Cumulus Inc. Review

I so wish I could give this lovely restaurant more than 5 stars. I dined on my own and was so well looked after and cared for. The staff were very helpful, warm, friendly, smiling, happy and kind. I sensed so much camaraderie and respect for one another. The team work was amazing to watch. And the food, more than highly recommended with a superb wine list. It was all beyond sublime, especially the delicious heirloom carrots, macadamia and sherry and the to die for buffalo ricotta gnocchi, sugar snaps and brown butter. I had an extraordinary dining experience and want to visit so much again.

Fantastic food! Probably the best lamb shank I ve ever tasted. Good customer service. It d be great if there re more floor staff to take orders and serving dishes.

Order your coffee the day before and you might actually get it with your meal.. I can appreciate this place gets busy but the wait was ridiculous.

Shakshook eggs were great. However the coffees were a long wait and quite cold. Porridge had cooled down to almost bland/warm. Lovely space though.

I come here each weekday morning for my coffee. Despite a seemingly ever-changing line up behind the counter my coffee is fantastic. Don't let the lack of variety in sizing lead you elsewhere. I have also enjoyed the food here and it is delicious. The biggest issue can be finding a table but the wait is rarely as long as you think it might be.

Great staff, and food.

There was a small queue when we got there and there was two seats at the kitchen bar available. We took those, and they were great seats.

Fresh bread is being cooked by the kitchen all the time (we saw chefs bringing out batches all the time).

came in on Monday 1st Oct early evening, didn t book a seat, got given my preferred seat (right in the middle of the kitchen s bar ^_^) very pleased. Service wise was excellent ... wasn t being asked every now & then (like some other premises where their staffs will go to the table on quite a number of times, when the customer actually would like to be left alone) Food as always were superrrbbbb ... Jamon, Terrine & Foie Gras are always my go to meal ... Without me saying which one to come out first, knows exactly in which order I had wanted it to be served ^_^ ... Could never fault it, an extremely satisfied walk-in customer, it was worth the visit during her personal me-time/ day off frm her hospitality work as well ^_^ ... always recommends Cumulus Inc. to others w/out a doubt! Keep up the excellent food & service ...

PS: thx for letting me to relax & enjoying my alone downtime for about 2.5hrs ish to 3hrs ^_^ the BEST!!!

Duck breast was a huge let down, should have had the waffle. the rest of the food was excellent. Great atmosphere and service.

Staff were good at guidance on food selection. It was good to go on a quite day.

awesome food and service, love the place! It is pricy though

I recently dinned in at Cumulus, the whole experience was great.
The food was delicious, the staff were attentive and the atmosphere was great.
I order the chef menu, there was the right amount of food.
I had some of the best oysters I d ever had and ended up ordering 1 dozen.
Would highly recommend dinner here.

Absolutely delicious dinner menu and extremely professional staff. Loved it, thanks!

Extremely disappointing experience, especially from management and would not recommend to a couple or for a special occasion.

We made the reservation a month in advance to celebrate my one year anniversary with my partner. Our reservation was at 4:45pm last night and though it was near empty, we were seated in only worst possible spot, on the bar of the kitchen, in the corner, next to the till. It was also very disruptive constantly hearing the kitchen staff being ordered around. Due to this, we requested to be placed on a floor table made for two people as they had six tables visibly available. We were told by the manager on duty that night that we couldn't move as the seats were also reserved.

These six separate tables were left empty for 1 hour and 40mins till they finally began to rearrange seats for a group which hadn't still arrived. We left shortly after seeing this, as we then had to make payment to the manager (who didn't ask how our meals were) and gave her our feedback on our experience and suggestions for what she could have done better. She made poor excuses, changed her reasoning, contradicted herself whist being defensive, then finally admitted in the end that she was actually in the complete wrong, but then talked down to us as if she just wanted to get rid of us. At no point throughout all this was there any effort to compensate us which was also very disappointing and did not leave us feeling like valued guests.

Our dinner was extremely underwhelming as well. We ordered the set menu, where the main lamb dish was overpowered with garlic making it extremely difficult to consume. Not once during our entire dining experience were we asked about our meals or if we were okay. I highly recommend their staff to be re-trained on basic etiquette and review their internal processes for how to manage their reservations to avoid this level of customer disappointment.

I would also suggest adding the option for guests who book online to state what the occasion is (anniversary, birthday etc) as well as whether they are after a floor table or kitchen table to avoid any future disappointment. Sadly, we have been left with the memory of this for anniversary. I really hope this feedback is taken on board.

I've been a long time fan of Cumulus until my last visit on the weekend. I paid $20 for a glass of Pinot Noir from Burgundy (which I've happily sampled similar glasses in the past and not been disappointed) and was surprised at how underwhelming it was. I then looked up the retail cost of a bottle here in Aus. and saw it was only worth $42. I really think they're having a lend charging like this. The cheese platter came out and we had asked for some fruit instead of bread for a gluten intolerant and the platter came out with only bread and gluten free bread....just wasn't the same attention to detail & level of wine for that money which I've experienced in the past.

Pretty short and boring bfast list actually. Was pretty disappointed just cos everyone has hyped it up. Had maybe 4 pieces of mushrooms on 1 piece of bread and had to pay extra to have poached eggs and they dont even do proper poaching. It has to be soft and runny. The whites were too soft for my liking. Not the best but then again not the worst I've had.

Excellent food, lovely staff and great drinks selection. Was a little noisy but also creates the vibe.

40 mins for a babycino. Long black I ordered when I sat down came after I finished my meal. Kicker for me was when I had to wait and wait and wait for someone to take payment. Will be a long long while till I am back. Pun intended.

Vibrant buzzy cafe, love the made to order Madelines! Although the coffee was a little cold for our liking but a very minor criticism.

I currently live in Sydney, but have lived in Melbourne for a few years previously. Every time I come to Melbourne for work or play, I must admit that the coffee in Melbourne is still superior to Sydney's. And Cumulus Inc. coffee is no exception.

Food wise, I had the Full English, which consisted of two fried eggs on toast, a blood sausage on toast, smoked tomato and farmhouse bacon. Overall it was satisfying.

Why only 3 stars? Well the coffee was excellent and the food was good, but I keep comparing to what is now on offer in Sydney cafes and can't help but think how far along Sydney has come and in some cases overtaken Melbourne's breakfast scene. Looking forward to seeing changes the next time I'm here in Melbourne.

This is my favourite spot for brunch in Melbourne. Portions are the perfect size for sharing. The drink menu is incredible. Can't beat the atmosphere.

Amazing tasting today of Tasmanian wines.
Thanks Cumulus Up. Love your work!

Was soooo excited to dine out at our favourite restaurant tonight, this one... so disappointing... asked twice for everything. Had to remind waiters what we had asked for. Table of 2 next to us got the same sized serving as our table of 4, except for soup and chicken... our 1 at night out in 10 weeks... soooo very very average... food great, servings unfair for fixed price and waiters not on their game

Cumulus was wonderful. We were sat upstairs in what was Cumulus UP pre covid (I do hope UP returns at some point), which i prefer as the space has a nicer vibe rather than downstairs. The food was delicious (sharing menu), martini's excellent and the service professional yet relaxed. The lamb shoulder was recommended by several people and I'm glad we got to try it. Divine. A great wine list too. I'm glad after all these years we dined at Cumulus, but we both said we preferred their newer restaurant, Gimlet!

Loved it.simple straight forward menu delivered very well with a twist

Extremely popular on weekend, better to arrive earlier. Great place for breakfast, coffee and tea, but lunch price is a little bit high.
I edited the review from 4 starts to 3. Because the portion size of Shakshouka dish becomes much less, the tomatoes paste base hardly cover the bottom of the pan and bread are also smaller than before. I have to have additional one.
I also tried Avo on toast but it was not much different with everyone can make in home.
If me and my friends going to have breakfast recently, we will ever feel full with those itty-bitty portion sizes.

Had a lovely experience here for dinner, the staff are so friendly and service was amazing. The highlight though was the food! It was incredibly tasty and such fantastic quality. I was only in Melbourne for two meals and had them both here after the first one was so great!

I guess they call it rump cap for a reason. An undercooked, tough and tasteless piece of beef. Greens same. Fries good though.

Fantastic breakfast / brunch venue. My trout was delicious and the perfect size. Well worth the trip to the upper side of town.
Despite google maps entry is via little Flinders.

Great place for birthday breakfast. Get in early as very popular

Dined here for the first time for a work function. It was an exquisite spread with oysters, charcuterie, and roasted lamb. Needless to say the food was delectable, and the staff did an outstanding job! Thanks cumulus!

We had breakfast here and loved it. The menu is interesting and all the ingredients are top quality. Delicious coffee and great wait staff. I loved sitting at the bar watching the food be prepped in front of me. Only wish I had time to check this place out for dinner. I bet it would be good.

One of the city s top spots. Generous portions of thoughtful and tasty food. Service is excellent if slight automated, fun and upbeat ambiance. A small number of vegetarian options, but those are excellent.

Breakfast, lunch or dinner, this place has you sorted! Attentive service to boot.

Amazing food, coffee and service. Would recommend getting a seat at the bar near the pass so you can see chefs plating up.

Excellent staff. Sirloin steak is amazing & so was all other food we ordered. The meals are a good size too. Very welcoming of our little boy who was with us for dinner. The ambience of this restaurant is beautiful. we really loved it here.

Got the chef's menu and boy was it all good. In particular the lamb shoulder and black barley salad were really delicious.

A restaurant where you can enjoy sophisticated food and wine. I went to lunch alone, but I sat down without any particular instructions.
The amount of each one is small, but the staff will be more concerned about that, so it is better to order while listening to recommendations.
It's a shame that I couldn't drink the recommended wine because I didn't drink alcohol from noon. I would like to go at night if I have the opportunity to go next.

Very knowledgable and friendly waiter who made a recommendation of four great dishes. Started with an amazing buffalo mozzarella cheese and pesto plate to spread over toasted bread Delish! This was followed by a dish with flounder sashimi and a minted pea and almost like a creme fraiche. For main asparagus which was perfectly matched with some sort of almond cheesy butter and then a tuna dish. All plates were encouraged to be shared. Overall a very light an fresh selection. Great atmosphere and I chose to sit at the bar to see all the action in the kitchen.

Waited for a table and saw others who came after get a table. Obviously bad at organising the wait list.

Great food! Great service! Great venue for an intimate event

Interesting dining option. Great service and fine food. That said, I personally prefer lamb with less gamey flavour. It was just too much for me.

People trying hard, and ill prepared food. Totally not worth it.

What a joke when you go to a restaurant and the waiters are to lazy to bring you water that s ok I have a sore back I ll go get it and for the table next to me. Won t be back here again as the service is quite average. Whoever owns this place I d be lookin at some better training and setup for your restaurant.

Still lovely food, but not quite as amazing as it used to be. Bizarrely the staff still believe the hype from when they first opened. In need of a reality check

Absolutely amazing. Had the kitchen menu and every dish that came out was a winner!

Fantastic experience - great wines, and the lamb was absolutely divine.

This place really needs no introduction, their food is simply superb! The service was helpful and kind. This place has a good atmosphere.

Went there for breakfast very busy but food came out quickly. Very lovely food and coffee.

I reviewed this place 2 years ago, but my review disappeared! There were hundreds more, and they are all gone, without any mention of 'new owner, business change' or similar... I wonder what's going on?
I g gave it 1 star then, and stay firmly behind it.

I have been here a handful of times over the past two years and have never been disappointed. Always a brilliant spot to take friends, family or clients for a few drinks and a light feed. The staff are knowledgable and attentive. Both Cumulus Up and Cumulus Inc are a 'Melbourne must'.

Delcoius lunch. The baby snapper was really tasty. Recommend to visit this place for lunch and or dinner

A very good brunch/lunch place - and the line outside at weekends shows I'm not the only one who thinks so. We ended up going back midweek to avoid the queue. Even then, they could have done with someone whose only job it is to seat people. The food was excellent, definitely better than the usual fare. The service was good and friendly when you got it - but they could do with more to make it less chaotic!

Consistently excellent food and service. Can Andrew McConnell do no wrong? I love all of his establishments. Melbourne is so lucky to have someone of his calibre.

Great food, my favourite is the foie gras on brioche. The caveat is that this restaurant doesn't serve brunch. Breakfast is only until 11:30 and then lunch starts from 12. We arrived at 11:20 on Saturday and had to wait for 40 minutes for the breakfast service finished and they cleared all the breakfast tables before they let us in.

The meal was good.
There was something happened on service, but it has been fixed quickly. I am satisfied dinning here.

The food is delicious. Although I queued up early in the morning, I was seated quickly. Although there was a problem with the order during the period, the waiter quickly corrected it and gave good compensation, so the bad mood disappeared immediately. , The attitude and response of the whole store made me feel very good, it is a good store.

Very good dinner, varied menu and with not very common dishes, so you can try something new compared to the usual restaurants, very kind staff, we ordered various dishes, all very tasty, I recommend.

Coffee arrived after breakfast finished. Long wait for coffee and unfortunately not worth waiting for

Fantastic dining experience. One of the best I have had in Melbourne! Such great service. A lovely wine list and immaculate food! Highly recommend.

Have been for breakfast many times. Good incorporation of smallgoods into the breakfast menu and solid coffee. Lighter breakfast options also available

We had Christmas Eve dinner here and they are one of the few on Flinders Lane that was open. Casual and comfortable atmosphere with excellent service. Their menu changes regularly but is structured more as sharing plates than traditional starter and mains. Their style is to emphasize the delicate and subtle favour of the ingredients, with just a dash of sauce or dressing to complement the taste. Try to get a seat at the bench where you can see the chef's activity at the open kitchen. Highlight for me was the Organic Chocolate and Wattleseed Ice cream which is normally on the menu.

Try the everything. Especially the fried cauli, the lamb shoulder and all of the desserts.

40 minute wait for takeaway granola. Unfriendly staff. Unorganised kitchen, maybe an off morning? Wont be back.

Nice location. Food is ok: try the lamb shoulder.
Avoid whatever is on the charcuterie section of the menu and the lettuce salad (4 leaves of lettuce with some fennel).

Great coffee and breakfast but the place is always full and need to wait a bit

Amazing!!!!! We didn't have reservations but we got lucky, because we got seated at the bar, so we were able to enjoy delicious food and great drinks:) Place is super cool! Atmosphere is amazing:) so many cool little thing around :) Make sure to try a few different items on the menu, because everything is different and super tasty. We shared a few dishes and loved all of them :)Recommend it!Cheers!!!

We went as a group. So I was forced to agree to a set menu of $75 per person. Initially the wait staff were very attentive. But then the service slowed down.. For a business dinner it was too slow and not convinced we got value for the money
Also.. On the wine, i ordered but not offered a taste nor asked about subsequent orders.

While my guests enjoyed the meal and the atmosphere was good, i do not recommend for large groups

Exceptional service and even better food. A wonderful night out. Each dish is wonderfully prepared and the meat selection is really something else. Highly recommend cumulus up.

We ordered toast with jam, full english breakfast, flat white and hot chocolate (which I loved). I liked the taste of the black thing which I assumed was liver. Only to find out later, when I googled, that it was a boudin noir - which is blood. Sometimes, ignorance is bliss (though it s not my first time eating food with blood as the main ingredient). Would like to know though what specific blood was that, or was it really blood or just an alternative.

Also, we were seated at the bar and were able to see the action in the kitchen, how the bfast crew cleaned up, and the preparation of the lunch crew .

Overall, good food and fun experience.

Food is best described as Elevated English, i.e., bland. We had the tasting menu and only one dish, the mushrooms, was a winner. Everything else was clean tasting, but really very boring. The wine list was good. Not sure I d recommend this place.

3/10 $5.00 weak, watery and bland homemade hot chocolate, missing that richness and cream.
3/10 $5.00 lemongrass and ginger tea, more hot water than the infused tea itself, may as well bring your own tea bag.
7/10 $4.00 latte, that's was good

Yum! We visited here with an overseas guest and I can say I am really happy with the experience of Melbourne and the food we had. Thank you to the Cumulus team!

Unusual but interesting menu but very loud atmosphere.