Food service and ambience all big ticks. Gluten free options good and Steffens on the ballread more

Great service and location. Beautiful outdoor seating. The breakfast and lunch menus are great…read more Great place for a quick bite!

Absolutely Devine food and coffee at this cute establishment. Hidden gem in Narrabundah with unique…read moreopening hours and outdoor seating. Strong coffee, fresh flavors and nice staff. Cannot wait to go back and try all the menu items.

Experiences here vary from 5 star to 1 star. Basement bar is a good place for a secluded drink but…read morethe impressive decor is reflected in the price of drinks, even allowing for the overpriced nature of Canberra.. A plus is that the stock of Australian spirits. Last visit the bar was not open at 4pm (as advertised) forcing us to sit upstairs, where the service is slow and somewhat disinterested. A.Baker may have changed since I first drafted this review a few years ago, but if the name is the same.... :)

Go at your own risk- heard mixed reviews and I can see why. If u want a sure thing amazing…read moreexperience I'd recommend going somewhere else. However if you're a gambler and want to throw caution to the wind and laugh in the face of bad service and the chance for a rather disappointing experience than strap on your Indiana Jones costume and come on down! I had been recommended A.Baker by a mate in Sydney however my local contact had received mixed reviews. She'd never been and so we thought we'd give it a try. We came here for brunch so I can't really comment on the dinner/wine bar side of things (maybe that is their saving grace?). A.Baker looks pretty suave and funky. The layout and design inside is madhot and I always give extra points to a place that has invested time in decorating. It's honestly worth coming here just to check out the decor. The food was quite nice, but I think they were trying too hard to be avant-garde and different. I understand that the chefs want to do something new and different but it all just seemed a little bit pretentious for my simple tastes. I got the toad in the hole- which sounds weird considering my previous sentence- however it had lardo (cured pig fat) on it and some other thing I couldn't even name. Nevertheless it was rather pleasant. The coffee was alight- nothing special but definitely a good bean nonetheless. The biggest issue was the service and the treatment of the staff. They were just inattentive and did not care at all. We ordered a round of bloody marys which kind of never came. We eventually asked the waitress when we were 1/2 way through our meals and her response was that no one was in the bar... After all of us staring blankly at her for a few seconds she said that she guessed she could go ask her manager and walked off. After we'd all finished our meals and were about to give up and head off the manager came out with the bloody Mary's, put them down and hurried off. No apology for the delay or smile or anything.. This would have been fine- I'm not precious about service- however the drinks were undrinkable. I love chilli and can handle my heat, however this was like drinking Tabasco sauce. We spoke to another waiter and asked if they could be taken off the bill- which they did. Another group sat at the table next us and no waiter have them menus or anything for the 20 minutes they were there. Might also point out it wasn't busy at all. This seems to be the biggest critique of this place (the service not the Bloody Mary's) and I've heard several stories of this since going. Normally this wouldn't get in the way of good food for me. I'd be comfortable paying to eat in a gutter of a highway with the waiter spitting in my face if the food was worth it, however the overall experience just wasn't really worth it. I'm giving it two stars as the whole experience was simply disappointing. I always look for the best in a place but there were too many factors working against this place for me to ignore. The next time I come to Canberra I think I might just make my toad in a hole at home- or try and come here for a wine at night,

We visited Highroad in Canberra in the northern suburb of Dickson. The cafe is owned by the Ona…read moreCoffee brand and it is certainly not your run of the mill cafe. It is unique in its menu, stylish in its decor and has a very cool vibe to it. Architecturally, I describe the cafe as an industrial/Art Deco/urban architecture blend. High ceilings, floor to ceiling windows and a huge expansive space to sit with mod style chairs and wooden booths as well as communal tables. The back of the cafe has another large dining space. The bathrooms are reminiscent of an old cinema. The area just had great feng shui to it, and felt quiet and calming despite it's size. This was especially interesting since we found the clientele was majority families with young children. The coffee bench sprawls the wall adjacent to the entry, and shows off their quality coffee gear and baristas doing what they do best. The coffee here is outstanding. Using beans roasted in their Ona Fyshwick roastery, the way they serve it is visionary, with different milk based blends and you can order according to taste preference, and the staff even can advise which milk would work best. In addition there's also filter, cold brew espresso (single o and blends). They even have a reserve list for their espressos. You can guarantee a good coffee here. Behind the coffee bench is an impressive installation showcasing bottles of wine, and they have a wine list as well as selling craft beers. The cafe has an all day menu and meals to suit dining at brekkie, brunch or lunch so it's extremely versatile. The food here is impressive and the dishes have interesting takes on classics, the use of new and cool ingredients and presented well. It was most certainly a tough ask to settle on a preferred option since they all sounded appealing. I went with the Kingfish, a gf option with a lovely and light cured Hiramasa Kingfish perched on a piece of dark rye, spread with cream cheese and arranged with green apple, beetroot, fennel and dill. We added a side of pickles and this dish was simply perfect. Our friend ordered the Beef Cheek which is suitable for a brunch option since the 16hr braised beef cheek is topped with a hollandaise sauce and the fact that it is served with pearl cous cous and tabouli salad brings it into a lunch dish. Our dining party also ordered their unique take on the smashed avo. This is a gluten free and vegetarian option, served with a cool vegemite ricotta, toasted seeds and nuts, poached eggs, herbs, foccacia. We added some fried chicken to our dish to add a bigger protein hit. Other option include a parmesan & pickled jalapeno waffle, a beautiful green bowl, pork Sando or it can be as simple as a bacon and egg roll or Muesli. The staff here are excellent - efficient and knowledgeable. Overall this was a memorable dining experience.

Tasty bacon and egg roll. Pialligo bacon and pickles were a nice touch. Good coffee with a range of…read morebeans to choose from. Coffee temperature could have a little more heat, especially in winter. Staff are friendly and efficient. Lovely open and relaxed vibe. The eggs Benedict/Reuben combo with homemade corned beef is stunning and worth a visit just for that alone.

Another great brunch spot in Canberra! The chorizo benedict was pretty good and the mushroom toast…read morewas nicely seasoned! hubster did add smoked salmon and egg to the order. Salmon was a tad salty for but the eggs were perfect! Drinks were enjoyable as well especially their biscoff latte! (no espresso though) it was almost like a dessert drink. lol Inside was nice and spacious with option for outdoor seating as well. Pups welcomed fyi!

The Cupping Room is a solid spot for brunch in Canberra. The coffee is honestly really good -…read moresmooth and not bitter at all. I had the huevos bollo and it was really tasty, with the chorizo giving it a nice kick. The vibe's chill and bright, but it does get busy, so go early if you don't want the wait.

This place is an awesome chill-out cafe. I've been here multiple times, it's relaxed, convenient…read moreand very well priced. I like that they are environmentally conscious and give a 20c discount if you bring your own cup. They make their food in house, even the meat pie. The service is lovely. The ambience is hip and cute. I've had the club sandwich and it's filling and delicious, just watch out u don't burn ur mouth with the hot gravy/BBQ sauce. The coffee tastes amazing too, even the decaf. For a small cafe they provide a lot of meal options and they make it from scratch so it arrives fresh on your table

Pretty darn hip y'all. Eighty Six is definitely one to hit while you're living/visiting Canberra…read more Its a small but well formed space and the best seats in the house are for sure over the kitchen. Order one (duck bun) or two (another duck bun) starters and watch young chefs show off their skills. Eyeball their creations and let that help you decide what to order next. At a glance the menu could be Italian - scratched onto a dark wall in white chalk - but when you read (el loco hot dogs, ceviche taco) its more City of Angels (Ghetto Beef) meets mod Euro (sangria ragu parpadelle). My one dish recommendation is the Lemon Ricotta gnocchi with asparagus. *Drool* . I just need to get over the prices! Is all Canberra this way?? EightySix feels like a passion project of the new school cool. Dude chefs. Dude food. Dude music. Dude, it's good.

86 in restuarant parlance means "we're out", however, here 86 is "in" It's hard to snag a table…read moreeven in somnambulant Canberra unless you book in advance. A friendly staff is there to greet and seat. Everyone was knowledgeable about the menu, what went into what and how it was prepared. Good job of enlightening the crew who all knew what to do or feild any question. Plunk this hot spot down in New York or LA and blows the clouches of Momofuku or Trois Mec. The physical plant is warm and the atmosphere sizzling. Prime spots are at the bar just 18 iinches away from the kitchen infantry mad prepping and plating a constant assembly line of the good stuff. And good stuff it is. The menu changes quicker than Bruce Jenner's gender, so if you really lust after something (the food, not Jenner), go twice in a week. The Vitello Tonnato was a deconstructed version, and me, personally, I prefer it as if Marcella Hazan made it. Straight forward as it was originally created, but here the separated components really work and give you a chance to savor each layer of flavor. Like moving the egg off the Eggs Benedict. Ghetto Beef was nothing any self respecting ghetto dweller could ever afford. A ghetto in Canberra? Paleeze. A ghetto of YUPS and DINKS maybe. Cutsy name notwithstanding this was a terrific dish. Chunks of spoon tender Wagyu beef and aioli all spread out over a plate of Rocket. Cauliflower with Dukkah was perfect too. Crisp florets dusted with house made North African spice took me back to my days in Cairo (and I thought nothing would get me back there). A Pickled Terrine of Pork with Tartar Sauce tickled my fancy as well. This was surprisingly good. No surprises or duds in this place as everything was spot on. Then it happened. I watched the cook in front of me at the bar whack off the crispy end of a freshly grilled Roo Tail. Into the trash bin it went. It was all I could do to keep from lungeing like a Manchester United Goalie over the counter to collect those tasty chef's nibbles. You'd pay extra for them "Burn'd Ends in Chicago or Kansas City. Having that snipped tip tossed was such a waste. (Just ask Bruce Jenner). The chef smiled and said the Roo medallions needed to be uniform in size for presentation. Next time I plan to take my own BBQ fork and spear them before they're dispatched. Finally, Banoffee Pie landed before me. A Dulce de Leche Tart, Banana, Whipped Cream and Crushed Pretzels was decadent but even so, leaned to the light side if such a dessert can manage it. And it got washed down with a brace of Espresso Martinis. Frangelico, Amarettto, and Espresso in a glass. After two of those I was both wobbly and bolt upright at the same time. The full bar is solid and rocks. I'm no mathematician, but I know I can always count on you, 86.

This place is great if you're a guy and want to take ladies on a date. Large tasting menu of small…read moreand varied dishes that taste good, great selection of drinks, and attentive service. That said, it's not the greatest place if you're a lady and want to take guys on a date. Tasting menu of small dishes isn't a choice, it's their whole business. Unless you're into tasting menus and eat every kind of food out there, it tends to be a miss for some guests. The interior decorating also doesn't stand out compared to other places in Canberra. While they do accomodate allergies and dietary requirements, they could be more accomodating to picky eaters, it's really hard to take groups or non-foodies here without lying about a dietary requirement on top of their real dietary requirement to ensure they don't get a whole tasting menu containing an ingredient they don't like because their dietary requirement changed their whole tasting menu. I.e. when I took someone lactose intolerant here, they accommodated that requirement, but not by removing the lactose off their listed menu, but by replacing their whole tasting menu with only seafood dishes. We didn't report they didn't like seafood because the listed menu didn't have much. They hated seafood. All my reviews are standardised to the following star ratings: 1. Customer service I.e. friendly, easy to book, etc. 2. Accessibility I.e. location, decor and scenery, easily assessable or flexible, etc. 3. Work, health and safety I.e. clean, safe, etc. 4. Quality of goods and/or services I.e. good food, good movers, etc. 5. Comparison to similar for location - I.e. would I recommend this above other places

Trendy place in Canberra CBD that serves good food and drinks. The round bar is a good place to…read moresit, drink and try a few of the dishes. They have some small batch beers on tap. Food is modern and nicely presented. The grilled Jumbo prawns, rib eye with fried gnocchi and spatchcock were the food highlights. Service was exceptional and friendly without being overbearing.