Lindt Cafe entranceI’d previously never heard of a chocolate cafe. Usually I eat my chocolate involuntarily in bulk at home so the idea of actually going out and sitting down in a cafe seemed a little strange.

I first read about the Melbourne Lindt Cafe on Melbourne Metblog, back in June Neil wrote;

According to a job listing recently posted in Seek, Lindt plans to open up it’s first Melbourne store at 271 Collins St this month.


Curious about a chocolate cafe I searched around for information on the Melbourne cafe but didn’t turn up much other then it was opening sometime in July.

Ever since then during my weekend rides through the city I’ve had a snoop around on Collins street to see if it was open. After last visiting the area a few weeks back, today when I went past I was thrilled to see it had finally opened.

Chocolate lunch here I come.

When I pulled up on my bike there was a guy out the front with a whole bunch of photo gear and several ladies dressed up like milk maids with big baskets full of chocolate. I figured it was some type of promotion thing but hey free chocolate, I wasn’t asking any questions.

Walking into the building one of the first things that struck me was the amazing ceiling, it looks like you’ve walked into an old ballroom or something, very atmospheric. At the front of the cafe is a chocolate shop with a selection of Lindt chocolates. I didn’t have a browse as I knew I’d be too tempted and figured I’d already be spending enough on lunch itself.

Towards the back half of the store is where the cafe action is at.

Not sure whether I had to order and sit or just sit and wait to be served I asked at the counter as it wasn’t really clear. After being directed to a seat I sat down and had a menu brought to me. I’d never been to a chocolate cafe before so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.

The menu had a selection of iced and warm chocolate and coffee drinks, some ‘normal’ non-chocolate food and then 3 columns of desert. Who is going to a chocolate cafe to eat normal food I have no idea but I skipped straight to dessert.

Just because it says dessert doesn’t mean it can’t be my lunch!

It was painfully chilly and windy in Melbourne today so I figured I’d order a cold drink to wake me up followed by a warm dessert. An iced chocolate and Chocolate lava cake seemed irresistible.

After ordering it hit me I had absolutely nothing to do while I waited. Luckily there are these two huge chocolate mixer things on the counter that are just hypnotic. I don’t know what it is about watching melted chocolate being mixed around but it’s something I can watch all day and not get bored.

The staff were very attentive, while I was waiting at my table one even striked up a conversation (despite the cafe being busy) about how my day had been.

‘You know, riding around in the wind doing my weekend stuff. You guys just opened recently right? I went past a few weeks back and you hadn’t opened yet.’

‘Yes very recently. We opened our doors at 12pm today!’

I looked down at my watch and saw that it was about 1:30pm.

‘Oh really? Wow forget my day then, how has YOUR day been?’

‘It’s been pretty good, a decent amount of customers. Hopefully it picks up during the week.’

‘Yeah once the weather picks up you should be right’.

Shortly after our conversation one of the waitresses dropped a glass or something off a plate she was carrying which provided some entertainment as I waited. Half the staff seemed to scurry around not quite sure what to do which was understandable given it was probably the first spill in the store.

Eventually a brand new mop and bucket came out of the back somewhere, the mess was cleaned up and it was back to business.

My Strawberry DeliceThe guy I was originally talking to came by at some point and offered me a voucher thing for a free macaroon type thing they call a ‘Delice’. He explained what they were and gave me a menu so I could see the flavours they came in.

I don’t know if management told staff to be extra nice to customers because they’d just opened but it was very refreshing and welcomed. I just hope they don’t get many jerkoffs over the next few weeks who break the staff.

Sitting on Collins street right next to Tiffany and Co. they probably aren’t going to get much riffraff, although snooty business men and women could be a problem during the week.

After about ten minutes or so out came my meal, I was expecting the drink out first but they came together but it wasn’t a big deal. The cake looked gorgeous and had me salivating all over the table. The lava cake was a flourless chocolate cake with a pot of warm melted chocolate in the centre served with a small bowl of icecream, two sticks of chocolate and a raspberry.

Lindt Lava Chocolate cake and iced chocolate

I felt guilty about scoffing it down but when it comes to anything chocolate I just can’t help it. To be honest I could have eaten three or four of those things but at $15 a serve it’s probably a good thing I took it easy.

The iced chocolate wasn’t bad but could have been more chocolatey. It had slivers of chocolate and also these white things that might have been thin wafers or something? It definitely wasn’t white chocolate and didn’t really have much of a taste so I’m not sure what it was.

Out of the two I definately preferred the Lava cake.

I let my meal sit for a while but still when I got up I felt the richness swirling around in my belly. A Lindt chocolate lunch is the heaviest lunch I’ve had in a long time but oh so worth it.

As I left the cafe I couldn’t help but think ‘I wonder how much I’m going to have to ride to burn off a kajillion calories?’

My wallet was $22 lighter + tip (I don’t usually leave a tip but the service was excellent) so it’s probably not something I’ll have everytime I go into the city. However I do see myself gorging on chocolate there maybe once a month or two.

Oh and guys if your bringing a date there have at least a $50 in your wallet. Cafe food aside walking past the front of the store is incredibly difficult and I think most girls are going to want to stop and look around.

…you know what that means!



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