Nice settings, with Long wait for a very expensive basic coffee. I like the settings of this place. A clean, tidy, and welcoming atmosphere. However, customer experience here wasn't the best. I waited more than 30 for someone to come and take my order. It wasn't very busy either. It is a very expensive charge for basic small coffee, that isn't even hot enough. Obviously, it's not very good. Once the order was placed , it was quick to get the coffee, but again, the customer experience is not very good with waiters. Leaving to pay you are confronted with a 1.5% weekend surcharge that is not clearly shown or displayed on the menu.

Not a bad place to catch up with your friends, Food is not bad. More on the expensive side.

What a great place to catch up with friends or sit quietly to do some work. Food was tasty, coffee was strong and service was excellent with the waiters being attentive enough without disturbing. Lots of variety on the menu. The place has a homely feel and wasn't too loud to have a conversation. Conveniently located in the shopping village.

Great breakfast selection and great portion sizes, homey feel, and great takeaway coffee.

Was there on the weekend. Food was pricey but whatever $35 for a burger and fries? Burger was decent but $35 was pushing it. The kicker though - and this was not communicated by the serving staff: 10% surcharge on the weekend. So they charged me close to forty bucks for a burger. That’s absolutely ridiculous and unjustifiable. Extortionist!!! Coffee was garbage. Tables were dirty. So $135 + for three burgers and three coffees. Next time I’ll just go to a 5 star restaurant aye?

Hi staff, please consider lowering the price of your coffee and other menu items. Also, please seriously consider changing to a new bean roast. I have been a loyal customer and Eltham local for many years, but more recently I have noticed that your coffee is lacking a lot of flavour, depth, and body. Please strongly consider changing your roast because it would improve things immensely. As well as that, the prices of all items seem to have raised significantly - whilst I understand that the cost of living is difficult at the moment and you need to continue generating profit, please consider lowering your prices slightly in order for your items to be accessible to everyone from all walks of life. Thank you for considering my comments - your hard and passionate hospitality work is greatly appreciated by the Nillumbik community and leafy surrounds.

We had breakfast at Third Chapter. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was really nice, and the staff were very friendly. Our order arrived very quickly. We will definitely be going back.

Came here for lunch with work colleagues during the week. It was busy but we were seated within 5mins which was a great start. Staff were accommodating even if we can see how busy they are. Orders came in quick. The Angus steak sandwich was nicely made. Chips on the side were hot and crisp. The chicken tikka skewer was flavourful and could feed up to 2 people. Will definitely come back here next time.

Very expensive at $5.39 for one small coffee paid by card - this might be a Sunday price but top of the range anyway. Coffee was ordinary, not great. Quite a pretty pattern and nice colour but milk and coffee flavour could be better. Really nice outdoor seating area surrounded by plants and with bird sounds and soft music.

I love the vibes of this place. The staff are welcoming. The coffee is great. The food is average. I ordered Buttermilk Hotcakes and when it came i found out it is a pancakes . I tried Kale, Zucchini & Halloumi Fritters it was good but I feel it is missing something like a squees of lemon.

Stay at good location and very busy during the weekend. The taste is not surprising me and at normal level. The price is fair and 10% surcharge during the weekend. 2 lunch, 2 juice and 1 brownie cost $91.

A Reliable Coffee Shop for Great Almond Lattes Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5) I wanted to share my thoughts on a coffee shop I frequent for their almond lattes. It has become my reliable go-to spot when I'm in need of a takeaway caffeine fix. It's a solid choice for anyone who enjoys a robust cup with a touch of sweetness. The staff are always friendly and professional.

Lovely atmosphere, friendly service. Food was a real let down as was the coffee. My coffee was just warm... and had no flavour! Paella was small in size for $32 & had 3 prawns and 1 piece of chorizo. Kitchen needs to lift standard of food for Eltham.

Average at best. Service essentially non existent when visited which was surprising as there appeared to be many staff members busily moving around. The big breakfast is expensive compared to comparable ‘big breakfasts’. The hash brown isn’t a hash brown as most punters would know, it’s more of a potato mash pattie. Seats we sat on were dirty and stained. I added an extra star given they let me order from the under 12 menu for my 13 year old son. Been here several times, thinking this may be the last. Improvements needed. What’s with the unadvertised surcharge? An additional $6 SC? Certainly not mentioned anywhere that I could see and no itemised invoice provided prior to paying showing the surcharge. At least bring this to customers attention prior to ordering so customers can decide if they are staying or not.

Such a beautiful venue, food is gorgeous and well-timed (meals come out together when in a group) and food is spectacular 😋

Featured In The Pictures: The Main Chapter + Death By Chocolate. At The The Main Chapter Today I experienced: Lovely atmosphere. Excellent range of food + drinks. Friendly service with a smile. It has popularity with locals. Great amount of indoor + outdoor seating. ( Including soft padded seating inside. *As an option. ) Nicely lit. With lots of beautiful big windows. 👏👏👏

first time there ever today. good polite service. ordered the bacon benedict and it was out in 5 min. microwave bacon and was disgusting. once bitten,twice shy.

Had the Veggie Chapter (made vegan). Taste was fantastic, big portions and fantastic service! Not a fan of the oat milk used in the coffee though

I used to come here a few years ago and the coffee, hot chocolate and food was all really delicious! And still it stands that it's as delicious and even a bit more. The hot chocolate and mocha that my partner had were superb! I had the bacon Benedict and Brioche French Toast my partner had were scrumptious and delicious and very flavoursome. HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you come here for every occasion especially breakfast.

It was a good taste I think. Actually I don’t like kind of this food but this restaurant could make it better than other one that I have tried.

Great service, nice food. Good COVID distancing. Little bit expensive compared with competition and still a bit slow. Seats no longer visibly dirty, so management is attentive. Good coffee. Nice outdoor seating, kid friendly. Good gluten free and vegan options. A pleasant spot. Look forward to visiting post lockdown. Meanwhile, excellent take-away options so still well worth a visit.

This was a great place for dinner. Huge meals - great range of vegetarians/pescaterian. Didn't have time for a dessert - I'll make time next time.

The place has a busy, active vibe that clearly demonstrates it's popularity. It can be tough to get a table outside on weekends. Nevertheless, great menu options - always tasty! Strangely enough, I haven't always had the best of luck with takeaway coffees despite the fact their sit down coffees are spot on. Go figure.

One of the busiest cafe in Eltham. I was lucky enough to have a table for 2 on a fine Sunday morning. There are a wide selection of all day breakfast on the menu. But the full menu actually start at 11am. The food and drink are what you would expect from a quality cafe. Outdoor and indoor seating are available when the weather is good.

Great place! Friendly and very accommodating for a big group of 10 on a Saturday. Plenty of choices on the menu.

Sadly below average. Coffee and cake are fine but nothing special but we are spoilt in Melbourne and Eltham so a cafe can't be just judged on that (unless especially good or bad). It's the feel of the place that lets it down. It has never felt friendly and this is based on at least 5 visits over the years since it opened. This is the last time we'll visit as there are SO many alternatives with lovely, friendly and chatty staff. (NOTHING against the staff themselves at Third Chapter as I'm sure you're all lovely people but it doesn't feel like you have time for the small talk so perhaps you're overworked or management have said to keep that to a minimum, or it's a less experienced staff and a high turnaround?)

French toast looked beautiful, tasted good, quick service. Wedges were nice and crispy but a few too many discoloured ones. Toddler loved her cheese toast fingers. Prices slightly above average.

Very large serves. Lovely grilled calamari salad.

Great food, amazing service, caring crew.

Unfortunately I wouldn’t return to The Third Chapter. The main reason for a very uncomfortable experience was the congested dining area. The tables are packed into a moderate space and it feels like you’re dining with strangers. The chairs literally touch each other back to back when neighbouring tables are occupied. It was hard to hear our conversations over the tables around us. I saw two other tables ask for another place to sit. The chairs we were sitting in were very dirty too. The risotto was good but the Parma was about 5mm thick which, for the price, was disappointing. You can get better quality meals for that price elsewhere. It was a shame.

We were there 15/7/22. Food was great and the waiters were absolutely lovely. A few of us were there and we all commented on how good the staff were. Well done. Will definitely be back.

Usually I’ve had a good experience here, they have nice breakie food and make great coffee. I went there yesterday for afternoon tea with my wife and baby and i ordered the homemade brownie ($18). When I got it, I had one bite and it tasted really poor almost like it was very stale and cardboard. I told the staff nicely as I’ve always had a good experience there and told them I think they may have given me the vegan brownie from the display case and not the home made brownie from the menu. The staff member there simply looked at me and said oh well I’m sure it was still okay. If the staff had looked at the plate they would of seen the brownie was untouched other than the one bite. Needless to say I paid for the food we got without any fuss and left. Poor experience and won’t be going there again.

Thoroughly enjoyed our lunch there. While the food and drinks were delicious, extremely pricy compared to any cafe similar in the region. On the positive side, plenty of tables inside and out, and the outdoor setting is perfect for Melbourne sorting weather to enjoy the sun. Staff can be more tentative as they leave plates and cups uncollected until a customer requires the table. So around us, there were a few tables with uncollected plates with food which attracted birds to feed on scraps.

I wanted a quiet and relaxing coffee and cake and popped in before midday. I sat where I liked and the place was not busy. The table was clean as well as the toilet. The flat white was just average, scolding hot and a bit bland. The lemon meringue tart was gorgeous. The service did what they needed to do but nothing over or above and the atmosphere was ok. I won't go back just for coffee but the food menu looked interesting, priced up with restaurant prices so not for a quick mid week lunch.

We had a group of 7 for brunch / lunch. Service was friendly and timely. Food was delicious. Very generous serving sizes. Great coffee!

Food is crazy expensive! I got the Parma, already $30 need to pay +3.5 for ham and the thing comes out and it's tiny ! Mainly chips on the plate, not only disappointed in the portion size but the cost for quality. Staff were lovely and it was a good vibe otherwise.

The food was plated really well and was delicious but the prices are high compared to other cafes in the nearby areas. There is also a 10% weekend surcharge and the average price of a dish is $30.

I often call in to this place as I can sit outside with my dog, and they make a terrific egg and bacon muffin so this came as a surprise today. I called in for a cup of English Breakfast tea but the barista tried to charge me $13.65!!! I said I only wanted one cup of tea but she said it was due to a weekend surcharge! I'm still not sure if she had charged me for the wrong item. Perhaps she had entered an English cream tea into the system? That is one possible explanation. I hope it is because charging $8.65 extra at least for weekend service is beyond crazy!

Pretty bad experience at third chapter this morning. Our coffee order didn’t go through (which was okay) but once we informed the waiter our coffees took another half an hour to come. It was over an hour after we ordered before we received any food or drinks. We mentioned this when we went to pay and the girl at the register said she took the coffees off the bill but then was hesitant to give us a receipt when we asked - turns out she pretended to take them off (I don’t think it was her fault she was whispering to a manager). We understand that cafes get busy and things get forgotten but the staff were rude and not at all apologetic and to pretend to take the coffees off is terrible customer service. Used to like this cafe but will not be returning.... Also there was no social distancing inside - the tables were very crammed together. Made us feel pretty uncomfortable EDIT: so instead of apologising for our experience, you’re now accusing us of lying... what would we possibly get out of making this up?

Get the cheese board. The service is prompt and attentive, especially in busy periods. Book because they are always full, and for good reason.

Wonderful food and atmosphere! Everything was a little bit different, which was perfect. The coffee and 9 spice chai tea were divine!

Not amazing food but friendly staff

One of our favourite local cafes! Have had about half the menu and enjoyed everything. Great customer service too, staff are always friendly and welcoming!

The place is nice and the food is quite good. Both times I’ve been here though there was a slightly longer than expected wait time for the food to come out. Staff are friendly and will come back in future.

Good food and decor

Being in our 3rd year as residents in Australia, we're still to be wowed by restaurants in general. So yes, we're a tough family to please. Third Chapter is the only place that we find ourselves really wanting to return to. That speaks of the vibrant atmosphere, indoor "homey-ness", professional yet friendly service, really great tasting food, quality product on the plate, and prices real easy on the wallet. Well done, staff and management!

Always good food

Great food, great choices and fabulous service. Will be back

Pretty good. A little pricey but the food is pretty good so that's okay

Was really good, crazy shakes are 100%

Overpriced, poor service, & bad food. Our meals took over half an hour to arrive. MY wife's rack of lamb was overcooked (she ordered medium-rare & the lamb was well done). Her vegetables were inedible & tasted as if the meal had been sitting under a heat lamp for half an hour. The staff refused to adjust the price for the poor meal & they obviously don't knowthe meaning of customer service. We won't be going back.

Always good,for meals,or just a great coffee!Our local go to

Waitresses were kind, quick and provided good service

Good variety of food, Food is good quality Coffee is great Staff are friendly Options for people with alergies & intolerances

Visited recently and will never be back. The owner (man) was speaking so rudely to his staff. He was yelling at a staff member in front of the customers. I would hate for anyone to have to work under this man. The convenient coffee would never be worth supporting this business.

Very impressed with the service at Third Chapter! A special mention to Kyle who served us today for brunch. He was so quick, friendly and had a great attitude! He truely deserves a pay raise 😊 We will continue to keep coming here for breakfast, lunch and dinner. There is excellent variety on the menu. Delicious acai bowl, cheese board and tacos. Highly recommend this place!

Always great

Great food. Best coffee.

Gorgeous location, great staff and top quality food. Highly recommended

Great local cafe. Very popular with all the locals.

busy and food was great!

Very nice food and great and friendly staff. Thank you !!

Most enjoyable

Nice coffee. Friendly staff

Friendly staff and really good food.

Great food, friendly staff. Love their calamari salad! A must try 💯

nice atmosphere. good food.

Big serves

Had brekkie here this morning and the food was delicious, coffee was great and service from Lucie who was friendly and provided great service!

Great coffee.

really good service bloody good food . highly recommend.

Beautiful food. Drinks were a bit slow and needed more waitresses as left for quite a while between visits from them. Lovely staff though 😊

Third visit - every time has been great food and service.

Good spot for a coffee or breakfast.

I wanted to write this review as I’m a local and have regularly visited Third Chapter over the years, but have recently noticed somethings not quite right. There’s some things across the board that I think needs some attention. - The cleanliness in the outside area is shocking, and not very welcoming. Lots of cobwebs, lots of bird poo. - The quality and freshness of the food is not what it used to be, and it doesn’t justify the recently increased prices being charged. - The 10% “service charge” on weekends is very off putting, especially on takeaway items like coffee. However the 1.5% surcharge on all card payments, and 15% on public holidays is understandable. - In 3 out of 4 of my recent visits, 3 of them being during the week, the staff seemed very lazy and downbeat, and it was quite shocking as I’ve always been used to top quality customer service at Third Chapter. This review comes from a good place. I hope Third Chapter can take this feedback onboard. Thanks.