Battle — Restaurant in Melbourne

Have you met Ben Williamson from Battle?

He recently opened a café in Blackburn North, which is the suburb he grew up in. In fact, this space once housed the milkbar he would frequent as a child. After a stint in the London and Berlin coffee scene, working for roasters such as The Barn, and Workshop; Ben returned home to have a crack at his hometown. His first café marks both his coming of age in the Melbourne coffee scene, and a tribute to the history of the area in which it is located. The name Nunawading, is derived from an Aboriginal word meaning battlefield. A short lesson in history reveals that the traditional custodians of the land considered the area sacred grounds.

Today, it’s a growing region with young families, and some familiar faces that recognise Ben from his childhood days. Many hands made Battle possible, with friends and family facilitating the fit out. Soft timber tones, pops of peach, concrete benches, white steel features, and old school chairs seamlessly assembled to create the fresh interior that feels much like the local living room.

The aim was to bring the kind of coffee Melbournians have become accustomed to in the inner city, to the suburbs, and do it with no pretention. The menu is as simple as the fit out. Ben is currently serving pastries and toasties, and plans to have a small menu with a European twist, which will include share style plates.

Coffee is sourced from Inglewood, with rotating singles from roasters...

Not sure how they’ve got 4.8 stars, must be friends and fake reviews unfortunately. Coffee was okay but food was not. Quite dry and bland, also very slow. The reviews are why we came but now we feel quite mislead.

EDIT: Changed it to one star due the disgraceful attitude from the ‘owner’. Actually we had an eggs Benny and a breakfast burger but thank you for your naive assumptions. Take some constructive criticism and work on trying to improve your business instead of abusing customers with your petty responses. I’ve worked in hospitality for 15+ years and was also a barista for 10 and competed in competitions but okay sunshine I don’t know anything. Didn’t have a baby chino so not sure where you pulled that from and I said the coffee was okay - definitely not competition worthy though. Mate you are the one drinking paint thinking this is an acceptable way to handle some criticism.

Definitely reviewed the...

Don't usually review but been on my mind since I went there, and not sure how reviews are so high? There are other places nearby with exceptional food. I would recommend you go there instead. Waitress didn't write order down and said to our faces she would probably forget, and she forget 2 things(please just take a note to avoid this) Over $60 for 2 small drinks and eggs on toast, plus a few extras which would be included for the price elsewhere. Extremely overpriced for what we got and just felt ripped off tbh. $5 for extras, eg ONE hash brown. It's $5 a bag at Coles! Friend said coffee was bad. Happy to pay for good food but it was basic. I know the area, I know the story to this place but with little competition in the nearby suburb it seems to have gotten customers and high reviews. Wish it were better as I'd love to support the spot but as it is, it was extremely disappointing and cannot...