Richmond Hill Cafe & Larder

Ph: (03) 9421 2808; 48 Bridge Rd, RICHMOND 3121 www.rhcl.com.au

Contemporary, $$, * for Food
Open Sun-Thu 8.30am-5pm; Fri-Sat 8, 30am-pm; first Fri of month 6pm-late, Closed Sunday night; Licensed, BYO, Corkage $15 bottle; AE DC MC V EFT, Seats inside 65, Outside seats, Kids welcomed
Chef Greg Feck (7-11-07) Owner Luisa Lucchesi, Kim & Peter Coronica (7-11-07)

Mietta's Review
The original partners, Stephanie Alexander and Will Studd, have gone their seperate ways but the Larder and its terrific Cheese Room still live on. The food, service and prices are as they always were. The food is good products simply cooked with scrambled eggs the biggest seller. The service can be a bit spotty and the prices high for a cafe. Its style and position attracts mainly women from the south eastern suburbs and on sunny days the pavement seating is much in demand. The main change has been that the cafe no longer opens for dinner.

Other published opinions

Age Good Food Guide 2008 Score: 12.5/20 "Since opening in 1997, little of Richmond Hill's setup has changed: there's a cafe, a larder with in-house produce and a stunning cheese room"

The Age Dani Valent, 23-4-2007 "Feck cooked with Jamie Oliver and Ben 0'Donoghue at Monte's in London and credits the celeb chefs for his Italian skew. His menus still feature RHCL standards: he has cooked the millionth garlicky Baghdad eggs, he's frying goat's cheese just like they did on day one (his version is hazelnut-crumbed and gooey, served with a bitey salad of radish and apple) and his cheesy toast features the same secret blend concocted by Alexander. Feck lets slip that grana padano is in there but won't go any further - he probably signed a blood pact. Don't twist his arm. Instead, order the toast and try to work out the recipe. It's just as much fun - and possibly more rewarding - than trying to pick a winner at the footy ground within earshot of this very Melbourne, very wonderful cafe."

The Age Epicure John Lethlean 4/4/06 score 14/20 "These days, RHCL, under a new owner (a long-time staff member) and a cooking staff no longer connected with Alexander, although little different in appearance, has clearly shifted its business style to a model more closely aligned with its title. Which is not a slight on the food or hospitality; its simply an observation of the marketplace Richmond Hill now targets and caters to rather well."

The Age Good Food Guide 2006 score 13/20 "Stephanie Alexander may have left the building with Richmond Hill's change of ownership in late 2004, but her spirit is still invoked by the new owner and chef. The cafe continues to charm Stephanie groupies and foodie tourists who throng here to soak in the style and earthy simplicity that is her legacy"

The Age Good Food Guide 2005 "the loyal parishioners, who fill the Parisian wicker chairs, continue to be rewarded with true seasonal food that is the legacy of Stephanie Alexander, the cafe's founder and national living treasure. They might come for smoky grilled kippers at breakfast"

Gourmet Traveller 2005 Restaurant Guide "On the Bridge Road strip offashion stores, the Cafe & Larder is ideally located for shoppers ready for a gastronomic reward after an arduous morning's searching. That, and the enduring culinary influence of Stephanie Alexander, th"

The Foodies' Guide 2004, Allan Campion & Michele Curtis,'The mother of all breakfast haunts,Richmond Hill Cafe & Larder is delightful with its polished floorboards,woven chairs and yellow crockery-just the way it should be.The coffee's great and the juices freshly squeezed.Start the day with savoury cheese on toast,poached eggs with garlic and yoghurt sauce,or poached in-season fruit with your choice of yoghurt.'

Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide Australia 2004, 1 black star,'There's a constant stream of devotees who come for breakfast, for lunch, to buy comestibles at the adjoining larder, or to while away a few houres over casual dinner...Service is good and there are interesting wines by the glass.'

Herald Sun, Sunday Magazine, 21/3/04, Jane Hutchinson,'Stephanie Alexander's cafe serves perfect scrambled eggs. From $9.50'

AGFG 2004, score 13/20, excellent wine list, excellent breakfasts

Herald Sun, citystyle, 2/12/03, Michele Curtis,'Melbourne's top 10 brekkies.'

Herald Sun, 20/9/03, Bob Hart

Vogue Entertaining & Traveller,March-April

The Sunday Age, Sunday Life, Eat Streets, 27/4/03, Dani Valent

The Age SundayLife 1/10/2000 best of breakfasts

The Age SundayLife 6/8/2000 eatstreets