Redbrick Coffee City — Restaurant in District of Canberra Central

Terrible service, unacceptable food quality

I asked for some toast (priced 8.50 on the menu) with a side of avocados plus a coffee. I was told that’s 23.65. Then I was rushed as while I was paying the guy serving me asked the people behind me in the line what they wanted. (Really???) I wasn’t given a receipt or anything of course because apparently he wasn’t having a good day.

Then I sat on the table and thought, did I just pay 17.60 for toast and avocado while their avocado on toast meal on the menu that comes with extras is priced at 18.00! So I asked a staff can I please have a receipt and sure enough they had indeed charged me some random 17.60 for toast and avocado with no breakdown of price. I asked can you please look into this because it sounds like I paid 9.10 for some smashed avocado!!!!

She said she would check and before you know it the same guy that originally served me showed up with the Eftpos machine and said “I owe you 2.80”. Not even having eye contact or talking, just super awkward.

No apologies, or explanations given. I still ended up paying 14.85 for two pieces of toast with the worst smashed avocado ever.

It lacked seasoning, was so old it looked dull, and tasted so sour it would tingle your tongue. You’d think for this price they’d at least give you fresh food but apparently not.

I didn’t finish my food as I felt I’d get sick if I did.

Terrible experience. Nobody apologized to me after all this. You’ve got to wonder why these people are in the hospitality business when their food sucks and they can’t even get their...

Short version: the food is mid. Coffee is great. Way too overpriced for what you get, but the service genuinely put a smile on my face, the staff were lovely and the atmosphere was alright. If you're just after coffee definitely recommend.

I always like to try a new cafe with an eggs Benedict. It's an easy recipe. Easy to pass as average, hard to make the iconic deliciousness. A good eggs beni shows that the chef cares about the little details, the extra spices that make something amazing, even in the small dishes.

ARC tried to be different by adding potato chips and a pickled spinach. I actually think that was the best bit about the whole dish. Certainly different but not bad. But the main two ingredients, the egg and sauce, were just sad. The eggs were poached beyond belief, the sauce tasted so bland it was likely store bought - either that or the chef was having a bad day and forgot to flavour during the emulsification process.

For $22 for the basic dish, it isn't really worth it. Not when I know of several cafes down the road for the same price but with bacon or salmon and a decent sauce.

Coffee was actually quite nice though....

Cappuccino was nearly cold, and tasted a little sour. The froth looked like it had been sitting around for a while (maybe that's why it was cold) and it was virtually undrinkable. Toasted sandwich was okay but the chicken a little tasteless. For the price you pay (it is on the high side for pricing - $16.50 for terrible coffee and a toasted sandwhich) you would expect better. It would rank close to the worst coffee I have ever had.

The menu has limited lunch items unless you want to pay $20 + for a full meal. It would be nice to have some mid range lunch products. Plenty of breakfast type food.

When I was asked how was everything, I told the young lady that the food was okay but the coffee was aweful. No offer not to charge. Just an Oh! and then charged everything to my card. So, I paid for the worst, nearly undrinkable coffee ever and a sandwich.

One place I will avoid in the future and as I work close by, told my colleagues, one of whom said they had found the coffee undrinkable and vowed never to return.

Now I know why it was virtually empty when...