Figjam Cafe

9.3 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  9      Service  8      Value  10     

Discovered Fig Jam when I started working in Bentleigh. The coffee is always really good! They use good quality milk and take the art seriously. Food is really fresh and all home made. I have also discovered their Gluten Free desserts. Divine! I don't usually do sweets because they are too sweet, but Fig Jam get it just right: lots of flavours and textures. I had birthday lunch there with some amazing flourless cake topped with macadamias, forget the name but I will definitely always remember it and go back for more.

Aug 03, 2012 

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  7     

It has been a while since some one reviewed this place. Things have changed alot since it's opened! For one thing, I believe the owners have changed. Over the course of a few years, I have eaten here on many occasions, breakfast, lunch, outdoors, indoors, in the back garden, when it's busy, when it's not so busy. First couple of times, yes, it wasn't so great. But lately, I have been impressed with the food, the service and the coffee.

Food has come out prompt. My poached eggs have always been perfect, my pasta or risotto has always been tasty. Water arrives at my table after I have ordered. Drinks always come first, then the food within a reasonable amount of time. Requests for extra things such as chilli for my pasta has always arrived promptly and the staff are friendly and professional.

A large group of us with screaming babies once took over almost the entire seating in their back garden early last year and the servers were really great about it, even pointing out where we could find change tables! I am very happy with this place and will continue to eat here whenever I can.

Mar 18, 2012 

7.5 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  7      Service  8      Value  7     

I really enjoy Fig Jam. It has a friendly atmosphere with nice staff and a courtyard out the back with toys for kids. Their coffee is fantastic and the food very nice too. I know from speaking with the owner that the bread is from Phillipas and the bakes beans are also home made. Its just a great place to have a Sunday breakfast, relax and read the paper.

Aug 31, 2011 

3.8 Below Average

Food  5      Ambience  3      Service  3      Value  4     

My first time to visit. Could not see any menus and was not sure if the food on display was all they had to offer.After a short wait we were asked if we would like a menu.The cafe was not busy inside with only three other customers but was quite loud, mainly from the staff banging plates. Placed my order with a staff member who could do with some customer service skills. The coffee was served promptly and although i could see that water was available we were not asked if we would like some. I eventually got a bottle of water myself. Given as it was a hot day i was hoping that it would be cool but it was not. Our order was sent to another table. When it did arrive it was a generous serve. Given the many other options available on that street i will not be back. The potential is there, just the lack of service and the constant sound of plates getting banged together that was and is not necessary.

Feb 19, 2011 

2.3 Not Recommended

Food  2      Ambience  4      Service  2      Value  1     

I was compelled to write this review after my recent shocking experience at Fig Jam. I went there recently for brunch on my own on a relatively quiet Sunday morning (day after boxing day). After waiting at least 15 minutes for a menu that finally came. 50 minutes after ordering I enquired as to the status of my breakfast which was yet to arrive.

After the staff fumbled about and had to check with another 2 staff members one of the owners arrives to inform me that there has been a computer breakdown and takes my order again. This was particularly frustrating considering those who arrived around me and ordered 30 minutes later were eating their breakfasts. Whilst I understand these things happen what is frustrating is that I was not informed of such and no one bothered to take my order again.

15 minutes later I am still waiting and I am informed yet again of the computer failure by the other owner and offered a pathetic apology. One hour 15 minutes after ordering my food finally arrives, poached eggs, toast (plain white toast from the supermarket not the rye or multigrain I requested, I was at that point informed they were out of the latter 2 as their proper bread order was not delivered that day, thanks again for informing me and with a Bakers Delight 5 doors up rather pathetic), relatively nicely sauteed mushrooms, some roast tomatoes and about 5 sauteed spinach leaves with a massive hair in them!

It was about 10 cm long and silvery grey and very visible to the naked eye. I am astounded that neither the chef nor owner who delivered my plate noticed it. Suffice to say by this point I was delirious with hunger and extremely frustrated and upset with the experience and left about 1 hour and 30 minutes after arrival. What made this even more frustrating were the pathetic excuses by the owners (which only came after several enquiries) and the only comfort offered was a 'complimentary coffee' a good hour after I had ordered!

As I said above, these things happen but a cafe is measured by how they manage these unfortunate incident and dining experiences, this one was just appalling. This is my third experience at Fig Jam. On the other 2 the food and in particular service were average and again the wait for the food at least 40-60 minutes on each occasion. As these experiences were recently after the cafe opened, we put it down to a lack of experience.

18 months after opening my experience was the worst ever so clearly these people do not know how to run a cafe. The only positive was the coffee, very smooth. I strongly suggest you save yourself the frustration and go somewhere else. Others is good about 50 m up the road and I recently discovered elsewhere on Neerim Rd (2 minutes drive) which is just fantastic, amazing homemade food, wonderful service and good coffee (admittedly not as good as Fig Jam's coffee).

Dec 28, 2009 

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  9     

Great atmosphere - coffee is amazing.

May 13, 2009 

5.5 Average

Food  7      Ambience  6      Service  5      Value  4     

It takes an awfully long time for food to arrive, this seems to be the case every time I go. Usually I am just there for coffee with my mothers group, Foreign floor staff are very hard to understand, with the exception of a delightful smiley aussie girl who only seems to work midweek.

Cakes taste too fridgy and side serve of whipped cream was sloppy and tasted of the food flavours from the fridge (and this was on a Tuesday). A little too overpriced for the mediocre service you receive on the weekends. Not sure if they know how to handle a busy cafe. Can't fault the coffee though! and I buy everyday from them. Luckily for Fig Jam they are the best Koornang Rd has to offer. They will need to pull up their socks if the competition on the street increases!

Nov 19, 2008