Best Zaatar - Middle Eastern Bakery & Cafe — Restaurant in Melbourne

I went here to buy a zaatar ($3) and had a very unpleasant experience.

The first thing I noticed when I walked in was a woman mopping the floor. When I asked for zaatar, she immediately grabbed it with her bare hands—without washing them or wearing gloves—and put it to warm. This was completely unhygienic and made me very uncomfortable.

When I went to pay, my AMEX card wasn’t accepted, which I understood. I told her I didn’t have another card and apologized, planning to leave. But then she came running outside and insisted I come back in. I didn’t want the food anymore, but because she called me, I went back. At that point another staff member at the counter began yelling in another language, clearly telling her not to give me the food for free (which I never asked for). It was humiliating and unnecessary.

In the end, they made me try my card again, which of course didn’t work, and I left with my kids feeling embarrassed and disappointed.

This place showed zero regard for hygiene and very poor customer service. Something as small as a $3 zaatar turned into an unpleasant and uncomfortable situation. I strongly suggest the owners train their staff to use gloves when handling food and to treat customers with respect. I will...

Today I went here for brunch, I normally order from The bakery, I order the big breakfast for the first time, was so hungry, Had a taste from the hummus it was off, asked my husband to taste it too. He said it tastes different. Told the waiter she said let me ask the chef came back saying it was made a day before.

I asked her to taste it, which she didn’t. she said to me it’s fine nothing wrong with it. Asked her to make me a new plate with no hummus. She’s like just eat the rest of the plate and leave the hummus. I hardly even touched the plate. I said to her the hummus has touched other things on the plate. She’s like it’s okey nothing will happen. I refused to eat it as I am breastfeeding mother.

After all that she’s like I’ll make you a plate, but still debating with me that there is nothing wrong with it.

Attitude 👎🏼 Service 👎🏼

Don’t understand the logic behind it, when there is hair in the food at other cafes/ restaurants they change the plate and they bring you a new plate and say that they are sorry but this place is debating with me and not even apologizing.

Asked my money back and...

Service was friendly but the food was so below average that I question how there are so many positive reviews!

I ordered a flat white and was served what looked like 99% milk with a drop of coffee in a latte glass. It definitely was not a flat white and after one sip I physically could not drink anymore. My partner ordered the eggs and sujuk dish and was served a massive flavourless, dry omelette with a side of pita & labne - I assume the waiter misunderstood our order because this was so far off from what was written on the menu. The omelette/sujuk dish was so bad that it was left untouched after just one bite. We shared the fatteh which was just okay and the cheese pizza was nice but not worth...