Red Door Corner Store — Restaurant in Melbourne

Red Door Corner Store: Culinary Ambiguity with a Bitter Sip – A 2-Star Experience.

The menu at Red Door Corner Store embarks on a somewhat pretentious "culinary" journey, unfortunately falling short of delivering consistent excellence. The food experience proves to be a hit-and-miss affair, leaving customers contemplating the worthiness of a return visit. Perhaps it was just an off day in the kitchen...

Adding to the culinary confusion, the coffee fails to meet Melbourne's high standards; small cups and never consistently on point. There have been moments of delight when a knowledgeable barista graced the machine, but today's long macchiato was a regrettable disappointment, resembling more of a watery soup than a coffee with substance or body. It's worth noting that a long macchiato traditionally comprises two shots of espresso, not one with extra water...

Equally disheartening is the service, marked by a cold demeanor from the waitress upon arrival – a noticeable absence of a warm greeting or smile. While it's plausible that it might have been an off day or night for the staff, the overall impression lingered. Notably, the waitress extended a considerate offer to redo the coffee, showcasing a commendable commitment to customer satisfaction. However, I opted to decline, as the disappointment from the initial brew persisted.

Beyond the waitress's efforts to make amends, the pervasive back chatting from both wait staff and the barista as I departed underscored the frequently criticised customer service at Red Door Corner Store. Perhaps it's a generational preference, but the atmosphere left something to be desired. Gen Zs do not like to be offended...

In conclusion, my recurrent experiences at Red Door Corner Store are too often marred by subpar coffees and culinary aspirations that miss the mark. When seasoned with a touch of indifferent customer service, the choice for discerning patrons...

review I My friend of 50+/- years L Fred and I have decided, after x years, that Red Door is our lunch joint of choice. It has quiet outside tables for discussing the events of the last three weeks. It has Covid-free eating, an interesting menu, extra-pleasant wait staff and great coffee. L Fred has grilled salmon if it’s not Friday, I have the brilliant shakshuka (but without chorizo because my Israeli-cook mate says chorizo is not authentic) or we both have corn fritters (served with a poached egg) just to break with tradition. If it’s quiet we might have the chance to explore the Masters thesis of the wait-person. First class!

review II Red Door owners and staff have worked intelligently and spectacularly hard during the last 2.5 years: they have survived. The menu: reliable and suits the range of customers – older people to young parents with a toddler or a dog. The coffee: never had a bung one. The range of teas: great. Sweet stuff: house-made carbohydrates I’d be proud to have made. But the critical factor: staff selection. Lunch for me at Red Door is a social event and the wait-staff are a critical reason why I keep coming back. Are they pleasant? Are they efficient? Do they know their menu? Do they know what’s going on at the tables? Do they have a sense of humour? Can they serve a dish (out), collect empties (in) and engage with a customer in one easy foray into the eating area? Yes: many of them are undergrads doing interesting stuff. In short, it’s really tough in this industry. So it seems staff are well-selected and well looked after. Red Door owners know what...

Always a pleasure having breakfast with the family at this place! Visited plenty of times, consistently fantastic food and great customer service that goes above and beyond most other places in this area. A very cozy vibe overall, however when it's busy it can get a bit loud and overstimulating given the seating layout - especially when other patrons bring along their crying children.

I highly recommend any of their breakfast items as well as the burger. The tarts are also spot-on in terms of crust and filling and are always best when you can get them while they're fresh! The prices are balanced and reflect the effort that is put into each menu item, as well as their premium quality of ingredients. They also have great options for high-protein lovers and it's a great spot for post-workout nourishment!

A few small notes for improvement though - The double espresso can sometimes be quite watery and acidic, which is understandable given the peak coffee-rush on most mornings which leads to a higher running temperature of the machine. The cold brew has also sometimes tasted a bit 'mossy' due to either the water that was used during production, or fridge/open air oxidation, or perhaps the overall flavour profile of the beans that are used. Some refinement on these items would make them amazing for the coffee purist crowd!

As someone with heightened social anxiety, I thank you for being so hospitable and lovely towards myself and my family. The positive attitudes, attention and effort from the staff is always greatly...