Stanley - Mount Waverley — Restaurant in Melbourne

Nov 2024 UPDATE TO PREVIOUS REVIEW 4 WEEKS AGO

Update: this is in response to the Owners reply. Thanks for taking the time to read my review and reply. About your comment that the menu states the egg and bacon bun declares it has tomato relish, I did not dine in, it was takeaway and your menu on the wall DOES NOT declare the bun contains tomato relish. And as for double bacon - that is not true. I opened the bun to inspect the condiment and also noticed a single layer of round meat - at first I thought it could be ham as it lacked the deliciousness of the bacon Stanley had used for years. I agree it was bacon but it was NOT double bacon. 20 extra grams of bread does not justify a $4.50 increase. I guarantee you the previous condiment was not plain mayo. Please don't try to tell me it was plain mayo. I've been eating the e&b brioche bun for years and it was a orange tangy mayo. Glad the e&b muffin is back on your menu. Since my review below, a change of ownership has seen changes to the menu of Stanley. I am disappointed at the decision to remove the egg and bacon muffin from the menu and to change the ingredients in the egg and bacon brioche roll which has seen a ridiculous price increase from $9.50 to $14!!! The egg and bacon bun now has an unpleasant tomato sauce instead of the tangy mayo and the kitchen now adds onions to the menu item. I did not know of the change to ingredients and had eaten a few mouthfuls when I realised the presence of onions. I have medically diagnosed fructose malabsorption and to consume any amount of, or form of onion, causes a week of excruciating abdominal pain and upset. Before the recent change of ownership, the egg and bacon brioche roll was onion free and a safe food item I knew I could eat. I'm disappointed with the direction the kitchen has taken. To the new owners, the egg and bacon bun is not enjoyable nor worth $14. I have reduced the Food star rating from 5 to 1. The front of house staff are fantastic but the kitchen should reconsider the changes they have made to the menu. I am a customer since opening and supported Stanley all through COVID and I WFH. Stanley was my GO TO local cafe. As you no longer offer the 2 food items I ate multiple times a week, I will go to your competitors locally and drive to Mt Waverley instead of nipping round the corner in Ian Grove. End of an era.

_ Previous Review I can’t say enough good things about this cafe! The customer service is consistently excellent, making every visit a pleasure. The staff are friendly, attentive, and always go the extra mile to ensure a great experience. SERVICE EXCELLENCE at it's best.

The food is always fresh and delicious, with a variety of options that cater to all tastes. I highly recommend the granola bowl which bursts with flavour of fresh berries, vanilla yoghurt, and creamy tangy lemon posset. Whether you’re in the mood for a hearty breakfast, a light lunch, or a sweet treat, you won’t be disappointed.

And let’s talk about the coffee – it’s simply damn good! Rich, flavourful, and perfectly brewed every time. This cafe has truly mastered the art of coffee making.

Highly recommend this place for anyone looking for a top-notch...

Tucked away in the mysterious land of Mount Waverley—a place where dreams go to settle down and buy an overpriced 3-bedroom with a double garage and mortgage that keeps you glued to reserve bank announcements—you'll find Stanley, the local café oasis. Now, don’t let the brooding locals scare you off. Sure, they look like they’ve just realised they live in a suburb that doesn't allow them to work for a nicer employer on purpose, but push past their existential dread and grab a table.

The Big Brekkie is a chaotic symphony of greatness: spicy chorizo that slaps harder than a Melbourne rent hike, roasted tomatoes that actually taste like something, and halloumi so good it could end wars. Add mushrooms, smashed avo, bacon and scrambled eggs on sourdough that hasn’t been tortured into a brick—suddenly you’re questioning every other breakfast you’ve ever had.

The coffee? Smooth, strong, and frankly more welcoming than any of the regulars glaring at outsiders like I just gentrified their hash browns. Service was fast and friendly, probably because they knew I wasn’t staying.

If you’re in the area (or just pretending to be a local for the Instagram tag), Stanley might just be worth the suburban safari. Just don’t smile too much. The locals might think you're...

Unfortunately I had quite a disappointing experience with my takeaway drink. I ordered a soy iced strawberry matcha and i saw the barista poured in full cream milk into the cup. I was hoping it wasn’t our order. She called out our name and she did get the milk wrong which is fine because i double checked and asked her if it was soy milk.

The issue was that she had used the last of the strawberry syrup and i could see they were scrambling with what to do. I later realised when i went to drink it they blitzed up some fresh strawberries to use as the syrup.. It was awful. I was drinking up bits of chunky strawberry and i kept choking on the chunks. There was no sweetness it was honestly the worst matcha i’ve ever had.

I don’t like leaving bad reviews but the situation was handled so poorly. If you’ve ran out of a product (strawberry syrup) you should notify the customer to give them the option of another drink or that you can ‘blitz up some strawberries as another option however it won’t be the same as the syrup we normally use’. I would’ve appreciated that so much more and just got an iced latte. When you end up paying $9-$9.50 with the surcharge for a drink that i had to throw out, it’s extremely disappointing to have wasted...