The Irvine Cafe & Bar — Restaurant in District of Belconnen

Nice decor and atmosphere but unfortunately it was a bit lacking from there. I've been meaning to try for a while, as a new premises in a great location for me. I decided to take my wife there for lunch when we had a rare spare week day together. Trying to book online was difficult (the website would only let me book for a minimum of 4 people) and no there was no access to any menu online. We decided to wing it, lucky there were tables available but only just. Service was quick but a bit officious and the food was overcooked (wife had a steak sandwich with burnt toast and I had a schnitzel which was way overcooked, thus dry and was quite small. To be fair, the rest was pretty good, nice chips and my vege's were well cooked.) Then, just as our food was served, we were asked if they could pinch half our table (we were sitting at 2 small tables together) to make up for a larger booking next to us that wasn't due and did not arrive until after we left. We were left sitting at a very small pokey and slim table with hardly any room.

Ultimately it was pub grub at restaurant prices in a cafe and whilst seemingly polite, the service lacked any empathy or friendliness. I'm not sure I could recommend at this stage. These are not hard things to fix and if they pick it up a bit, with such a great premises, I'd consider another...

I think one of the big points to emphasise is that the Irvine is open after 3pm on a Saturday - this is a sadly rare and beautiful thing anywhere in Canberra.

The Irving has a pleasing atmosphere and decor, balancing nicely between cafe and bar, so you feel comfortable as a patron of either/both.

The staff are friendly and helpful. There are outdoor heaters which they will happily turn on for you if you want to eat outside, and blankets to go over your knees.

Ordering is by going inside, which is a small minus, but does allow you to be seduced by the daily cakes and pastries. There doesn't seem to be a way to do this without going up stairs, which wasn't possible for the friend I was with, so I had to take a photo of the pastry display for her to choose from.

Lunch options sit around the $22-28 mark. Coffee/tea around $6-8.

It is rather lovely to have this option in a suburb nearby. The Irvine is definitely a positive addition to the Florey shops, which sadly isn't set out well to create a nice cosy centre for community use...

Frustrating Can't book for 2 people turned up mid morning with my disabled partner no ramp to the door from the carpark. I checked with staff for a table and was directed to a suitable table. Signalled my partner to climb the stairs with her crutches for said table only to be pounced on by another staff member and told that the table was reserved Offered a high table and stool (Not suitable for a knee replacement customer) or cramed into a corner against other patrons (Again not suitable with crutches etc) these were the only options The staff member was very dismissive when I explained the problems we had to access ♿ the facility and inability to book for 2 people. While my partner wants to try this new place I am sorry it's made my list Disorganised Dismissive and not helpful.

Side note the government should have also enforced to included more parking and disability parking for this site as it seems there are more and more Shops etc being cramped into this precinct with little additional parking overall as well as...