sticks & grace

i have been to this cafe many times and usually i am very pleased with the service and quality of the meals. however, the last couple of times i have been to sticks andgracecafe i have been completely disappointed. the quality of food has gone downhill significantly, with many of the meals coming out on dirt plates. there has also been an obvious change over in front of house staff that is bringing the cafes reputation down. the experience i've had with the current staff has been quite concerning as they seem to lack respect and professionalism. sticks andgraceis no longer a cafe that i recommend.

sticks andgracegeelong has been in the game for a good innings, recently hitting a decade on pakington street newtown. to last that long you have to be doing one or two things right. one of those things would have to be their generous all day breakfast. some joints use big plates for effect but there’s no substance. in the case of sticks andgracegeelong, substance matters as much as presentation.

i love this place! the coffee is delightful: artfully delivered, a great roast, with friendly service. can recommend the topped up long mac.

the all day breakfast menu is a treat: the smashed avocados with goat's cheese feta, eggs, and beetroot mash was a thrill to the palate. just the right amount of astringent to balance the avos and eggs. 

there is a buzz in s&g - popular meeting place and a hive of stimulating community. decor is almost hipster, but who wants that every time? really loved the generous real estate on the tables for the computer and my (real) notebook. loved this is a visiting work environment!

this area of newtown had been much rejuvenated over recent years - having lived here some 35 years ago, and it was all pretty tired (though the butcher which used to occupy the current pizza place was a favourite back then!). there is life, colour and laughter here now. sticks &graceare an important part of that picture.

went back to sticks &gracetoday after a long absence... menu very boring, lunch took 45 minutes to arrive & was really no better than what you would get at a food court. staff completely indifferent to our wait, didn't seem to be bothered & we were certainly not the only ones waiting forever for our meals. really gone downhill.


-----11 apr, 2011-----

popped into sticks &gracefor breakfast today, had previously only been for coffee. was a fabulous experience, the food was absolutely delicious. i had the breakfast tortilla - eggs, bacon, spinach & relish. splendid!!! i tried my sisters mushrooms & spinach toast, equally as tasty. the wait staff were really friendly. atmosphere welcoming & warm... i'll be back any day now.

haven't been to sticks andgracein a long time and thought i would for old times sake , was sad that what i thought would be a big breakfast "the brunch" that came to $22 was tiny , with fatty undercooked bacon that claimed it was "smokey" and everything else drizzled in oil. coffee was not too bad and service average , the feeling is too crammed inside so over all very disappointed

sets the bar high!. from service with a smile, to great coffee, to food that's always full on flavour and surprisingly well-priced, sticks andgraceis consistently very good and has been for a number of years. on freshness of ingredients and flavours it excels. definitely the place to go on the newtown end of pako.

what a gem of a place. sticks &gracelooked warm and inviting as we passed, and compelled us to enter. the staff were immediately attentive and welcoming. innovative dishes made up the menu and we decided upon the soba noodle salad with prawn, and the ricotta and spinach gnocchi in walnut sauce. these were simply breath-taking - the soba noodle salad was a visual and flavour feast, and the gnocchi was worthy of top italian restaurants in melbourne. good coffee capped off a remarkable experience.