Left Field Cafe Carnegie — Restaurant in Melbourne

Visited this lovely place for a catch up with a friend - It was very busy during lunch but service was timely. It seems like a Carnegie fave and I can see why!

My friend and I ordered the Poached Pear Bircher Muesli, and Nutella and Vanilla Brioche (pictured). Both were accompanied with fresh fruits. The muesli was a nice light meal, considering I had a large breakfast. I can’t say it was overly sweet - it was just like any other muesli. The pear was what made a difference for me though - as the flavour of the pear (and other berries) gave it that bit of sweetness. The brioche was obviously much heavier, and more indulgent. Presented really nicely. A little too big of a serve for my friend, but a really nice treat.

Only reason I took off a star - it was approaching 2-2:30pm so they were packing up the outside tables beside us which made me feel a little rushed. It closes at 4pm so I also understand the need to clear up and close up.

Spent about $60 for 2 coffees and 2 meals. Pricey, but expected for a lunch/brunch in Melbourne.

Overall, staff were accommodating and quick, and food was pretty good. Seating options were also good - had a bunch indoors and outdoors. Another big plus - it’s dog friendly! We had a furry friend beside us outside while we caught up and ate. Water bowls are available so the dogs can have a drink.

I’d probably come again to try...

I have been going to Left Field for many years because their food is always fresh, tasty and they have efficient customer service. Unfortunately, not this time. It's quite obvious Left Field is under new ownership. Such a shame a lovely cafe has gone down hill, we definitely won't be coming back

Our order took 45mins which is just ridiculous - it wasn't that busy either (ordered an apple juice, smashed avo and pork Benny).

The apple juice tasted watered down, it wasn't a cordial flavour but an apple juice with heaps of water added

Left Field's smashed avo has always been my favourite. Unfortunately this time the smashed avo was horrible, I could make something better at home. The 'pickled' cabbage tasted like oil, I only had 2 pomegranate seeds and 1.5 small cherry tomatoes on my plate. The beetroot hummus tasted like it was from a grocery store and the avocado had a horrible lingering taste with no creamy texture you associate with avos. I suspect the pomegranate seeds and avocado were frozen. The only good thing about the smashed avo was the few mint leaves smelt and tasted fresh.

My partner always gets the pork Benny. This time the pork was dry and tasteless, liquid put on top of the pork to cover up the dryness which just made...

Three of us arrived on a Tuesday afternoon to fill our stomachs with lunch. The customer service was pretty good (but there's always room for improvement). We were seated outside on the communal table. It would've been ideal if the heaters were turned on, considering it's winter, but I probably shouldn't complain. The menus were slightly dirty, but honestly this didn't affect or diminish our restaurant experience. I'm just being very picky haha. Anyway, I ordered the spicy pork Baos, which were very delicious and flavoursome. I enjoyed them very much. I only wish they were bigger! Also, not sure why there was a big deconstructed mush of smashed Avocado on the plate, but maybe I'm just new to the Bao industry. We also ordered the slow-cooked lamb which had overly-sized kale served with it, but the lamb itself was exceptional. The plates and cutlery were of high quality. The cappuccino looked good and had a cute little flower design on it. It could've been a bit hotter though. Overall - I've been super harsh on this review and just picked out very minute details which could be improved - but this restaurant is actually really good, has a wide selection of meals, solid instagram account, friendly staff and a nice atmosphere. Thank you...