La Bottega Leichhardt — Restaurant in Sydney

I recently visited this cafe and had a mixed experience with the food and beverages. While the cafe had its highlights, there were certain aspects that left me underwhelmed.

Let's start with the beverages. The orange juice, priced at $8, seemed overpriced considering it was similar to what you can find in a supermarket for a fraction of the cost. Additionally, the taste was not exceptional and had a somewhat artificial flavor. The mango smoothie was meh, nothing extraordinary. The latte lacked that special touch to make it stand out. On the other hand, the mocha was described too strong, but that's purely a matter of personal preference.

Moving on to the food, The Big Vegetarian Breakfast left much to be desired. The tomatoes were sad, and the mushrooms were bland, resulting in an overall underwhelming experience. Despite some dishes being visually appealing, this particular dish didn't offer much in terms of taste. It was also mentioned that the portion size was not sufficient for a "big" breakfast.

The haloumi, beetroot relish, sautéed spinach, and warm focaccia combination was decent. However, the Eggs Benedict was average and messy to eat, although this could be expected from a dish like Eggs Benedict.

There’s not much to say about the chips, they tasted great but the serving size was a bit small.

It's worth noting that while the food didn't impress, the customer service at La Bottega Café was impeccable. The waitress created a welcoming atmosphere, and the manager was friendly and outgoing. Additionally, the cafe is dog-friendly, which adds to its charm.

The cafe creates a visually pleasing atmosphere, especially on sunny days when the natural light floods the space. The ambiance is enhanced by the charming surroundings, making it a delightful place to spend time.

Adding to the appeal, the presence of two puppy mascots that roam around the cafe adds an extra touch of warmth and joy. These cuties contribute to the friendly and welcoming atmosphere, making the cafe feel even more inviting.

Taking all factors into account, La Bottega Café receives an overall rating of 3 stars. The average food was compensated to some extent by the appealing presentation and exceptional customer service. If you're seeking a pleasant atmosphere and great service, this might be the place for you. However, if you're primarily looking for exceptional food, you might want to explore...

I used to love this place- great location and lovely vibe. Today- I ordered the corn fritters. However, they had SO much chilli in them, they were inedible. I love chilli, but this was far too much. I told the wait person, only to have her argue with me. She told me it was clearly stated that the dish had chilli - 3 times- and I said, yes, I know that, but it is inedible. Wait person then told me I was the first person to complain about the amount of chilli- and wanted to have a discussion about it- meaning, I’m imagining things and don’t know what I’m talking about. I told her to stop arguing with me and take it away - she then said she wasn’t arguing- And so it went.

Wait person eventually took it away- Without asking if I’d like another dish- or telling me that we wouldn’t have to pay for the inedible meal.

Another staff person came out and said that the wait person had just said I was rude to her and so didn’t want to come and deal with me. I kindly pointed out that there is a difference between dissatisfied and rude.

Anyway- there you have it.

It was meant to be a birthday meal with my friend.

Instead I got an inedible meal and then was told I was rude for not wanting to argue over it being sent back.

Lunch ruined.

I won’t be going back again- EVER!

Shame.

Just updating this after reading the ludicrous response from the manager.

Here’s a reminder of what transpired, for the third time.

The server you had carefully selected, was called over and informed the meal of corn fritters contained an obscene amount of chilli and were inedible.

Server proceeded to argue with me- not the other way around.

I wasn’t being rude to her at all - I was exercising my right as a customer to say that the product was unsatisfactory.

And, I didn’t mention the fact that you replaced my meal, because you are bound by law to either replace or refund in full. You didn’t do me any favours by observing your legal responsibilities.

And yes, I would suggest that if it’s too hard to deal with customers, get another job.

Because the foundation of customer service is ‘The customer is always right’.

A concept you and your staff obviously...

It's UR FAULT if you've been Overcharged by 44.29%!!!

When paying, I doubted the price, and the cashier intentionally verified ONE item that was indeed ordered, so I paid for it. (But I didn't know at the time that FOUR lines on the receipt were items I didn’t order.)

After communicating with my friend, I realized we was overcharged while driving and immediately called the restaurant. (I made five calls, only one connected, and that call was deliberately left on the line without response to waste time.)

I drove 20 minutes back to the restaurant to solve the problem, but the cashier was extremely impatient. (Throughout the whole process, not even a single 'SORRY', and even the cash returned was INCORRECT—I just realized.)

The waitress marked which items I hadn't ordered, and then the cashier mocked me. (She clearly knew what I hadn't ordered and the ridiculous price of the Ice Latte (Dine-In) - $22.50 on the receipt, yet she still asked me to show proof—UNFORTUNATELY, I had taken photos while eating.)

I mentioned how hard it was to get through on the phone, but no one spoke; she said she was SO SO SO busy. I mentioned my 20-minute drive on the highway to get here, and she said IT'S OKAY. (I felt completely helpless - Even as I was about to leave, she again suddenly yelled at me: 'I DID ask if you wanted the receipt!' - I really don't understand why she got so agitated and rude.)

So I PAID to be YELLED AT. (I am still paying the surcharge NOW for the part of the meal I didn't order.)

So I solemnly apologize to this cashier lady: I do apologize for choosing this restaurant in an attempt to make my dogs HAPPY. I do apologize for having the most BASIC TRUST in this restaurant as a consumer. I do apologize for NOT TAKING THE RECEIPT!!!!!!!! I DO APOLOGIZE for being overcharged by 44.29%!!!

What a NICE cashier. What a WONDERFUL Sunday Morning! People who are slow to catch on don't deserve to live, right? LIFE S _ _ _ S, BRO.

【To all who come to this restaurant, PLEASE check your...