Glass Merchants — Restaurant in Melbourne

Overall "Very Underwhelming experience" Had never been here before so thought it was worth a try as the space is architecturally interesting. We have driven and walked past it many times previously - so why not? Had a look a the menu outside and it did not impress, however having decided to give it a go - we went forth. Space is interesting, although lacking warmth - both actually and figuratively speaking (middle of winter and not much heating). It was the middle of the week lunchtime so it was half full with 2 young staff on the floor, one on the coffee machine and another on the food service. No real interaction from the service side and little personality. People sitting around on their laptops, walking in for a coffee or having a light meal. We struggled to find anything appealing from the menu but ordered eggs with smoked trout, pulled pork sandwich with sweet potato fries and a house salad and tea as a drink. Eggs were really well presented but neither substantial nor tasty - the combination on the plate just did not work well for my taste. Sandwich was very average and definitely below the quality you would expect in that price range - using better quality toasted or freshly baked bread is the bare minimum for a "gourmet" sandwich - filling ok - but again with no real flavour to speak of. Salad was enjoyed by my companion overall but again - for a dish around $20 it was definitely lacking in flair, although it would definitely appeal the "classic vegan/vegetarian" food palette. We won't be back, but judging from the reviews of other patrons the product offered is popular - so that's a good thing. I guess there is a niche for trendy, new age menu type places in Melbourne. Space: 4 stars Atmosphere: 3 stars Service: 3.5 stars Menu Range: 3 stars Food Experience: 3 stars Value for Money: 3 stars Overall...

Food: We visited for brunch. I ordered the French toast. It was well cooked, with a little crisp on the outside, but soft inside and I loved the crazy presentation. It may be a little sweet for some people, but I really enjoyed it. The elements work well together, but it is a real sugar hit. My other half opted for his usually scrambled eggs and bacon. The eggs were firm, not too runny and tasted nice, but could have done with a little more seasoning. He was impressed with the generous side of bacon. The coffee is nice, nothing too stand out for me – although it did arrive after my food, so I probably wasn’t paying too much attention.

Atmosphere/service: Set it an old glass factory, I loved the venue. It’s quite industrial, but there are little additions, like sofas in one corner, to make it more cosy. I liked how you could see the history of the building, and they have lots of glassware and things around to help with this theme.

Service was fine. It was quite busy and staff were clearly rushed. Front of house was excellent, and we were quickly greeted, given menus and as soon as a table became available we were seated. Only disappointment was our drinks arriving after our food. I enjoy sipping my latte while waiting for food – possibly offering us drinks in take away cups while we were waiting for a table could have been a good idea here.

Would I recommend it: It’s a nice menu and I love the look and atmosphere of the café. It’s not the best option around Carlisle Street, but it’s certainly up there with the better cafes in the area. I imagine it’s much better if you visit on a...

The food and drinks are decent (I’ve been a few times before), but I recently had the worst experience here and it’s left me wondering if I’ll return. I arrived 40 minutes before they were closing just wanting a coffee. Easy right? Apparently not. I told them I was sitting down to have a coffee and waited 10-15 minutes for anyone to even take my order before I went to the counter to order. I was served quickly at the counter, but did have to get my own water for the table. When my drink came, it was in a takeaway container and they reminded me they were closing. There was still half an hour before they were closing and I expressed frustration because I specifically sat down to avoid creating extra waste with a takeaway cup. They decided to replace it with a mug, which defeated the point anyway, and also made me wait even longer. About 5 minutes into drinking my drink, a waiter came inappropriately close to me to check if my drink was done and nearly took my only half empty mug away before realising I still had plenty to go. I was then reminded again by a waitress (so, someone else) that they were closing soon. The whole time, I felt unwelcome and unwanted. If I had arrived too close to closing (which, I hadn’t - 40 minutes is plenty of time for a quick drink) then they should have said at the start when I first indicated my intentions instead of ruining the whole experience throughout the time I...