Cams Kiosk (Cafe & Bar)

This has become my new favourite place. Had a beautiful date here last night. Even though it was cold outside we sat by the heater and enjoyed the view of the big beautiful tree in front of us- surrounded by the old world architecture of the convent.The staff were so bubbly and genuinely helpful and caring. Being on a date the staff can play an important role in helping everyone feel comfortable and they really helped create a calm and kind environment for us.The food was superb. We got a little tapas spread with the homemade butter (which was amazing, I was eating it like cheese) and an assortment of pickled vegetables and meats.Overall, such a great place. Perfect atmosphere, food and wine list for winter nights in Melbourne.

Service was poor wait staff were not at all attentive to our table, i waited at least 10-15 minutes for someone to notice my had up like i was back at school. food was OK, maybe a little over powering with flavour.

Unfortunately we did not enjoy our experience at Cam’s this weekend. While we had been big fans in the past, this visit our waitress was rude from the start, took 20 mins to take our coffee order, had to be prompted to take our meal order and then another 20 or 30 mins later told us she had forgotten to give it to the kitchen. When asked how long the order may take, she could give an estimate, nor did she offer to check with the kitchen.

Situated within the Abbotsford Convent, you can get coffee to-go or sit in their indoor or outdoor seating while sipping on some wine. We tried almost everything on the menu except for the baguettes. The food is designed like tapas with smaller portions and encouraged to be shared. Most of them have a very light taste with the focus on the produce itself. I would recommend the artichokes, the octopus and the risotto. Service is kind of slow so it's perfect if you are planning to sit down and relax. They also have table within a room that looks like an art gallery.Food - 6Service - 6Vibe - 9Price - $$$

Nice, quite spot cloistered away (get it) from the other restaurants. Menu is a little fancy and limited but very tasty.

Another disappointing venue taken over by Melbourne’s inner north scenesters. The service was awful and the food was very underwhelming.I went early in the evening on a Saturday night with my partner and we were shown to a table without any menus or water. Service staff proceeded to ignore us completely for 15 minutes despite there being 5 or 6 on the floor while the restaurant was far from full. An empty table next to us was cleared and reset before we even received eye contact from anyone. When a server finally came over, they gave an empty apology for the wait along with menus. We each ordered a glass of wine and shared some plates. 

We had the black garlic butter with bread, the octopus, the mussels, the pasta, and the kipfler potatoes. The mussels and the sauce they sat in where quite nice and by far the highlight, though that’s unfortunately not saying much. Everything else was bland and lacking in both flavor and imagination. On the bread and butter plate, the pickles tasted like the Always Fresh brand you can get at the supermarket. The octopus was cold and tasted like it had been bought a few days ago at a deli counter. The pasta was also cold and the cheese was clumped together. Basil on top was unable to flavor to such a flat dish. It really tasted like things were scooped out of a jar. It felt like a scam to me.It was a big shame because the venue is beautiful. There’s a nice sound system playing great music, comfortable booths to sit in, elegant lighting, and an overall comfortable aesthetic to sit and dine in. Such a fit-out in the iconic Abbotsford Convent deserves far better than unimaginative plates and a service staff who have no idea how to engage with a customer.I’ve noticed a sad trend wherein many of Melbourne’s inner north wine bars rest on the laurels of easy Italian comfort food (which is not in itself a problem), but do so with little attention to the flavor or craft that makes these dishes great to begin with. Cam’s is another overrated venue that cares more about ‘vibe’ than it does on the substance like the food you’re paying for. I have had items on this menu done far better everywhere else.There are plenty of other wine bars in the immediate suburbs that are far more deserving of your money with lovely dishes and staff who actually acknowledge you. I will not be returning and would recommend you skip Cam’s and spend your money elsewhere.

Slightly disappointed in the change of menu.I’ve been here many times before and absolutely loved the food and venue. (Service can be a little slow & average)After returning recently, their menu change left options limited. Previously, there was 4 pastas which were all amazing on the menu which led us to return many times and recommend to many people. We would always order all of them to share with the table & came specifically for these.Now there is 1 pasta & 1 risotto as main options. Though the 1 pasta on the menu is still delicious, I did prefer the strachitella on the Napoli sauce over the fresh mozzarella, as the mozzarella doesn’t have the same ooze & melt.I understand that menus change due to seasonality & produce, but do hope on their next menu refresh they consider bringing back more pasta options as these were a hit. Unfortunately, probably won’t return until the menu changes.

Cam and the team did a terrific job of catering for our training course at the convent today! Thanks Cam and team. The soup was scrumptious and the sandwiches top notch.

Most delicious lentil and tomato soup served with sourdough freshly baked bread and real butter. A lovely, healthy and filling grain, vegetable and goat cheese salad. Excellent coffee and selections of pastries. Big open relaxed space. Friendly staff.