Cafe Lua is another cafe that is located close to the University of Melbourne’s Parkville campus, where you would find plenty of students and staff getting their coffee to-go. The environment is nice, not too quiet nor crowded, and there are plenty of other food places in that area to choose from. Personally, I thought that the food and coffee were decent – not bad but not amazing either – and even a little overpriced. It’s a nice place to talk and hang out with friends though, and you also get a loyalty card for buying coffee here.

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 – General Review –

•  Service: 8.5/10

Staff were amiable and prompt. Breakfast menu is available all day.

• Servicescape: 8/10

Medium-sized cafe, and pretty crowded most of the time. Relaxing and friendly atmosphere, with happy and chill music playing. The cafe was a little dark inside and decorated simply, but it was pretty cozy and great for hanging out and chatting with friends.

• Non-smoking area: Seats are indoors and smoke-free, but outdoor seats available too.

• Vegetarian dishes: Yes, vegetarian dishes available.

• Price range: $$ (AU$11 – $19 for most main dishes.)

Overall Rating: 7.8/10

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 – Food Experience –

1) Cappuccino:

The coffee was a little too bitter, but I liked the presentation. The Cappuccino could have been better if it was sweeter and had more milk.

2) Lua Ben:

The Lua Ben was, overall, a decent dish but I wouldn’t say it was amazing. The toast was quite burnt so it was difficult to cut, and the portion was small, so I thought the dish was overpriced. The Lua Ben consisted of spinach, well-poached eggs, gypsy ham (different options available including the ham, smoked trout, and roasted mushroom), and hollandaise sauce.

3) Corn Stack:

The Corn Stack was a little spicy, so although the dish was originally quite rich, the spiciness countered some of that richness. The portion was just right, so that you won’t get sick of it. The avocado was fresh and I liked the poached egg. The Corn Stack also consisted of bacon, roasted tomato, coriander, and pesto sauce. I’d say this was a pretty good dish, compared to the other corn stacks I’ve tried before.

 

Location: 169 Elgin Street, Carlton – VIC, Australia (3053)

Contact number: +61 3 9348 1118

Website: Cafe Lua

Operating hours: Mon – Sun: 8am – 3.30pm

Posted by: V