Poke the Bear Cafe

I went on a Sunday for lunch with friends. Upon getting to the place, we had a quick quip with one of the staff and it just got better and better from there. I enjoyed the vibe of the place. It felt warm and friendly. You can see how the other customers also felt the same. The staff were warm and cheekily funny. The food was really good. One of my friends said best bacon she had. Will try to come back when in that area.

I had the ‘Papa bear’; eggs benny with salmon. It was so AMAZING, it just had me joyfully bopping my head after each bite. The hollandaise sauce was rich but balanced by the tangy ACV. The apple fennel salad was crispy and fresh, complimenting the Benedict. This dish could be more elevated if the hashbrown was served crispier and warmer, as it was a bit cold and mushy. I need to sing praises for the slow roasted mushrooms! I had a nimble from my friend’s dish (she also enjoyed her meal :)) and it was incredibly meaty, juicy and a flavourful mushroom, will definitely order that as a side dish next time!! The sprinkles of bears found everywhere was eye candy as a bear lover !! Quite a fun and funky bar vibe too. Hygiene could be improved, as the cups given were dirty and my table not cleaned before being seated, as it was visibly laced with salt and crumbs from the previous customer. As someone who is obsessed with eggs Benedict, Poke the bears is added as top tier in my list! I am coming back again for this dish and the bears :) thank youuu P.S thank you for letting me take photos, I hope I didn’t blind anyone with flash!

This cafe deserves no less than 5 stars! One of my favourite cafes I’ve tried in Melbourne. Such a relaxing atmosphere with very genuinely kind staff. The food and coffee were incredible! Actually one of the best coffees I’ve had in Melbourne! The poke bowl was super fresh and healthy - amazing! They’re very accommodating to those with allergens, and had so many gluten free options. Wish I lived nearby, I’d be here all the time to try the rest of their menu! Highly recommend! A must visit in Northcote!

This place is cozy and warm and has the most amazing hipster vibes. One of the specials was the bacon, corn, sweet potato and chilli soup. It was absolutely divine. Granted it was hot enough to scald my tongue and the chilli was a little too faint, but the flavour was amazing. And it was only $16 which is so reasonable for a cafe like this! Thrilled to find a cafe that still charges reasonable amounts for food. This place is busy on a Sunday so be prepared to sit out in the sun and wait a while. But it's definitely worth it.

Really nice 'Hole down side-street Wall' place Beautiful inside, lovely outside! (Lot of Vegetarian & Vegan Friendly options too!) can recommend, will be visiting again to try more of their menu soon!

A very cute and cozy cafe with lovely staff and friendly service, we really enjoyed our breakfast and both dishes were delicious, but I found the bread in the avocado breakfast a little tough, overall tasty though.

My new favourite local cafe. Staff are always warm and welcoming. Poke bowls are fresh and delicious and the soft tacos are to die for. Highly recommend this cafe for people with Coeliac Disease. Staff are well informed on cross contamination.

A really cosy cafe with the cutest decor. Nice, strong coffees. We preferred their breakfast-type dishes over their poke bowls. Their breakfast meals were delicious – loved their ‘Papa Bear’ dish in particular (similar to an eggs benedict except on a cheese hash). Their potato skin chips were crispy and scrumptious too. They offer a wonderful range of vegan options. Service was great.