Denis the Menace

I’m feeling a bit weird about giving an average review as everything about this place was cool, bar the meal I ate. Plus I feel I may make the incredibly attractive Italian waiter sad if I only give it 3 stars. Maybe the fact it was about 38 degrees on the day I visited Denis the Menace that made my visit brief, as the air con was non-​existent. The staff were so friendly & smiling however, so I persevered & selected a table outside. The actual table itself was glassed in with moss in the inside, like a mini terrarium.
When I poked my head inside this converted warehouse, the rustic and ever-​so-​interesting décor made me want to come back when I wasn’t sweating bullets and feeling angry at our stupid Melbourne weather. Ok — to the part I wasn’t too happy about. After asking ‘hot Italian waiter’ what he preferred between the chicken burger and the Good Morning America bagel — and having him sway me in the direction of the burger (let’s face it, he could’ve asked me to eat the moss inside the table and I probably would’ve nodded my head in enthusiasm), I was rather disappointed to pick my burger off the plate and have almost straight water pour out, leaning the bun wet and soggy. The fries that came with it were overcooked and tough — I’m hoping maybe this is a once off and I do believe I’ll give it one more chance on another day. Besides, with such aesthetically pleasing staff, how could I not?

As a local, we have a vast array of choice when it comes to our daily food intake. Denis the Menice, on an Ambience front ticks all the boxes… it’s cool, arty edge, industrial theme and obscure location make it a winner. When I read the breaky menu I felt a little dissapointed. Tried the Mexican styled snack size toasty but it didn’t hit the spot — coffee was good and yes the sparkling water was a treat — I wasn’t overly impressed with my first dish but will try again as they have the vibe for a relaxing breakfast (with plenty of newspapers) down pat!!!

Lots to like about Denis, situated in some back-​streets off Church. There’s a cute little front al fresco dining area that feels like you’re eating in someone’s front yard. There’s the inside fit-​out which makes fantastic use of natural light to give the industrial space a real warmth. Fruit trees on the tables. Worm farm out the back. The waitstaff might seem cooler-​than-​thou hipster but all seemed genuinely friendly. Entertaining menu written with some colour and humour. Complimentary sparkling water that gets replenished without asking. Great list of interesting teas.
Food was generally good too, although a little hit and miss with us. I got the bowl of shredded greens (inc Pistachios) and poached eggs, which was both delicious and super-​healthy (which made me feel better about my very unhealthy habits the night before.) My partner got the smashed avo and while nice, it was basically toast with a very conservative smear of avocado on it. Was really more of an entrée sized dish and not at all worth the ‘mains’ price tag.
Other than that though, everything else suggests Denis is onto a winner here and makes a great addition to this pocket of Richmond-​slash-​Cremorne.

Welcome to Cremorne, Denis, you little skamp. What took you so long?
Silly aside, Denis the Menance is a welcome addition to the neighbourhood which has seen a resurgance in the past few years.
I almost mistaked Denis the Menance as a house, so don’t walk too quickly. The space is huge and open and eclectically decorated with Trucks and Mr Men paraphenatlia.
On to the food. I actually had an acai bowl, which was great, although I bemoan the inclusion of banana (my own issue). The partner in crime had eggs bene and was a fan.
The service was quick and the sparkling water a plenty. I will be back.

Great trendy shed in the backstreets of Richmond. The place is full of plants and little lemon and mandarin trees giving it a rustic farm look but accompanied by lots of modern styles.
Theres a lot of variety in the menu from american style brekkys to japanese influenced omlettes. I had the muesli which was jam packed with different seeds, grains and fruits — some which i had no clue what i was eating. The price is pretty good for the value you get. They also do it differently by supplying you sparkling water in a glass beaker (complimentary)
The theme is Denis the Menace so you see some hints of childish décor. It’s really cute and definitely has been put on my favourites list. I can bet you it will become a busy spot when the word is out past the locals!