essen food & wine — Restaurant in Echuca

A Frosty Morning Adventure: Breakfast at Essen Food and Wine Cafe, Echuca

Imagine waking up to a chilly -3 degrees, with everything outside covered in a frosty blanket. But that didn’t stop us! We embarked on an impromptu two-hour journey to the bustling town of Echuca, driven by the promise of a delightful breakfast at Essen Food and Wine Cafe.

The Journey: Our drive was an adventure in itself. Dodging kangaroos and navigating through blinding sunlight, dense fog, and slippery roads added an extra layer of excitement. Finally, we arrived at our destination, welcomed by the lively hum of Echuca at 9:36 am. It seemed like everyone had the same brilliant idea – breakfast away from home!

First Impressions: Essen Food and Wine is a gem nestled amidst ample parking. As we stepped inside, we were greeted by a warm, bustling atmosphere. The cafe’s inviting ambience, with its giant windows, lush plants, and open cathedral ceiling, was an absolute treat for the eyes. Clever lighting enhanced the charm, while the displays of wines, beers, and delectable treats had us salivating instantly.

Service with a Smile: Our delightful experience was elevated by the super friendly waitress, Lynda, who served us with a constant smile and eagerness to please. Watching a customer's dog being treated to warm meat in the garden was another heartwarming touch that showcased the cafe's exceptional hospitality.

The Feast: The breakfast menu was a feast for the senses. From omelettes and cilbir eggs to French toast with vanilla bean ice cream, poached pears, salted caramel sauce, ricotta, and pistachio crumble – the choices were tantalising. Specials listed on chalkboards added to the variety.

Our table was a symphony of flavours. One friend indulged in sourdough toast with butter and condiments, another savoured the exquisite French toast, and yet another relished the classic eggs benedict.

I opted for the breakfast burger paired with a steaming mug of cappuccino. The burger was a towering masterpiece, layered with sausage patty, bacon, avocado, Gruyere cheese, fried eggs, all encased in a toasted bun.

Culinary Delight: Surprise! I devoured my delicious cappuccino and almost conquered the colossal breakfast burger. As we were leaving, another cheerful waitress named Ash checked in on our satisfaction – a refreshing touch that underscored the cafe’s commitment to excellent service.

The Verdict: Would I go back to Essen Food and Wine? Absolutely. Would I recommend this place? Without a doubt! Essen Food and Wine Cafe in Echuca is not just a breakfast spot; it’s a delightful experience worth every...

Walking in I saw the sign that was so perfectly positioned - “Please wait to be seated.” Sure not a problem - 13 minutes later I approached the counter, only to be told “ I’ll be with you in a moment,” a few minutes later she pointed me to table 9 & said “we will bring you a chair!’ That never happened- I got the chair myself and waited & waited & waited ever so patiently in the hope 3 out of the 4 waitresses would acknowledge me & take my order - this did not happen.

For another 8 plus minutes, I watched 1 waitress take a cup at a time to the back, another walk around aimlessly as she looked me in the eye & the 3rd stood behind the counter proceeding to wipe the laminated menus, while the 4 tried to make coffees at a snails pace for close to 50 people ! Yes,!! I acknowledge I will never get back the 20 or more minutes I waited to be seen & served, however, the woman in the checkered black & white dress ( I suspect the Manager/ Owner) stood behind the young barista who was struggling to keep up sipping her coffee . I wonder what her coffee was like?? It would have been nice to be able yo order one for myself!!

Here is a word of advice - if you want to continue to keep customers coming back - perhaps rather than sip your coffee - roll your sleeves up and serve the paying customers!!

EXTREMELY POOR...

Went for breakfast today (10-6-24) after hearing some people say how great the food was over the weekend.

When we arrived at the restaurant it had approximately 4 tables of 2 people seated and was very quiet. We ordered our food and coffees. Coffee came out almost instantly, the milkshakes not long after but did not have ice cream in them. We didn’t mention it as the wait staff all looked very flustered.

Our food came out nearly an hour later. The kids pancake was inedible. It was impossible to cut with a knife and fork. I had to tear it with my hands to prove this to one of the managers. The baked eggs had raw onion at the bottom of the dish making it entirely bitter and the toast was colder than the butter that was on it. My wife ordered eggs Benedict and said it was also cold and the ham didn’t taste right.

The manager comped out drinks and refunded the kids pancakes.

On our way out one of the flustered wait staff apologised profusely and said they had a different chef who was not performing as expected and it was causing havoc within the cafe that they had...