28 Seconds Cafe — Restaurant in Melbourne

Every time I eat at 28 Seconds (& that is at least 3 times a week - plus coffees most mornings), Richie surprises me with something delicious. For someone who started this wonderful cafe (just as COVID hit!) as the barrister & running front of house he’s blossomed as the king of the kitchen. His menu might look usual - well it’s not yr conventional eggs done several ways menu. There’s a lovely Asian influence - but invite him to choose your dish from what’s fresh on the day, & you’ll be witness to a culinary delight. I’m never disappointed altho I’m often not sure what to expect! So that’s the splendid food, what about the coffee? Given that’s where Richie started you can be assured of quality coffee whether he makes it or one of the delightful crew. He’s both a specialist & perfectionist who develops his team so they can be as good as he is. And I haven’t got to atmosphere. So it’s not the flashiest cafe, but coming here is a bit like coming to an extension of your best family gathering - comfortable & welcoming. There are so many regulars that genuine conversation is par for the course. Is this the best cafe in Melbourne? If it isn’t I haven’t found a better one that covers...

I was genuinely surprised by the high reviews this café has received, as my experience unfortunately didn’t align with them.

The coffee itself was quite good, but the wait time was excessive – it took ages to arrive. We waited over 30 minutes for a simple toast with scrambled eggs, which was very disappointing. The eggs were not cooked as requested and were swimming in butter or oil, making the dish heavy and unappetising. I rarely leave reviews, but I felt compelled to share this because I left feeling quite unwell and frustrated to have paid for a meal that didn’t meet even basic expectations.

While the staff were friendly and apologetic, it was clear they were overwhelmed and the service was very slow across the board. I consider myself a patient person and don’t usually expect much, but this visit left me very disappointed.

I would suggest revisiting the menu and focusing on improving the quality of the food, speeding up service, and ensuring a higher standard of cleanliness. I hope this feedback is taken constructively, as the café does seem to have potential – it just needs a bit more care and consistency to match the glowing reviews others...

This place is beyond wonderful. Ritchie and his staff have created a friendly, special space for locals, to the point it actually feels like a community based enterprise. The coffee is fabulous, Ritchie takes great pride in training all staff himself (often on the go). Authentic Asian Rice Bowl dishes sit side by side with scrummy toasties and if it ain't on the menu, they'll do their best to keep you happy with something suitable. The porridge is mad good. Can't rate this place highly enough and unlike a lot of nearby cafes (I'm an economic refugee from most) the prices are still more than fair. It's peaceful, with a little garden space out the back, but has its busy waves of locals, many of them on a first name basis with each other and the staff. There's even a photographic wonderwall of locals...