The cakes here are amazing. It is the service from Nicky that is just incredible. Really the only place to shop for quality cake and have it delivered if necessary. I can only say Nicky made my Fathers 77th birthday an absolute joy. Thankyou again.
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The cake lined strip of Acland Street draws in the tourists and locals alike. You can spend hours just browsing the brilliant window displays, with so many delicious looking cakes and pastries. Monarch Cakes is an institution that has been around for decades and the cakes live up to the hype.
I've often worried that the freshness of some of these stores could be questioned, because they can't possibly be making that much food in a single day. I like the fact that Monarch doesn't have a window completely overflowing with goods, which makes me think it might be fresher than some of it's neighbours.
We ordered some coffee and shared a blueberry bundt cake. The cake was moist and light, with maybe a touch too much icing sugar; but it was still delicious. It was so pretty, and it did taste fresh to me. The coffee was also great.
Staff are really friendly and service is excellent, despite the fact that the place does get busy. There are no bells and whistles with the decor, but who needs them when you have such a delectable window display to draw the crowds in instead.
We went to Monarch for afternoon dessert. It’s a small cafe with tables both inside and outside. We came for the cheesecake which was nice. They have a wide selection of cakes, brownies and cupcakes so you’re sure to find something you like. Recommended.
I’ve wanted to visit one of the old cake stores on Acland St and after years of it being on my list we finally did it! With a double length pram I thought I’d be limited to take away but we were able to fit the pram alongside the seating out front ✅
Coffees were spot on. My regular latte was perfect and husband commented how good his strong latte was.
Sacher torte was beautiful. He was impressed with his vanilla slice. Would love to come back again soon!
We tried the flourless chocolate cake, 100 year old recipe cheese cake and it was so good but the Hazelnut white chocolate flourless orange cake was to die for!!! Amazing texture and flavor!! I checked your website and you can post them!! Can’t believe it!! We live an hour away and was willing to drive to you but can’t say no to cake delivery!! 🤗
Love the cherry slice as it's a balance between sweet and sour! Along with the small kluger, great balance of chocolate. I'd say the cakes here are rather affordable for the size and honestly so worth it! Coffee was decent as well.
This is now my new favorite - the French Vanilla slice! 😋😋😋 not too sweet, very fluffy and creamy. Even their earl grey tea has a very nice aroma. 👍🏼 love this place! Can’t wait to try the Polish baked cheesecake from an 100 years old recipe.
We were searching for a good tea time spot and stumbled upon Monarch Cakes. The cheesecake and coffee are marvelous. Friendly service and it can be crowded on weekends.
We ordered custard vanilla slice, caramel slice, chocolate cake and baby kugel with two lattes. It costs $37 total. Custard vanilla was amazing!!! Baby kugel was not sweet that i thought but still good:) Chocolate cake and caramel slice wasnt that special than any other shop tbh...
I highly recommend custard slice and Kugel!
The monarch is an institution.
My personal 'MUST TRY' cakes:
- 100 year old polish cheese cake
- Chocolate KOOGLHOUPF
-Cherry Crumble ( my personal favourite): made with real cherries! So addictive!
If you haven't been to Monarchs, fix that situation and quick! You are missing out on something truly beautiful.
Winner winner. Have sampled many of the cake shops in Acland Street. This is by far the best. You can’t go past the 100 year old recipe cheesecake and marzipan log but if you do it would be straight to the flourless chocolate almond cake. Staff are lovely and friendly.
Our search for a nice birthday cake to celebrate our friend's birthday lead us to Monarch. We immediately chose the Famous Cheese Cake based on the description "from almost 100 year old Polish recipe"
Worth $38, this cake was a hit with our friends. Perfectly sweet and delicious. Made our celebration even more special. On our request to write our friend's name on the cake we were asked to pay $10 extra....which seemed like an obscene amount just to write a name. Their reasons of making the piping from scratch sounded absurd.
Monarch definitely lives up to all the hype.
Ordered a slice of polish cheesecake, Sacher Torte and apple crumble. All were excellent. Staff were very nice as well. Definitely would go back. Highly recommended.
Stumbled onto this shop and what caught my eye was the Kugelhopf cake. It didn't dissapoint and the cake was warmed up nicely so it was so delicious with a cup of tea.Service was good and the owner was so friendly too! I will definitely be back for more!
This place is more than a bakery or cake shop! The ambiance is just beautiful and nostalgic, I wanted to stay all day.
The quality of the cakes is so much higher and more authentic than other shops close by. The service was fantastic, friendly without being forced or forceful. It’s the only cake shop I’m going to from now on!!
This store is one among many dessert stops at St. Kilda. I haven’t tried many of their deserts but you must get a slice of their Baked Polish cheesecake. They rightfully boast of a 100-year old recipe, which deserves every bit of praise. It’s so tasty and moist. I’ve also tried the baby kugel, which was absolutely delicious, and the chocolate hazelnut fudge that was not too sweet, had a whole lot of hazelnuts but the chocolate itself wasn’t that nice..
I don’t visit St. kilda often but whenever I do visit, I always stop here for a slice of cheesecake.
Excellent cake store. Cakes are amazing & the coffee is extremely good too to match it. Service is very friendly & the dining area is warm & inviting with some bopping older tunes. Lots of memorabilia photos with famous StKilda folk hanging from the walls.
Chocolate Gugelhupf is sensational - dark, melted chocolate! Great old Architecture magazines on the shelves, friendly and relaxed. Recommended.
My friend recommended the cakes of this very old cake shop and it was all worth it. One is bound to be dazzled by the variety of cakes and desserts this place offers. It's like coming to a Charlie's chocolate factory in real life. Definitely worth a try.
Our third stop in the cake gathering exercise was at Monarch cakes. This has always been one my favourite cake shops down St Kilda because the coffee is generally quite good. Staff were much friendlier than the rest and the range quite extensive which went well with tea at an afternoon tea we bought for on Sunday. I agree with the sign outside the shop "Eat cake it will make you feel happy" unfortunately I agree with this sign a little too much 🤗
Was really wanna have some cupcakes. So I looked it up. And this one is really close to where I live. Tried it. Love it ! Especially the vanilla cupcake^ so good!
Here you can buy 100 year old recipes of the wonderful creamy cheese cake.
No additional decorations of chocolate cream or lollipops- just pure delicious cheese cake.
Many other delights here as per already photographed examples.
Eat in or simply take away ...
Make sure the cakes are safely secured as per photograph of my son in laws Porsche boot. Extra secure!
( you don't want to damage the goods )
Walked around St. Kilda and found this classic cake shop! Had Monarch's Famous Chocolate Kuglehoupf, apple cake and the citrus tart over there. The kuglehoupf tasted like bread with the chocolate truffles inside. Perfect in hot severed! The apple cake was good also with so many apple inside. Maybe I tried the kuglehoupf which is sweet before the citrus tart so it tasted a little bit too sour but still very nice!
Service was good!
My go to when I want coffee and cake on Acland St. There are other cake shops along the strip however the cakes in those windows don't look as great. I know I won't be disappointed here. I like the decor of this cafe, there's lots of pictures and frames hanging from the walls and an old school register. My latte was strong and full bodied and it complimented my lemon tart perfectly. The punch of citrus flavour I got with every bite.... too good! The crust was crumbly and tasty and it really was a beautiful treat.
Monarch has a very cozy ambiance to it and fits well within the scene of Acland St. There are friendly staff that are not necessarily inviting, but welcoming. This cake shop makes some of the best chocolate kugelhopf that I have ever had the pleasure of trying. The polish cheesecake is also worth a try for those who are fond of less creamy cheesecakes. The coffee here is average for Melbourne's standards.
Last year, one of my best friend come to Melbourne fron Sydney, I took him here, and he was shocked by the brilliant cakes. Really worth to visit. One of the best cake shops in Melbourne.
Happened upon Monarch Cakes and decided to stop for a coffee and cake. Worth the stop. Awesome citrus tart and a great coffee for a late afternoon tea.
Quaint and fun cake shop with great and friendly customer service. Their signature chocolate kugel is excellent! I also tried their lemon tart and apple crumble. Both were incredibly delicious. One of the better cake shops in Acland street.
A cosy place in st kilda. Not to forget their cheese cake and cherry crumble. Very rich. So i suggest you order some tea instead of smoothie haha 😂😂😂
The service was extremely friendly and the shop has a trendy vibe. I loved the decor! The lemon tart was really nice and the flavours were perfect
DO: The Baked Cheesecake. All the others aren't bad either. But the Baked Cheescake wins.
DON'T: Be like us and only have one to go. Step inside and enjoy with a coffee sitting down.
TIP: There are 4 cake shops on Acland. Purchase one here and move on. Cake Degaustation is bad said no one ever.
I've never tried anything here except for their famous chocolate kugelhopf, but that chocolate kugelhopf is so, so good! I've come back several times and every time I can't go past getting it again. I love how the cake doesn't look like much from the outside, but then when you dig your fork into it ripples of chocolate comes to view and ohh man does it look good! It tastes as good as it looks, maybe even better. Some of the other cakes also look tempting. Maybe I'll try something different next time I visit...maybe.
Have had such delicious cake here - so great to find a place like this that does amazing gluten free chocolate cake when the other bakery/cafe's on the strip aren't gluten free. The chai latte is so different to any other I've had, it had an amazing species sugar on top - I loooove it! Nice atmosphere, so friendly and cosy!
I really liked the decor at this place. There is always heart warming fussy feeling with all these old cafe. I feel like I was transported to time. Due to numerous positive feedback with the monarch cake I tried this specific dessert place and ordered kugelhoupf and skinny latte. I fell in love. It was not too sweet nor to heavy. It was the perfect combo to my latte. I brought friends here who lives out of town and they also love it that they can't stop talking about the cake. Will definitely visit this place again. The owner is very nice.
Byron's Vanilla Slice Blog
+3.5
A few variations, but the French vanilla is pretty good. Flaky pastry and thick eggy custard. Another messy affair when eating freestyle in the street. Not as 'vanillary' as I'd like and quite filling.
Love this place and always come here when I'm in st kilda. The baby kugel with its chocolatey inside and the cherry slice are my favourites! Am yet to try the plum slice which has had excellent reviews too
The Chocolate kugelhopft from this shop are known as one of the best and goes very well with the tea or coffee. It is not sweet like most if similar cake in regular coffee shop. The staff say they made the cake fresh everyday, but I will come back soon for the Polish Cheese Cake. I agree the shop must improve on customer service.
I think the Monarch name and it's fantastic location really draw a lot of people to the odd little cake shop located in St Kilda.
Whenever I visit Monarch it feels like I step back in time to a 1950s bakery devoid of modern luxuries. This all adds to the charm of monarch.
While the cakes are certainly overpriced for what they are, you cannot argue with the flavour and presentation.
Definitely worth a visit if you're wandering around the area looking to couple something with your coffee.
Traditional cakes - not so sweet ... Better than European cafe a few shops down the road. Inside is retro ... Something different!...........
My favourite bakery. The cookies and cream cupcake, the caramel slice, the french vanilla slice, everything's divine. Very simple and rustic but very yummy at the same time. Nice to hang outside on a clear day. Amongst all the cake shop in Acland st, their display looks the simplest and dare I say, plainest. But looks can be deceiving, as Monarch is the best-tasting of them all!
Polish cake comes with Polish service. If I had one day in Melbourne I would go out of my way to get down to Monarch Cakes. It is by far the best cake shop on the strip and that's because everything is old school. No giant green meringues here, just good honest cake. The Kuglhoupf is amazing, worth the price, and getting it weighed is the most exciting bit! The service is quick, rough and without a smile (unless you're lucky) and thats exactly how I like it. And anyone with a Nicky Winmar picture behind the counter is a true St Kilda-ian
Monarch Cakes has an interesting history. According to its site, it has been baking from the same Polish recipes for over 75 years. Wow! Pretty amazing. Apparently the cheesecake is famous. Gotta try this next time. And another must try is their kooglhoupf (pronounced as kugelhoff, me thinks). It's slightly crisp on the top but moist in the insides. I have this every time I am in this shop and it's my third time here!
Tales Of A Confectionist
+4.5
Chocolate kooglhoupf - One of the most delightfully addictive cakes you will ever try.
The cake however tasted wonderful, it’s richness wasn’t sickening but left me craving for more. You know what they say, you can’t judge a book by its cover. This is a must try if you are in the area.
Churning out quality food for 80 years.. I have a very soft spot in my heart for Monarchs, having made the trip here for their famous kugelhopf or Polish cheesecake since I was a little kid. This place is an institution, having baked from the same recipes in their Acland St location since 1934. This is why their baked goods are so great: Monarchs has had a lot of time to perfect them.
As aforementioned, the kugelhopf and Polish cheesecake are by far the standout dishes, and many do make the pilgrimage to try them. The palmiers and plum cakes are also delicious, as are the flaky, melt-in-your-mouth vanilla slices.
Give Monarchs a try – there's a reason they've been so popular for so long.
Mmmm... cheesecake. The Polish Cheesecake is a must-try! The portion is on the small-ish side compared to other cake shops in Acland Street, but it's everything a baked cheesecake should be.
Most authentic cakeshop. Very authentic cakeshop. Will definitely get piece of cheese cake or Kugelhoupf everytimes i go to St.Kilda. Look at thier old display cabinet, cashier and magazine..
The Kugelhoupf is now available in small pieces and price by weight! ( this is so good ) Even a non-choc lover, my sis love the kugel as it isnt very sweet but just nice. And cheese cake is super smooth, my all time fav.
Keep going, Monarch =)
Cheesecake heaven. I searched the net for the best Cheesecake in Melbourne and up cake Monarch cakes, so I purchased one yesterday for my fussy Polish husband and even he gave it the tick of approval! It was superb, will be back for sure, and I don't even like cheesecake but this was amazing!
Original traditional. Cheese cake is probly one of the best in melbourne
Delightful. The lemon tart - perfect balance of sweet and sharp, beautiful fresh lemon flavour. look foward to trying more of their cakes/pastries
The chocolate kugelhouph delivers! Definitely worth making a visit to this place to try this one-of-a-kind cake/bread!
Beware Lovely Cakes. It's such an St. Kilda icon, when we visited here there was only once cake for me, the "Chocolate Kooglhoupf" and it was worth it. I loved the old style atmosphere and cramped seating arrangements. Its was great being part of history.
A classic , that never goes out of date
Cakes cakes cakes. So many cakes! You have to try the chocolate kugelhopf. Coffee is also quite good. The place gets really busy so the customer service sometimes suffers but that's expected with so many people.
Got the chocolate kooglhoupf! It's their "signature" cake at the mo...it's essentially got delicious chocolate fillings inside this soft but sturdy dough. I got a slice for $4, and the staff were quick to help and in anseering my questions. Everytime I pass by I can't stop my cravings!!
Par Avion cheesecake!. Monarch's cheesecake is so good we have them delievered to us in Adelaide, worth every cent. Yum!
Really good coffee here. Our favorite cakes are the kooglhouph and the cheesecake. Both are to die for!
Best cakeshop on Acland Street!. Went there a couple of months ago. I really like monarch cakes, their cakes are "real" and homemade cakes. my poppyseed delight was delightful :)
Everything I've eaten here is good! Favourite are Kugel slice, plum slice and caramel slice mmmmm
Great Afternoon!. Initially I was drawn in by the rustic, warm ambience inside. I started out reading my book over a soy cap made to perfection, complete with extra foam as requested! I progressed onto my first ever piece of Chocolate Kooglhoupf and it was so SO tasty!! On top of it all the staff was fully sweet and helpful! I'd definitely recommend anyone to stop in while visiting St.Kilda!
My brunch consisted of the famous chocolate kugelhoupf and green tea.
The cake was very nice, soft texture withmore of a nutty chocolate taste then sweet
Unfortunately the green tea was a little bitter, from the water temp being to high during fusing.
Service 7.5/10
Food & drink Quality 7.5/10
Experience 8.5/10
If you ever find yourself on death row, make sure you request the chocolate kugelhopf as your last meal. You won't be disappointed.
Melbourne baristas are the best in Australia...or so my Melbourne friends say. Sooooo visiting from WA I have high expectations given that my local cafe in a coastal town makes consistently great coffee. In 4 days I've had 12 bad coffees in South Yarra, chapel st, the CBD. My first great one happened today. At the Monarch. Service was a bit on the unfriendly side, so I could only recommend based on the delicious polish cheesecake and amazing coffee.
The one. There are many cake shops in the strip, this a the stand out. The kugelhopf is worth seeking out.
The real thing. The chocolate kugelhopf is undoubtedly and without reservation, the single most delicious thing in the entire world. And I'm not a person given to hyperbole. The cheesecake, the plum cake and the caramel slice are not far behind. Oh what the hell - it's all outstanding.
First trip to St Kilda and found this shop while walking along the esplanade. The chocolate krugel was
really good. Coffee was made by the owner. Really really good. Took photos inside the shop without any issues. Wld recommend it. :-)
Man alive! The chocolate kugelhopf is utterly amazing. Delicious, light and a perfect match with a great coffee
Monarch Cakes has got to be one of my absolute favourite Cake Shops in Victoria hands down! With so much history and expertise how could anyone not fall in love with Monarch Cakes.. its like going back in time as soon as you step through the door,
I Highly Recommend Monarch Cakes.
🍮🍰🎂🍪🍩🫖☕️☕️☕️
Been in the family for a long time. They take great pride in their cakes. Had the Polish Cheesecake and itvwas very ice. Shame it is so far from where I live in Brisbane
Best poppy seed cake and gugelhupf I’ve ever had. The poppy seed cake reminds me of how my late grandma used to make it, so it’s incredibly special to me. Please, never change Monarch.
Beautiful to look into their windows.
Incredible cakes and variety
Gideon is the owner of the iconic pastry store( Monarch) in Acland st. St.Kilda .
A wonderful man full of character, charm.
Not only does he have the best coffee in the street , but his traditional home made cakes are amazing. Treat yourself next time you are in the area. Gideon lives a chat, so say hello to him.
God bless Gideon.
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