Melbourne Canteen
by James Glazebrook
We actually went to Melbourne Canteen weeks ago, but we didn’t want to make some sort of statement about supporting English-only businesses in Berlin. Oops – look like we just did! Anyway, when we returned after *that* Exberliner article, we’re happy to confirm that we were offered a German menu – but, more importantly, that the food was still great. The eggs Benedict were among the best we’ve ever had in Berlin, the full Aussie – or whatever they call eggs, bacon and the works down under – was generous and tasty, and (of course) the flat white was near-perfect. Oh, and the walls are decorated with photographic prints from everyone’s new favourite Berlin streetstyle blog, What Ali Wore.
[…] about the “Rant” article the Exberliner wrote and the subsequent storm in a teacup (see comments in überlin) reaction it […]
Horrible disgrace. sample sized portions of food made with no love, served with no love, after a very long wait and over priced.
This is definitely the WORST breakfast experience i had in years.
I gave the Melbourne Canteen surprisingly too many chances, NO MORE!!!!!!!!
Don´t do this to yourself, My belly feels sad angry and sick.
i ate brunch here today with my partner. way above average prices. average food (at best). wayyyyyyy below average service. this cafe really should have a warning sign for customers “after being completely ignored by plentiful staff, prepare to give up and serve yourself a mediocre brunch for two for 30 euros.”
[…] about the “Rant” article the Exberliner wrote and the subsequent storm in a teacup (see comments in überlin) reaction it […]
nothing to say about the food although I agree … there is rocket everywhere.
I was one of the first customers because I live 5 minutes from there and I can say that the owner was not sure of what I would call “friendly” to me.
at the beginning (I do not know if it has now been changed) on the menu was “mixed salad” and when a menu says “mixed salad” it is expected that there are different types of salad … but the dish I was offered was a whole pot of rocket with three tomatoes, without even touching it .. I told the waitress that I ate a dish rocket with three tomatoes instead of a salad for 5.00 euro .. the waitress (she was very nice) called the owner who did not want to listen to reason .. I paid the pot of rocket without even proposed that I be something different .. and especially without having eaten …
the rule “the customer is always right” seems to Melbourne Canteen be reversed … “the owner is always right.”
English or German, I don’t care – this food looks fantastic! Can’t wait to add this to our list of places to frequent once we move to Berlin. Thanks for sharing!
Only bad thing is too much rocket!!! UGH! Why why why!
Thank you all for your nice feed back and support. For your information, the Exberliner rant “Sorry No German” mentioning a restaurant A.K.A “Little Melbourne” in Neukölln, obviously hinting at the Mebourne Canteen, since it is the only restaurant called Melbourne in Neukölln, was written on FALSE FACTS. Our menu is in both English and German (although the writer of the Exberliner rant, as an obvious English speaker was handed out English menu in English). I am the owner of the Melbourne Canteen, and have never had the pleasure to meet the author ot the rant, although she writes that she talked to me and that I could not speak a word of German. Had she actually talked to me we would have conversed in German, because I happen to be German and learned German at school long before she did. Our place is multicultural, as our logo suggests, our staff is also from different backgrounds including German, French, Australian, British, Irish, Hungarian… And all of them speak basic German and are making the effort to serve clients in German. We serve delicious food, all house made with fresh ingreedients and have been praised for it since we opened. Our restaurant seemed to have unfairly been singled out as an all English speaking expat place, solely for the purpose of the rant (the writer of this rant actually boasts about how she bitched in our staff’s back in German), all of which, as one commentor wrote, simply reveals poor journalistic standards. We have protested with the ExBerliner, but they never retrieved their or corrected their print, because that piece gave them publicity.
To be fair, it could have been your other owner who does not speak German at all. The blonde one??
Looks great. I feel bad for them, being attacked for the whole English thing. They probably didn’t give it much thought when they did it but just did what they felt comfortable with.
looks brilliant and the food pics are mouth watering to say the least and of course the star herself Olive looking very cool and collected.