Nelson — Restaurant in Melbourne

We popped into Nelson to pick up our click and collect order of Inglewood coffee and ended up celebrating our first brunch sitting in after Melbourne lockdowns eased. Felt so great to sit down and select items off the menu. We ordered a strong latte each and I opted for the Nutella Hong Kong Waffles while KD chose the Smashed Kabocha Pumpkin. We shared both and the flavours were standout. The pumpkin dish had so many different elements... poached egg, beetroot hummus, crispy kale, feta and dukkah. Quick efficient friendly service to which is always what you want.

Previous Review I have been slow to embrace Nelson’s arrival into Box Hill (and within walking distance of home). That has a lot to do with this cafe groups policy of charging diners a 10% surcharge over the weekend (15% on public holidays). While no one is a millions years can convince me a weekend surcharge is reasonable I put this aside this-morning ( on a public holiday) as we were is desperate need of a caffeine fix that wasn’t from a Nespresso coffee pod machine (self isolating for the past 3 weeks).

Nelson has a lovely bright minimalist interior and although we couldn’t dine in their cabinet display was impeccable and everything was still shiny and new. The cake cabinet tempted us with monster sized choc chip cookies to accompany our skinny & almond milk lattes. The sole staff member was friendly and chatty and coffee was done in a jiffy.

Verdict: the coffee was undeniably good thanks to Inglewood beans and a great extraction. Would definitely be up their among our top coffee picks for the Box Hill/ Blackburn area and I can see that KD will want more walks in close proximity to Nelson in the future. The choc chip cookies were both hit and miss for us. I loved this chunky giant sized cookie and it’s slightly salty taste (perhaps salted butter?) but KD was less of a fan... so I got to finish hers.

Would definitely consider a visit in the future when we are again able to dine in as the cafe group that Nelson belongs to do have some stellar dishes in...

*hygiene and customer service issue I have never reviewed anywhere poorly as I also work in the hospitality industry and I understand mistakes can occur. However, I was very disappointed with their service and response in regards to the following situation. The customer service was overall very poor to begin with, as we did not receive any menus when we sat down and had to get them ourselves. Eventually we ordered two meals and two drinks. After two bites into my meal (grilled salmon), I found a hair and I informed the waitress about it. As I had lost my appetite, I did not eat any more of the food. When paying for this meal, the cashier was unaware of the situation and when I informed him, we were offered a discount for only my meal and our total was $53.70. We realised after paying and leaving that we were only given a few dollars off the original price even though I had barely eaten the food. I sent an email to them explaining my situation and they responded by saying they would give us a gift card. We do not live near boxhill and have no intention of coming back to the cafe so I emailed back asking for a refund instead. I waited a few days with no response and sent a follow up email and 2 weeks later I still did not receive any contact about this issue. I am very disappointed with their customer service as they have simply just ignored me. At all the restaurants I know and have worked in, it is standard practice to give either a replacement or refund for this kind of situation. Giving just 3 or so dollars off a ruined meal and then ignoring my polite emails is truly unacceptable. I hate to leave a bad review, but as they’ve ignored my previous attempts at trying to rectify the situation I feel like I’ve been left...

A quaint little café located a short walk from Box Hill Central near the hospital and apartments. Despite traffic and lack of parking spots, the double glazed windows enclosed a warm and relaxed environment for an enjoyable weekend brunch. Although the tables were a little small, service was fantastic; staff are energetic and eager to help wherever possible.

The wait-time for the orders were reasonable. Strong matcha latte was made very well with a hint of sweetness at no extra costs, while the latte was light and not overly strong. We ordered a raspberry white chocolate muffin in the past; although it tasted great with plenty of raspberries inside, it was a little soggy when it was heated prior to serving.

Steak Sandwich - For its price, it was very nice. They were not stingy with the meat at all and it was not overcooked at all. The pairings of onion rings, rocket and sauces was done well, not making the sandwich overly dense and soggy nor insubstantial. It was lovely to have for brunch, however, the side of fries could be a little more with less salt.

Churro Waffles - Ordered it out of curiosity and was mildly surprised. Presentation was great and not overly staged, with simple ingredients and flair. The chocolate sauce at the bottom was not overly sweet, however, as the name suggests, the Churro Waffles were generously coated in sugar. The raspberry icecream and fairy floss were a good addition to the hot waffles, which added to the sweetness overdose. The dish itself was a joy to have, however it feels a little too sweet for a brunch.

Overall, we had an enjoyable time here with great food and a relaxing atmosphere. For its price, the service and food are reasonable. I would definitely come back and try more...