balthazar cafe

surprised to see just 38 reviews so far..... for a place that's been doing so well for 4+ years.
i rated 4/5 purely bcos this is the onlycafebesides sumac where you can get good coffee, in the vicinity until 9pm.
the staff consistently provide a friendly service. draws a lot of family crowd from the nearby retirement villages.
latte is the best bet. most of the breakfast options are good esp lepinja. pizzas and risottos are very average.i have never tried steak there but my friends love the sea food platter and salmon.

balthazarcafeis like the book on the shelf with no cover but an unbelievable story. this place is a hidden gem. went down to foodland to buy some fruit and veg. didn't think i would be getting world class service, food and conversation (thank you christian and nigel). very nice cafe

my husband and i visit balthazarcaferegularly and have never left disappointed. the pizza, pasta and main dishes are excellent and very plentiful for the price. garlic bread and salad very fresh also. the owner/ manager is very warm and personable along with a service staff that always make our meal a great experience.

we have been so impressed with the food, staff and ambiance of thecafewe recently held our sons christening function for 100 people on a sunday afternoon. charlie & christian ensured everything was organised from setting up the venue, to providing a three course meal of shared platters (happily accommodating some of our vegan and vegetarian family and friends). our guest were equally as impressed and as full as we were.

a small restaurant that deserves our sincerest gratitude and compliments on a fantastic function!

5 stars!

would highly recommend balthazar for their food and service, we have tried most of their menu and have not been disappointed once.  food is always delicious and the staff great.  we love thiscafeso much that we held our daughters christening lunch there for 50 people and it went off without a hitch!  the balthazar team were easy to deal with in the planning and worked hard to ensure it was a success on the day.  love it!

what happened to youcafebalthazar !? terrible !. well went here after not being for a while and it was absolutely terrible.
went on a thursday night for dinner.
suspect that the chef was not in, or ownership has changed or something, but it is not good.

had brushetta which was ordinary and not worth $10 but i guess was edible.
had lasagne which was ok but not particularly fresh and had a spider in the salad.
had a prosciutto pizza which was inedible ! it was burnt. it was definitely not fresh and am sure the base with cheese and tomato had been precooked some time ago (ie days) the greens and prosciutto added on top to serve. the cheese and tomato base was so dry and horrible that we couldn't even eat it. we should have taken a photo to show you how bad it really was.
to top it off when we went up to the counter to complain the reply was 'thanks for your feedback'.
sorrycafebalthazar, you used to be good, we used to come down to grab fresh take away pizzas, you have fallen so far since that opening night when the food was great (even if the computer system was still being run in) - based on tonight's performance we won't be back.
go somewhere else.

a hidden gem!. my family loves thiscafe- the food is delicious, fresh and great value. we've eaten there many times and have never had a disappointing meal (best pizza's around too). the staff are always friendly, and it has a great family atmosphere where kids are welcome. a real little gem in the burbs!!!!


-----21 aug, 2014-----

grilled salt and pepper calamari. the best grilled salt and pepper calamari i have had in a very long time. very tender and served on a healthy bed of fresh salad. super tender, super nice!

i'm not really one for reviews but this place is such a gem. the service is immaculate and thecafeis beautifully designed.
my family and i love heading here for a quick bite because the staff are genuine and witty guys who provide great customer service.
my family and i have ordered most things from the menu and have never been disappointed. they cook their meat to perfection too!!
this review is more just a rave than anything but i think this is a great spot to head to if you're looking for beautiful food and lovely service!

outstanding service, food and prices. excellent italiancafe- everything you would expect on the menu and great prices. the pizzas are delicious, and i often have a chicken lepinja (less than $10!) which is perfect. the quality of the ingredients in every meal i've had is outstanding. the staff are so friendly - they always greet you and say goodbye. always busy, the word has definitely spread about this gem!

the service was, as previously, excellent. the staff are efficient while being friendly and the café is very family friendly.

i’m pleased we tried the food because for a family meal while out doing the shopping, it definitely hit the spot.

good addition to the neighbourhood. we went to balthazar in the first week or so it opened, after plans to eat further away from home were scotched by a grizzly baby. while skeptical that being perched next to a car park on a rainy saturday night, in a room that's got very little softness in its decor would be quite cold and impersonal, the excellent staff and then quality food soon put paid to that. similarly, any worries that such a newcafewould still have its training wheels on were unfounded. we had some garlic bread to start, then two pastas and finished with dessert and coffee. all were good; not fabulous, but eminently serviceable and well priced, and more importantly, *available* in this neighbourhood and its odd lack of cafes! we'll certainly be back, just not sitting down the end near the automatic door on a blustery evening 7.5/10

friendly service. good coffee and pretty good cake. very friendly service - how often do you go to acafeand have a member of staff say goodbye to you?

café balthazar also does proper lunches and the food i spotted on other tables looked like good, solid servings.

the people of pasadena should be thrilled to have this café on their doorstep. i always get the impression there’s not too much in pasadena (i’m happy to be corrected) and the busy, happy vibe of café balthazar can only be a plus.