Zest in Food — Restaurant in Melbourne

Enjoyed my first visit to Zest and would return again.

The smashed avocado was wonderfully unpretentious with generous portions of both avocado and crispy bacon (a side order). Portion sizes were ample: just right for a late brunch but not excessively more than could reasonably be eaten. Balsamic was cleverly placed strategically around the plate edge, making optional inclusion easy and at your personal discretion. Toast was nicely seedy, thin & crunchy. Bacon was melt-in your-mouth crispy and arrived quickly (possibly oven-cooked slowly). We added a poached egg: this was bordering on overcooked for the very outer yolk (the flat, light-yellow of hard boiled), however the inner yolk was nicely syrupy.

Coffees were OK, but I'm still finding it's challenging finding decent coffee post the pandemic: most milk-based (Mocha / Latte) has poor flavour and strength / body, possibly a mix of poor bean quality, poorly stored, or past-their-best beans or poor extraction regulation.

Service was pleasantly casual and unobtrusive, quick yet relaxed. Just great.

Maybe it was simply a Sunday late morning vibe, but the side-street location and street-seating setup (about 5 or so outside tables) has a nice relaxed ambience: surprising for its proximity to Hawthorn Rd, North Rd, and the Neapean.

A great little spot...

What are they thinking? Don't they realise this is the 21st century?? What's with traditional Eggs Benedict on muffins with ham? Where's all the modern combinations of pulled pork and sourdough so crusty it breaks your teeth? So refreshing to see, and so tasty too! Wish we lived closer; we'd be regulars. Staff were very friendly, happy and accommodating. Only criticism is that the coffee was hot enough to burn my tongue. Tasted good though. Overall, one of the best...

Beautiful intimate gem of a café with lovely staff and a busy kitchen. This worthy venue is located next to a hair salon. I got a takeaway hot chocolate and small vegetarian quiche here today, a sunny Saturday afternoon. Hot chocolate hit the spot and the quiche was so delicious! Prices were more than reasonable. The ambience is really nice. Recommend for one-on-one catch up in, with a beloved, or to breeze by for a takeaway. The lady who served me was so...