Majesty Coffee — Restaurant in Melbourne

The name St Ali is cemented in the history of Melbourne’s coffee culture. I’ve been an Orthodox roast disciple for many many years, and so I was thrilled when they opened a sister venue where I do my weekly shop. Undoubtedly, St Ali occupies the best real estate in the Queen Victoria Market complex, and the coffee is as good as that at HQ.

Unlike the industrial chic of HQ, St Ali and the Queen looks like the grown-up, high-flying, made-it sibling. The indoor section is however so poorly ventilated that stepping in you are greeted with the smells of a cafe kitchen that will probably cling to your clothes as a momento of your visit for the rest of the day. Fortunately you can sit outside and people watch, and order via the highly impersonal remnant of the pandemic - the QR code. That said it may take several requests of staff for the table to be cleared of earlier patrons’ dishes.

The menu at opening was esoteric at best and presumably unpopular, but it appears the chef ‘got the message’ and made some changes more recently. I suspect the limits of the menu reflect the limits of the kitchen, so you will not see the cult classics of HQ like the fritters. Today, I ordered the Turkish Eggs which were $31, which included the 12% weekend surcharge (18% on public holidays) that I hope is going directly toward penalty rates for staff and not subsidising the rent.

Returning to the Turkish Eggs, I was presented with rock hard (bordering on stale), pita bread, overcooked poached eggs with the tails left on (amateur), and then the whole thing doused in salt - I ate half a the dish and downed a litre of table water to prevent my insides from being pickled. And as far as I’m aware, chilli oil with shallots isn’t Turkish. Presumably the Turkish bit is the sumac sprinkled on top. The dish was just so poorly executed that I ask myself - did anyone taste this?

Overall, this venue does not meet the high standard that has been set by St Ali HQ, but there is plenty of opportunity for improvement! I just don’t think it can live a full kitchen dream on corner bookshop real estate. Market Lane around the corner gets that, perhaps to the extreme. This venue is better suited to a trendy Italian inspired sandwich bar that takes advantage of the fresh ingredients at its doorstep and pays homage to Malatesta’s roots. The kitchen at Heartattack and Vine (Carlton) is not much bigger and they nail the food offerings morning, day and night.

I also love that they’re playing with the idea of a cocktail bar but with closing at 6pm most nights bar Wednesday, not sure who will be drinking cocktails mid afternoon. If they are serious about this, do it properly or don’t do it at all. Again, see Heartattack and Vine.

For actual Turkish eggs - would highly highly recommend Sani in Brunswick East ($10 Uber) For actual well cooked breakfast - wonder around to Operator25 (2...

The food was overpriced and not that tasty either. An Avocado toast with sesame oil and mushroom on the side was priced at $30. When it was presented it looked like blackened toast. No special flavour either. Whoever invented this dish forgot that the presentation of the food is half the story. The French omelette look like a baby’s puke as well. I was hesitant to eat it just be looking. It tasted ok, nothing special but for a small omelette paid $26.

The most annoying experience was having 3 waiters/waitressess circling our table every 5 minutes. There were 9 of us seated outside. We were enjoying the sunshine and trying to put up with the not so special breakfast that took a while to be served, three times the waitress tried to take my plate with food still in it, I was still chewing… but she couldn’t see because she just came from behind ( from a bay window behind me) NO Excuse Me, n just tried take the plate. I was shocked at such rudeness! Didn’t even say sorry and just walked away. Five minutes later another waitress tried to take my husband’s plate so I told her to go away and stop taking plates away until we say so. The Asian male waiter also did the same to our guests from Sydney. We were trying to show off how much it is to be at VIC Market and enjoy the coffee, the breakfast… but it was such a HORRIBLE DINING EXPERIENCE! I noticed too they didn’t do it to the other customers. Only to us, is it because we were a group of 9 people? Did they have shortage of plates and cups that they would check every 5 minutes? The only thing I liked was the location and nothing else. Horrible customer service! I wouldn’t come back to this coffee shop and would make sure my family and friends are forewarned.

The coffee shop next door had yummy croissants. We should just...

As a professional chef, I'm always on the lookout for places that put care and technique into what they do, and St. Ali was a pleasant surprise. You won’t find an overwhelming menu or pretentious presentations here — but everything you order is well-executed, with quality and great flavor.

The atmosphere is super relaxed and cozy, perfect for enjoying a coffee, chatting with someone, or just taking a break from your day. It feels warm, welcoming, and unhurried — like a little pocket of calm.

The service was excellent — fast, friendly, and professional. It's always a pleasure to be welcomed with a smile and served efficiently.

The savory food was the highlight. I had a ham and cheese croissant that was absolutely amazing — flaky, buttery, and perfectly baked. We also tried a Cuban-style bagel, which was full of flavor and had great texture. The menu is short but carefully curated: croissants, bagels, baguettes... simple things, but done really well.

The coffee was great, and while the chai latte didn’t really stand out, it wasn’t bad either. The strength of the place is definitely in its savory offerings and the way they pair bread and fillings to create something simple but memorable.

In short, St. Ali isn’t trying to do everything — just doing a few things really well, and you can tell. If you love enjoying a great croissant with a quality coffee in a relaxed and welcoming setting, this is definitely a place worth visiting.

✨ Highly recommended if you appreciate quality, friendly service, and...