maker & monger

home of arguably the best cheese toasties in melbourne, maker and monger is a gourmet cheese shop at the prahran market. with a beautiful range of cheeses that you can purchase to take home, it's the gourmet toasties that have people queueing from the early hours.

the serves are enormous, with beautiful thick toasted bread and the gooiest cheese fillings. there are a select range of fillings, but the quality of the cheese and other ingredients really makes these toasted sandwiches outstanding. we didn't have to wait too long, and the staff were bubbly and friendly.

we had a truffled mushroom toastie and it was amazing. the combination of flavours worked so well, and the oozing cheese was just so addictive. i could feel my arteries hardening as i ate this sandwich, but sometimes it really is worth it to have something so indulgent. when it comes to cheese toasties, maker and monger really are masters of this simple craft.

raclette($13). confit potatoes, shittake mushroom smothered in grilled cheese, topped off with some baguette slices and cornicons. not the prettiest looking dish but if you're a cheese lover, this dish is for you. personally i'd preferred the cornicons less salty and a smaller serve option as given the strong flavour of the cheese, it got hard to finish it off solo. will be back to try grilled cheese sandwiches!

had their grilled sandwiches twice this week and they were so delicious. the raclette is my favourite. they are so filling but you just couldn't stop eating them. if you are in prahran market you should not miss this.

situated in the heart of the prahran market, this unsuspecting stall boasts some of the best grilled cheese toasties you can get your hands on! we ordered the fondue special and boy was it delicious!

who doesn’t love a grilled cheese sandwich? i got the all american cause it looked like the most popular one (nearly all sold out). the staff were very lovely and the gcs was amazing 🤤just a bit pricey. will definitely be back to try the fondue one 😋

best place for vegans! i’m not a vegan myself however, i tried their vegan toastie - magic mapo. it was the most amazing toastie i’ve ever eaten! it was filled with mapo tofu, and mushroom, if i’m not wrong. it was creamy, it had the umami taste, rich and ‘cheesy’. they were busy but it was worth the wait. can’t wait to go back!!!

overall: 4.5/5

i stole the opportunity to grab a variety of breads and bakeries whilst i ran errands. one of the bakeries was the toasties at the infamous prahran market.

i got the fondue special, which is basically a godly form of ham&cheese toast. the bread was ever-so crispy. the salt rubbed on the toast gave it a nice touch of flavour and texture. the cheese was exceptionally rich and smooth, i was ready to run for another toastie. and for those instagram influencers, bloggers or for those who like watching satisfying videos, you will most definitely achieve the cheese pull.

staff were friendly, and the place was very clean and peaceful. i will love to return to try their toastie specials.

food: 4.5/5
value: 4/5
service: 4.5/5
ambience: 5

insta: melbfoodie_mark
yt: melbfoodiemark
** check them out for more food reviews in melbourne!
-
generally speaking, i don't like toasties. too cheesy or greasy most of the time. 0 flavours other than just cheese. i've always viewed it as a slightly better alternative to fast foods. nothing more than that.

now, that was until i tried the toasties from maker & monger. their toasties were of a different dimension. arguably the best cheese toasties in melbourne. we grabbed all american and truffle mushroom toasties but definitely liked all american much more. the quality of the cheese was out of this world. fresh, gooey melted cheese oozing out of thick toasted breads. just delicious. a must-try place. can't wait to go back and try their other signature toasties!

always busy

review: everybody who visits prahran market must eat this grilled cheese sandwich. while the store opens at 7:30am on a friday, cheese sandwiches are only available from 8am onwards on account of ovens needing time to heat up.

logistics aside, this is a classic example of simple but hearty brunch options in a melbourne! i always pay a little extra to go for the fondue special ($15) which includes ham. the melted cheese complements the ham and toasted bread - the types of cheese included makes it taste distinctly different from the ones you make at home.

if you have a smaller appetite like me, it’s possible to share the sandwich with your partner (this also gives you the opportunity to eat other things in the market!). a little tip: always add a bit of tabasco sauce for that added “kick”. in the past year, i’ve come here at least once a month. a clear #citaymusteat 🤩
*
taste: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
ambience: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
presentation: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
price: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
service: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

was excited for the grilled cheese and everything. waited for 15-20mins near the counter. was paying attention to them calling the whole time but they totally missed my name. which is fine really but she lied about making the mistake and said that she called my name a few times and no one came forward. putting that aside the “fondue” grilled cheese was great but was bummed out by the service.

$15 seems overpriced for a ‘christmas special’ glazed ham & cheese toastie. it turned the paper bag clear with all the oil and fat that was inside, so pretty unhealthy too.

the highlight of this place is the mushroom soup! the grill cheese was excellent and the bread is crunchy but soft in the middle.

3.5 stars- i was so excited to try this place as it has such amazing reviews. i think i need to try more of the menu to give it a proper go. i had the flaming reuben which packed a lot of flavour. a bit too salty and rich for me. the side pickles helps but still too much. needed more bread as it’s just a single slice rather than a sandwich/toastie. maybe i’ll stick to a simple grilled cheese next time

it’s true what they say about the simple things in life often being the best. the humble cheese toasties at maker & monger in prahran market are definitely a wonderful testament to the phrase.

the one i tried on the day was their spring special, which was filled with oven roasted mushrooms, cave ripened taleggio and fresh thyme. just a beautiful, classic combination of flavours done oh so well, with the toast golden and crispy. being housed in prahran market means they have access to super fresh, amazing quality ingredients, such as the mushrooms used which come from damien pike, the resident mushroom man at the market.

the service is so friendly. i loved the toastie so much that i wanted to try to recreate it at home, so i had a lovely conversation with one of the staff who told me which cheeses and mushrooms they used, and just gave general advice on the perfect toastie.

in terms of price, $15 might seem steep for a cheese toastie. but honestly, the taleggio they use isn’t cheap (i bought some, so i know), so you really are paying for what you get.

definitely do not miss out on trying this place if you’re ever at the prahran market. if you love cheese, i can guarantee you won’t be disappointed. personally, i can’t wait to go back to try out their flaming reuben!