Full disclosure I was never vegie bar’s hugest fan as the food for me has always been largely average in quality so even as a vegan I haven’t eaten here for years. However when it was one of my friends turn to choose a restaurant for the three of us he chose this one (he has a proven track record for not choosing well). I was determined to give it another shot and, I’ll give them their dues, the staff were overall quite friendly and the restaurant does have a pretty interior. The gnocchi was pretty decent and was even gluten free, one of my friends got one of the pizzas which he said was good however, the other got the laksa which she reviewed as largely lacking flavour and fairly one note. The mulled wine was sickly sweet (I am a massive fan of mulled wine and this was the most shocking imitation I have ever tasted though to be fair they did list sugar as an ingredient I just hadn’t realised how much prominence they’d give that ingredient).
When it came time for dessert my friend was informed that they didn’t have the citrus tart so decided upon the special which was apple pie with ice cream, my other friend got a sundae, I asked the waitress what she would order between tiramisu and carrot cake, we landed on carrot cake. A few minutes later, she came back to the table to inform us they were out of both the carrot cake and tiramisu so I also opted for the apple pie. This is where the night really went south.
Whilst my friend with the sundae enjoyed it, the apple pie was a textural nightmare for my other friend and myself. The pie casing (because I refuse to call it a crust) had the texture of kinetic sand and seemed determined to coat the entire mouth like glue when eating. It was very sweet but lacked much flavour apart from a hint of cinnamon which was buried beneath mounds of sugar. The friend that introduced us to this grim experience thought we must have been being dramatic - which to be fair “this is the worst thing I’ve had in my mouth this week”, whilst true was dramatic -tried the pie and immediately agreed that it was in the top 50 worst foods he had eaten in his life. I have no idea how this became a special, perhaps the chefs were trying for something, failed and then the owner still put it on the menu as they didn’t see any sense in throwing it in the bin and writing off the cost of the experiment gone wrong, if this is the case next time I beg you to just write off the cost!
It’s fitting that this dinner was in the month of Halloween as the experience was truly haunting!
The best food and service! We had an amazing waiter, Mac who gave great recommendations and was very friendly. The gluten free options are extensive, with almost the entire menu being coeliac safe. Would definitely recommend!
Delicious food. I really liked, explosion of flavours. Busy but good customer service and all menu is gluten free. I recommend and for sure will come back more times.
Best vegan mexican food i’ve had in melbourne! Good gluten-free options too. Our waiter Hayley was also very pleasant and friendly! 10/10 would recommend
trippy taco is the best Mexican restaurant in the area that i have been to ! the staff is friendly and sunny and the place has a family atmosphere. The dishes are all vegan and vegetarian and there are gluten free options too . everything is clean and the service is quick , my favorite dish is the vegan burrito but I look forward to tasting other Mexican specialties on the menu It is definitely a restaurant of the influsive atmosphere located in a lgbt friendly area . the perfect paradise for a vegan person like me ! the menu is very varied and the ingredients are delicious , can't wait to come back !
Arcadia is an absolute gem of a cafe and we go there every week for lunch. The food is delicious and beautifully presented, with perfectly sized portions and great combinations of flavours. Since taking over the cafe a few months ago, Noah and his new chef have done a great job revamping the menu, with a nice selection of vegetarian/vegan and gluten-free options. We've tried quite a number of the dishes and everything is excellent. Can't recommend this place highly enough!!
what once was a favourite place of mine left me leaving in TEARS. i was scared to talk to the gracious woman serving us to let her know that i didn’t like my order and that my past favourite drink the rose milkshakes cream tasted sour and the drink itself was bland only tasting of the vegan milk. the chef/ owner came to tell me he tasted both and i am wrong. he came with such a rudeness and anger inside him it completely shocked me - considering i’ve been here 2 times before and really loved the experience and food. plus the other lady who works there that has purple hair is so kind and understanding. he got really personal at the cashier for which he waited to serve us so he could try and charge me for my meal i didn’t like. he said that he doesn’t want customers like me and tried to talk over me when i was calmly trying to express how i felt. it ruined my morning when he told me i need help and mocked me for saying that his cafe was my favourite as i’ve only been twice before. i have coeliac disease and lactose intolerance so i struggle finding safe places - it really hurt hearing him laugh and judge me for simply expressing i used to enjoy his establishment a lot. when i started to tear up when i said “i’m unsure if he’s struggling with things at the moment and maybe that’s why he’s angry but i didn’t feel comfortable with the judgemental energy coming from him” he mocked me for almost crying and when i left he was almost yelling - saying i need help and told my friend that “ make sure she gets help” . this really hurt me to know there are people out there that make you feel like it’s bad to simply speak your opinion (in a polite manner) and that it’s wrong for showing any sign of emotions. the way he handled the situation was so extreme and he acted from a hurt place. i wish he didn’t take my distaste for his food so personally - the situation would of been a lot calmer as i was there with a new friend who i was excited to take to this cafe. what a shame and a hard way to start the day. 💔
i would like to add he tried to charge me for the milkshake and the avo toast i got to replace the porridge that had no flavour. the avo toast was delicious (apart from some unripe bits) but overall was really yummy and i finished it all, he then after our argument at the cashier desk when i said i thought i didn’t have to pay for the milkshake he got really rude and in a rage said fine then don’t pay for anything it’s a gift to you. but the way he said it was almost like he knew he had to do this to make up for how bad the experience really was … almost like he knew it would look better on paper for him to offer that. i tried to pay but he was so passive and extremely fake nice saying no no it’s a gift!!! after reading the other negative comments i can see this is a common theme for him and the fact he continues to defend himself in the comments after people share their experience really shows how much he doesn’t understand customer service and how he brings whatever he’s dealing with in his life into his work place .
Great atmosphere and love the menu! Being gluten free and low fodmap (no garlic and onion), it was incredibly refreshing to see no garlic or onion listed on the menu. This is extremely helpful!
The GF pizza base was nice and the ambience is lovely. We played pool and it was nice and cosy. The upstairs rooftop is awesome too!
They only do the pizza downstairs though 😀
Thank you heaps for the wonderful experience, every time we come here for the wonderful food and great experience. (The culinary experience I have received everytime I come here has been truly warm and be very rewarding). Your food is “very addictive” and keeps me coming back for more. I highly recommend your fine establishment to everyone. Sending to you all my deepest, warmest, regards always. I am addicted to your selection of drinks as well and it has been a very memorable experience everytime. Will definitely be returning back because your prices are also very good as well and the food is very filling. I am also truly grateful that your foods are mostly: “Vegan and Gluten-free”.
Had an amazing dinner at Chicano Taqueria last night. Everything was amazing from the food to the service. Plenty of gluten free options! Will definitely be back.
El Camino Cantina was absolutely amazing last night! Had a friend’s birthday have never been before. Heaps of gluten free options and have lots of good deals on food and drinks. Tim was our server and he did an outstanding job! Going above and beyond for us all we were very impressed. Thank you soo much for having us! 10/10 would recommend
Incredible food! There were so many gluten free coeliac safe options. The lamb hash melted in the mouth, and all the elements of the dish completed each other perfectly. Forgot to take a photo of my coffee, but that was lovely too. The staff were also very nice! However, I personally think it’s unfair they charged more for the dish being gluten free, even though my friend got the exact same - the only difference was the preparation having to be separate.
Camevin here for coffee and breakfast the other morning. I'm gluten and dairy free and the staff were able to easily accomodate me. The food was delicious and came out quick.
Pretty good food but the time to get your food was long. I got a green juice and gluten free pastry which were both really good and came out within 5 minutes. My main dish, a quinoa bowl, took 45 minutes which was a bit of a buzz kill. But other than that I would go back. I was entertained by a book about Gertrude Stein and the staff were really friendly so it wasn't too big of an issue.
Italian bistro food with attentive, professional service. I was concerned that Mario's would have a cafe vibe, but in the evening, there are white tablecloths and a much more bistro feel. We were accommodated quickly even though the restaurant was almost totally full. We felt welcome and the food we ate was tip top quality cooked well. I really enjoyed the chardonnay - I'm not usually a drinker of white wine but it was a warm evening and chardonnay was just the perfect tipple. The gluten free dessert was extraordinary. Sweetened with dates, it made such a wonderful change from a chocolate brownie - if you know, you know.
Excellent food and top notch service. Were able to cater for coeliac, ensuring that all wait staff were aware. The waiters recommendations for wine pairings with our meal were also really good
Yum yum yum! Most of their menu is gluten free or can be modified. Our waitress is incredible! They let you taste your wine, they give you recommendations that are on point. They're really cheerful people and it was such a nice experience, the entire dinner!
Must have the tandoori chicken and the 7 hour slow cooked beef!!!