Haymarket Place Cafe — Restaurant in Melbourne

Here's what I love, stumbling upon an urban eatery that pleasingly surprises me with its fare. The day after father's day, I was out & about with one my university-entrenched daughters, and a chum of hers. Our aiming point was a few blocks away and turned out to be bereft of a table or, for that matter, a decent attitude towards wanting our custom. I had misgivings about the Haymarket Place Café, given its proximity to the major hospital district in the city - I was wrong. An absolute revelation with a cabinet full of delicious bread and pastry products, supported by some fresh-prepped kitchen wonders. An inventive menu with plenty of food you know and recognise, and as many more you don't; ideal for the adventurous. I was dining with a pescetarian vegetarian, who, buy admission hates strong flavours, a cheese-hater, together with my eat-anything self. Everyone found a dish to their liking, though perhaps there was some ingredient removal on the far side of the table. Service was fantastic, the freshness, that matters most to me, and earmarks great eateries, was superb, as was the value per bite. If you're nearby, it's worth a couple of backstreets to try...

Have been regularly getting coffee here for a while. It's consistently very good coffee, the baristas know their stuff and the beans are quality. The coffee is also reasonably priced, and they also sell really nice ceramic reusable cups for only $15.

More importantly, you MUST TRY the amazing falafel here! It is Egyptian style falafel (with broad beans / fava beans as well as chickpeas), made on premises and freshly cooked to order, as it should be. Crispy on the outside and delicious and pillowy on the inside, it is seasoned and flavoured incredibly well. The plate comes as a very generous serving, including plenty of pickles, salad, flatbread, pickled chili, and tasty dips/sauces. As a self-proclaimed falafel connoisseur, this is one of the best falafel I have ever had, possibly the best I have had in Melbourne, and I have had it from almost everywhere. Cannot recommend enough....

Haymarket draws in a loyal early morning coffee crowd. It’s located next to the business / Econs faculty at Uni of Melb. The cafe has desks for both solo workers and small groups who are eager to grab a bite. I felt a strong wave of nostalgia and comfort upon entering - oh to be a uni student again!

Aside from coffee (which would definitely fuel your day, I didn’t need a second cup in the afternoon), we also sampled their omelette and big breakfast. Would go for the big breakfast because of the diverse ingredients on the plate.

Haymarket also offer lots of takeaway sandwiches and @phillippabakery croissants, which would be handy for uni students and nearby workers!

Thanks for...