Issus

Great coffee. However after looking at the reviews and having the brunch I am actually surprised of the rating. I had the Mediterranean eggs which were over cooked as were the meatballs. The sauce was like it came out of the jar and certainly not the way I was expecting from the reviews and as compared to other similar dishes I have had in other establishments.

Issus is tucked away in one of the many Hidden Laneways of Melbourne on Centre Place. It’s a shop no bigger than a Subway shop. It serves cold beers for cheap, the staff is nice, the seats are comfortable and there is a cool breeze. It’s an open shop with seating on Centre Place. It’s a great spot to sit, drink beers and watch the world go by. The only thing missing was Otis Redding’s Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay playing the background. Memorable.

The coffee was, sadly, the only thing that was hot here at Issus.
Having been here almost 12 months ago to the day, the quality of the food now stands in stark contrast to that I was served on my last visit.
If you want hot coffee, pay them a visit because it’s worth it… If you want a hot breakfast, please do yourself a favour, and go elsewhere.

Bright and early, in a sprightly lit lane of Melbourne beckons this subtle, elegant spot. Not loud, but spirited, subtlety is everything with Issus. Their food, well executed, coffee divine, setting perfect. This is Melbourne to me, inside and out. Highly recommended.

Trekking through the laneways of Melbourne CBD we crossed this little place for lunch. It is the famous Melbourne Cup Day so things are a little quieter than usual in the area, with a few shops actually closed today.
What made us stop here was the fact that they weren’t the norm of this lane (ie just serving breakfast and/​or pizza).
The better half started with a raspberry hot chocolate which she thought was awesome. Deciding on the menu was made a little easier by two potential menu items not being available. I had the pulled pork bun whereas the other half had the open lamb souvlaki. Didn’t really care for the presentation of her meal as the lettuce looked like it wasn’t fresh. Mine was fairly delicious however I wouldn’t come here if I was on a health kick — food was a little greasy, but good all the same.
It was a tough star rating. I think a 3.5 would be suffice for this place.

The eggs Issus may not have been the best (burnt bread) but the portions were wonderful, coffee was excellent and the ambiance above-​par. Be prepared that your meal may come out one-​at-​a-​time — that worked out fine for me, as I got to get a head start on my partner. I’d definitely go again, and try some of their other offerings. Finally? Get the rosti. In fact, get two. YUM.

This is the best breakfast in the Melbourne lanes, the Korma baked eggs are to die for!
I’m a coffee snob and their coffee is 10 out of 10!!!

Really, really good latte! Tasty breakfast of scrambled eggs with baked beans (made here).

Two and half out of five stars.
Judging by the other reviews I must have got them on a bad day. I was a little underwhelmed by this place. It seemed really nice, tucked down a cosy laneway in Melbourne. The food was decent but they charged a lot for it ($ 6.50 for a glass of juice!). And the service was not particularly good. They stuffed up my order and while they did apologise and fix it, then they proceeded to ignore us when we wanted to pay. I stood by the register for a solid 7 minutes (Yes I timed it) with staff walking back and forth in front of me. I tried catching their attention and each time they said «Just a minute». Eventually someone from out back came to let me pay, but it still really pissed me off.
The food was decent but not out of this world. My sister ordered the bread with pesto and ricotta, which was really nice, but expensive/​small for what it was.
Overall, the experience was fine but I wouldn’t go out of my way to go to this place again. 3.5 stars for the good, less one for the crappy service + prices.

This place was very cool. It’s on a small street with a lot of character. We shared the middle eastern egg breakfast which was soo good we went back the next day for the same. The meatballs were delish. The side of sausage was eh; the first day we had bacon that was much better. It was plenty of food for me and my gf to split for a light breakfast. We also had the banana milkshake and the banana berry milkshake. The first day the banana shake was amazing but the second day I think they forgot the honey. The big globs of honey made it especially sweet and good. The berry banana shake was fantastic. I also had a glass of the chasing thieves Chardonnay which wasn’t bad. What can I say, I’m an american on vacation, I like booze with my breakfast.

NOTES:
~ I texted my friend saying «I just found the cutest café!» and «cutest» auto-​corrected into «firestone». This has absolutely nothing to do with the review but made me giggle for the next 5 minutes.
Background Information: I had a pretty rough and upsetting weekend and whenever I’m upset, I always gorge on food so I went out and planned to get my favourite dumplings at Shanghai Street only to find that it was closed. You know those times when you become disappointed because you didn’t really get what you hoped for, but things turn out better than expected? This is one of those times. I hungrily ended up walking around the CBD, trying to find a place to satisfy my stomach only to see nothing but closed restaurants (it was Sunday after all, so I guess it’s understandable). I ended up stumbling upon a beautiful, dimly lit laneway that had a wonderful charm and my heart immediately lit up and my mouth dropped. I feel like if you’re a Melbourne-​native and grew up among the laneways, it’s a lot harder to appreciate. But seeing as how I recently moved here a few months ago, every time I stumble upon a laneway I feel like a tourist all over again.
Ambiance: Absolutely wonderful. Usually, I don’t like cramped tiny restaurants, but I can make an exception for this place. Dimly lit, wooden tables, cushy seats — it actually looks like someone’s backyard relaxation spot or something. Adorable.
Customer Service: I was served by this tiny, cute Asian girl who never stopped smiling. She was very very friendly, and the food came out at a respectable time given how packed this restaurant was. Even the chefs smiled every time they passed by. You could really make yourself feel at home here!
Food: I ordered the Osso Bucco, a side of Potatoes w/​Mayonnaise, and a Banana Milkshake. I don’t remember their exact names because it has a lot of description with it.
Osso Bucco — Terrific! A tad expensive, but the meat was tender and fall-​off-​the-​bone. The mashed potatoes it laid on top of was creamy and delicious, the tomatoes tangy and flavourful.
Potatoes w/​Mayonnaise — It’s not only mayonnaise — they add a lot of flavouring with spices and honey as well. The potatoes were chopped and cooked perfectly — very soft and went well with the mayonnaise.
Banana Milkshake — Yum! Tasted like bananas mixed with honey, you cannot go wrong with this.
Their portions are huge and delicious, so it’s well worth the value.
—
Issus helped me fall in love with Melbourne and made me remember what made this city so special — the laidback, strange charm it possesses of finding hidden gems everywhere you look. There’s just something magical about it. I will definitely be coming back as well as exploring the laneways a lot more. And thank you for cheering me up from my disastrous weekend.
This is my new favourite restaurant in Melbourne :)