The Scented Garden Cafe, Croydon by Bureaucrat

Croydon is a suburb that I know very little about.  My experience of this area is limited to what I see when I whizz past it in my car as I make my way the Yarra Valley.  I have never thought to stop and explore.  Having seen some very pretty and delicious photos on Instagram, I decided that we needed to check out The Scented Garden Cafe in Croydon.  And I'm so glad I did!

Smoked salmon, avocado, poached egg on potato fritter and beetroot hummus

Situated in a quiet yet bustling shopping village, The Scented Garden Cafe is pretty.  It has a beautiful wrought iron fence complete with a floral design.  Inside, it's a cosy, sun-dappled oasis that was surprisingly busy (pretty much at full capacity) for 11am on a weekday.  Despite the wintry weather, it was nice and warm inside (I also spotted throw rugs for diners to use); and I can imagine the cafe being a great place to relax in the sun during the warmer months. 

Friendly staff took our orders and we enjoyed our drinks while we waited for our meals to arrive.  The Lawyer's latte was spot on.

While Boy Chick's banana and mango smoothie was so delicious it kept him quiet for a while! This was a thick concoction that was made with coconut water and wasn't overly sweet.  It was rather yummy.

The Lawyer's burger was scrumptious and impressive to behold!  You could tell that this was made with quality ingredients.  A juicy beef patty, gourmet tomato relish, lovely sweet caramelised onions, oozing cheese and fresh greens.  It came with chips which Boy Chick snaffled them down.

My smoked salmon fritter (see first pic) was equally delicious.  The fritter was shaped into a nice thick square and beautifully golden.  There were lots of smoked salmon and smashed avo; and I loved the colour of the pretty pink beetroot hummus.  This was smushy and messy to eat but it was wonderful!

Verdict

We loved it.

Mid value.

Overall

A great find!  So worth a special trip here if this isn't your usual stomping ground.  I'd definitely come back for a revisit.  Great food, service and ambience.

As a post lunch wander, there are number of nice shops to lose yourself in - a few organic and gourmet shops, a great op-shop (which serves complementary scones with jam and cream!), funky clothing and toy shops, and a wine bar to boot.

Find it at

The Scented Garden Cafe
2A McAdam Square
Croydon VIC 3136
Phone: (03) 9723 7328