THE NICHOLSON COFFEE & EATERY — Restaurant in Melbourne

REVIEW:

THE NICHOLSON COFFEE AND EATERY is a cosy CAFE , which screamMY authentic brunch food menu. The menu a fusion of Middle Eastern and Australian brunch classics with a hint of Asian cuisine. THE NICHOLSON COFFEE AND EATERY isn't trying to impress you, it's just trying to feed you a good meal.

Food is fragrant, and generous in quality. For less than a $25pp feed between 3 people, we left pretty full. I typically don't like spicy food for brunch, but I didn't mind THE NICHOLSON COFFEE AND EATERY’s rendition of the spicy spirit. Likewise for the specialty coffee, which Im profoundly in love. The single origin long black is a touch of tar-ness and citrusy of berries and jazz Apple. I was charmed and had to order a batch brew take away (last cup of the day and it was just 10 in the morning - people of Brunswick must have loved it). The staff was quick and joyful, especially that lady with auburn hair (super nice). If the coffee wasn’t good , I’d still definitely 100% come back for lively the staff.

ORDERED:

Food: TOM YUM Scrambled Eggs: a combination of luscious Spicy Tom yum sauce and scrambled eggs coated on top with spicy hollandaise sauce, avocado, edamame, Asian coleslaw with final touch of deep fried kale and a crispy shallots

THE NICHOLSON BENEDICT with pulled lamb, cooked spinach, 2 poached eggs, smashed avo and spicey Hollandaise sauce on golden hash browns

Coffee:

LONG BLACK

BATCH BREW

OAT FLAT...

As someone who often visits many cafes around town, I had the chance to stop by Nicholson Coffe & Eatery on multiple days, and I must say, I was genuinely impressed.

The café may not be massive in size, but it runs incredibly smoothly. Every detail feels intentional, and the overall atmosphere is both relaxed and professional. What stood out the most was the staff’s ability to handle situations insightfully attentive without being intrusive, and always on point with service flow.

The drinks are bold and flavorful, with the coffee made from Abrica beans that carry a light acidity making it approachable even for those who aren’t hardcore coffee drinkers. My top drink recommendation is definitely the Mocha-rich, balanced, and deeply satisfying.

Comes to food, Nicholson serves Halal options only (no pork). The menu offers a surprising range of flavors—sour, spicy, and sweet—all layered through their meat dishes. I highly recommend trying the Smoked Lamb Mandi, which is beautifully aromatic and tender, and the Shakshuka Tagine, a warm, hearty dish with depth in every bite.

In general, Nicholson delivers a thoughtful experience—where food, drink, service, and ambiance all align effortlessly. Whether you’re popping in for a quick coffee or a full meal, you’ll leave feeling like every element has been...

I really wanted to leave a good review as I enjoyed my meal but my partner had a terrible experience with his. He requested no avocado and confirmed it again another two times with the server. However, his meal came out with avocado, so we flagged it with the server before even touching the meal. They took it away and returned it after 5-10 minutes. They clearly had only attempted to scrape the avocado off and sent the exact same dish back cold. They asked if it was an allergy, which it wasn’t, however my partner is extremely sensitive to both the taste and texture of avocado. He said he could taste it in every single bite and it was extremely unenjoyable to eat, and he feels sick after. Regardless of whether it’s an allergy or not, sending the same dish back with a half assed attempt of removing a dietary request is pretty appalling. Allergy or not, a dietary request should be honoured.

They gave us a 5% discount but unfortunately that did not rectify the situation today. A simple remake of the dish would have been fine and would not have warranted...