This is a place I have been meaning to review for a while. Living nearby the Bentleigh area, I had often walked past this small cafe but had never been inside. I had noticed it, but never bothered to venture in. This changed last year, when my curiosity got the better of me, and I am very glad it did.
My best friend and I started walking together every morning last year, in a bid to get fit and feel better. These walks were such fun times, particularly because we would often at first, and then always, finish with a coffee. I mentioned to her once that I had been wanting to try Bent Espresso, because it looked funky and cool, and the menu sounded yummy. These coffee stops soon turned into breakfasts, and one day we found ourselves dining in at Bent Espresso.
I loved it from the moment we stepped into it. That first visit, my bff ordered the Bircher muesli, which is soaked in apple juice and served with berry compote, and I ordered the toast with avocado with ricotta. Mmm. For a while, every time we went back this stayed the same. I have since branched out, but can tell you firsthand that these two meals are beautiful for breakfast. My boyfriend also enjoys their ‘breaky foccaccia’ (egg and bacon on beautiful foccaccia bread). Here is a photo to help your imagination:
Their coffee is delicious as well, with the first sip of my rich mocha (complete with Cadbury flakes on top) getting me in a good mood for the rest of the day. The coffee has since been fantastic every time.
The staff are so friendly here, and a few of the waitresses now recognise me. Most of my experiences have been very enjoyable, with prompt service with a smile, and often with one of the waitresses remembering our coffee order. In fact, one did so on our second visit, which I was particularly impressed with. The only time service suffers is when they are extremely busy, such as on a Sunday morning. Sometimes this has been hard when trying to suppress a grumbling stomach, but it is a small place and they are very popular. Otherwise, I have no complaints.
Since those first few visits, I have been back with my boyfriend, family and other friends who all succumbed to my rave reviews. my boyfriend has had their ‘Moo burger’ and my friends have had their ‘Chook burger’ and both parties thoroughly enjoyed their meals. I’ve enjoyed a delicious lamb salad, a vegetarian focaccia, as well as lamb meatballs with crusty bread, served in the pan. Delicious and beautifully presented. Their pancakes are also very nicely done, complete with berries and yoghurt, and their breakfast eggs are all done a little differently. This is food of a very high standard, but with a twist.
I realise that I may have left out some detail in this post, but the amount of times I have been here have blurred into one. The sheer volume of my visits should give you an idea of the quality of their food, service and ambience. Bent Espresso is a little bit quirky, with colourful chairs and padded benches, and a beautiful mural of Centre Place on one wall. It’s like an inner-city cafe in the suburbs, and Melburnians love that. They sell those fashionable juices and gourmet biscuits, but are not snobby whatsoever and most items are reasonably priced.
Today, I visited Bent Espresso again with my boyfriend, as we were in the mood for a sweet treat and they offer beautiful cupcakes. In fact, you may just recognise these two we devoured earlier:
Aren’t they just the cutest? I have had my eye on these for a while, so it satiated both my sweet tooth and my curiosity to indulge in these. Loads of icing, and quite expensive for what they are, but worth it for the cute factor. If you’re in the mood for great food that’s a bit different, in a cool place that’s uber-friendly, get down to Bent Espresso quick smart. Just a tip: one cupcake is enough!
(But two is much more fun.)
