Crema Coffee Garage — Restaurant in Brisbane City

“Crumpets with honey” — apparently just one.

I’ve been a regular here for years, coffee, beans, meals and coffee machine parts. Until today, I really liked this place.

I ordered crumpets with honey. What arrived: one. I politely asked if that was correct, the menu says crumpets and I’d imagined that meant two, especially since it’s $12. The manager (who was also serving) agreed $12 for a single crumpet did seem steep, and yes, “crumpets” implies more than one. He went to check with the kitchen and bring the correct meal.

Instead, he came back, with the same plate and single crumpet to say the chef confirmed it’s just one with honey, you only get two with the blueberry version. Instead of just fixing it, that turned into multiple visits to the table, explanations, justifications, and finally an offer to bring another but only this once. The implication? That I was working some kind of crumpet scam.

Even my teenage daughter asked, “Does he really think you’re trying to scam a crumpet?”

I told him not to worry, I’ll never order that again, ever. And after today, I won’t be back either.

What made it worse was how easy this could’ve been to handle. One simple, gracious fix, problem solved. Instead, I was made to feel like the problem.

And it’s a shame, because the rest of the team was lovely. The young guy who cleared our table was warm and welcoming. The woman who brought our coffee was delightful. They were doing everything right. But the tone was set by someone who clearly thought being questioned was beneath him.

This wasn’t about price, it rarely is. It was about how a fair question was met with defensiveness, condescension, and zero grace.

There are plenty of places that get it right, without the ego. I’d welcome an explanation, maybe even an apology. But until...

The coffee here is absolutely fantastic, and the atmosphere is wonderful, which is why I visit two to three times a week as a regular customer. I hesitated to write this, but after an unpleasant experience this morning, I feel the need to share my thoughts. Some of the staff come across as quite unfriendly, especially in the way they subtly behave rudely toward Asian customers. I've experienced this many times during my visits and tried to brush it off, thinking it might just be how it is. However, this morning, it felt particularly worse. While I think they will never change it, I’ll continue to visit for the excellent coffee.

I previously left a review about some staff member's rude behavior. I’m not sure if any changes have been made since then, but during my recent visits, I’ve noticed a significant improvement. The staff are now much friendlier and more welcoming, and the overall service has noticeably improved.

I still visit this café two to three times a week, always ordering under the same name and enjoying their amazing coffee. I’m truly grateful to have such a great café in the neighborhood, and it makes me happy to think that my review might have contributed to a positive change. I hope this place continues to be loved by even more people...

I like to really taste and appreciate my coffee - I always ask at new locations how many shots are in their smallest take out cup - and order accordingly. I ordered a double shot Flat white to go - and as I watched them lid it I thought this doesn't look good - it was the colour of milk. I tasted it as I exited the venue and it was literally steamed milk without a hint of coffee. I returned and to be honest the barista was very polite and accommodating and re-made it with 3 shots but it was still lacking. I wonder if they are not running enough water through their shots? I like to support small roasters and cafes, but this is literally the worst coffee I have ever ordered. Unfortunately I won't be back.

Thanks for the response - I came in Saturday 07 January at 08:45. The staff were really pleasant. I remarked to the cashier how inexpensive the coffee was. I double checked with the barista it was a double shot when I returned it. I wish I had taken a photo. There was no colour to it. Like I said it was like drinking steamed milk. Even the triple shot wasn't that strong. I don't like leaving negative reviews. I have eaten at your cafe previously and the food...