The Corner Store — Restaurant in Melbourne

Recently I’d been really impressed when I saw and then tried some of the great new vegan options on The Corner Store menu. However to my disappointment when I asked for the Vegie Brekky ‘vegan option’ I was informed it’s ‘the same’ without eggs and avocado. I was further informed it may be better to order from the sides, so I asked if the ‘side avocado’ is plain without feta. It is. I then asked if I was able to order the veggie brekky with plain avocado and beans as a substitute for the two eggs. After checking a couple more times it was agreed that this would be fine. When it came time to pay I was being billed for ‘extra avocado’ despite avocado being part of the veggie brekky and ‘extra beans’ when it had been agreed that they would be substituted. When I questioned the extra charges it was very loudly splained to me that when changes are made to the menu it’s not just food to consider as wages, rent, bills etc are also factors. Thank you for this explanation. However I already have a very very good understanding of ‘hidden’ overhead costs of running a business. If I was informed about the additional charges at the time of ordering I’d have chosen from the sides. I’m quite used to being a minority, attacked and/or spoke down to for what I choose to or rather choose not to eat. However if a ‘Vegan Option’ is specifically offered on the menu please have a suitable vegan option not remove two key ingredients without offering any substitute. In the end the bill was heavily discounted, not at my request, as I was happy to pay the $21 for the Vegie Brekky plus my coffee. I was really upset and shaken up due to the way this matter was handled. I also now feel I would be too humiliated to return to what was a favourite local restaurant. Seems like The Corner Store already has enough customers to cover their rent,...

Long time customer of this establishment. I have been here for numerous meals and drinks, seen change of owners and watched the revamp happen. Today headed here for breakfast, as I no longer live local it was a bit of a trek. Have to say that today was by far the worst breakfast I have had anywhere in the world. If chef Ramsey were to turn up, he would have hit the head chef over the head with the 2 cold bricks that resembled toast. Everyones hot breakfast at the table turned up cold, even the hot cakes! Either staff need to pull their head in and check the food more often or the cooks need to learn how to time meals so they go out hot. Other learning lessons include, if there are kids at the table ensure they get their meals first. Mark the ticket to indicate they are kids and have the chef get them sorted as kids can be a handful when they are hungry and watching their parents eating first. Secondly, check your cups. Getting a cup with a crack all the way down it is poor. Thirdly, check the table water, if it is empty considered refilling the bottle especially if they have not got their meal. Finally if you change the format of a breakfast item which is a staple, consider warning the customer. If hotcakes no longer come with berries and the customers requests hotcakes without berries, tell them that "the hotcakes no longer come with berries, they come with fruit now, would you like the fruit taken off?". These are basics of good service and a good cafe. I will hope for a change in the future, as for now I will find another cafe as I drove past 40+ to specificly go to this venue for breakfast. I am still disappointed 2 hrs later that I feel 4 weatbix would have been more enjoyable for...

We came down to Mentone in search of another café however, both of them were closed. We noticed this place was jam-packed so we decided to give it a try. Since there were a few of us with dogs, we asked a staff member if we could get a table outside.

After talking to a staff member, we settled down and were later approached by a waitress who asked if we were part of a booking. She then shifted us to a high-raised table.

The house benny and the food only filled half of the plate. My toast was burnt, and my friend's toast was chewy. Both of our eggs were cooked to almost firm yolk, rather than the runny yolk you'd expect from eggs benedict. The potato scratchings on top were stale and chewy.

One of us ordered a smoked salmon bagel, which was as described having cream cheese, capers, and red onion. Very basic and priced at $18. The size and plating seemed more suited to a meal prepared by a 5-year-old. I would suggest offering it as a grab-and-go option displayed at the counter instead of including it on the breakfast and lunch menu.

The coffee was decent, but I wouldn't recommend this place...