Review: Merchant’s Guild, East Bentleigh

Merchant’s Guild is one of the few cafes you can visit at 2pm and it feels like 10am, the sights and sounds of the open kitchen are still in full swing and the venue is bustling with people grabbing a late lunch or an afternoon coffee. 

If it’s a nice day, be sure to travel through the venue and grab a table in their sneaky courtyard out back – it’s so peaceful and secluded from busy Centre Road. If not, there’s plenty of options inside, with tables nicely separated into smaller sections so you can usually find a spot that suits – whether that’s in the heart of the action or tucked away to do a quiet spot of work. 

With new owners comes changes to the menu and a refreshing feel to this already popular cafe. While many old favourites have remained, there are now more variety with increasingly filling options added to the menu, along with a few showier dishes. It’s nice to see the menu keep some of their Middle Eastern touches but also bring a nice variety from some of their close neighbours. 

We decided to try the beef burger, Middle Eastern breakfast and red velvet pancakes but first up came my peanut protein latte. Unique to Merchants Guild as far as I know, it should be top of any peanut butter fan’s list. Don’t worry if you’re not a protein powder fan – the peanut butter hides the taste of this. It’s got the perfect sweet/savoury combo from the honey and PB. It’s almost like a dessert in latte form, so be sure to grab one for an afternoon pick me up. 

The burger looks AMAZING. I mean charcoal buns always have that wow factor but all the ingredients are perfectly stacked around a big juicy patty. It’s an offering any burger joint would be proud to plate up. Taste wise it’s just as good. The classic flavours work really well together and it’s just an ideal filling lunch choice. 

The Middle Eastern breakky is like a twist on an eggs Benedict. The flat bread makes this a lighter meal and it’s pleasantly protein heavy from the lamb. There’s a whole array of flavours and spices through the dish from the herbed bread, the Dukkah and the Harrissa hollandaise. The kale balances out the meat nicely too. 

Finally the red velvet pancakes are a grammable delight. They’re soft and cakey and the rainbow ice cream just adds an additional pop of colour to this already bright dish. While it’s flashy, flavourwise there’s a nice chocolatey-ness to it, but it’s not overly complicated. It’s simple sweetness is enjoyable and there’s a few touches of fruit on the side to break it up. Such a great sweet brunch or brunch dessert. 

Everything else…

Website: http://themerchantsguild.com/

Address: 680 Centre Road, East Bentleigh

Opening Times: 

Mon        6:30am to 4pm
Tue          6:30am to 4pm
Wed        6:30am to 4pm
Thu         6:30am to 4pm
Fri           6:30am to 4pm
Sat           7am to 4pm
Sun         7am to 4pm

Parking:  There’s limited parking on Centre Road, but parking is available in nearby side streets, or in the car park just across the road from Merchant’s Guild.

Getting here on PT: Both the 627 and 703 buses stop nearby. The 703 can be caught outside Bentleigh train station if you are coming from further away.

Disclaimer: We dined as guests of The Merchant’s Guild, East Bentleigh. Reviews are honest and based on our own personal experiences. We cannot guarantee things at a cafe won’t change including, but not limited to, menu items and opening hours, so please confirm any details with the venue before visiting.