Sun Moth Canteen & Bar

Perhaps I had too high hopes. I went for lunch but I think it would be better to go for quiet drinks in the evening. It was rather dark inside but I did love all the plants. The coffee was tasty but on the weak side and expensive. My soba noodles was warm rather than hot (and not cold enough to be cold served). I don't take that long to set up a photo so it can't be entirely my fault. The broth and noodles were good. The poached egg was perfect but they were overcooked in my friend's poached eggs and avocado on toast.

Atmosphere: really quiet with only few custimers. But the lightings are really dark. Not really suitable for those trying to study/work as it might hurt your eyes. F&BTheir cocktails are pretty expensive as well. Spent $30+ for a cocktail, a beer and a bowl of mixed nuts. Not much food options available when I visited as well. Overall not a superb experience for me and won't visit again, but I do noticed a few ppl came here just for chatting. Guess the ambient atmosphere suit that purpose. It just wasn't for me.

Great little place. Went here on a Thursday night, very chilled atmosphere- could happily sit and chat and have a couple of drinks. Food was excellent. Fresh and flavoursome vegetarian fare. There are some meat options in the charcuterie but just go veg. It’s good. Also if you’re not a Melbourne person it’s a bit tricky to find especially in the dark- go down the lane way and you will find it.

After reading the other 1-star reviews of this place, I felt that they didn't do Sun Moth justice, so I came in on a Saturday afternoon to get a feel of the place for myself. You start with the usual laneway experience. That hint of confidence as you turn the road onto Niagara Lane, because Google Maps told you exactly where this place is, only to pause for a second. "What is this lane. There's nothing here". As you cautiously walk down the lane, double checking your Maps and avoiding the pigeon droppings, you come to the hole in the wall, typical of a Melbourne café, with a single page menu on the windowsill. The menu options are few, but diverse. The necessary quinoa, kale and brunch options are there, but as you walk in you get your second surprise of the day: the baristas don't have beards! Dazed, I make my way to the bar, and order a chicken broth and a chai. As I make my way to my seat, I take a look around. It's not busy here, but it's certainly not eerily quiet. A modern wooden decor with a touch of the urbanism that defines Melbourne, this place has good lighting and great acoustics despite the wooden floors. A lady is working in the corner on her laptop, I'm immediately envious of the little special bar/cafe that she found before I did. She's wearing a red dress. The food comes, it's a broth soup that embodies the multicultural lifestyle of Melbourne. There's dumplings that seem Chinese but once you bite into them they t more like pierogis. The shredded chicken is in flavorful bite-sized chunks, and of course the kale is necessary to complete that Melbourne experience. Also it was soup. I don't know what else you can say about soup. Overall my experience was a pleasant one, the staff were efficient and friendly. The food was enjoyable and the decor was great. As I stand up to leave, I notice the lady on the laptop is using a Chromebook. This place has everything.