Urban Pantry

4.5 Below Average

Food  6      Ambience  6      Service  5      Value  1     

Had a table booked which we didn't get to until 20 minutes after we arrived. Service was good and food ok but certainly not worth the $20 surcharge they slapped on just for attending the cafe on a sunday! Will never venture there again.

May 08, 2012 

7.8 Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  7      Value  7     

I frequent Urban Pantry quite often and I love the relaxed feel and quality of the food.

I have only ever dined there for breakfast/lunches but I have no major gripes at all. The food is great and they are happy to cater for dietary requirements (vegetarian/vegan, lactose/gluten free etc) where possible. The staff have always been pleasant and the food and drink doesn't usually take too long. I will continue to visit.

My only criticism is that they charge 50c extra for soy, 50c extra for decafe and $1 extra to put your coffee in a mug size (it works out to be around $7 a coffee, plus surcharge on Sundays so it gets a bit pricey.

Apr 29, 2012 

4 Below Average

Food  6      Ambience  7      Service  1      Value  2     

A nice space, but the service was terrible, which given the price is inexcusable. We ate at urban spoon on Sunday night, and while the food was nice enough (as you would expect for the price), the staff seemed more interested in talking to each other than the customers, and at times seemed to be actively avoiding doing so.

Our waitress gave us menus, but didn't come back to take our order. She later apologised, but did the same thing again with the dessert menu. We did want to order dessert but ended up having to go elsewhere. Meanwhile, the senior staff was more interested in discussing his recent wedding with the table behind us than ensuring his restaurant was running properly. Such a shame because it could be a really good restaurant, but the front of house staff seem to be on school camp rather than running a restaurant.

Apr 10, 2012 

2 Not Recommended

Food  2      Ambience  2      Service  2      Value  2     

This place was a major disappointment. Food was terrible and service no better. I had to go and get water myself for table. They then gave us the wrong bill and then overcharged us when we went back to say they we had not paid enough. Never going back!

Apr 02, 2012 

3.5 Below Average

Food  5      Ambience  3      Service  3      Value  3     

Have been to this place 3 times in the past 6 weeks and will not ever go again, the only going for it is the location and it attracts a crowd of people who want to be seen yet the service is appalling and the food very average for what you pay.

Mar 19, 2012 

6.5 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  6      Service  5      Value  7     

One of my favourite cafes in Canberra. Less than a year old, it is doing a booming trade. My favourite dessert is the honey tart with salted ice cream. You have to try it!

The mains of "eye fillet, spinach puree, exotic mushrooms, and eschallots with nuts and grains finished with a sparkling shiraz jus" is my personal favourite and is just delicious.

The service staff can be a little inconsistent, again, young kids. For some reason they provide stools instead of chairs which makes sitting at the table for an hour uncomfortable. They do have normal chairs as well.

I first went there within days of it opening and thought it tried to be something it was not. The night senior staff ran around with a glass of red wine sniffing it and offering glasses to his friend and his date. It appeared at the time that it was trying to be quite “high brow” for a café. I think they have relaxed a little now.

Jun 19, 2011