Secret Grounds

Despite the food being decent, the service was exceptionally poor and ruined our outing. The staff were disorganised and inattentive, they stuffed up our order giving our drink to another table. The people on the other table didn’t even have the chance to advise the waiter who put the drink on their table of their mistake because the waiter was having a very loud conversation with the barista on the other side of the cafe. It took sometime for them to finally get a staff members attention before they started asking random tables if this is what they ordered. This confusion brought to light that they had drinks ordered to our table which we didn’t order and the food we had ordered with a waiter was never placed. They ended up retaking our order but never apologised for the inconvenience. The staff seemed disinterested in taking care of customers needs and were more interested in chatting amongst themselves loudly across the cafe. When I went to pay the staff at the counter was still chatting to his barista friend and the first thing he said to me in a rude tone was tap when you’re ready. Honestly, previous experiences at secret grounds had hints of this unsettled environment but this was the last straw and they have lost a customer. I hope management addresses these issues to ensure a more enjoyable experience for other people.

Amazing staff. We had a big group booking with lots of kids. Staff were so welcoming and accommodating. They were so friendly and helpful. Food was delicious and fast service.

One of the best cafes in the Eastern suburbs of Melbourne.

Great service, excellent coffee, and a fantastic diverse menu that caters to all tastes. Menu includes brunch and lunch staples like a beef burger, chicken burger / roll, chilli scrambled eggs, but also has a really good falafel bowl, chicken tacos, ratatouille, salmon, soba noodle salads and others.

I’ve been here countless times, being a local, and the chefs have continued to refine the menu, so it’s top notch, and priced fairly so it’s not going to smash your wallet.

They recently expanded the sitting are - the new fitout is fantastic, with booth seating, long tables for special occasions and big brunch catch-ups.

It usually gets booked out on weekends, and is always fairly busy, but the staff are super friendly and always try to accommodate.

Definitely one of my favourites in Melbourne.

Our favourite lunch spot, even though we’ve moved away from Doncaster. The staff are friendly, the food is great, and the coffee is to die for.

Our kids love it too, and they’re picky eaters. That’s the cherry on top of this fantastic cafe.

Highly recommended!

This was the 2nd time we came, and it turned out to be a big let down compared to previous visit. Beef patties of the Burger was rare, and sourdough was soggy with miserable fried egg on the Croquet Monsieur. The biggest flaw was the unfriendly waitress throwing tantrum towards customers. Granted she might have a bad day, yet it's totally unprofessional and unacceptable behaviour of a service staff.

Characterful bustling coffee shop café - industry beans were nice to see and my magic was done really well. We had a sit-down lunch outside and while the decor was sparse (and I'm not a fan of the fancy french cutlery they've chosen) it was really nice to sit outside but off the main road. The food was really good, and came out pretty quickly. I'd recommend asking for a plate if you're going to get the burger - things got messy pretty fast - however the sides were done to perfection. Partner had the smashed pumpkin, done with kale chips and haloumi; I rarely suffer from food envy but this nearly did it.

All in all a great spot - avoid peak times if you can as they were run absolutely off their feet keeping up.:)

The chef may need better taste buds.
While we do “eat” with our eyes, the food actually needs to taste good too.

This is their definition of a ratatouille, which is essentially a couple of poached eggs and some fried tofu bathed in tomato paste. It most certainly is not the common interpretation of the dish.

None of the dishes order by the others were any good neither. Scrambled eggs were over cooked, bacon fried to death, shiitake mushrooms pickled with vinegar? Soba noodles diced up to short lengths… the list goes on.

Absolutely beautiful food. A middle eastern type flair on the menu which makes it unique! Good coffee, serving Industry Beans. Would definitly go back.
The bathrooms however were quite disgusting, front of house should be as tidy as back of house then a 5star would be 110% deserved

The best breakfast I had in a long time love the chilli scrambled.

Good coffee and service

Been there couple times and never disappoint! Amazing food and the staff is always happy and willing to help. Coming back again for sure!

I ve visited Secret Grounds Cafe in Doncaster a few times and have been blown away by the cozy and welcoming atmosphere! The staff were all incredibly friendly and made sure I was comfortable. I especially loved the outdoor seating area, which was a great place to relax and enjoy the sunshine. Overall, I had an amazing time at Secret Grounds Cafe and will definitely be coming back again. If you're in the Doncaster area and looking for a great cafe to visit, Secret Grounds is definitely worth checking out

I came in just for a takeaway coffee. Was expecting a meh service since it was a busy lunch time with so many people lining up for tables. It was a really nice surprise when I received a very welcoming service from the staff. He was friendly, respectful and I didn't feel rushed whatsoever considering the busy period and how small my order was. Such a lasting impression! Coffee was great and I'll definitely be back with my family and friends.

A great addition to the area. We happened to stumble upon this lovely cafe and so glad we did. Very busy sunday morning and everything was perfect.

Good place for brunch or breakfast, there’s inside and outside seating available.
Booking reservation is recommended during busy time weekends.

Absolutely beautiful food with a wide range to choose from, really friendly and helpful staff, only let down was the dirty bathrooms apart from that 10/10

Great experience in this cafe. Foods were tasty, staff were friendly and the restaurant was clean including the toilet.

Great people and great food. The serves are very good sizes and delicious. The only down fall is the toilet facility's are not very clean. Otherwise will be definitely visiting again.

I was there for a brunch and the food was delicious. The most impressive one is the coffee, I really like my latte. The barista was so concentrated on making a good coffee. I would recommend this restaurant.

Fantastic cafe with great service and tasty food Really nice decor and lots of alfresco seating also. Very popular

Been a customer here since the place has opened up. Nothing but delicious food and friendly staff. Will definitely be back. Keep it up guys!