was not ready to be served. thought this was quite unprofessional as it was 1030 on a Sunday morning. The mix was eventually ready and was able to try it 15 minutes or so later when I ordered it from a different waitress. Both our dishes looked exceptional when they came out after some time. The couple next to us came in after us but somehow received their food, well before us. We had the creamed leeks dish accompanied with a side of haloumi. The dish came out luke warm, but still tasted okay, however, the haloumi was burnt. The slow cooked lamb which we also ordered, seemed to be quite flavourless. Was it slow-cooked overnight in salty water perhaps? My earl grey tea came out super strong and I almost fell off my seat. The option of adding hot water should be given, or take the leaves out sooner please! Service was virtually non existent, disappointing.

Timinmelbourne

I went here with my friend tonight. This place is a not for profit restaurant with all profits going overseas to places like Africa. All good. We went upstairs for a drink before dinner which was relaxing. V casual atmosphere. Downstairs is great, although hectic where we were sitting initially but we were lucky enough to move tables which was very kind. As for the food, the bread was great, the barramundi cheeks, well I didn't like that as it was mainly bone but my friend didn't mind it. There was meat but too picky for me. The main was was pork belly w winter slaw as a side. I have home slow roasted pork belly recently for the first time and the first thing my friend said was "you pork belly was better." And I have to agree. Tonight's pork was good, but not great. Although the crackling was exceptional. As for the winter slaw, it was mainly white cabbage so I'm glad that I'm not doing too much tomorrow hahaha Overall it was dinner for a good cause so I'm happy with that.

Mrugendra Thatte

Amazing coffee. I just jad a flat white here. But it impressed me. I didnt get the chance to try out other things. but Definitely going back there to try out.!

Hungry Brunette

Really nice middle eastern food (rare in Melbourne) - full of flavour and great value. The Barramundi wings are mast try. The cocktails at the Rooftop bar were very generous pour and delicious. Recommended!

Bianca Caserta Voado

Been here for dinner many times and absolutely LOVE it. Decided to take a group of friends for breakfast with the intention of ordering the awesome salads which we always see pictures of, but to our disappointment, NONE of the salads were being serviced that day. Super annoying and quite bizarre for a Sunday. Instead, we had to choose from the breakfast/brunch menu which was somewhat limited. The dishes were good but not amazing. Coffee was superb.

Ross Crisp

Feast of Merit ticks all the boxes, and is possibly the best day cafe in Richmond which is a suburb flush with great cafes. Great coffee, and its menu of "protein" and vege/salad options

Amon Amarth

Typical weekend juggernaut cafe. Good food, but chaotic, so its a payoff. Coffee OK, but prob skip if your into the specialty scene. Constantly buzzing so popular with passer-by 'lets go to Richmond' types.

Red Jay

Just love it - supports a good cause, attentive service, good food with well-sourced ingredients. Haven't tried dinner there yet, though, just brekky and lunch so far. More reason to come back! Esp for the dark chocolate marquise, it looks promising on paper. :)

Mark

Pretty good. Enjoyed the double salad and the lamb was super tasty - falling apart too. Cauliflower was a tad tough but still tasty. It can get noisy though.

Kell

I've always wanted to visit this establishment due to its affiliation with YGAP. With an impressive dinner menu and wine list, it was hard to choose what to order at Feast of Merit. I instantly loved the vibe of this place as soon as I stepped in - it was bustling yet intimate at the same time, and I liked the understated interior of wooden tables and sleek decoration. The fried cauliflower dish served with dill and yoghurt was my favourite as the spices were very well balanced and the texture of the vegetable was just too addictive. The whole barbecue fish, on the other hand, was nothing too special albeit the sweetness from the fresh fennel salad was a nice touch. With great selection of wine though, there's nothing much to complain. I'll be looking forward to try other vegetable dishes at Feast of Merit next time!

FoodieAboutTown

Feast of Merit is a great space on Swan Street and friends have recommended it for sometime so it was a perfect spot for ladies who lunch! But it’s not just the perfect meet up space it is also giving back with with 100 percent of it’s profits directly supporting YGAP’s movement of impact entrepreneurs who are improving the lives of people living in poverty.

Li-La

Really nice vibes, good service, good/original breakfast/lunch menu. My breakfast was really nice although the halloumi was too thick, not soft enough. I had a "golden latte" too (milk & tumeric hot drink) and it was delicious. Definitely recommended if you are in the area.

Nooshin_ha

We dined at this place on a Saturday night. They had run out of couple of small plates that caught our eyes. We found the waitress rushed and rude. When I ordered the small plate she said, I have already told her (pointing to my friend) we don't have this and that. She then went on pushing her suggestions to us without paying attention to our interests. It is nice to make suggestion but you have got to listen first. She seemed upset that we didn't order what she liked us to order! Anyway, we got the small plates and the eggplant was really nice. Lamb was the highlight of the night with fish on the very ordinary side. We had a long wait untill we got our main. All in all we could have come back for food if the waitress was more professional and there was a better balance of food on the menu.

JZY

(English Reviews Below)店内装修很漂亮，服务也好，价格不贵，从早餐一直开到晚餐，楼顶有个rooftop bar，隔壁还有间很漂亮的function room可以举办活动。 Crispy Barramundi Wings: 一端上来就闻到一阵阵香味，骨头烤的很脆，鱼肉却保持的又嫩又粘，就算放在天朝的路边烧烤摊上，也会是个招牌菜！聪明地利用了边角料，价格便宜又美了食客，一举两得。 Mariam's Falafel: 吃过最好吃的falafel之一，味道浓郁得来又清新，特别喜欢藏在里面半熟的豆子，那种平时恼人的豆腥味，在这里却奇妙地平衡了herbs的味道，还增加了咀嚼的快感。 Grilled Flat Bread: 劲道的饼被烤得极香，对于flat bread我不知道还能要求什么，那种面的味道好像让我看到两千年前耶路撒冷犹太家庭的晚餐，无酵饼的文化充满了历史的沧桑感。 Smoked Eggplant: 和中式的蒜蓉蒸茄子很像，只不过多了些smoky的味道。 Braised Leeks: 很juicy,完全就是可口的自身蔬菜+香叶葡萄干和榛子起到了画龙点睛的作用。 Crispy King Edward Potatoes:土豆入味，皮脆脆的，dry chermoula带着烤香的辣椒粉成为最佳配角,搭配的herbs稍稍脱水后变得很劲道，味道也融为一体给土豆增加了色彩。 Great service great food and fair price. Best falafel I’ve ever had. The undercooked beans inside provided a crunchy texture and also balanced out the flavors of herbs. Love the Crispy Barramundi Wings, I’m not sure if it’s for everyone. It’s not very ‘meaty’ but definitely gives you the joy of ‘eating’. Can’t wait to try the lamb cutlet and grilled fish next time.

Zhitian Zhang

menu was different from this site! refer to my pic. Ordered Smoked eggplant, za'atar bread, falafel, braised leek, crisp potatoes, and barramundi wings were recommended by the manger. I used to have falafel with big big big amount of cumins, however this olive-shape falafel was with big fresh mint leaves. Barramundi wings were good! it's the part where it gets fishy, but the mix of cumin and paprika (?) has nicely balanced onto the top, only if you dont mind suck out the tender meat, after crunching out the crispy thin fish fin. This crisp potatoes - the presentation - taste - reminded me lots of patatas bravas. But the coffee? well it says it's st. ali's ! OMG it was so bad. s Very very attentive and friendly service throughout. hmmmm. middle eastern? I didn't feel it. Tapas bar? yes. 聽說很多國內的朋友都不喜歡吃中東菜，我認為，這家的餐也不會讓你們喜歡上中東菜的。雖然價格公道，但是有兩道菜喔並覺得很優秀，印象中的中東菜有比較多穀物，而且大量，極大量的香料，但在這家裝修優雅的地方，卻沒有感受到中東異域的神秘。

Emily Macdonald

I really like this place and often go for lunch which is very reasonably priced. But I went for dinner with a colleague last night and the bill for 2 people with no entrees, one protein and 2 vegetables with 2 glasses of wine each came to over $150. The vegetables although tasty were $18 each and for the potato dish consisted of 1 potato cooked really well so had to order more to be full. Very very over priced s be careful when you order as the bill stacks up very quickly.

Uqui

Went for an early-ish Sunday Breakfast. The weather was a bit cold but the place is still open so rug up if you feel the cold. I found it refreshing but I know others weren't as happy. The coffee was reported as being good but there was no comment made about the macha tea. The iced coffee was definitely tasty but we were there for the food. So, the winter harvest was a mix of vegetables and grains and was reported as being very nice. The eggs on toast, with some extra bacon was also good and the eggs came as ordered. Fried but still with a runny yoke and poached. They were quite small but tasty. The bacon was good. Not salty but not overwhelmingly flavourful. It wasn't cooked to a crisp either - which I prefer - so was still soft and chewy, which meant you actually got to taste it. The bread was pretty good as well. I quite liked the place and had a fairly welcoming vibe as well. The staff were attentive but not overly so, which was a nice change and when you are moving through the restaurant, they give way to you, which does make you feel special. Overall, it was a nice Sunday Breakfast, and we were good to get in before the rush.

Grizzly

Heard great things from this place, but I must admit I wasn't too impressed. May have just been my choice of meal but it's beautiful presentation just couldn't sway me as its combination of flavours didn't work.

Scott

Went there for an Anzac Day late breakfast. Busy but not crazy. We are informed that they've run out of haloumi as we take our seats. That's a shame. I like haloumi. Two out of the six of us order bacon with our eggs only to be told 5 minutes later that they've run out of bacon. Seriously??? How do you run out of bacon on a public holiday when you know it's going to be busy. They also charged a 10% surcharge as it was a public holiday but did not inform us beforehand. If you're going to charge a surcharge then make sure you don't run out of staple items. Seriously. Shouldn't that be in 'running a restaurant 101'? The icing on the cake was that they ran two orders of bacon through on the bill! Will not go back and will tell anyone who will listen. Oh, my poached eggs on toast were okay.

Sharna

The food here is SO delicious !! full of flavour, quite filling ! Been here a couple times now always good service, food is always good. Never a disappointment !

James Patrick

Fantastic, our waitress Zoe recommended the perfect meal. They really train/educate their staff well on what their restaurant does. Thanks Zoe, made our night. A great meal :)

Ka

Dined here on a Friday night for a friend's birthday and guess who else was there? Delta Goodrem and Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley from Harry Potter)! It was such a fun night to dine alongside two celebrities. To top the night off, food was great- I highly recommend the lamb, chicken, charred cauliflower...

David Weng Yew Wong

nice ambience ... cool music ... friendly people ... good coffee ... smoked salmon with scrambled eggs on toast was good ... recommended and will return

Sarah Holloway

Love this place so much, not least because of its beautiful story based around Nagaland's tradition of sharing a community feast to celebrate. The food is absolutely exquisite, especially the dinner menu. Shared dining often leaves me hungry but not here - the chicken is to die for and the salads that accompany it are creative, filling and full of flavour and spices. The fit out is absolutely beautiful - the right combination of sleek white simplicity and warm homeliness with touches of greenery, cushions, and parts of the Feast of Merit story around the place. And the best part? It's a social enterprise that funds an amazing charity, YGAP, and yet you wouldn't even know it. This is no hippy, rustic, soup kitchen style dining hall! This is Melbourne fine dining (with a new rooftop bar too!) Love it!

Sammy C

In Nagaland, North of India, when someone in the community gains a position of wealth, they can choose to hold a celebration festival. During the festival, the whole community, including the poor and disadvantaged, is invited to join in and share the fruits of the person's wealth. The festival is called Feast of Merit and its the philosophy of the restaurant and cafe of the same name. Feast of merit's menu philosophy is food to farm: raw vegetables and grains, with a focus on sustainably sourced meat.The Middle-Eastern influenced menu is creatively presented with heaps of beautiful flavours that is truly inspiring. There were many highlights from the menu, but I cannot commend the Fried Cauliflower enough.

The City Lane

The Feast of Merit rooftop bar, a casual and beautifully simple space above the already excellent restaurant, offers patrons the chance to further feed their vices while at the same time, helping those in developing countries.

Brungiel

Feast of Merit is really cool! They serve delicious food, all really healthy and interesting. And some profits go to good causes, so that's also a plus! Staff are lovely.

Samantha McNamara

Only rating .5 under perfect score because we only had 'starters' and a drink on the rooftop bar. The BBQ eggplant starter is the most delicious thing ever - coupled with the cauliflower. I will certainly be back. The service, BTW, was exemplary. Loved the experience and the ethos to boot!

Wine Not?

I always enjoy my food and coffee here. Middle eastern inspired, it's a change to the typical brunch food around Melbourne. Had a beetreet smash (they don't do if often but they should!) and it won me over. The BBQ Ocean Trout had a lovely mix of flavours too. Coffee is always consistent and perfectly made.

Nona Coco

Could you ask for more? A social enterprise (from the food right down to the 'Who gives a crap' toilet paper and 'Thank you' handwash) this place values people and contribution without negotiating on taste or brilliance. It can be pretty loud and hot (if you're seated close to the kitchen). Highly recommend booking early and getting the dips. Great food that always leaves you satisfied and full. Nona says 'Yes'.

Travelling Palate

Fantastic cafe where you can have a delicious meal (and coffee) and give back at the same time. Amazing selection of salads and meats. I enjoyed the roasted cauliflower salad with slow roasted lamb! All the meat is free range too! I would have loved to have tried some of the other salads but unfortunately couldn't fit anything else in!

Hummus

This bloody place gets me emotional about food. Stop reading reviews! Do yourself a favour and get some feast of merit into you!!! (try the lamb)

San Franciscan In Melbourne

The rude and obnoxious staff and poor service outweighs the quality of the food and completely ruined the experience. I never write bad reviews but felt it necessary as I left the establishment confused and unfulfilled. Thankfully Melbourne has a plethora of amazing restaurants to choose from that offer both amazing food and friendly service.

The Baroness Of Melbourne

A delicious, modern Middle Eastern oasis in the heart of Richmond, Feast of Merit is a delight for your taste buds and your conscience. A social enterprise restaurant, part of YGAP, eating at Feast of Merit helps supports people living in poverty to become self-sustainable with 100% of profits going to causes around the world and here in Melbourne.

Jasmine Meutia

Feast of Merit has long been on my hit-list – we had dinner here one night last year but I was still very keen on their lunch options. Once my birthday rolled around, I managed to convince Meut to head to East Richmond and grab a bite. The food is really great, with a menu emulating Ottolenghi and with an emphasis on local produce and colourful grains. My trio of salads were vibrant in texture and flavour, whereas Meutz’s crumpets were packed with Middle Eastern flavours (albeit the orange still had pips in it). I’d imagine it would be a great pick for lunch or dinner with friends.

DJ

Second visit - 2019Another visit, another poor experience. Started off with the fried cauliflower & chickpeas. It smelled nice and tasted good - but probably a little too salty. Main was a half roasted chicken with potatoes on the side. However, the potatoes never arrived. The chicken was nicely roasted, moist and consistently cooked. We were half-way through the chicken (wondering where the spuds were), the waitress came past and (to her credit) said that she'd check on the potatoes. She came back shortly and said that they'd be out in a minute. Nothing happened. We finished our chicken and went to pay, having to have the potatoes taken off the order. The potatoes were completely forgotten by the kitchen and then either the waitress lied or the kitchen lied to the waitress. Not great, considering the price point. Once again, the place appears to have decent food, but another fail. First Visit - 2016 I can't recall the entree, but it was pretty tasty. Unfortunately, the closing piece of the meal wasn't great. It was some slow-cooked lamb - around the shoulder area probably, but it was very stringy and chewy (to the point that I could not physically chew pieces of it). We asked for some yoghurt and lemon to help with the meat and it was provided (although they cut the lemon wedges in such a way that it made them very difficult to squeeze), but it didn't make much difference. Trying to chew that lamb was one of the less pleasant eating experiences I've had. It's a shame to give the place a middling rating based on one meal because it does appear to be the kind of restaurant that serves pretty good food. I may go back one day, but I can't excuse them for serving up something nigh-on inedible.

Memtree

Worth the short wait. Everything we had was delicious. Service was fantastic and friendly. Our feast included fried cauliflower, snapper croquettes, za'atar gluten free flat bread, salmon dip and falafel. Lovely atmosphere and great to know the money is supporting ygap's life changing projects!

Junnay

Have tried to get in here before, but it was too busy & finally after today's fantastic lunch, we now know why! This is health personified....so very tastefully done, pun intended. The 12 hour slow cooked lamb is better than I can do myself, yum! However, the service let this fine establishment down. Twice our order was wrong. But, we will forgive that, as it was just too good.

Professor_JER

Swan Street really has become one of the real foodie destinations of our very foodie city. This has slipped by me, because my interests tend more toward the CBD, Fitzroy, Carlon, Collingwood, and so on. On a recent trip to another restaurant in Swan Street, I took a wander and was surprised to find so many hip eateries. Of Victoria Street, Bridge Road, and Swan Street--Richmond's big three strips--Swan Street strikes me as more high end, and definitely trendier, than the other two. Feast of Merit (weird name; I meant to ask the staff where it came from, but didn't get around to it) is an ultra-hip venue serving large portions of well-prepared middle-eastern fusion cooking. The staff are young, impossibly good-looking, perfectly groomed, and mostly decorated with a fine range of designer ink. They are also knowledgeable, efficient, and polite, so it's definitely not a case of style over substance. I dined here with a large group, which meant that we were pretty much obliged to have the set menu, which is fine; I totally understand why venues such as this require large groups in this direction. It was great value at $55 (without dessert; we chose to enjoy a delicious ice cream from Messina's instead). Feast of Merit is set in the sort of inner-city urban street-grunge space that defines so many eateries of this type--distressed brick walls, recycled timber tables, roughly renovated chairs that came from your granny's kitchen. There's serious 'tude in the room, and the staff match the decor perfectly, but not in an unpleasant way. As I said, they may be giga-cool, but they're very good at their jobs. Enough about the 'tude; what about the food? I must confess that middle-eastern is not my go-to cuisine. There's something about the slightly sour seasoning that I don't really go for: lemon, yoghurt, sumac, and so on; even harissa, which I find less sour, but still not as much to my taste as Asian spice. Now, having said that, Feast of Merit's food is excellent. I would tend to call it Middle Eastern fusion: good Australian ingredients (blue eye, lamb shoulder, Milawa chicken) nicely prepared Middle Eastern style with a restrained and nicely balanced used of spices. We had a banquet at $55. The servings were huge. Our table had a lot of big eaters, and there were ample left-overs, which we were permitted to bag up ourselves and take away. If there is a more absurd law than that preventing restaurants from providing doggy bags, then please let me know what it is. Highlights for me were the eggplant dip served with excellent zataar bread, the falafel were crisp and delicious, the thin slices of pork belly (more pork loin from my perspective), the lamb shoulder, and the deep fried cauliflower. They may have been my highlights, but all of the dishes were good, and there were no failures, although I find tzaziki a most over-rated and pointless dip. I probably wouldn't race back there because (a) it's a bit far from home, and (b) I don't rate Middle Eastern food that highly, but if this type of cuisine is your thing, and you're looking for a hearty value for money meal, Feast of Merit ticks a lot of boxes.

Melbourne Foodie Finds

Absolutely love this place. The menu is unique and caters for both meat eaters and vegos. The presentation of the food is always impeccable, with service always being up to standard. Terrific atmosphere, their bircher muesli is probably one of my all time favourites in Melbourne.

The World Loves Melbourne

Mount Lofty House is an Adelaide icon and part of the MGallery Collection of Hotels with sweeping views and grand design. . Continue Reading. Spring Harvest Menu @ Feast of Merit. Written by David Hagger on 23 October 2015. Share on Facebook. Share on Twitter. Share on Google+. Share on Google+

John

I remember sitting down at this cafe for the first time thinking how I was getting sick of brunch in Melbourne. The same kind of food everywhere, the same trends and the same deviations from original menus. Then I saw the menu here and got interested. This place is great for those of use who eat out a fair bit and are getting sick of "the usual". There is a unique fusion to the menu which makes it really interesting. I have also been here for dinner and thoroughly enjoyed it also but the breakfast really stands out in my memory. In addition to the food, the staff are happy and friendly and I really like the philosophy behind this cafe. It is a unique experience on many levels. I highly recommend it.

Ella R

Love this place! The service is always attentive and the staff friendly and light hearted. The food is good but I wish they would change it up a bit more so I could visit more regularly! That the 'Spring Harvest' has changed names on the menu but is composed of entirely the same ingredients as the 'Winter Harvest' breakfast (avocado, carrots, eggplant, Turkish bread, poached egg) is disappointing. Not really achieving the seasonal ingredient goal there!

FatGuy In A SkinnyGuy's Body

Sweet little pad on Swan Street, the coffee is delicious, the service is terrific and music keeps you sipping in-time. We will be back and we will enjoy

Faye

Love this little spot for what it stands for and the food is fantastic! I've been here for lunch and dinner now and the vegetables are just delicious! Plus a great variety of drinks! Highly recommend you try the eggplant! Such an easily accessible location, cosy interior, lovely staff, and tasty flavours.

Purple Anise

Wow, this place has gone downhill. Pros • 10% proceeds go to charity • nice space • fantastic vegetarian options Cons • the service - appalling! Staff had no idea how to handle a larger group, mixed up drink orders 4 times, and just plonked food on the table without explaining what it was (and even after being asked to explain, failed to do so)

Birdman

What a massive disappointment. We went at 9am and were literally the only people in there, ordered the scrambled eggs that came with tomatoes bacon and beans... asked if I could have it without the beans and was told there's no variations on Sundays... REALLY? How stupid its hardly a variation it's just not putting something on the plate that I don't want especially when the joint is empty. I was promised it would be on the side but clearly it wasn't. Pure incompetence from a crap place. Would never go here again and would advise people against going. Service was crap and unfriendly and the "fresh" juice of the day was from a bottle. 👎🏿

Kate Dougherty

Having been to Feast of Merit a while back for dinner and had a fantastic experience I decided to check it out for brunch on Saturday. Absolutely love the decor and relaxed vibe and the friendly staff. I ordered the BBQ ocean trout, hummus, preserved lemon, baby peas and tendrils, smoked almonds and a poached egg on toast. Such a delicious and unique dish! The addition of the hummus and the preserved lemon was a brilliant twist.

Aneta N

There's a really nice, friendly atmosphere at Feast of Merit... We enjoyed our amazingly good coffee and wholesome brunch. It felt good knowing that we were contributing to a charity by being there, but also nice to see the decent portions being served in the cafe! So much food, and we left really content and happy :)

Sweetlikesugar

Great staff, quick friendly and attentive. Coffee was perfect and the pear, Apple and mint fresh juice was refreshing. I ordered the Summer stone Fruit, Creamy macadamia and coconut Yousli (GF) was a great combination of all delicious nuts, goji berries, puffed amaranth, toasted coconut and other surprises - served with almond vanilla set cream (think panacotta). Also ordered was the Hopkins River minute steak, fried egg, smoked yoghurt, green pickle relish on flat bread - this was extremely tasty with a great flavour combination going on here! Husband really enjoyed it. Really recommend Feast of Merit, as it's not your run of the mill breakfast menu, always something different which keeps it interesting.

A Chronicle Of Gastronomy

It’s not often that you hear of non-profit restaurants, but Feast of Merit is such a place. 100% of their profits go to YGAP, an organisation that runs social enterprises such as this one...There’s a distinct breakfast, lunch and dinner menu, and since we visited during lunch hours we had the choice of a number of salads and proteins

Lena Nguyen

I was pretty uninspired with this place really. The fit out meets your typical hipster cafe standard - Edison light bulbs, white tiles, exposed brick but the food just doesn't meet that high $20 brunch standard. Our table got the avocado with feta, two slices of bread one of them burnt round the edges, not much avocado, feta is mixed in not visible, pink lake salt which was its own line item... and 3 slices of grapefruit which I didnt really think went well with the dish. This meal was $18 plus $2 for an extra egg. To me it just didn't feel like it was worth it. Maybe because I just got back from Coogee and Bondi in Sydney, where breakfasts were slightly cheaper but with alot more wow factor. Other dishes we got was the spring harvest avo breakkie, with roasted veggies, no toast and half avocado as in on the side; bit plain but ok. But the crumpets although very small in serving my friends loved. Coffee also was average. My cappuccino was burnt, and my friend's whose been a barista and coffee roaster also said her latte was a bit meh.

SK

I have been a number of times to Feast of Merit, both breakfast and dinner. I’m updating my last review where I described disappointment in the quality of execution and dishes left on the pass too long, and implored the chefs to taste their dishes before putting on menu. Latest visit is such a disappointment that I have to say I will not be back. Gluten free modifications so marked (without disclosing the extent at ordering) as to render the dish vastly different from menu description. Roasted cauliflower was raw, dry and tasteless except for the acrid taste of the burnt spices on top. Please don’t put a dish on the menu if it cannot be properly executed at service.

David Hewitt

Decent place for a casual bite. Unfortunately the day we went, there was a limited menu due to a special event. Do like the openness of the restaurant.

Pomme Persian

Ethical, wholesome and full of flavor. The staff are extremely helpful and accommodated our party's different food intolerances. The chicken is a stand out for me and reminds me of Persian style chicken with crunchy tahdig on the rice and barberries. The vegetable sides were so tasty and have given me ideas for mid week healthy meals- roasted zucchini, peas and chermoula. We'll be back.

DAMMIT JANET I LOVE FOOD

Delicious Middle Eastern influenced food, efficient staff, cosy rustic atmosphere. Portions were small considering the prices however I didn’t mind too much as 100% of the profits directly support YGAP (a movement of entrepreneurs who launch ventures to improve the lives of people living in poverty). Kudos to Feast of Merit for supporting a great cause.

Leon Thomas

Had a pleasant experience here, ordering the middle eastern crumpets, which were nice but not much more. Serving portion was a little on the small side and the mandarin curd and slice left an overpowering citrus taste to the dish. If that's your thing, you'll enjoy this, but recommend trying one of the savoury options (like the spring harvest or the pressed and spiced lamb) instead.

Inlovewithbrunch

in naga culture (north-east of india), whenever a member of the community comes into wealth or plenty, the entire community comes together to share + celebrate in a ‘feast of merit’. and it is this same culture and philosophy that oozes out of richmond café ‘feast of merit’. opened in march 2014, the café is wholly owned and operated by charity organisation ygap, with 100% of all profits contributing to funding social enterprise + entrepreneurial projects with a vision to achieve ‘a world without poverty’. this social enterprise culture is backed up with a ‘farm to fork’ philosophy – ensuring that a quality and flavourful menu is on offer, skilfully executed by a professional team of chefs (who talk + act more like family) + served by some super-lovely waitstaff who appear to genuinely love what they do. at least this was the experience i discovered when invited to an intimate breakfast to sample the cafe’s new spring menu last week… and what a feast it was!

The World Loves Melbourne

Feast of Merit is an inspiring communal dining house and The World Loves Melbourne was invited along to check out the new Spring Harvest menu. Feast of Merit serves up exceptional seasonal produce and the breakfast menu hits the mark. We had one of our favourite cafe experiences of the year imbibing the high class dishes and meeting the standout staff. This cafe has a joy about it and the feel of an understated revolution. The charity passion is tangible but the food speaks for itself.

Ali T

Came by for dinner tonight with a group of friends. Overall, was enjoyable, however I felt the dishes were quite pricey and the number of people on the table were not accounted for. We received 3 small pieces of burnt flatbread & a small dish of dip to share between 5 people!! That alone cost $13.50!!! The menu should at least specify how many pieces there are per serving - we had (wrongly) assumed there would be at least 1 piece per person given they charged us $4 per croquette. We were then offered more flatbread to finish off the dip and were charged again without being advised. The slow cooked lamb & pumpkin were nice, however the cauliflower was a letdown & once again over-priced. $18 for some burnt looking cauliflower florets. The restaurant setting was lovely, however it was hard to relax & enjoy the meal as we kept being interrupted & hurried up to clear the dishes off our table for the next seating. Food: 3/5 Service: 2.5/5 Environment: 3.5/5

The New Fave

Need an excuse to eat mouth-wateringly good food and actually feel good about it? Then look no further than Feast of Merit on Swan Street in Richmond, which directs 100 percent of its profits to YGAP, a movement of entrepreneurs who launch ventures in developing countries to improve the lives of people living in poverty.

J

Cute place that makes you feel like you're dining in some romantic Spanish restaurant. Courteous service and a yummalicious menu that has a middle eastern style. The slow cooked pork and beef was tender and tastetastic. Would also order the cauliflower dish again! Pretty sure even those who hate cauliflower would like how they cook this vegie. Side note was to book online, much easier than calling as had trouble getting through via phone.

Kevin Jung Hak Yun

Came here last week for a friends farewell dinner. The service was good and the atmosphere inside was quite nice. The food was not bad either. We ordered sausages and bread with dips and prawns to start. Warning, the portions for those were small after we were recommended they were sufficient for the 9 of us. We ordered the lamb, chicken and steak for main meats with Brussel sprouts and potatoes and roast pumpkins for vegetables. The lamb was described as 12 hour slow cooked but it was still quite tough to eat. This was the same for the chicken. The beef was quite nice. The Brussel sprouts were very delicious and the pumpkin and potatoes were also very tasty. Overall, it's a good joint but would have liked he meat to be a bit more juicy and tender instead of being dry.

Kate Sutho

Disappointed with my experience today. Being a Sunday they have a 'limited' menu, plus had ran out of many ingredients, making the menu even more limited. Despite this, we were still provided with the full menu to choose from and only told of the reduced menu while we ordered or after our orders failed to even arrive! The food here is really good but the service has a long way to go. Lots of room for improvement! !

Teebo

Richmond has a thousand great cafe's for breakfast. This one was recommended to us by a local, if we wanted something a "bit different". Immediately loved the washed walls and vintage brass and copper fittings. The service was prompt and thorough from the start. We were seated straight away even though there were people piling into this popular restaurant. The menu is Middle Eastern which I really like. I ordered the Ful Medarmes which is a a cumin baked eggs dish. The pickled turnips and yoghurt was a great addition. I loved it! My mate had the Middle Eastern Crumpets, this was a big hit too. Definitely worth another visit here. Bangin!

Melbourne Glutton

This is a cafe with a really chilled out vibe for a really good cause. It's a YGAP initiative, and 100% of the profits go back to YGAP. Feast of Merit is a tradition that comes from an North-eastern India. In Naga culture, when someone within the community acquires a position of wealth, they can choose to hold a festival – Feast of Merit. The whole community – including the poor and disadvantaged – is invited to join together to share the fruits of the person’s wealth. The feast lasts until all of their assets – everything of value – are shared amongst all of the community.

B-Rad

Coffee hot but weak, BBQ trout breakfast was small, one egg on toast with 40gram of tasteless over cooked 'BBQ'? Ocean Trout, tasteless hummus, dish was lacking flavour. For $18 dollars I expected better!

Georgie

My favorite place for dinner!!! The share meals are so lovely and the concept is beautiful. We love eating here as often as we can to help! The degustations are a must if you can book in as well!!

Sinny Dear

Really not a fan of the over the top, wanky menu. What I didn't like, the rest I couldn't eat due to allergies. The staff member who served me wasn't much help either. My salted caramel hot chocolate was lukewarm and lacking flavour.

Ferguson

Unfortunately we went on Father's Day so we didn't get the regular menu but the food we had was still very good. The service was a little slow (they were busy though) but the atmosphere is great. It was refreshing going to a restaurant that helped others and didn't have the sole purpose of furthering their business. I had the avo on toast and it was the best! So much avo and all the flavours worked together wonderfully. If there weren't so many other cafes to try I would go back here to have something off their regular menu.

Xox90

Fantastic. Had the feast for two steak with two sides. Meal was delicious, staff knowledgeable and helpful. Maybe a little pricey but you do recieve plenty for it. One 'feast' and two sides would happily serve three.

Sarah Ramsay

Dropped in today to get a take away coffee and an egg and bacon roll....Easy order...First understaffed and one girl running from take away coffees to customers seated wanting to order... Not her fault but no help at all for her...Asked for egg and bacon roll take away, don't do that.... 8:45am on a Monday morning and there is no sign of anything available for take away. Waitress ask chef if he can make an egg and bacon roll, he say no, has to be eggs on toast with bacon as a side take away.Ok no worries, small double shot coffee with take away scrambled eggs and bacon... $19.60!!!!Coffee was ordinary and made by a barista who did not smile at one customer in the 15 mins I was in the place. Food was very disappointing and the scrambled eggs were burnt and the bacon was undercooked.Would not go again for take away and in the 15 mins I was there I did not see one happy customer...

Dennis Vegan

Love this place! great cozy atmosphere with friendly service and excellent food. The slow cooked lamb was my favourite dish of the night as it just fell apart off the bone so easily. They have some great veggie sides as well - highly recommend the cauliflower.

Madison D

I really love the concept of this place. North-eastern Indian infused dishes that are also very healthy. I went for lunch and ended up ordering The Forbidden Breakfast - thanks to a late weekend breakfast cutoff - paired with The Osho smoothie. Both were delicious! The service was very good considering how busy it was and I really enjoyed rustic vibe of the interior. The one negative thing I will mention is that they ran out of a couple of things my table originally wanted to order, but it was extremely busy so I understand these things will happen. I will definitely be back and can't wait to try out the dinner menu.

Beachie111

Called in asked for a table for 2 had to wait for 15 mins and ignored after finding our own table in front of them. Went to counter asked for menus n 2 coffees Waiter with extreme arrogance eventually appeared with 2 coffees we asked to order food no appearance after another 15 mins Again asked if we could order of a third person and yep u guessed it another 15 went past still no intrest. Have to be the worst example of customer service place was less than half full So much competition around DONT BOTHER

Melbourne Foodie Memoirs

Very tasty for both brunch and dinner. The middle eastern flavours are great. I had the Ras El hanout ocean trout which was delicious. We also like the range of drinks and the old school r&b they were playing. Ygap seems like a great initiative. Will be back.

Snooter2Tooter

After a couple of initial hiccups, things went really well and the food was delicious. Went for the chicken, the rice that came with it was amazing. Will definitely be back and looking forward to exploring more of the menu

Catherine MacLean

Was really looking forward to visiting, and the flavours really lived up to expectations! I was disappointed that being a weekend not all lunchtime salad options were available- and we weren't told until we were ordering. But the sweet potato salad and the slaw were delicious!

Joy

It was really tasty! We had slow cooked lamb, roast potatoes and sprouts the staff were really helpful we will definitely return! A new found gem on swan!

Silvia Segev

Came here with the family for my birthday and the food was absolutely delicious! The flavors were amazing and there was something for everyone. The staff were very friendly and accomodating. Will definitely be back.

The Spice Adventuress

There are so many cuisines to choose from, interesting looking cafes and restaurants, quirky spaces, hot spots…plenty to choose from which can be a bit daunting. But if you are willing to take a chance and follow your instincts, then you are likely to end up with some great food and equally great experiences.

Hhunni

The food is great and I like the concept of eating for a good cause. Don't come for breakfast but lunch (limited menu) and dinner (get the fish) are fantastic. Service can be hit and miss. I enjoy the simplicity of the lunch menu - choice of 3 salads and 2 proteins for a very reasonable price. Dinner is even better with a wider menu. The salads and vegetable dishes are always so creative and guaranteed to be delicious. And if you can't finish your meal, they don't hesitate to give your a take away box. No point in wasting such yummy food!

Jasmine Trinh

Delicious breakfast menu! Came here for breakky with the family on Sunday, and it was so good! The atmosphere was great and the staff were nice. The interior is awesome as well

Joshua Thomas Bray

Great tasting food. Be prepared that 1/2 the menu is not available on the weekend or may run out late in the day. In between a cafe/bar/coffee house. Very funky / hipster joint.

Alisha

Love the breakfasts here! It's so much better than the typical bacon and eggs on toast. The vegetables were flavourful, and my favourite was the rice 'hashbrown'. Staff were friendly and actually chatted with my friend and I.

Guzzling

Love this place! Came here for the first time just for a snack and fell in love with their salads. There's definitely a twist with each one and I love the unique blend of flavours in them. I tried both the eggplant and sweet potato salad. The eggplant salad has a peculiar sour taste to it but goes well with the eggplant itself. The sweet potato was cooked beautifully and I even devoured the skin! The portions aren't huge but it's definitely filling and aesthetically pleasing. I'd love to go back and try out the rest of the salads and maybe add some protein too.

Nyssi

Super tasty flavour combinations and perfectly cooked food that is great for the tummy and the good for the soul with 100% of profits going through YGAP helping those less fortunate than us. Loved the smokey eggplant salad with Middle eastern spices and yoghurt, so good!! Great coffee, great service, great vibe. Love the brunch here so thought we'd try the dinner menu and it did not disappoint! Big share plates of melting meats and fresh, crunchy salads with their signature middle Eastern nuts and spices. Delish!!

Putfoodinme_

Recently had dinner at Feast of Merit after receiving recommendations from a friend, and I was not disappointed. The menu is designed to share, and with only 2 people we couldn't really order that much. I would love to go with a bigger group and explore the menu further. The feasting dishes were incredibly generous serves - we went with the slow cooked beef shin and there was no way we could both finish it (although we did try because it was delicious).

Bec Price

Delish food! Went with two people. I think would work better with a big group where you order more food to share! Will definitely go back for an event

Melbournian

My partner and I came here for brunch a little while back and to be honest, it was just ok. I had high hopes as sounded different, being middle eastern inspired, and I liked the ethos behind the place too. The food was just ok though, to be honest. As another negative, we were on the list for a table (normal for a Sunday brunch and in itself not an issue), but then a couple came in who obviously knew the host, and he seated them straight away, ahead of at least 6-8 people. It was a rainy, cold morning and I thought this was particularly rude and disrespectful to others waiting their turn.

Mariposa

Gorgeous little place! Excellent service. Food was fantastic! Standing ovation! Flavor wise breakfast was one of the best in Melbourne! We had the olive oil poached white fish with eggs. The standout was the pork belly of the forbidden breakfast! The spice and flavoring of the pork belly was perfection. Complexity of spices and flavors yet bearable and not too over powering to balance with the eggs and bread. I congratulate the waiting staff for their efficient service despite how busy it was. I can't wait to return and eat my way through the menu! ; )

Shae Hailey

Gorgeous cafe in a cosy setting that is perfect for brunching with the ladies. Feast takes traditional brunch options to the next level with their own unique twists on all the brunch favourites, meals are fresh, healthy and delicious, the staff are really friendly and the atmosphere is vibrant, what more could you want! The biggest problem is choosing between the many options that entice me, the friendly staff are more than happy to recommend their choice :)

EatingMyWayInMelbourne

Hands down one of the cutest and most unique cafes I've been to in Melbourne. It happened to be somewhere I was using to pass time but I've managed to been back a couple of times in the last month. Coffee is amazing, staff were incredibly friendly and the decor keeps me off my phone. Love this place!

Kimberley Leggett

Hands down my favourite place in Melbourne. Love the ambience and the food is unbelievable. I mean, have you tried that Slow Cooked Lamb? Fried Cauliflower? Grilled Ox Tongue? TO DIE FOR. Portions are great for two hungry ppl or groups to share. Flavours are phenomenal - can't get enough. I have been here for lunch and have been slightly overwhelmed as dinner always delivers the goods. Small portions and frankly, no where near as impressive as dinner. So take your friends or a hot date and be impressed.

Minyip

Have been here several times and they never disappoint. Baked fish was delicious and super fresh. We'd originally ordered something else but the kitchen was awesome and allowed us to make a change once we'd smelt the fish which had been delivered to a table nearby! Thanks especially to the lady with long hair and red lippie, super friendly gal which is sometimes hard to find when dining out. Cocktails are on point too. Will be back soon :)

Ambra

Dined here for a work lunch thing in a larger group. It was hard to cater for our group size, and we were spread over a bunch of tables. Took a bit to get our head around the way the menu worked, but when we did it was great. I had the beetroot, broccoli and beef. Thoroughly enjoyed the food. The service was a bit hit and miss. Drinks took ages to come out amongst the flurry of weekday lunch and our large group. Staff were pretty good at the menu although some things weren't ready. Portion sizes are smaller but I didn't go away feeling like I had consumed a truck load of food. Would definitely return. Keen to see warm salads in winter as that would totally hit the spot.

David K

Third time eating here. Each time it gets better. Genuinely brilliant staff - know their stuff, on the ball, kind and professional. It was ages ago since I got the steak but the portion this time was even bigger and was perfect. The cauliflower dish is one of my favourites in Melbourne. The price is on point, but then even if it was a touch expensive, it's for the very best reason. In short, don't change FoM - you're perfect.

Mooka Chook

Nice atmosphere, friendly staff and really good food. Salads are amazing with fresh ingredients. The roast chicken is a favourite. Lunch and dinner both good options. Somewhere you can sit, relax and enjoy.

Budweizer100

Very disappointed. They have a minimalistic menu, which I have no problem with, but when all but two of the few items are available on a Saturday it makes me wonder if they even decided to check their stock the day before. The food was tasty, but certainly overpriced. The $16 chicken salad was smaller than the menu choice. The music, which was blasting from the speakers, got turned up repeatedly to the extent where my friend and I couldn't even hear each other speak! Is this a nightclub or a 'chilled-vibe' cafe?! With the other options in the area, we won't be coming back soon. By the looks of the other reviews, we're not the only ones. This could clearly be the best place on the street if they weren't so concerned about squeezing every cent out of the food budget.

Andrewjustinbott

Has Gone Down Hill. I had lunch at F.O.M for, maybe, the sixth time today, and the first time for a few months. The service and vibe are still great, but portions have shrunk and it really doesn't represent good value at all. For $22 I had two salads and a tiny piece of (admittedly very tasty) fish. The beetroot salad was basically a beetroot sliced in half with a few extras thrown in while the mushroom salad was no better: two mushrooms... This would pass as an entrée elsewhere and came served on a small plate to hide how meagre the serve was. I live a few hundred metres away and IMO almost any other place on Swan Street is better value.

Soph_jk

Disgraceful Service!. I left this review on Feast of Merits Facebook page yesterday but got zero response; My friend and I popped in here today for a quick takeaway salad on our lunch break. I love the food here and although the customer service has always been a bit lacking in my experience, today’s was absolutely DISGRACEFUL! The man behind the counter wearing the crappy necklace was so rude we were left gobsmacked. If you don’t like your job, LEAVE! Clearly the customer service industry is not for you if smiling and answering simple questions is too hard to handle. The philosophy of this restaurant is great and the food is amazing however your customer service is rubbish and is really letting your business down. This is the first time I have been left that mad that I have felt the need to actively seek out a business just to leave a negative review. We both work at a very large business nearby and have a number of lunch options to choose from, your terrible customer service has only given us incentive to eat elsewhere from now on. Too the beautiful blue eyed, bearded man, thanks for your genuine service and lovely smile on the way out – you cheered us up

Llazdins

Fabulous!. Went here for a work function the food was absolutely to die for.... very different but soo good! I drank apple cider the whole time because that too was different but great, dont know how its done but well worth the money. Will be back!! Love love love it!!!!

Chussey1234

Unique and Superb!. Forget your original breakfast plans and try something different! Just had and awesome Middle Eastern breakfast comprising of spiced carrots, aubergines, avacado, flat bread and smoked yoghurt. Coffee and service were wicked too!

Stephen.digby

Nice but way overpriced.. Lovely food but the "feast" options are exorbitant ! Two people need to order the dish for $18 each = 1 (generous) plate to share for $36. $36 Lamb plate was succulent. $16 salads were very nice (especially the fried cauliflower!

JD

Extermely over priced, music did not suit the venue at all and was ridiculously loud. Food was nice but just not worth the price, also made a reservation which they apparently 'lost' so had to wait 45 minutes for a table

Jstepsys

Great breakfast. Hip joint, great vibe, love the decor. Had a brilliant breakfast - the carrots were insane as was the trout with hummus. Service was very slow and had to ask for coffee 3 times. But the food was so good I would definitely return!

Elle_ava

Poor service and ignorant staff, never again. We went in with our babies and the staff showed faces. I did, however, apologised for the mess my baby created, and again was shown faces and ignored. Later I left the restaurant with baby and my husband was left to properly finish his meal. He later told me the staff picked up one of the wet tissues from the floor and thrown on his hand. When he complained to the management, they simply said sorry without eye contact. No sincerity at all. Very disappointed, frustrated and completely ruined our anniversary.

Amy Dingeldei

Almost walked out due to the poor service. Thankfully I had burnt toast I could barely chew to make up for my tasteless meal. Don't understand why you can't make alterations to the menu, what's so hard about replacing fried eggs with scrambled?

The Travel Journo

FEAST OF LIGHTING I first came across Feast of Merit one day before a football match. I “needed” a coffee and stumbled into Feast for some much needed nectar of the gods. Located on Swan st, Richmond , I was instantly taken aback with the decor. This may seem excessive, but I will say right now that I think Feast of Merit has the best decorated interior I have seen in any cafe anywhere…IN THE WORLD. From the lime coated brickwork to the hanging lights with long filaments showing through and the tables with the machine like legs, you get a warehouse feel from Feast like no other place I have visited. The establishment is part of the YGAP group. They are a non-profit organisation who aim to be an incubator for social change. I will write in a separate article about YGAP and their work. Ok, onto the cafe itself. The coffee is superb! With all the usual suspects going at the reasonable rate if $3.80 a cup, you get value for money here. They also have single origin coffee available for an e

Mel

Happy.. I enjoyed my first visit here at lunchtime today. Great atmosphere, tasty, healthy, satisfying food, reasonably priced, lovely philosophy & purpose, friendly, attentive staff. Great coffee topped off my experience.

NancyPancy

Great local. Went for the first time and will be back. A great little local with simple and tasty dishes. Thanks for a great night.

Melaustra

My friend and i were in Melbourne for a holiday and were going to have breakfast in Richmond. seeing that the place we chose for breakfast was closed we went here instead. looking at the menu with all its organic good for you ingredients i thought i was going to be so disappointed as i love fat and grease and lots of it. We order the forbidden breakfast and yousli and it was absolutely delicious. The smoothies were really good. Awesome that it is also a restaurant with a great cause!

459493492

Love this place!. I really really enjoy their special Japanese tea!! love the spring harvest dish. super and healthy and taste! staffs are friendly there. Love the whole package!

CEBS17

Yumm!. I have been here a couple of times for dinner and once for breaky - food was fresh, delicious and creative. Definitely worth a visit!!

Tom.nolan

Best restaurant in Richmond. Anyone who leaves a negative review about this restaurant needs their taste buds and inspected by their local GP... because there is definitely something wrong. Feast of Merit has landed in the Richmond scene and as a frequent visitor to swan street i couldn't be happier. From the customer service, to the super cool fit out and most importantly the food this place is the best eatery in Richmond, but it doesn't end their. The staff share a common passion for food and philanthropy. Do yourself a favour and look up the YGAP charity before you eat here.... when that lamb shoulder falls off the bone remember that all the money that the restaurant makes is going to key projects the charity runs both here and overseas... makes you feel all warm and fuzzy doesn't it?? amazing food, amazing people, amazing wine list and if you are single then cancel your tinder account and head there.... best looking people you will see in richmond congregate on mass. great little spot for a private function upstairs too. do yourself a favour!

Keshreade

New Favourite!!!. I have been lucky enough to have dined here a few times and Feast continues to impress! The vegetable dishes are equally as delicious as the meat dishes, so flavoursome and original. The staff are absolutely charming and extremely considerate particularly when told about intolerances suffered by friends I have dined with. Love it more every time I eat here!

Graluther

Top Dining Experience!. Great atmosphere, friendly service, and delicious cuisine! Fresh, wholesome food, cooked to the highest standard and served by friendly, professional wait staff! Highly recommended! An awesome dining experience.

Foodie1234

Yum yum yum!!. Absolutely loved Feast of Merit. The staff were delightful, the fit out was just gorgeous and the slow cooked lamb is to die for. The prices were also very reasonable, and to think we are helping those less fortune than us is an absolute bonus and blessing. We will certainly be coming back for seconds. Highly, highly recommend.

Jessica

More than just great food!. I was impressed the minute I walked through the door - the beautiful setting, the staff were on the ball, our waiter knew the menu back to front - and it was the first day of the new menu mind you - and although they were busy (which is a great sign for a Tuesday night!), our table wasn't left waiting for anything at any time. Between 6 of us we shared the food & it definitely was a feast fit for kings. Absolutely mouth-watering, so fresh, a lot of local produce & very, very tasty! The atmosphere was intimate enough for a cozy date yet ambient enough for a larger celebration. Very reasonably priced, and I felt like I had contributed to a worthy cause eating here. I came here on the recommendation from a friend when I was visiting Melbourne & I will be back next time I am in town!

Michael

Worst meal I've had in Richmond

A.buttle

Staff are lovely and what a great concept. Staff have become like good friends for a local richmond girl, super nice and chatty and the coffee is great, still to go for dinner but heard nothing but good things

Rod

Chicken. Great baked eggs here

Anniruok

Disappointed. I took a friend from overseas here as my past experience was EXCEPTIONAL unfortunately, not this time! The service and staff were OUTSTANDING but the food was not mouth watering. It was tasteless and the beef was strange. I can't say that I would go back despite the wonderful work of the restaurant and YPAG.

Nigella

Would not recommend. Food was not that fresh/tasty. I ordered muesli and some of it tasted like part of it came out of a box. Cannot choose how you want your eggs done (ie. 'Big Breakfast' says fried they come fried, no flexibility). Service from waitress was bad and unfriendly, bordering on rude. She may have been having a bad day/private issues (Lol...we are friendly so it cant have been personal!). The bar staff were cheerful and helpful. Overall I would definitely not go back. I would recommend Cheeky Monkey down the road instead...or give FoM a chance without my personal endorsement (!). Sorry FoM but I feel I should keep others from disappointment. A bad breakfast is easily avoidable in Melbourne.

Celeriac85

Thursday night dinner - seated at the bar and pretty much forgotten about for 20min! Our male waiter, who was also acting as the door man, ran off mid sentence whilst taking our order to attend to another task and seemed to prioritise drying spoons over taking customer orders?! Very odd. I had to order my glass of wine three times before it finally came out- no one had noted the order down earlier! The same waiter finally apologised for the slow service and said we would get complimentary coleslaw- which in the end we were charged for. To top it off we were given the wrong menu and initially charged $20 extra for our meal. The restaurant luckily amended that... Overall, very chaotic and inattentive service. Our meals were nice - the fish and eggplant dip were lovely, but the shocking service really dampened our night. Will not be returning again unless service dramatically improves.

Dine_in

Feast of ferret!! Wev run out of this wev run out of that . Do you guys even run at all? . And the service, please. Take your finger out and care about your customers. I've got no idea how this place has 80 something percent of likes. Honking.

Dine Out

Disgusting!!! Never returning here again! They didn't have orange juice no Apple juice ?? How is this normal? If your running low on something re order it! So I had to order a juice I wouldn't normally go for it's called the Ghandi - it actually tastes like vomit . This place is below average . The food came out my partner had the forbidden breakfast yuck!! It should be forbidden he said it's like drinking vinegar ! And I had the ricotta local tomatoes - average! We left this Place still hungry because we left everything there ! Shocking !! We are now of to pillar of salt because we know we are going to get an unbelievable meal & good service!

Tim Haslett

Good Cause, Great Food. Four of us visited Feast of Merit and gave the menu a bit of a work out. For starters, we had the mussels and the whipped salt cod with sumac oil which is an excellent starter for those who like something a little sharper than the normal bland Middle Eastern dips. The standout dishes in my mind were two of the vegetable dishes: New season pumpkin, almonds, barberries, moghrabieh, aioli, pickled green chilli and the fried cauliflower, blackened onions, hung yogurt, sour cherries. Both are an excellent example of what a talented and imaginative chef can do with fresh produce. We had two mains (more than enough for people): Cherry Tree organic slow cooked lamb joint, harissa and the Milawa free range chicken, bulgar, preserved lemon, green olives. The lamb was the pick of the two dishes, a fore-quarter beautifully tender and succulent but not a dish for someone who needs to watch their fat intake. If you order the chicken, ask for a sharp, serrated-edged knife as you need to do your own carving and the standard cutlery is not quite up to it For deserts we had doughnuts, which were beautiful golden orbs of non-claggy decadence and strawberry yoghurt dish that had hints of cardamom: both excellent. We drink the tap beers Coburg Lager, Stone & Wood Pacific Ale and Monteith’s American Pale Ale which was probably the pick of the bunch. The two talented cooks in our party ranked the meal as excellent. Parma Man ranked it as okay, but in fairness This was the first time he has had anything other than chicken parmigiana in a restaurant. This is a great restaurant with a small but well presented menu and excellent service. It is also a social cause that deserves support. We were there on a Thursday night and both sittings were full which is a tribute to the quality of the offering.

Oceana10101

Really was hoping for better.... Decided to come here as a sunday breakfast treat and I must say the decor creates a very modern relaxed vibe, the customer service was half half, the male staff running the counter were quite rowdy, rude and more concerned with their own conversations, wheres the lady who waited me was very sweet, calm and attentive. When it was time to order I choose coconut as my drink but after 5 minuets was notified they had run out, I'm quite a patient calm person and that is hardly a reason to hate the place, I settled for water and decided to order their house made yousli, gluten free muesli with coconuts various grains and coconut yogurt and a chose almond milk as an accompaniment. It came out faster than I expected, no complaints there but I was very disappointed, I paid around 18 or so $ for bland tasting muesli with a table spoon of coconut yogurt (which was delicious by far the standout of the dish) and the tiniest pitcher basically a tablespoon of what tasted like store bought almond milk. They should really consider their portions and ratio of milk/yogurt to muesli. I was left still quite hungry, upon exiting I saw a display of raw vegan slices I decided i'd give them another chance. I asked the price and surprisingly they were only $5 each! I was pleasantly surprised and thought to my self I may have found a cheeper alternative to Pana chocolate WRONG! I got the blueberry lavender vanilla and the goji dragon fruit, the staff carelessly threw both the slices and the same paper bag and they instantly smooshed, I was still excited to try them. first I realised there was a bit too much base which was quite chunky but not unbearable, I bit into the blueberry, lavender, vanilla one and spat it out instantly the only thing I could taste were massive chunks of lavender it was inedible! next the goiji dragon fruit was awful too, the consistency was like warm baby food and it was sickeningly sweet and bitter at the same time. I would much rather pay for quality. Overall I won't be returning anytime soon but I may consider trying a hot dish most people are raving about. I really wanted to like It at feat of merit but my experience was not good.

Ava.pham

Fabulous function space, menu and service.. We've hosted two private functions here to date and both have been great. We were very happy with the function package offered. Service was professional, food was delicious, lovely ambiance - the feedback we received from our guests has been nothing short of positive. Thank you Feast of Merit - your team has been wonderful. We will definitely host another event with you in future.

SB

Love love the food and the coffee is great.

Rm3000

Comforting breakfast. The breakfast menu is great. Things liked slow cooked lamb, baked Middle Eastern spiced carrots, seasonal braised greens, straight avocado with a sprinkling of sumac, cauliflower cream and grains, all make an appearance on different dishes. They work in really well with more traditional breakfast fare like eggs and bacon. The food is comforting and nourishing. The kitchen was efficient, although it was before the rush, so hard to say how it performs when you need it most. Service was fine but not special. I'd definitely come back for the food alone.

Amisha Patel

Average food but lovely ambiance. I found the overall experience very ordinary, the ambiance was buzzing and fun but it didn't really reflect on the food. Intense flavours, didn't really enjoy most of the dishes we ordered as the taste was strong and had put me off. Maybe it didn't fit my palate ! The prices of the dishes are steep as well so overall I didn't have the best experience.

Blash

TOO DARK!. I ate here last night with my daughter before the football. For some STUPID AND ANNOYING REASON they turned the lights so low that I could not read the menu or, when the food came, see what I was eating. Some may like low vision places but I like to see what I am eating. There were 3 of us crammed into a table big enough for 1.5 people to eat at. What are they trying to hide!!!! Having had my RANT I must tell you all that the food is GREAT. Tasty, different, a large variety mainly revolving around vegetarian. Service was snappy and friendly. Reasonable costing and quick service. I THOROUGHLY recommend this place for a casual meal BUT wear your night vision goggles if you go past dark!!!

Good Stuff

Food was amazing!!!! Wholesome & delicious. Service was fab. All the staff were so friendly. I could eat like this every night. Onto a good thing here well done

Wingster

A feast for all the senses. Arrived with no booking on a busy Wednesday night. Fully booked but the charming Maître d' was happy for us to perch at the bar and wait. Great vibe and a small but appealing menu to peruse, good wine, and the wait was easy. When we reached our table things only got better - loved the silverside with a serving of slaw. Table service was fantastic, although our dips didn't ever arrive (the Maître d' was appalled and sliced 10% off the remaining bill, which we reimbursed in our tip). The place isn't a slick commercial restaurant, be prepared to give a little, those few haters in these reviews. We loved it and will be back.

Nathanmitchell

One of the best feeds in Melbourne.. I read a few of the reviews before coming to this restaurant and I must say that I disagree with most of the negative comments. We received amazing service and had an overall great experience. The food was amazing and came out quite fast - our waters where constantly being refilled and plates taken away as soon as we had finished. Overall a perfect night.

Johannes

Amazingly fresh and vibrant food done to the highest standard with love and care and service great if youre assertive. For the muppets complaining of bad service, you try serving a restaraunt full of people all ordering at the same time and see how you go

EatEat

If you haven't been GO!. Loved this place. Unlike other reviews I found the service was great - prompt, friendly and they took the time to explain the menu. Beautiful fit out inside and great vibe. Slow cooked lamb was devine as was the smokey eggplant and bread to start. Only negative was the leek was gritty. Book if going on a fri / Sat.

Peter

Fantastic food, service wasn't great.

Mumneedscoffee

Food is nice but the service is appalling. And if you really feel the need for a bit of philanthropy, maybe just donate some money to your favourite charity online instead of through the overpriced food at Feast Of Merit.

Amy Mercer

Feasted last Thursday night, ohh my...it was bloody delicious!!! The slow cooked lamb

Joel McCreery

Great menu, Horrendous service!

Johnnyeatsfood

What a fantastic space, great food coffee and drinks, loved the roast root veg and heirloom beet salad was to die for, the cure greatest hits was a bonus and being do easy on the pocket makes feast if merit a winner

Fish

A bit too different. We drove past and from the outside this place looked amazing. It was near capacity on a sunday lunchtime so we pulled up to see what all the fuss was about. Inside this vibe was great! Great decor and layout and it catered for small and larger groups. Staff were on top of things quickly finding us a seat. Now the menu is not what you usually get... The all day breakfast did appeal but i struggled to find something i was comfortable with. I am usually a muesli/porridge type of person so i opted for the almond milk porridge. It was topped with 'super seeds' and looked the goods but it was bland. It needed a lift with some fruit or yoghurt. I eventually ordered a side of yoghurt which helped me get through it. We also ordered a super salad with beef. We were told it was a combination of the beetroot salad and veggie salad but when it arrived it was clearly just a beetroot salad, again not a great dish. Maybe we just ordered the wrong thing because the meals on the table next to us looked incredible - massive food envy. The all important coffee was grew though and as much as i like the look and vibe of the joint, the food just didn't hit the mark.

DinerSK

Enjoyed family dinner at this lovely place. The table was too small for 5 but the dishes more than made up for it. Attentive service, Ayurvedic tonic starter a nice touch. The meat dishes plentiful and vegetarian ones innovative.Will def return. Good concept.

FoodFAN

So delicious. We couldn't get a table inside so we sat outside. Staff helped with the heaters. Service was great. Food was delicious. Interesting beer. Two suggestions - when arriving it was chaos at the door and no one knew what was happening. Perhaps this could be improved. Also, when ordering it was implied by staff that sides were included (we had the beef dish). So it was a surprise when there was a $15 charge for cauliflower. However, it was fantastic so we didn't mind - this could be an issue in the future. Will be back! 10/10.

The Travel Journo

A feast of awesomeness. I first came across Feast of Merit one day before a football match. I “needed” a coffee and stumbled into Feast for some much needed nectar of the gods. I was instantly taken aback with the decor. This may seem excessive, but I will say right now that I think Feast of Merit has the best decorated interior I have seen in any cafe anywhere...IN THE WORLD. To continue reading this review and for some great pics of Feats of merit check out my blog! Click below! http://thetraveljourno.com/reviews/melbourne-cafes/feast-of-merit/

Queen Of Tarts

Absolutely wonderful. Fantastic food, great decor and very friendly staff. Also reasonably priced. Could not fault this place & can't wait to return.

Louise

Delicious food and excellent service. The staff are always friendly when I eat here. I love the beetroot salad, it is great value and never disappoints. I would also recommend the Basilenoki as a drink option here. Very delicious!!!!! I cannot wait until my next visit.

Claudiagatt

Thank you! :). I wanted to thank you all so very much for all helping make my sisters day so special. There was so much to prepare for the day, and you made is easy as well as offered such a wonderful service from start to finish! You were so accommodating with our guests dietary requirements, and they were all delighted with your venue! All the ladies had a terrific day and I have no doubt they will all be back!! We chose to have my sisters Hen's Ladies Lunch at the Feast of Merit based on your food standard and support for local farmers, as well as being able to support YGAP. You truly have a wonderful business and I wish you every success!! Thank you again and we look forward to coming in for dinner or a coffee soon! Have a great day and all the very best! Claudia

Tara F

Yum!!! The food was absolutely delicious! Love the concept of "feasting" and lots of vego options. Staff were very helpful with leaving dairy on the side & managed to find us a table on a busy Saturday when we had no booking. Great vibe, great ambience! I'll be back :-)

Lisa

Very very good - love!!!. Love Feast of Merit, food is absolutely delicious, there's a good wine list, a lovely ambience and great staff. The concept is that profits are donated to worthy causes such as third world poverty so you can use your dollar for good. Even tho' that is wonderful, I would also be there just for the 12 hour lamb, the Glenloth roasted chook, the whole wild bbq snapper, the fried cauliflower, the salted caramel dougnuts and the st ali coffee and the fact that it is quite inexpensive. I liked it so much on Tues night that we are going again tonight - Thu. Yep, twice in the same week. No wonder they are getting the write-ups (broadsheet etc) that they are.

Raksta

Amazing service!. This team is on top of their game! Busy Saturday morning, great atmosphere, super attentive, friendly staff - 10/10 for service!

Jcoldbeck

Had a group of 8 for dinner last night. Service was amazing, super friendly and attentive. Lamb was a standout, as were the leeks. Will go again for sure!

Kate Ryle

Deliciously Scrumptious!!. We went as a large booking and the staff were truly amazing!! Very attentive and friendly and did a great job serving us all. We literally had a feast and shared most of what was on the menu between us and it was all delicious!!! So much flavour!! General consensus was the lamb and pumpkin dishes were the stand out however all of the food was great! Great beer and wine on tap too! The layout/decor of the restaurant makes it feel bustling yet still very cosy. And it was just an added bonus that the profits go to charity! Already looking forward to going back and would def recommend it!! Thanks Guys!

Daz

Absolutely love this place!! Excellent service the staff are just amazing. Slow cooked lamb and the cauliflower dish were sublime. Mulled wine was delicious. Was a great dining experience , will definitely be back.

Gingercatz

Wonderful service and food so yummy. Great find the staff are wonderful even under pressure. The menu just gorgeous and the 12hr lamb unforgettable. Great night thank you

Gsanders

Loved the quirky. I enjoy trying differant foods and dishes and the Farm to plate aaspect drew me ti the restaurant, especially when connected to the YGAP organisation.- but the big plus was the Coffee was second cup worthy and the food was yummy- can't wait to get back again.

Hamishrobert

Delicious, Atmospheric, Funky. This is the epitome of cool Melbourne dining. What an amazing restaurant this is. I have been there four times now, for dinner, coffee twice, and lunch, and everything has been delicious. Lunch salads were FANTASTIC and delicious and the fish was supple and beautiful. The coffee is great quality. The dinners are delicious, though I'd go for the meat options over the vego which aren't super filling (and I used to be vego). The atmos is really awesome, great interior decor, the staff are cool and friendly, the whole vibe is sensational. 8.5/10. I would bring interstate visitors here, take someone on a date here, meet people for coffee here. It is awesome. Also, the profits fund YGAP's projects in the developing world, so it's an amazing social enterprise. And really reasonably priced. I had a delicious lunch for around $10, fish and two salads, it was an utter delight.

Tzeni

Ordinary. Had lunch there recently and was not that impressed. Fish was dry and overcooked, looked like it had been sitting around for hours. Salads were ok. Don't like the size of the plates the food is served on.

Theweaklymushroom

Fantastic food, atmosphere and service.. Awesome spot, went here for breakfast and loved the range and effort that has gone into the menu, i had the winter harvest which was delicious, great sized portions and reasonably priced. Very impressed by the layout and general atmosphere, coffee was fantastic, the friendly and passionate barista tuned us on to trying out the filter coffee, good choice! Spent a lovely morning here relaxing, one of the best spots in Richmond. back again soon!

Amanda Llewellyn

The food was good but I won't return due to the rude barista who ruined our experience. very disappointing!

Fielder6

Slow service. Staff are relatively expressionless, won't bother going back

Kellytanti16

AMAZING. Feast Of Merit is a beautifully styled restaurant with a simple but extraordinary menu. I have been for breakfast, lunch and dinner and don't know what I like more. Favourites include the Pulses & Grains for breakfast, Hopkins River Beef and salads for lunch and Fish and sides for dinner. Hats off to the Feast Of Merit & YGAP team.

Louise.cato

Activated nuts aren't worth the hype (or the price...). Pros - coffee was good and the menu looked good. Picked the muesli in the end as a reasonably priced, healthy option. Great location and the venue was lovely, nice relaxed atmosphere. Cons - What sounded delicious on the menu was actually really chewy and not enough f the coconut yoghurt (delicious though). When I asked where the pomegranate seeds advertised on the menu were, the barista told me the sugar in pomegranate seeds is unhealthy, so just the actual seed was included, (because that's where the nutrients are) and my body would be happier having activated buckwheat. Thanks for the nutrition lesson. Actually, fruit sugars are a great fuelling food and and activating nuts is a myth - doesn't do anything. Either way my taste buds would have been a lot happier with some fruit included, and my stomach might have been less hungry too. Please let's not sacrifice good taste and filling meals for the sake of including a few 'superfoods' just to be trendy. Not to mention the barista's condescending 'I know more than you about nutrition' attitude.

Brownsss

Disappointing experience. Menu looked great and lots of great vegetarian options. Unfortunately let down by very slow and disinterested service. Our waitress didn't seem to have much of a clue, took away drinks before they were finished and it wouldn't have hurt her to smile just a bit.

Mands Gleeson

Absolutely brilliant!!! Food was above & beyond in flavour & warmth. GM host Baz was knowledgeable, warm & accommodating - a pleasure to dine there.

Evie Steele

This place is awesome! The actual building is phenomenal, bang in the middle of Swan St, fantastic staff (the GM Baz is a legend) and a menu that Richmond much needed. Thank goodness for Feast Of Merit!

Merridie

Great ambience. Have eaten a few times at FOM. Last time was lunch on Monday. Soup was good and warm garlic bread lovely with it. Salads are tasty and chicken great - my friend was impressed. Great enterprise and good cause supported.

Exclamationandi

Would return/10. The negatives: portion sizes have varied between visits and at times, some wait staff were a little careless with detail and seemed a little dismissive of the customers' needs - When inquired about a particular part of the menu, vague responses were received. The positives: So far, we've only experienced breakfast and lunch there (multiple times) and have found consistency in their delicious menu and their coffee! They produce refreshing juices and smoothies, that are unique in flavour and in name ('the Ghandi', 'Basilenko' - would recommend both). The lunch time salads are inspired and vibrant in flavour, our favourites include the roasted dutch carrot salad and the fennel-snake bean salad. Overall an enjoyable experience. ! & i

Tigalili

APPALLING, RUDE STAFF AND TREATED LIKE SH*T. My friends and I booked a table for dinner and were told we would need to attend the 8pm sitting. We booked our table almost 2 weeks before the night. When we arrived promptly at 8pm, the waiter told us there had been a mix up and we would have to wait for our table. We were then relegated to the doorway, where we stood hovering over a couple trying to eat their meal and inconveniently blocking the door for THIRTY MINUTES. In that time, several tables of twos and threes walked in and were seated ahead of us. On at least one occasion, the waiter greeted the latecomers with hugs and kisses and seated them ahead of us. Close to the 30 minute mark, the same waiter who had told us we would need to wait, brought food over to the couple whose table we were made to hover near. I tried to catch his attention and he looked at us, made the signs that he had forgotten us and that he would be with us in a minute. Instead, he delivered the food to the table and spun around ignoring us AGAIN. We then tried to get the attention of all the floor staff to advise them that after 30 minutes of standing in the doorway, WITH a reservation, we would be leaving to eat somewhere else. NOT ONE STAFF MEMBER would look us in the eye and shuffled past us actively avoiding us. Eventually, we decided to just give in and leave. What is the point of a booking service if you are just going to seat your friends when they come in instead? Word of mouth is what ruins businesses and unfortunately after our awful experience, I have spoken with many people who have also had negative experiences at this establishment. We were extremely disappointed by the rude and arrogant wait staff - particularly the South American looking man who told us we would have to wait and then ignored us for over 30 minutes as we stood uncomfortably in the doorway. We had been looking forward to supporting a great initiative but now we will never return. APPALLING.

Nkoutso

Disorganised. Hi there Had dinner on Saturday night... booked a table for 3 people.... the table which we were seated on was only for 2...was sooooo small that we had to place plates on the seat bench with our bags and coats... water bottle on the floor.... the poor other table next to us were also squashed in.... Waiters disorganised... Food nice... service crap....

Bec

I loved the style of cafe but wasn't overly impressed with the food. Coffees were lukewarm for all 4 of us, I had the breakfast, fried eggs were underdone & not much edible smoked bacon (mostly fat). Hopefully it was just a bad day.

Amos

Brilliant name, this place is definitely deserving of its title. Feasting was had and of very high merit it was indeed. Slow cooked lamb and Marika chicken were amazing, desert was the most interesting and carefully though out combination of flavours I have ever tasted. I don't like to write reviews but just had to for this place. Gorgeous ambience, prompt, unassuming and fun service, and they even made us cocktails on the house (delicious and full of real alcohol) because it was our birthday. Price is seriously excellent for what you get - shall most definitely be returning, soon!!

AH

Average. I was really excited to visit Feast of Merit and while it was good, I was not as impressed as I had hoped I would be. The waitress, while not definitively bad, was a touch unpleasant and it was apparent that every smile was very forced. The coffee was nice, but it was only lukewarm, and in regards to my meal, while enjoyable, I am not sure that it was worth the $18.50 pricetag. Maybe I'll have to give Feast of Merit another go, as perhaps it suffered only due to my very high expectations, but with so many other good spots in the area, it may be a little while before I venture back here.

Tonyirvingartist

Something fishy. WE think Feast of Merit is great. it's lively and there's some terrific and unusual food and though it can be hectic and seem a bit understaffed the staff is usually are helpful. But seriously $50 for a (ok - large) fillet of grilled fish on a plate is really pretty outrageous. As most other things are $15 (grains and veg) and $28 for meat, I think customers should be advised (warned!) the price of that fish.

Rita

Excellent - Fabulous Food. Quite a surprise - very very busy, no booking but they managed to put us on at the bar - And they looked after us at every level. Fabulous wines were suggested - beautiful. We shared the 12 hour slow cooked lamb - amazing and the side dish of beans was unforgettable - lima beans, yellow beans, green beans and mt. zero verjuice - yummy. What flavours. And the entree dip with turkish bread great. Amazing atmosphere, great service and terrific food. What does one need to say - AAA - First class. Will definitely be back again and again and again.

Nicole Raynal

Loved it. My partner and I had lunch at Feast of Merit. We had the Roasted Dutch carrots/ mint/ pistachio/ currants/ freekeh/ harissa/ preserved lemon salad which was TO DIE FOR and the Cauliflower/ young broccoli/ smoked almonds/ pomegranate molasses/bulgur/ za’atar which was equally as delicious. The stand outs were the dutch carrots which were cooked to perfection and beautifully sweet. I had the chicken option along with my salads and let me tell you... I have not had a piece of chicken cooked so well in any Australian restaurant/cafe. So succulent and flavoursome. My partner had the beef and he loved it. The chefs are obviously very skilled at cooking meat. The service was outstanding. We will become regulars at this great restaurant.

K.suther

Tasty food...useless staff. Went here last night, after having booked a table for two there seemed to be an amount of confusion until the waiter finally seated us. The food was very delicious, it would be good to see more protein options...$50 for a piece of fish is outrageous! At about 7:50 a waitress rudely told us we had five minutes to leave...this should have been explained to us while booking or when seated. The place seemed highly disorganised and the seating arrangements are too close to one another, felt like we were sitting on top of the patrons next to us. I'd go back if the staff were better, they are too inexperienced with too much attitude - it it wouldn't hurt to crack a smile. Good food and good concept, unfortunately staff.

Cristina

Nicely Done. When you think of restaurants that provide 'value for money', a lot of crappy stuff comes to mind...La Porchetta, for example. Huge portions of crappy food...cheap carbohydrates laden with gross sauces. To my surprise, this place provides plenty of value...and definitely not of the gross kind. For about $17.00 per person, we received a very sizeable piece of slow-cooked lamb with a spicy capsicum sauce which was delicious. Tender, moist...just enough fat to keep things tasty. Probably enough for 3 people or two very hungry diners. The sides (fried cauliflower) and dips (we had chickpea) were also spot on - simple yet interesting combinations. Oh, and the bread of all things was amazing. As was the mulled wine. The service was lovely...relaxed but attentive, friendly but not annoyingly so. It's not difficult to see why this place is popular...unlike other meat restaurants (say...the Meat and Wine Co), this place is impressive. It's not a huge menu but when things are done well, it doesn't have to be. I'll be returning and recommending it to everyone (especially those who like their meat) - nothing to complain about.

Veebee1963

Ok, but. A table for four was booked but the waiter showed us to a table for two! Then we had to stand around while they tried to find us a (barely) bigger table. We ordered chicken for four which was presented to us as a whole chicken with nothing but our dinner knives to cut it with. All sides had to be ordered separately. Drinks were pricey. Food was ok. Chicken was a bit under cooked which made it very difficult to break/cut bits off. Coffee and dessert were ordered but we only got the dessert. Wait staff wiped our table down twice while we were waiting for dessert. Surely, that sort of thing is done when diners leave. Sorry to say I wouldn't recommend Feast of Merit

Nate And Kate

Fantastic initiative and friendly service. The newly opened YGAP social enterprise, Feast of Merit, has provided us with some great dining experiences recently. Although always busy, the staff handle the demand with expert precision. The combination of small plate sides and larger 'protein' share platters works very well and makes for a great communal dining experience. We'll most certainly be back.

Bloggermelbs

Coolest place in town. This place is awesome! I'm a local in Richmond and am so glad Feast Of Merit has opened up. I love the groovy atmosphere and the staff are so friendly. The menu looks wonderful! This time round, I had a really nice fresh juice and my friend had a delicious smoothie, and then for savoury we shared two salads which were superb - so fresh and flavoursome - and our favourite part was dessert. We shared two raw slices (the pink Light My Fire and the Bananarama) which were both amazing and very unique. I cant wait to come back with more friends to try new things!

Diane Mulkearns

Great food, atmosphere, environment and staff. The food tastes fresh and the cafe has an atmosphere that exudes their vision! Love it YGap, well done.. Can't wait to come back :)

Wharf Ninety-Nine

Good intentions, but poor first impression. My first time at FoM, and I really wanted to enjoy the experience, having seen the effort put into the renovation and knowing the community importance of this project. So, I ordered a double shot to have in, and was tempted by the intriguing slices on display at the counter, and chose the Bananarama, partly based on the staff recommendation. The service was good, the coffee was fine, but the slice tasted of soap - the coconut flavour was overpowering, leaving a lingering, acrid taste - as if the oil was stale/rancid? I raised this with the maitresse d' and although she offered me a replacement, once bitten, twice shy and so I put this down to experience. Then it came to pay - $8.80 for a doppio and a slice in Richmond? That's Collins Street or Armadale prices - not Swan Street!!

Bryan

Not a fan. Went here for Sunday morning brunch. Overly pretentious menu, felt like the whole place was from an episode of Portlandia. My scrambled eggs had egg shell in them, the sausage was burnt and cold, and my iced chocolate was not very chocolatey. Staff were unwilling to make alterations to orders suggesting either a lazy kitchen staff or everything is pre-made. Only positive was the atmosphere.

Rocketman

Already becoming a regular spot. As I am in Richmond a lot, I have now been into here a number of times. First thing I noticed was the fit-out which invites you in when walking past. I have found the experience to be really great. What stands out is the friendly staff - it has been really busy when i have been in but they all seem to really care and have been great. Having tried a number of the items on the impressive menu it is hard to pick favourites but the lamb and cauliflower at dinner is hard to beat - delicious! Also there is a great selection of local beer and wine to choose from which is great - love how the food and drink is locally sourced. Will certainly be back - becoming a firm favourite!

Andrewpicken

One to watch. Thoroughly recommend. Although completely packed on a Sunday night, Barry the maitre d' found us a table for three. Sensational food combined with warm, friendly and all round great service from everyone who served us. Definitely one to watch and we'll definitely be back. Thankyou guys, Andy and Nawel, South Melbourne

Christina

Didn't like it.. The food is way too basic and plain, tasted boring and bland. Would rather go to the many other awesome places in Richmond that are much much nicer.

Peter Toovey

No slit bills, no return. It's not hard!

Kathryn

A fad that will fade. My husband and I dropped in here on a Friday night. We didn't book but was told we could be seated at the bar which was fine by us as we wanted a quick meal. Unfortunately the staff thought they were doing us a favour and constantly kept on leaning over us to get stuff to the bar. The older waiter guy there actually knocked me completely off my chair while I was ordering a drinks and no one seemed to care. The same waiter interrupted my personal conversation with my husband regarding my concerns about the menu. It was the night before a big race for me and I really needed to carb up and was having this discussion when he butted in and asked me whether I was 'questioning the menu' in a very defensive and aggressive manner. Apart from the shocking service, the food is ok. They think it's amazing, but nothing we had was warm, our roast chicken and roast veggies were all cold. Not sure if this is on purpose or not. Also we paid $36 for half a plain roast chicken. Wow. None of the the food is something I can't do at home myself ten times better. Let's say this will cater to the 'richmond crowd' but I won't be back

Karla Brown

I have been now for breakfast, lunch and dinner and love it. It's such homely, good for you food. Especially love the Milawa chicken and that cauliflower dish (yum). Make sure you try the G+T...heaven.

James Barbour

Nailed It!. YGAP has nailed it with Feast of Merit. Probably the most affordable offering I've had in Melbourne for the premium menu on offer. Easy to order, their Roasted Carrot salad was delicious and the BBQ Fish made my day. Had a Basilenko to drink, which was a treat as well! On top of the food and drink, love what their mission is - love eating a good meal knowing it's supporting projects overseas as well as here in Australia.

Amanda

Great vibe at the Feast of Merit! I went for dinner with some friends and was blown away! Recommended the lamb for main. Also great cocktails

Tinaeorr

Fab Feasting!. Living around the corner, I've visited a few times since Feast of Merit opened. I've been for breakfast, lunch and dinner and every experience has been great. The food is amazing and so reasonably priced, I love the sharing concept of the dinner menu, the lamb shoulder is so delicious and the spiced cauliflower is also a highlight. The service is super friendly and the staff all seem happy and proud to be involved in the social enterprise. I think I'm fast becoming a regular : )

Daniel.wright14

Dan. The restaurant is looking fantastic. Our waiter (Michael from memory) was an absolute legend and knew all menu specific info. Before we dug into the menu, he told us what was not available, which was great. We had a few starters between all of us which was great to get the taste buds flowing. We got a complementary metabolism enhancing juice shot which was nice as well. The boutique local beers were great...try the Hawthorne Brewing beer! All in all, service was great, food was superb...only negative (but this seems all restaurants) was that they be a bit more generous with the bread for the dips!

Swiftceltic

Very Enjoyable!. Just walking down Swan Street with my daughter looking for somewhere to eat and came across this little gem. Very relaxed atmosphere but very attentive waiting staff. Excellent service from a German Waitress who was both friendly and gave good detail on the food. The music was a good blend of old and new and was playing everything from "The Stones" to "Imagine Dragons". That set the tone and I said to my daughter its a very small menu but if the food is half decent it will be a good night. WOW! The food was sensational! A great blend of simple food, cooked well with amazing combinations and flavours! We had the slow cooked lamb which fell off the bone. A side of fried cauliflower with blackened onion, yogurt and sour cherries which was sensational, Fried Ocra was brilliant, but the icing on the cake was the Roasted parsnip in pomegranate molasses with mint!! I dont normally have desert (But I normally ask for a second spoon) but my daughter said "you have to have desert because i ain't sharing if it is half as good as the main" Both deserts were sensational and finished off with a great coffee. I live in Sydney but can't wait til I'm back in Melbourne again. Thanks guys for a great feast!

Dymek.halina

Big Feast!. Excellent food-Great cause- Amazing Design - Fantastic service-Great vibe- Cant wait to go back!

Afoodholic

Beautiful fit out and had a relaxing feel to it, however the menu was very limited and breakfast had finished by 11. The salads on the lunch menu were in display in the front bench with no cover..

Pkalatzis

Feast of Doubt. While the venue is attractive to the eye and the food is tasty and fresh I couldnt believe such poor service. The menu is limited already so we were restricted due to them being out of certain lines which we could live with but the wait for service was ridiculous. I sat there waiting while staff were talking amongst themselves drinking and eating behind the bar. Obviously the owners were not present on my visit as they would have been furious. Such a shame as the food was good and it really had a nice feel to it. The staff just need to realise they need to provide service for locals to return. In the end we cut short our experience because we couldnt bare waiting any longer. No tip was deserved!

Fran Conti

Not good at all! Menu was very limited and description of meals unclear. My husband ordered toast with condiments and got 1.5 pieces of toast, one piece and another cut in half?? When we got our bill none of it made sense, coffee cost 4.27! Nothing rounded to the cent. Atmosphere not so nice and staff not friendly nor helpful.

CU_Foodie

10/10. Have just had a delicious lunch here... exactly what Swan St was missing. We had all of the 4 salad options and they were all divine (especially the carrot one and the grape one). Service was fantastic...the place has a great vibe and incredible fit out. I had a peek at the dinner menu and it looks fantastic! Cant wait to go back!

LJ

Excellent food. Great cause. Design of space is amazing. Cant go wrong!

Seansammon

GREAT!. Fantastic Dinner, great service and very much enjoyed the whole experience. Well done on this fantastic social initiative.

My Taste Verdict

Love the feel and fit out of this place! They have nailed the design and decor. Very friendly staff, great coffee, delicious food! I had the Bircher, husband had the baked eggs with sausage, both amazing!

Jeffs.emma

Fun and romantic. The restaurant has a beautiful glow, pretty flower pieces on the tables and waitresses wearing cool white aprons. The brick walls have been painted white then sanded back to give it an older feeling – as if the walls have been through a lot! Dark wooden features, candles& fairy lights carry throughout the space. There are a few tables towards the back that have a more intimate feel if you are wanting some privacy. Otherwise, for the opposite sit by the windows that open onto Swan st. Perfect for people watching, and great dinner commentary!

Inlovewithbrunch

it’s been a while since a decent “walk and brunch”, so after an intense couple of days of work in sydney + a beautiful sunny day emerging in melbourne, the husband + i spent the morning walking down to feast of merit in richmond. according to their website + menu “feast of merit is a social enterprise owned and run by ygap , and all profits raised directly support (our) youth education and youth leadership projects in malawi, ghana, rwanda, bangladesh, cambodia and australia”. the cafe offers “delicious seasonal produce, raw foods and an assortment of locally sourced drinks”. their philosophy is driven by “being local, ethical and sustainable”. this place is one i’ve had my eye on for some time, so i was excited to try it this morning. the coffee is st ali + the cafe uses larsen + thompson teas and st david dairy. on top of beautifully smooth + delicious coffee, there are also cold pressed juices + smoothies on offer

Toni Hamilton

...ordered the ‘Feast of Merit Yousli’. The Yousli, came with coconut yogurt and a side of milk of your choice. The coconut yogurt was breathtaking. The coconut flavour was strong, but not too overpowering and the mixture of the yoghurt and soy milk was just right. Numerous healthy ingredients included: organic puffed quinoa, chia seeds, activated buckwheat, figs, goji berries, pomegranate seeds, coconut flakes, almonds, currents and raw cinnamon.

Emily N

Feast of Merit is a new restaurant on Swan St in Richmond. I decided to go there because it’s new and like a moth to a flame (or a moth to cereal boxes in my kitchen) I am attracted to all things new and shiny. Turns out, it’s a whole lot more than the new place on the block. It’s actually doing good shit for the world. The whole cafe is a social enterprise run by YGAP and profits raised directly support their youth education and youth leadership projects in Malawi, Ghana, Rwanda, Bangladesh, Cambodia and Australia. In that case, I’ll have one of everything… The menu is mainly Middle Eastern in the vibe and all the ingredients are local, ethical and sustainable. I was there for lunch, but on the weekends breakfast is available all day. I’d already had two breakfasts, but there’s always room for three. Guys, just gonna call it now. Freekeh is the now quinoa. Fuck, I know, you just learnt how to pronounce it but the quinoa train has left the station.

Thegrazingpanda

Hello everyone! This page is dedicated to some of the restaurants that I visit where their Desserts are above standard, presented beautifully and have a taste to match. This site also has different cakes and designs that I have ordered and had the pleasure of eating that I would recommend. Salted Caramel Donuts with Rose Petals and Pistachio @ Feast of Merit . These were balls of yumness and gooeyness all rolled into one – complete with fragrance and texture – thanks to the Rose Petals and Pistachios. I loved that they were all differently shaped and the saltiness of the caramel worked well with the soft sweet centre of the donut. I only came to Feast of Merit for coffee and Dessert but definitely want to come back and check out their food! Coconut Sago with Passionfruit and Pineapple Trifle and Apple together with the Walnut Tart with Miso Butterscotch and Japanese Whisky Ice Cream @ KONG BBQ Look out for a review coming soon to GRAZING PANDA! Vanilla Choux with Pistachio Cream, Mil

Peach-Water

Wow! time really flies these days. It’s been almost three months since the opening of Feast of Merit, and it almost feels like yesterday when I attended the spectacular pre-launch event late February with other media, YGAP sponsors and volunteers. For those who missed my initial blog post on Feast of Merit – Media Launch, please do check out the blog post here . How is Feast of Merit faring so far you may ask? Well, recently, I paid Feast of Merit a second visit, but this time to check out their brunch menu. I visited mid-Saturday morning, and boy oh boy, was that place busy as! Luckily as I was on my own, I was able to be seated at a communal table quite quickly. I scanned around and was happy to see some of the familiar faces I saw at the pre-launch night.

Amystown

Working in Richmond these days, I am constantly looking for new pre-work breakfast spots. Feast of Merit, a relatively new cafe on Swan Street, fits that bill nicely. Feast of Merit is the newest hospitality venue from the social enterprise Y Gap. Yes, this means the money you pay for your coffee is doing more than simply fueling your caffeine addiction and paying wages. All the profits raised at Feast of Merit go to support youth education and youth leadership projects in Malawi, Ghana, Rwanda, Bangladesh, Cambodia, and even right here in Australia. If that’s not enough to get you there, then the space itself should be. It’s rustic, all exposed brick and hanging lights, and it’s simply stunning. The food is pretty damn good too. They focus on local and sustainable produce, and health is a top priority as well. They mix in a heavy dose of Middle Eastern flavours, resulting in an all day menu, that will keep you coming back. For breakfast on one particular morning I went for poached egg

Petit Miamx

Feast of Merit is an initiative from ygap that takes inspiration from seasonal and locally sourced produce with a Middle Eastern twist. The former cafe interiors have been stripped off and the raw bones and exposed bricks left us all feeling like after a detox, bright and happy. My gin and tonic was spiked with muddled strawberries and star anise, lending a florally liquorice flavour. Mr 1-Upper went with a refreshing "cooling tonic" meant to cool and calm the system from inside out, consisting of fresh mint, aloe vera, chia seeds and rooftop honey while the others were happy with their choice of Yangarra Shiraz ($12) and Moobrew Hefeweizen beer ($13). Shauna's G & T ($12) and a cooling tonic ($7) Alongside the drinks, we were each served a complimentary tonic to sip before and during the meal. I wasn't able to get past a couple of sips due to the breath-taking heat of the tonic arising from the strong ginger element.

Ashley

I hope to try out one of the smoothies next time, and also noted that one of their juices, The Basilenko is on the house if you go to Feast of Merit on a tinder date (you need to show proof though!). With mint in there, they've clearly thought this out! All that's left to do is to add vodka really…

Adrian

My workmates think know I’m totally obsessed with Feast of Merit and that homeboy, would be ON POINT. No lie. The premises itself has changed hands several times so on the way to get my ‘green’ juice from new kid on Swan st, Nutrition Bar , one day (who by the way have the best raw protein balls…no pun intended I swear jajajaja) during my short-lived health week, I had to do a double take to notice that Feast of Merit opened up shop. The social enterprise (YGAP) driven cafe has been able to achieve something that I thought was impossible – have me coming back at least three times a week for salad. Yess…salad. I’ll tell you why. They are salad geniuses for reals.

Review Feast Of Merit - Richmond