Cafe Ray

Really fun spot just off of Sydney Road. The staff are great, very warm, even when it’s busy. The selection of food was great, hard to choose something because there were so many nice things. And a really heavenly selection of food in the cake windows. Definitely don’t skip on them.

Been a barista in a Boutique Hotel’s breakfast cafe, back in the day. I do not have high expectations for my first coffee, but like they say - hope dies last. No-one ever got my coffee right. I have been in Melbourne for seven years, and then I met Claire and Edie. The best 2 coffees I have ever had in a row; in this island, were yesterday and today. Means a lot. ☕️

My girlfriend and I came here for a late afternoon toastie, and were so happy to stumble across Cafe Ray! I’m a chronically late riser, so finding a good place that does coffee and food later in the afternoon can be a bit of a challenge, luckily Cafe Ray was open until 4 and still serving food at 3:30. I had been craving a toastie for about 24 hours and the reuben and mushroom toastie did not disappoint!!! Both my girlfriend and I love reuben toasties, so that was an automatic classic, but we also loved the mushroom so much! By the end I think the mushroom was both of our favourite. The coffee was also delicious (which is easy to expect in Melby, but hey, there’s still bad coffee out there so it’s worth saying when it’s good!) The staff were super lovely and so kind and accommodating with our late orders. Overall, we loved our little visit, and we sat outside in the sun enjoying the afternoon together.

A smaller vegan menu than our last visit but service was still great; coffee was perfect for both my partner and I (soy lattes that really hit the morning spot!); cozy venue with plenty of rustic charm; we had the scrambled tofu with the most delightful homemade hashbrowns (seriously yummy) and sautéed greens and mushrooms were so flavourful. 🌱✌️

Went here late on a Sunday lunchtime, chosen based on Google Maps rating. Didn’t disappoint - food was fabulous, people were lovely and they didn’t hustle us out of the door, despite being the last customers for the day. In fact, we got a free slice of delicious lemon semolina cake after chatting with the owner. Highly recommend for breakfast/brunch/lunch and will return.

Back home and reunited with Dirk, turns out he never left Brunswick, we went to brunch together with Gunther. Cafe Ray was really very good and nice. The staff were so friendly I felt like we were friends with them. We talked about various topics before placing our order. The breakfast was simple but spot on. The bacon was THICC and I don’t think I’ve ever seen such girth at breakfast before. The milkshake was quite nice but unlike the bacon, it could have been bigger. All in all the food had us drooling like a bulldog, please see drooling bulldog in the photos. Thanks Ray, you’ve got a great little cafe there.

I love the interior of this cafe. It has that industrial aesthetic but still feels warm and welcoming. I like popping in here for a chai and home made treat like spanakopita. It is just around the corner from the Mediterranean Wholesalers and just a couple of doors up from another favourite shop Otto and Spike who make beautiful woollen garments like scarves, beanies and socks. So Cafe Ray forms the perfect triage of experiences - food, drink, clothing! And a good time to catch it at a quiet time of day is around 3pm - post lunchtime crowds! Service is always friendly and inviting, even when you are on your own!

- South fried chicken burger. Chicken is well-cooked and balanced with different veg salad and pickles. However, sauce is bit spicy for me. Chips will be better if can be cut in smaller size. - Pancake with thick cut bacon. It's my first time to try this combo, which well mixes salty bacon and sweet maple syrup.

Delicious coffee and pastries, inventive and tasty food, and warm service. The entrance belies the magic of this place. Give it a go!!!

I am a frequent visitor to Ray, enjoying their coffee, friendly staff and yummy brunch food. They've done a renovation in late 2013, which has greatly improved the feeling of spaciousness. I got 'forgotten' down the back of the cafe once, but I've been there so many times that it really seemed like a one-off. One other great thing they do is let you split the Doc Ray's Breakfast between two people, and bring it out on two plates. Which is good for times you're not ravenous, but want to taste that sweet sweet thick cut bacon!

You're met with a dilapidated looking front with a cheap boxy table that someone had left on their footpath and loads of graffiti tags but also a certain curiosity as a result. Upon entering it all changes. Ray's is open, welcoming and gorgeous once you step inside with a choice of seating and an interesting menu with some great juices and varied breakfast options. My Lebanese sausage haloumi breakfast was delicious. The coffee was also great. It's a lovely space and I could see myself visiting if I was local. The ordering/service wasn't very welcoming but not the opposite either. My boy ran in and almost knocked over the waitress - not cool - to which he was admonished and made to apologize. She was fine with it but her initial reaction was quite disapproving, which I guess had we ignored it all may have been acceptable, but wasn't since we didn't. I do understand there are various levels of child friendly though I wanted a half kilo pack of coffee as well but they had run out so the barista made a pack up for me from their standard stock, which was very nice. I also bought some local pepper sauce which they both sell and supply for use with breakfast (left on tables - similar to Tabasco). A lovely spot it is.

Ray's is deliberately rundown in appearance a la Brunswick stylee and so it works perfectly well with the laid-back attitude of the staff. The thing is to come here if you know you've got a bit of time to kill. if it's efficiency you're after, this ain't the place, but they'll make you a really great soy flat white (in their own time). The baked eggs are hot and delicious and I often wake up on a Saturday morning craving it. It's a bonus also that when the sun is shining, the seats outside get full sunshine for most of the day and the light pours in through the front open window and onto the front communal table if there's no space outside. The bike racks right outside the cafe are a nice addition for people like me who love their bike and gain a sense of comfort from looking at it every now and then. (It's just a crappy, old mountain bike but I've covered it in stickers and I think it looks cute like that). There are plenty of newspapers and magazines to keep you busy whilst you wait for service/food/coffee (not that I need the papers cos I'm so busy swooning over my sweet wheels).

An institution in the genre of hip cafes, Rays was a harbinger of cool to this industrial area of the city. With no signage and a hole in the wall look, this place offers delicious food and amazing coffee. The stripped back industrial look blends in well with the surrounding neighborhood. You used to sit on milk crates out the front to enjoy the sun, now wooden boxes have taken their place. One of the cooler things about Ray's is the bike parking that takes up a car space on the street out front - they really know their customers well. Inside is a large communal table in front and wall seating tucked down the side of this cosy café. Ray's have had their fill of pretentious staff, who raise themselves above everybody else, just because they work there, but I was in this week and the current blend all seem pretty cool. And thankfully they still serve amazing coffee!

Great looking place, insanely rude staff. Was turned away at 2:30pm by a very sarcastic staff member when asking about their opening hours. No way to check these 'altered' holiday hours either online or over the phone (as they don't answer). If you're going to have different hours, be upfront and clear about them and don't treat inquisitive potential customers like unwelcome invaders spoiling your perfect day.

So Ray have *finally* changed their menu and also had bit of a reno - the kitchen staff can now work without bumping bits, and it now looks very much like Atomica's Brunswick cousin. The use of black on the back wall perhaps closes in the already small venue and the rest of the space still looks a bit on the dirty side of grungy. That being said, the coffee was excellent - as always, and I tried one of the new pides, with slow cooked beef & slaw and it was delicious! Ray is certainly not on my radar of regular haunts as it's lost its way a bit, but if I'm in the area, I'd certainly grab a takeaway coffee 'cause it's the best in that strip.

Look, the food here was good. Real good. And Ray has a very interesting menu, with plenty going on for vegetarians! So I can certainly say I'm a fan. I had the avocado on toast with a poached egg (true to form) and was pleasantly surprised with the addition of a tahini-based sauce - it was a wonderful accompaniment! Other dishes included the Doc Ray, the portabello mushrooms, and the baked beans, which were all eaten with great enthusiasm. However, the coffee was not that good - over extracted and rather bitter in my opinion (and my dining companions agreed that their coffees were also bitter). The service was very friendly and prompt (however, as we didn't make a booking and they didn't have space to accommodate the 5 of us, we were seated down the back; next to the toilets and amongst an old refrigerator, microwave, and some fold-up chairs - not too pleasant). I'd definitely check it out again. With hopefully less toilet.

Hey Ray, so nice to hang out with you again! It's been a while since I popped in but man it's great to see a familiar face. After moving to a different hood a few years ago I kinda forgot about you. But I'm working nearby at the moment so thought I'd pop in and see how you're doing. I'm pleased to say that you were just as good as I remember you. Friendly staff. Great coffee! Delicious sandwiches and sweet treats galore. Thanks Ray. You made my day x

Ray is a cosy little cafe near brunswick train station. It is great place to go if you are in rush, as they serve quickly and deliciously. On the other hand if youre wanting to sit down there is plenty of space inside and out. If you get a chance and are looking for a late afternoon snack before wandering down Sydney road i suggest tackling one of their $10 burgers and $5 beers.

I use to love Ray's. I went in one day and asked for my coffee to be hotter. I had noticed it hadn't been the last few times. All I got was a smart arse tongue lashing from the barista and I think owner. If they're having a bad day, the customer is the last person to take it out on. There are plenty of other cafe on Brunswick. Won't go back there.

There are a hundred copies around Brunswick these days, but Ray's was one of the first and still maintains its grungy feel. The coffee is always excellent, and while the menu doesn't change much it always manages to remain interesting.

Another great Brunswick cafe. Interesting breakfast menu and large servings to sooth that hangover. Corn fritters were delish ! Prob not the best coffee in the area but its a great space and filled with locals with a nice vibe. Will be back!

Hip-tastic! Hipstery cool cats this is the place for you!! Cool atmosphere and good food. Great for breakfast catch-ups with mates. Seems like more of a hangout zone for some too - how do I get in on that? Brunswick locals if you haven't been here I would say go along for some breakfast for sure!

We rode past Ray before we found it. The bike parking is a bonus and a delightful spot in the sun put a smile on my dial. The service is friendly, yet the girl who served us was a little too open about the happenings behind the scenes. After about 30 minutes of waiting she politely informed us there was "something wrong with the eggs". A late breakfast is always great with a strong shot of coffee. Rays delivers a good coffee. Unfortunately it's just good. Quietly resting within every other cup of coffee I've had in this city. Ray has a very impressive machine that screams in a loud yellow voice, yet I can't help but feel their infusing or the bean is letting them down significantly. The long black was a dark orange instead of a orange-red and the creme disappeared all too quickly. I found myself missing that heavy body of a decent pour. The latte texture was nice but that little gentle swirl espresso screams for before you douse it with milk wasn't there leaving the latte sealed off with a thick, heavy layer of coffee goop. The menu is a medley of various breakfast treats. The middle eastern hint is nice however, I'm yet to see it done correctly. The Baked beans, to their credit were actually baked, a lack of moisture seems to be a bit of a problem. Watercress is a brilliant garnish, as well as feta but perhaps a menu that boasts both Mediterranean and western foods should be splurging for a goats cheese. The toasted Turkish was splashed with a basil oil which didn't quite seem to compliment a spicy bean dish. It's the typical problem of trying to "spice up" a traditional dish and managing to over do it. The portabello mushrooms were over cooked, dry tops and hard bottoms. There is something truly spectacular about a slow roasted mushroom and they were so close. This dish is served on an under-toasted turkish bun, spread with an all too mild feta, two poached eggs and a teeny tiny swirl of date molasses. The eggs didn't really compliment the molasses and vice versa, they also blocked any flavour from the feta and the herbs used on the mushrooms didn't fit in with any of the dish at all. I feel like this place is cramming too many different ideas onto a plate and stepping back a bit, simplifying and letting their flavours breathe will go a long way. I'm not sure I'd bother with this place again.