The Grounds of Alexandria

First time back after a long time — the last time we visited was years ago when they had the Cinderella display. It was also our first time coming for breakfast, as we usually come for afternoon tea. The place is always amazing and very Instagrammable. The food was good overall, but the juice was absolutely amazing — definitely a highlight. We came as a group of five and ordered the big breakfast, trout, pancakes, shakshuka, and the omelette. Portions were generous and nicely presented. Service was great, and the staff were very accommodating and friendly. Overall, a lovely experience.

It’s always a pleasure to visit The Grounds of Alexandria. Every time I bring guests here, there are new surprises, and the venue is always beautifully festive and thoughtfully styled. It truly feels like a café that’s also a tourist destination. This time, we had a private dining room experience, which was excellent! Comfortable, well organised, and perfect for hosting guests. Despite being extremely busy and almost fully booked, the speed of service for both coffee and food was impressive. The team handled the volume effortlessly, and everything ran smoothly. A consistently enjoyable place with great atmosphere, efficient service, and a memorable experience for visitors.

The Grounds lives up to the hype. Walking in feels like entering a magical garden. The current installation is incredible (perfect for photos!) and the atmosphere is buzzing. We grabbed a coffee and a pastry from the bakery and explored the laneways. The coffee is top-tier and the setting is just beautiful. It gets very busy on weekends, but it is absolutely worth visiting for the experience.

We had dinner today around 4:30pm. The atmosphere was good and the service was good. However, the food was extremely disappointing. I’m a coffee lover, a food enthusiast, and I’ve worked in the hospitality industry for several years, so this experience was very underwhelming. First, the food prices don’t match the portion size or quality. Second, the salad tasted old, as if it had been washed and left out for too long. It cost $26 and had barely any ingredients, as shown in the photo. The fish seemed slightly undercooked, the chips were okay, and the burger’s beef patty was dry. The coffee was the worst part. The texture was nowhere near the standard of an Australian flat white. It tasted burnt, with almost no flavour other than a smoky, burnt note—nothing like the coffee photos shown on Google reviews. We were also told that we had to spend a minimum of $25 per person to access the Christmas Hall, which felt quite pushy considering we were already there to dine in. Overall, the place is nice and the staff are lovely, but the food and drinks really fall short. You can do better, The Grounds.

Finally made it to the famous The Grounds! The coffee beans weren’t quite as amazing as I expected, and the matcha didn’t have that nice milk foam on top — a tiny bit disappointing, but honestly, the beautiful presentation totally made up for it. Everything looked so gorgeous it almost made the food taste better! Special shoutout to the croissant — absolutely loved it! The combo of kumquat jam, cream, and the cookie croissant was just perfect — sweet but not heavy, super satisfying. I ordered the corn fritters as well, and you can definitely tell they were deep-fried at a high temperature. A bit heavy for breakfast, but still flavorful. There was quite a lot of sour cream at the bottom, and I wish there had been a bit more avocado to balance it out. Overall though, I was really happy with the experience — lovely atmosphere, great vibes, and beautifully plated food. Totally get why everyone talks about this place!