Friends of Mine — Restaurant in Melbourne

Friends of Mine is one of Richmond’s most reliable and beloved brunch spots – the kind of café that feels bright, buzzing, and welcoming from the moment you walk in. It’s spacious and light-filled, with that warm, friendly vibe that makes it just as good for a quick coffee as it is for a long weekend brunch with friends.

The coffee is consistently excellent – smooth, strong, and always made with care. My flat white was perfect, and my friend’s oat latte was just as good. It’s clear they take their coffee seriously, and it shows.

The food is what keeps people coming back. The menu is packed with brunch classics and creative dishes, all beautifully presented and full of flavour. The smashed avo is fresh and generous, the chilli scrambled eggs are creamy with just the right kick, and the sweet options – like the French toast – are indulgent without being too heavy. Portions are generous, and everything feels balanced and thoughtfully put together.

The staff are upbeat, friendly, and keep things moving smoothly even when the café is packed (which it often is). Service is quick but never rushed, and you always feel looked after.

What I love most is that Friends of Mine manages to balance quality with atmosphere – the food and coffee are top-tier, but the space still feels relaxed and fun. It’s a Richmond favourite for a reason and one of the best brunch spots...

I recently visited "Friends of Mine" for brunch, and while the service was very friendly and attentive, the food was incredibly disappointing, especially considering the steep prices.

I ordered the Shakshouka, which was honestly a letdown. It came with three tiny slices of Turkish bread that were mostly air bubbles, making them feel like they were more about filler than substance. The sauce was tasteless, like it came straight out of a tin, with no veggies or any kind of depth to it at all. If you want a satisfying meal, you'd be better off just ordering two poached eggs on toast, as that’s what I was essentially given.

For my drink, I chose the strawberry matcha latte, which was nothing like what I expected. The drink was served in a tiny glass, jam-packed with ice, and barely any milk. It was just artificial strawberry syrup mixed with a weak shot of matcha.

All this came to a shocking $80 AUD for two breakfasts and two non-alcoholic drinks. It's safe to say, this was a sad and overpriced experience. Definitely wouldn't recommend it if you're looking for a satisfying meal. I wouldn't want anyone else to have their Sunday brunch ruined by a meal like that.

Nice al fresco seats if you want something to...

I hate giving bad reviews and especially to small businesses, but this has to be done. The cafe is very well layed out, really nice aesthetic and vibe to the place. All the servers were doing their best, the food was tasty and I would give it 4 stars but... They were extremely understaffed, we had multiple items forgotten and had to constantly be reminding staff about coffees and such. Like I said, it wasn't the fault of the staff but maybe management not putting on enough people. When coming to pay, the staff apologized and read out our order. We had items that we hadn't purchased, I personally at that point had still not received my coffee that I ordered at the beginning. I had to wait an extra 2 minutes for it to be made into take away. It really doesn't take 30-45mins to make a long black. I understand, Sunday brunch time is a busy time but that should mean you should put on more staff, quite a poor effort by management. I hope you see this review and improve upon it. Lovely people working there, I would come back to give you guys another chance because of your staff only.

To people reading the reviews, food is delicious, but expect long wait times and for your food...