Top Paddock (Richmond) 9/10

G’day fellow cafe lovers 

Just a stones throw away from one of Melbourne’s most famous streets Chapel Street, Top Paddock can be found at the end of Church Street.

This beautiful café has been voted one of Melbourne’s best cafés in numerous publications and I have to agree with them. Top Paddock is a perfect spot for a weekend meal, with many having to line up and wait for a table on Saturday and Sunday mornings. But I can tell you that it will be worth the wait. I have been to Top Paddock twice now and both times I have been very lucky and have gotten a table right away. I went there recently with my good friend Tiana, she had never been there before and I thought that it would be a great café to visit and I knew she would love it.

Food and Drinks

Top Paddock has an incredible menu, with delicious choices for those who like savoury as well as those who love sweet. Their food is a great way to treat yourself after a busy week at work or if you have a busy day ahead. The dishes have a way to put a smile on your face and keep you happy for the whole afternoon. (Menu and prices are from April 2015 and could have changed since then).

Once again I had my usual, a latte, and I thought that it was pretty good, except it’s slightly more expensive than other cafés I have been to in the past. But it was a good size and hit the spot just right; it was exactly what I needed on that cold Melbourne morning.

Coffee Rating: 3/5     

Tiana had her usual chai tea and she seemed to really enjoy it. It was presented so beautifully with the little teapot and the little jar of honey on the side which allows you to naturally sweeten the tea without having to use pure sugar. What a great idea! Good thinking Top Paddock!!

Chai Rating: 3/5    

I ordered Top Paddocks famous blueberry and ricotta hotcake; there are no words to describe how delicious it was. It is presented so beautifully; it honestly looks like an artwork on your plate. All the bright colours from the berries really stand out from the golden brown of the hotcake. The berries and fig help to break up the sweetness from the maple and add a juiciness that will leave your taste buds singing. The seeds add an extra crunch, bringing in an extra texture needed to balance out the smoothness from the hotcake and berries. The serving is definitely filling and is quite rich, but it will leave you smiling all day long.

Tiana ordered the seasonal avocado with sourdough and a side of bacon, she loves this type of dish and always seems to pick it wherever we go. She said that she wished that the avocado had come already mashed as it would have been easier to spread on the toast, but other than that she said that it was really tasty and that she would order it again. It looked great on her plate, the vibrant green of the avocado against the white plate, the golden brown of the bread and the pinky/brown of the bacon. The crunch of her toast could be heard from the other side of the table and the creaminess of the avocado and the saltiness of the bacon married together perfectly!

Environment & Service

Top Paddock has quite a lot of seating, with places both inside and outside. I can only imagine how great it must be to sit outside on a beautiful Melbourne summer or spring day. I’ll definitely go back during the warmer weather and sit outside and soak in the sun and get caught up in the ambiance. The service is a little slow, but that is to be expected due to the number of seats and the popularity of the café, as it is always full. Make sure if you are wanting to visit Top Paddock, especially on the weekends that you get there nice and early otherwise you have to stand around and wait (get there before 10am).

Activities to do in the area

Why not enjoy a walk to Chapel Street after your meal; it’s only about a 5-minute walk to all the shops. Chapel Street offers a number of high-end stores and your everyday affordable ones. Due to it being one of Melbourne’s most well known streets you can’t go to that area and not have a walk down it. I would recommend that you park in the Jam Factory; parking is only $7 for the day, which is fairly reasonable for that area.

 

Other information about Top Paddock

Address: 658 Church Street, Richmond (Vic)

Phone: (03) 9429 4332

Operating Hours:

Monday – Friday – 7:00 am – 4:00 pm

Saturday – Sunday – 8:00 am – 4:00 pm

Website: http://toppaddockcafe.com

Instagram Page: @toppaddock

Café Score = 9/10

Have you been to Top Paddock before? Please let me know what you thought of it and what delicious item you had off the menu. If you had the hotcakes, did you like them as much as I did? Please comment down below, I would love to know!

Are there any cafés that you would love to recommend? Please comment down below and tell me, I would love to visit them.

Until next time,

Happy Eating

– Kim