Harrow and Harvest Cafe — Restaurant in Melbourne

I recently had the misfortune of visiting Harrow and Harvest that usually was quite nice to visit. This time it left a bitter taste in my mouth and a painful memory in my son's head, literally. It was in the early afternoon on Tue, 11 Jul at about 11.30 am. My Boston Bowl only came with three small meatballs and my skinny latte tasted burnt.

But that was not why I write this review. My family's visit to this establishment quickly turned into a nightmare, all thanks to a clumsily positioned floor lamp and the complete lack of responsibility displayed by the staff.

We sat next to the play area. A guest sitting next to us unknowingly accidentally knocked a floor lamp (it was one of those industrial looking one with a bare light bulb and no cover) that was placed haphazardly near our table, causing the light bulb to come down onto my 3 year old son's head. He was peacefully eating his lunch and was so shocked when he got knocked, he then wailed and couldn’t be appeased after that. Luckily he was unharmed.

What was even more appalling was the reaction of the waitress who was serving us and witnessed the incident. Despite being fully aware of what had happened, she made no effort to rectify the situation or even express concern for my son's well-being. It was truly disheartening to see such negligence from someone who should have been attentive to the safety of the patrons.

In a state of shock, I had to take matters into my own hands. I called out to that same waitress who was just about to leave the room while I was holding the hazardous lamp in my hand and my husband was trying to console my shocked son. Only then did she reluctantly approach, seemingly unfazed like nothing has happened. I asked her to remove the lamp and ensure the safety of the area, a responsibility that should have fallen on her in the first place.

To my astonishment, not only did the waitress fail to offer an apology for the incident, but she didn't even acknowledge the inconvenience or potential harm caused to my son. The sheer lack of empathy and professionalism (and I suspected racism as we were the only PoC there while everyone else including the waitresses were white) exhibited by the staff was truly appalling.

As a concerned parent, I expected the Harrow and Harvest prioritise the safety and well-being of its customers. Sadly, this experience left me disappointed. The incident not only spoiled our visit but also cast a shadow on the cafe's reputation. A simple apology and immediate action to address the situation would have gone a long way in salvaging the situation and ensuring the safety of future guests.

In conclusion, Harrow and Harvest’s negligence in properly positioning a floor lamp, coupled with the apathetic and unprofessional behaviour of the waitress, made our visit one to forget. I strongly advise potential customers to exercise caution and be wary of the lack of care and customer service exhibited...

Edited: Returned on a weekday lunch and there were quite a queue! We ended up at the kid’s playroom even though we didn’t need the toys. It was rather cold there and I actually rather any other rooms because the playroom doesn’t feel like a part of the church building. Had the loaded breakfast croissant and it was okay. All dishes came out looking amazing. Matcha latte wasnt sweet.

This place looks amazing inside and outside. The smell of candles and the dim lighting were just so nice. I didnt buy any products but they look like really good quality. Some of the seats are church pews since it used to be a church. They don’t take bookings but we managed to get table for 8 at lunch time on a Sunday. The staff are very friendly. The menu was dominated by vegan dishes. I had this mushroom & italian sausage dish that comes with bread. Also tasted a bit of the vegan fried chicken burger. Presentation of everything is just beautiful. Surprisingly that vegan burger was really nice, nicer than the meat dish I ordered. Just very nice sauce and balanced taste, and can’t tell it wasn’t chicken. The Italian sausage dish to me was so so, nothing to rave about, rather spicy and very tomatoey. Also tried their vegan iced chai hazelnut latte. Despite the great name, it didn’t taste very nice. Not very sweet, but just not a good mix of things so that was a shame because I love chai, hazelnut and even non dairy milks, but this mix somehow failed me. Overall it’s a one of a kind place you have to try, and nice to invite friends to show off...

From my first steps into Harrow and Harvest, I felt like I walked into Alice's Wonderland whilst she had stepped out to attend an enchanted church service. From the first moment we entered this exquisite cafe, under a colourful field of flowers covering the ceiling, in a mind glimpse of a topsy turvy world, we were greeted by their friendly staff. Seated on a beautiful old pew, I could immediately feel the confessions of years gone by. Their menu was refreshingly different. So many culinary twists, with a side of imagination. The coffee was wonderfully satisfying, served in an oversized mug. Very fitting with my instant fairytale surroundings. Lunch was ordered and for me it was their Breakfast Tacos. Four perfectly constructed tacos that quite frankly were the best infusion tacos I have eaten anywhere in the world. Bravo for infusing pulled pork, smashed potato hash, siracha cream, pink pickled onions and other delectables together in a mouth exploding delight. These tacos were my truly religious experience at Harrow and Harvest. Enjoying lunch with my wife and mother-in-law, they ordered the Cypriot burger and the La Madre Bakery Vine Fruit Loaf. Both delicious and exquisite. At the point of completing our lunch, extremely satisfied and wishing we had left the slightest bit of room to fit in a mouth watering masterpiece from the dessert case, we were still being treated to the same wonderful service that we were initially greeted with. I cannot recommend Harrow and Harvest enough. A truly enchantingly delectable experience...