Warrandyte Stonehouse Cafe — Restaurant in Melbourne

The Stonehouse has been an institution in Warrandyte for many years. I’ve visited here a dozen times but recently it’s changed hands. The floor layout is slightly different but basically the decor is the same. Timber floors, stone walls, open fire and a selection of large and small tables. There is outdoor seating on the deck which in summer is delightful. It overlooks the large trees and often birdlife such as parrots, cockatoos and magpies come to visit. Just don’t feed them as it’s not good for their avian tummies. The menu is new and although it has all the usual breakfast treats - eggs on toast, smashed avocado or granola, the specials certainly caught my eye and so I decided to order the Lunch Special of Beef Rib Burger (Smokey pulled beef rib, slaw, aioli, chimmichurri sauce with sweet potato waffle fries). My daughter ordered smashed avocado with bacon and tomatoes and eggs on sourdough. Meals were okay but nothing to shout from the roof about. Burger kinda fell apart once I took the skewer out from the top of the bun. Meat average and would’ve been nicer if it had been sliced a few times as it was quick thick and difficult to bite into. Unfortunately, they delivered the wrong food to the table, took 25 minutes for our meal and then it was ‘just okay’. Service was good considering they were very busy. Please ask staff within l-o-n-g hair to tie it up not just back. The acoustics weren’t great just because of the floors and layout. Takeaway coffee available or perhaps a macaroon or brownie available at the counter as well. There is also a small display of tea, coffee, olive oil and other items for sale. I see on the menu that they have a ‘What’s in at the Stonehouse’ - High Tea Tuesday’s $35 per head with bookings essential. Notes: wheelchair friendly. Kid friendly (high chairs available). Dietaries catered for. Good parking either out the front or on the carpark on the east side of the restaurant and...

Food: the food here is fairly nice. We visited for brunch. It's fresh and well cooked with good portion sizes. Not out of this world, but enjoyable enough.

Atmosphere/service: I loved the lively atmosphere, it feels like the heart of a village (which it probably is). The seating area overlooking the trees and the creek out the back is really nice. The service however is painfully slow, we were here over 2 hours just for brunch, and we didn't handle around after eating, it just took that long for our food and drinks to arrive. Given they were at most half full, it's just far too long. We received one apology in that whole time and were mostly just ignored by staff. Other people were waiting a similar length of time too so it wasn't due to a mix up or mistake, they are just very slow. We had also booked a table and when we arrived a little early, we were told our table wasn't ready - despite there being plenty of spare tables. This was rectified and we were eventually seated somewhere else, but it's just poorly trained staff and with new restaurants opening every 5 minutes it needs to be better.

Would I recommend it: No, the food is fine but the service would complete put me off from returning. I'm sure there are better places in the local area, or visit one of the many cafes in nearby Templestowe, where you can be assured your food will arrive in a...

First time was OK even though the service wasn't overly friendly. Second time (about 7 months later) the service from the waiter was great, but that wasn't enough to make up for the fact that the kitchen staff were incredibly rude. The waiter said I could substitute an ingredient in my order and he was lovely. When he placed the order with the kitchen they said loudly (so I would hear), "We don't do that. What do they think this is, SUBWAY?", and went on yelling at the waiter and complaining about me for quite some time while I was obviously within earshot. I was not approached or told directly that I couldn't have my order that way. They simply yelled at the waiter and eventually went on to make it. The food was great when I finally got it, but the insolence from the kitchen staff means I will go elsewhere from now on. While I doubt the kitchen staff will give a fig, I imagine this attitude will start hitting them in the wallet shortly, because it's no way to do business. It's a shame, because it's the most convenient cafe on my way to work and I would happily have become a regular. If they ever change management they're going to need to make that VERY clear to get people...