GABRIEL FITZROY — Restaurant in Melbourne

I am not one to leave reviews, especially bad one's as I find it in bad character and feel like people should have something better to do with their days, but I would like some recognition for the way I have been treated here, as it seems to be continuous and extremely disappointing.

To preface, this is nothing against the service staff, as I truly believe they are all lovely and (previously) always happy to help.

To give the full story, I have loved coming here on occasion ever since I moved to Melbourne in 2022. A few weeks ago, I was having a few coffees whilst studying and waiting for a friend. I was seated outside, as the outdoor area is lovely and always nice to get some work done.

My friend arrived after a few hours, and I hadn't seen her in over a year, so I was naturally very excited to see her and get to take her around Fitzroy. Gabriel's is pay inside after dining, which I am aware of, but it had completely slipped my mind when my friend arrived and I forgot to pay for the two coffees I had before excitedly taking my friend to see the area.

That night I suddenly remembered I'd never paid for the coffees and felt so guilty that two days later (the soonest I could have) went back and asked them to charge me for the two coffees and was profusely apologetic as I'm not someone to do this under any circumstances and it was a genuine and human mistake.

My letdown with Gabriel's has come in my following few visits after this incident, as I am being actively ignored. I will be served a coffee when I first sit down as I usually ask to take a seat outside and am asked if I would like a coffee, but after that coffee is delivered, I feel as though I'm isolated from the rest of the customers for the following hours i am there.

The staff will not collect my cup or ask if I would like another, as they do for everyone else around me, and I can't seem to get their attention at all. Today I am sitting here as I write this because I am so disappointed as the staff seem like such lovely people, so I'm confused as to why I'm being treated this way.

I have been here a few hours and feel faint as I haven't had any food all day, and it's almost 3 pm. When I arrived at 12 and was served my only coffee since, I said that I wasn't needing any food at the moment... However, I think 3 hours would be considered an appropriate window for a customer check-in, even if it was only another coffee. I now feel sick because I have been unable to order any sustenance since 12pm.

I guess they achieved what they were aiming for because I will no longer be coming here (which i'm aware does not matter in the scheme of things) as everyone I have told about this has been absolutely appalled and said I should confront the owner, as no one can see any other reason I would not be being served by staff if not for a spreading of information amongst staff members that I am someone who routinely dines and dashes which could not be further from true.

If this is some sort of confusion and the staff have, for some other reason, not checked up on me I would appreciate a reason because I have felt so neglected and bad about myself every time I've visited since, but I wanted to keep coming because I love this place and wanted to support the business.

Please reconsider how you handle human error because no customer should be made to feel this way if they return to pay for their mistake with genuine regret.

I'm so disappointed as I'd loved this cafe, but that’s the exact reason I am leaving this review. How can you not be aware that this is happening if it’s not...

Great food with a wide range of options as well as a good atmosphere to catch up with friends for brunch and coffee but due to the service experienced I have had to provide a low rating and probably won't be coming back. My friend and I had come in and were hoping to sit down and have lunch. He had decided on food from the menu however due to my dietary requirements the most suitable option for me was a salad from the fridge. I was told by a women at the counter that I was unable to eat the salad at the table so when ordering I only ordered a drink and told the waitress looking after us that I would grab a salad as we left. The women taking our order had visibly felt bad and told me to just grab it and eat it since nobody would notice. My friend ordered from the menu and ordered a focaccia with a side of chips. When he got his food the chips were missing and they never came. I could also see from the women at the counter that didn't allow me to have a salad by the table, that she was visibly frustrated with the waitress looking after us as she had let me. The waitress was looking at me and smirking with an angry facial display which made me feel unfordable and wanting to leave, she also went straight to another staff member to tell them and they were both looking and clearly speaking of the situation that had occurred. When we got up to pay the person at the counter couldn't find our order and was unable to work out the correct price. After figuring payment out there was no thank you or have a good day which is basic customer service. The staff apart from the lovely lady taking our order were not inviting and made us as customers feel unfordable to be there. If the salad had been on the menu I would have been more than happy to order from there, and it was not like we were bringing outside food or not ordering from the menu at all. As a local I am always looking for a good lunch spot that I can go to regularly. I am confused as to why you are unable to eat food that's been made and displayed at the cafe on a table but you can still order muffins, cookies and fritters on display from your table. If the service were at an acceptable standard I would be coming back on a regular basis however as I was made to feel uninvited I don't think I will be...

My girlfriend tells me any place with less than a 4.2 is not worth eating at, so this year I have decided to write some reviews to share my experiences as someone that never reads reviews - so come and follow my journey into Melbourne gastronomy. We visited Gabriel Fitzroy on new years day (so this is the first of many reviews to come this year). Incidentally new years days was also the first day of not eating meat for a year for my girlfriend - stay tuned this might be interesting especially as she starts to drink again after a year of not drinking. I mean who doesn't want a big mac on the way home after a night out on the juice?? The cafe had a cool vibe with nice open windows and lots of air inside. The staff were quick and friendly and nailed the order without any notes - always a sign of professionalism. I had the fry up and she had the avocado with a side of potato rosti. The fry up was a bit different but pretty damn tasty, even though the eggs were a tad rubbery. Her eggs looked fantastic and I experienced a small twinge of food envy with her golden runny yolk. The potato rosti was quite simply bloody fantastic with thin layers of silky potato stacked up in a nice crunchy hard shell - I would come back just for these. Drinks wise she had a blood orange juice - fun fact, blood oranges have very high levels of anti oxidants (so the font of all knowledge tells me). I had a mocha to go with my MEAT mmmmm. Sadly the coffee was a bit of a let down, but then most mochas are after tasting the mocha's at Luicianos in Christchurch NZ. Having a look at some of the other food coming out at other tables, as you do, the toasted sandwiches looked pretty damn good so that might be the go for take 2. As Arnie once said "I'll be back" and if you are too young to get that I am sure...