Cam’s Kiosk (Cafe & Bar) — Restaurant in Melbourne

Having never visited Abbotsford Convent, I had no idea what to expect on arrival. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever been to a convent in my life. The grounds (at night time) are spacious and inviting, and it's not hard to find the restaurant. We were recommended Cam's by a friend a few weeks ago, and the only available slot left was 830pm as it was Monday, which = $20 pasta day. The staff were welcoming and polite. The restaurant was buzzing when we arrived, the high ceilings creating a cacophonic echo of of chatter, glass and cutlery. It all brought a smile to my face. We were shown a booth seat for three, sharing the space with two young diners. It was genial but both parties still had enough room for privacy. The window behind me was refreshing when a cool breeze picked up and took the edge out of the room's temperature. We are fasting for Ramadan so needless to say we were hungry! I've been on a bit of an olive drive of late, and the $6 olive plate was surprisingly generous and tasty (lemon marinated with quality olive oil). We had Brissola (the mushrooms were to die for!) and two plates of spaghetti Napoli. We were staying with water (as non-drinkers), but just before the meals came out we ordered two cans of Yumo lemonade. I dare say it was tempting to order a margarita when our neighbourly young diners' drinks arrived. They looked sensational! But the lemonade served on ice with lemon was a real treat - way less sugar than a Coke and with a refreshing bitters aftertaste. Yumo definitely! Special mention to the drinks waiter who just had a special air about him, friendly, timely and something else (apart from his good looks haha). The Pasta: Wow. Simple and perfectly cooked. The roasted tomato and garlic Napoli sauce was divine and the servings were huge. No need for any seasoning, the flavour was already there. For $20 not one complaint! We shared two pastas between three and it was ample. We decided to go all out and get both desserts, the tiramisu and the chocolate torte. The tiramisu should indeed come with a warning, it was packed with hazelnut liqueur, which oozed onto the plate. Did I mention we were all a party of non-drinkers? Well, we ate the dessert regardless. Maybe ease off the booze but alas most people probably love it and would like more! The second dessert was also delicious and was accompanied by a serving of delicious cream which took the edge off the torte's intensity. All round, a wonderful evening! What a great place. I recommend to book early as two of the specials had sold out. $106 for three people. Value:...

Another disappointing venue taken over by Melbourne’s inner north scenesters. The service was awful and the food was very underwhelming.

I went early in the evening on a Saturday night with my partner and we were shown to a table without any menus or water. Service staff proceeded to ignore us completely for 15 minutes despite there being 5 or 6 on the floor while the restaurant was far from full. An empty table next to us was cleared and reset before we even received eye contact from anyone. When a server finally came over, they gave an empty apology for the wait along with menus. We each ordered a glass of wine and shared some plates. 

We had the black garlic butter with bread, the octopus, the mussels, the pasta, and the kipfler potatoes. The mussels and the sauce they sat in where quite nice and by far the highlight, though that’s unfortunately not saying much. Everything else was bland and lacking in both flavor and imagination. On the bread and butter plate, the pickles tasted like the Always Fresh brand you can get at the supermarket. The octopus was cold and tasted like it had been bought a few days ago at a deli counter. The pasta was also cold and the cheese was clumped together. Basil on top was unable to flavor to such a flat dish. It really tasted like things were scooped out of a jar. It felt like a scam to me.

It was a big shame because the venue is beautiful. There’s a nice sound system playing great music, comfortable booths to sit in, elegant lighting, and an overall comfortable aesthetic to sit and dine in. Such a fit-out in the iconic Abbotsford Convent deserves far better than unimaginative plates and a service staff who have no idea how to engage with a customer.

I’ve noticed a sad trend wherein many of Melbourne’s inner north wine bars rest on the laurels of easy Italian comfort food (which is not in itself a problem), but do so with little attention to the flavor or craft that makes these dishes great to begin with. Cam’s is another overrated venue that cares more about ‘vibe’ than it does on the substance like the food you’re paying for. I have had items on this menu done far better everywhere else.

There are plenty of other wine bars in the immediate suburbs that are far more deserving of your money with lovely dishes and staff who actually acknowledge you. I will not be returning and would recommend you skip Cam’s and spend your...

My mother and I had a really disappointing experience at Cam’s this morning. We initially walked in through the back entrance after checking out the bakery next door. Despite walking right past a staff member at the bar, we weren’t greeted or acknowledged at all—not even a glance. Another staff member eventually made eye contact but just pointed us outside without a hello or asking if we wanted to sit inside.

We sat ourselves outside and waited… and waited. No one came over with menus or checked in on us. Meanwhile, the same staff member who had gestured us outside was happily chatting and playing with a dog—right next to our table. We were clearly visible but completely ignored. Eventually, I had to go inside and grab menus myself. Once I saw that Cam’s didn’t offer the kind of food we were after, and given the lack of basic courtesy from the outset, I honestly didn’t feel like staying any longer—so we left.

When we stood up to go, the staff looked shocked—as if they hadn’t noticed we were even there. Overall, we felt overlooked and unwelcome from the moment we stepped in. It was hard not to notice that others around us were promptly acknowledged and served, while we were left waiting. Won’t...