Portrait Cafe

We arrived just before 3:30pm and they were no longer doing any hot food/menu items. Definitely appreciated the vegan sweet options. Croissant was so-so (wouldn't get it again) and coffee was fine but the vibe of the place was top notch. One small thing to note but because there were so many birds around, they had to keep closing their sliding door and visitors thought that the cafe was closed. Not sure if that was on purpose or not, because it was semi-close to closing. Overall, very enjoyable experience.

Exhausted when we got here and so looking forward to some comfort food. Right next to the gallery shop, it was quite popular with visitors and locals. Our orders came very quickly. The knife for the steak sandwich dropped on the way to the table but the waiting staff didn’t bring a new one. The steak sandwich and portrait burger are of average cafe standard. The earl grey tea was good. The service was quick but lacked friendliness. The older gentleman behind the counter hardly smiled. Loving the location though.

UPDATED 2025: Much improved. We had visited in 2024, but things were the same as of previous visits: poor. But, today brunch was actually very good! Fresh scones with jam and cream, and Avocado with poached egg on toast. Even the coffee was good. New management, maybe? Whatever it is, the food and coffee was vastly better! 2023: Very disappointing. Having been several times to the Portrait Gallery Cafe and always enjoying good food, great coffee and service, I was extremely disappointed that my experience today was anything but that! The slice of frittata – microwaved within an inch of its life– was very small and tasteless, with a side salad of coleslaw and a singular lettuce leaf, but no dressing! And, the coffee water weak and only delivered after several promptings. Something has changed, and it's not for the better.

Lovely cafe with indoor and outdoor seating. It is an order and pay at the counter affair and the queue can be quite long. There were some delicious looking pies, quiches and pastries with vegan/vegetarian options. The coffee is ok - not great but the staff seem friendly and helpful. My fruit salad and vegan yogurt was very tasty. I’ve been back with a bigger appetite recently after a lake walk and my pumpkin and goats cheese tart was delicious. The lentil and carrot soup was also good according to a fellow walker. I love that the Portrait Gallery gift shop is so close though could be dangerous if you don’t want to spend. I did come away with a few gifts. 💕🌸💕

With a captive customer base, a picturesque view, and being a place for the people - I was let down. $42 for a sausage roll, feta filo, and two drinks is a steep premium for lackluster service. I also strongly encourage your staff to ask patrons if they would enjoy a complimentary salad with their meal (opposed to filling the plate with it) - this may then actually be appreciated and would avoid potential food allergies.

Unfortunately missed out on the mains, the kitchen closes around 2:30pm although it doesn’t state it anywhere, so only what’s on display in the windows is available to eat, we had a lamb sausage roll and the scones. The sausage roll was quite large with a good amount of filling. The staff were friendly but it would be good if when people arrived after 2:30 they advised the kitchen was closed as we saw multiple people taking a while to decide on their mains then go to order and find out they’re no longer serving. Otherwise, it’s clean and good food and there are plenty of seating options both inside and outside, would recommend it for a pit stop whilst browsing the gallery or if nearby.

26/4/25 Tasty chicken burger and the fish and chips were good as well. Light and spacious surroundings made for a pleasant experience. 😊

The view of the surrounding area is lovely, if you can get an outdoor table on a sunny day. The food is simple but fresh. The kitchen closes before the main cafe so, after 3pm you're limited to what's available in the front cabinets. This is pies, pastries and toasties. The sweets are available too. The service is quick and friendly. The prices are expensive though. I suppose that without much competition in the area, they can change what they like.