The Drop In Cafe — Restaurant in Melbourne

This review is purely for the really terrible experience with the food, I must note it’s still a really cute cafe. Just disappointed with the menu and pricing that looks like a real brunch cafe yet receiving worse than school camp canteen food. We got the filo, the quesadilla and the turmeric scrambled eggs.

The filo was dry and hard af, order this if you enjoy overcooked ricotta cheese and asthma.

The turmeric with a side of scramble egg was the most disappointing of all. I have never in my life tasted more bland eggs; I don’t even understand how they managed to get it this bland and sweaty. The roti was okay though. But this dish was almost $20.

The quesadilla was the most edible of all cause you can’t mess up toasted flat bread with filling. It just felt a little sad, we even paid $5 more for chorizo then they came to say there isn’t any more chorizo, we opted for bacon which was a good thing cause it made it more edible. $23

I usually have the curry here, I believe it’s not bad and enjoyable enough and this was my first time having anything other than that.

It’s a pity because it’s such a cute cafe. I am disappointed by the food and hope you won’t make the same mistake as us with the food, but you will enjoy the atmosphere and setting and the drinks and cakes. After we received the bad food, we looked and saw they don’t have a real kitchen and was preparing food behind the counter (from what we can see) which explains a lot. Maybe they should redo their menu to fit...

"It’s just a jump to the left. And then a step to the right"….

I felt like I’d stepped into a time warp while in Boronia this week. Admittedly, I am a dreamer, so when I discover a café that has me reflecting on the beauty in history, and traditional hospitability, I revel in it.

The ‘Drop In Café’ in Boronia does exactly this, and it’s all thanks to Alpa Patel. Alpa was inspired by her grandmother, when as a child; Apla remembers her being the provider of a home that was open to all, with cakes waiting to be devoured, and the aroma from large pots of masala chai infusing the room.

The Drop has a Parisian, eclectic, and bohemian feel, with an eclectic mix of collectables and treasures from the yester-years.

Homemade cakes presented under vintage cloches adorn the display cabinets, and a drinks trolley holds the range of alcohol beverages on offer.

The menu presents a simple yet wholesome breakfast and lunch menu, as well as High Tea. It’s ingenious, considering the venue has no commercial kitchen, and Alpa is known to use produce brought in from locals.

Think Turmeric Eggs served with crispy Malaysian roti; and ‘Mexicorn’ fritters with house taco seasoning. I couldn’t resist the Butterfly pea flower tea, which had a theatrical twist.

The Drop is more than a café. It’s a healing space, with lots of heart, and an operator who treats it like her home. No wonder I lost track...

A hidden gem in Boronia!

From the moment you walk into the Drop In cafe, you know you are stepping into somewhere different. The decorative pieces are a combination of kitsch, whimsical, retro, classical with lashings of pop culture moments. Each trinket and piece of serving ware 'shouldn't' go together, but they do. It may be mismatched, but it's cohesive.

We were treated to a high tea for two. For the price point, this was incredibly good value. The high tea platter maintains its traditional fare but with added twists. I understand that menu items vary based on what's in stock, which means there is innovation. It would be unfair to specify what I did have, because you might not get them the next time.

The tea selection however, is consistent and extensive. As mentioned, the servingware is quite the treat.

I also took home a vanilla slice for my friend's parents and they loved it. Creamy vanilla filling, flaky pastry. One of the better vanilla slices they've had.

I wasn't expecting to enjoy the Drop In as much as I did, but it's definitely worth a visit. In an food scene where High Tea can get feel dated, the Drop...