Operator25 — Restaurant in Melbourne

I find myself utterly flabbergasted by the egregious affront to both financial prudence and culinary decency that is Operator 25 Café. It is, without exaggeration, a masterclass in daylight robbery, disguised under the flimsy veil of trendy café culture.

Let us begin with the indisputable facts. A piece of bread with an egg, a dish so rudimentary that even the most inept of home cooks could prepare it blindfolded, is priced at an astounding fourteen dollars. Fourteen dollars. For context, that is twice the price of the same meal at any reasonable establishment that has not completely lost touch with reality. One might assume that for such an absurd price, this bread and egg duo would be something truly revolutionary, perhaps sourced from the mystical lands of culinary legend, crafted by monks who have dedicated their entire existence to perfecting this combination. Spoiler alert: it is not. It is, in fact, just an ordinary piece of bread with an egg, and an overpriced one at that.

But let us not stop there, for the absurdity reaches even greater heights. A sandwich, a food item universally recognized as one of the simplest, most cost-effective meals, is being peddled here for an eye-watering twenty-six dollars. One would assume, based on this price point, that the sandwich must be something akin to a Michelin-starred marvel—perhaps adorned with gold flakes, infused with truffle essence, or served with a side of enlightenment. And yet, much to my unsurprised dismay, it is nothing of the sort. The portion is laughably small, the ingredients are passable at best, and the experience of consuming it leaves one not satisfied, but existentially perplexed, questioning every life choice that led to entering this establishment.

Now, let us address the ambiance, or rather, the complete and utter lack thereof. One might think that an establishment charging such astronomical prices would at the very least provide an atmosphere of sophistication, elegance, or even basic comfort. But no. What one finds instead is a setting that can best be described as uninspired, cramped, and wholly unworthy of the extortionate pricing scheme they have so audaciously imposed. The space is neither welcoming nor aesthetically pleasing, making the entire experience feel not just financially ruinous but emotionally draining.

In conclusion, Operator 25 Café is an unforgivable offense to both logic and gastronomy. The prices are astronomical, the portions are pitiful, and the ambiance is as inviting as a waiting room in a government office. If you possess even a shred of financial sensibility or self-respect, I implore you to take your hard-earned money elsewhere. If the operators of Operator 25 believe that their pricing strategy is sustainable, I can only assume they are either operating in an alternate dimension where currency holds no meaning or they have somehow managed to hypnotize their clientele into accepting...

2025 review: after 7 years later, still as good. Lots of new brunch spots and cafes, some may be better and more innovative, some do not stand a chance against this Melbourne brunch institution that has been here for more than a decade. Their new menu includes spicy mala baked eggs which is a must try! Matcha is in, and as someone that doesn’t think matcha deserves that much hype, they have incorporated into the thai milk tea foam matcha and the hotcakes perfectly with other dessert elements.

2018 review: The number one spot for your fusion brunch stop.

Operator25 has been around since the start of the coming of age for millennials such as I. Interior is modern and lively, with a funky decor and sleek design fit for your aesthetic needs.

What stands out about this place is their seasonal and temporary menus. Some will love it, some will complain about not being able to eat their go-to dishes or would rather have the old dish of the similar sort. I agree with both ends, but highly recommend this place for the quality, taste and fast service that never goes unnoticed.

Char siu pulled pork eggs benedict (5/5): favourite brunch dish in my entire life - best tasting dish that I will remember for a long time. It is so well-rounded and hits the jackpot for a perfect fusion eggs benny. Runny eggs and slightly sweet hollandaise sauce, balanced by the sweet salty sour and umami taste of the char siu pulled pork. Not to mention, that pulled pork was cooked to perfection.

Ponzu salmon (4/5): this hearty pan-fried salmon had a nice sear and was so creamy that it melted right on the mouth. Ponzu sauce gave it a nice zing which paired well with the roasted vegetables and soft dashi potato mash & polenta cheese. Extremely rich in flavour, but hard to finish because it can be quite heavy.

Ube lava cake (2/5): sadly disappointing. Chocolate molten cake was too dense and a bit too sweet and rich which overpowered the lava flavour. Needs more ube element to do the name of the dish some justice. Loved the sweet coconut shreds on the side! Please bring back the infamous ube waffles! If your a chocolate or sweets person, this is for you.

Hojicha latte (3.75/5): yum! You can really taste that roasted green tea which has a nice creamy and nutty note. Too sweet for my liking though.

Kaya matcha latte (2.5/5): Cool concept, not bad but weird taste as other reviews have advised.

Overall an amazing experience with a few hit and misses and a higher price point, would definitely return but only if the well-loved dishes do too!

Food: 4 Value: 4 Ambience:...

𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝟮𝟱 Talk about a smooth operater, this vibin' cafe @operator25cafe certainly is that. One of Melbourne's top brunch venues! There is a reason why this place is still bustling when we visited at 2pm on a Saturday afternoon with a queue outside. 🤩

Located in a heritage-listed, original telephone exchange building on Wills street within minutes of the leafy Flagstaff Gardens, you’ll connect with our home’s history from the moment you walk in.

The menu has enough variety to satisfy even the fussiest palates. Here is what we ordered.

𝘽𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙋𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝘽𝙪𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙧 🍔 Balinese marinated pork belly (so tender and flavourful)fried egg, chilli mayo, fried shallots, coriander, cabbage and carrot slaw on brioche bun served with sweet potato fries. The fries are off the chart!

𝙎𝙤𝙛𝙩 𝙎𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝘾𝙧𝙖𝙗 𝙊𝙢𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚 🦀 Egg omelette with fried soft shell crab, Balado chilli relish, multigrain toast and herb oil. Love that chilli relish and the Crab was marinated to perfection.

𝙎𝙖𝙡𝙢𝙤𝙣 𝘼𝙗𝙪𝙧𝙞 (𝘿𝙁) 🐟 Torched Atlantic salmon on sushi rice with furikake, pickled ginger, radish, soy poached egg, tare sauce and Japanese mayo. This is comfort food.

𝙐𝙗𝙚 𝙒𝙖𝙛𝙛𝙡𝙚 (𝙑) 🥞 Purple sweet potato waffle with jack fruits, coconut, ube chocolate sauce, black sesame ice cream, poached pears and fresh seasonal fruits

𝙆𝙪𝙢𝙦𝙪𝙖𝙩 𝙄𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙏𝙚𝙖 🍋 English breakfast tea, kumquat juice, lime, honey

𝙄𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙋𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙪𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙖 🥔 Peanut butter and Nutella chocolate milk.

𝙄𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝘽𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙚 ☕️ Biscoff sauce, espresso, milk, Biscoff cream & biscuit. Sweet and rich!

Thank you @operator25cafe for having us! We absolutely enjoyed every single dish. 😋 Also shout out to the wonderful service from the wait staff. 💕🥰 Attentive and proactive. We will...