Merchant & Maker

My partner and I just had the most amazing brunch experience here! The shakshouka and eggs ben we ordered were really good. Particularly enjoyed the shakshouka — it’s a great addition to the menu.:)

Coffee was incredible as well! We had one with our food and couldn’t resist but to get another one to go. Special shoutout to the barista who was warm and attentive (he gave us 2 chocos to go along with our coffee, which we felt was a really sweet gesture)!

Highly recommend trying both their coffee and food! Hands down one of the better cafes we’ve been to in the area.:)

Had a lazy Saturday arvo in the sun sharing japanese mushrooms and pulled pork on hash brown with my sis. Looked like a nice environment inside (we sat outside) and the service was great. I've been told they change their menu over time so sounds like a good place to go back to for variety.

Hats off to owner Jessie, the amazing staff, and the entire team at Merchant & Maker –a cafe that's an absolute gem in Mcrae, Melbourne! Our impromptu family outing turned into an unforgettable drive down to the bay, all thanks to your unwavering commitment to excellence. The inviting ambiance, tantalizing food, and impeccable service came together seamlessly, creating a perfect symphony of flavors and experiences.

Nestled conveniently opposite the lighthouse and the beach in Mcrae, the cafe's location further enhanced the overall charm. The views coupled with the delightful atmosphere provided an unparalleled backdrop to our meal. Jessie's leadership and the team's dedication truly shine through in the seamless blend of flavors, hospitality, and the warm family-friendly vibe that embraced us.

Our visit was nothing short of awesome, and we're eager to return for more of those moments and to experience more menu items. A heartfelt thank you to Merchant & Maker for curating an experience that was nothing short of perfect. Here's to more cherished memories waiting to be created at your outstanding cafe! Thank you.

We went there to lunch and practice speaking Italian. It was a quieter day being mid- week in winter so it worked excellently for us. The staff was engaging and flexible in changing the menu to suit my diet. The older waitress was particularly engaging and helpful.

Very nice tent with good food. The waffles were taken off the menu, but she wanted to make them for us. With this tent you will make your girlfriend very happy! Nice and quiet and great for a quick bite! Definitely recommended if you happen to be in the area!

Food was great. The older waitress was rude to the other staff. She was also really rough with the tables and chairs when she had to move them around.

We had brunch here, the staff were pleasant and obliging. To be upfront, I haven't had experience running a cafe, but I have been on the staff side as a waitress. The venue was clearly buckling under the pressure of a busy morning, with our hot drinks coming out as we finished our meals, communication of delays could have gone a long way. Condiments were not on the table which was a little odd, and the manager was obviously flustered, berating her staff rather than leading by example. Perhaps fewer tables might help while some knots are ironed out. The coffee was lovely though.

My Partner and I came here for New Years Breakfast. We have both worked in hospitality- my partner Steph is still working in hospo, amongst coffee herself.
Yes, it was busy, however the environment was lively. Cool people behind the counter, staff were hard working and we loved that they could crack a joke and have fun even though they were slammed.
We respect how much pride they take in their coffee and the lengths they go to to share that experience. The food was unbelievable. It came out pretty quickly.
We really cherish cafes that have soul and heart behind them. It shows throughout the whole atmosphere. So thank you Merchant & Maker.
Until next time, you absolute legends.
Ps, this was written by my partner Steph while I sat down staring at the roof and picking at her food

Interesting menu and food was good. But a weird and uncomfortable experience as we had to eat while listening to the manager berate her staff in the kitchen. The dish I ordered was unavailable and when the manager came to ask what I wanted instead she was sort of pushy and made it feel like I'd done something wrong which was weird. Also ordered an iced chai which just tasted like oat milk

Excellent food, Orange juice and coffee. Even though they have a strong vegetarian menu there are still some meat options on it and everybody can find something. The breakfast roll was excellent!

Coffee was really good. Apart from that, had a pretty poor experience. The manager was very rude to her staff and even complaining to our table about her staff when we had no issues with our waitress. The worst part was I received my meal and there was dried egg yolk (not from my egg!) caked ontop of the rice as if the plate had been sitting there since yesterday.

Not somewhere i would frequent due to uncomfortable dining on metal stools more suited to children and lack lustre service, long wait time to receive drinks or food, mixed up orders and had to ask for condiments.not on table.

Seems to be Japanese Inspired menu, very warm greetings from staff, plates were very furfilling with the amount of food. Left full and satisfied.

New management knows how to make up after messing up with someone’s meal. But my point is if the order was given clearly and the docket was printed by the system, for the kitchen and still if your meal gets messed up, error is within the manual system involved in place and fault again lies within the management.
Overall great place, great location, great coffee and of course great menu.

A menu with interesting choices, but our two lunch dishes were brought to us 20 minutes apart, so my partner had already finished his meal when mine finally arrived. Very poor planning by kitchen. Such a shame. It was certainly not busy.

Had breakfast here this morning. Food was brilliant and the coffee was as good as it gets anywhere.

The Owners are Wonderful and make you feel at home. The portions are sizeable and very good. A lovely dining experience.

We had a lovely family brunch here on a Monday morning which wasn't too busy. The corn fritters bowl was perfectly balanced and flavourful and each dish had a something unique about it. The manager was lovely and food came out in good time. Baristas forgot to bring milk with the tea and had to be asked twice, and spilled one of the coffees - but coffees were great too. One diner with us got the toast with eggs option, but would have appreciated at least some butter on the side so suggest asking for this. Overall a fantastic experience and we would happily go back.

Grew up spending every summer at McCrae during the 80's and came back to spend the day reliving some serious nostalgia with my brother. We stopped in here for lunch and it was so delicious. The choices on the menu were amazing. Lots of lovely brunch options but I went with the shredded beef katsu. It was so good. I would drive back just to eat it again. Service was also really good. I imagine this place would get so busy during peak season. Please always be kind to staff when you can see how hard they are working <3

Seemed like a lovely place but they don’t serve drinks with skinny, skim or light milk? Seems quite strange.