Grigons and Orr Corner Store

Grigons & Orr Corner Store
445 Queensberry St, North Melbourne


Kellie May Grigons and Margo Orr, who also own the Order of Melbourne, took a trip down memory lane one soda float at a time with their corner store. They're selling all sorts of grocery items such as homemade jams, relishes, spam, butter by the pound, organic milk in glass bottles, lollies and mystery tins!

After reading Matt Preston's review, where he said Grigons & Orr is one of his favourite places to breakfast in Melbourne, we had to try it. We've passed by many times, seeing as we live so near, and there are always people standing by the road waiting for tables. Today we were one of them. I guess it's a normal process when they have a box of crocheted blankets outside for people to wrap themselves up if it gets cold.

We ordered coffees while waiting and they came in old china tea cups, not takeaway containers as expected. The teaspoons were all different and looking like something that belonged to my great grandmother. Coffee was ok, mocha had real chocolate but pity it was of poor quality.

When the seat beside the traffic light became available, I had to squeeze my butt to get to the inside seat (there was a guy sitting on the next table so I couldn't use the outside seat). A full bottle of water with strawberries (including the leaves) was promptly brought to the table and started to spill as the table was on a slope.

We waited for about 30 minutes after ordering before asking the waitress to check on our food. Another 5 minutes passed and she didn't come back any reply, not even the usual "it's on its way". During this time we overheard someone asking the guy if business has changed since Matt's review. "No, not at all - it's always busy on the weekend." Another 10 more minutes, we got our food... with no apology whatsoever.

I wish I could say the wait was worth it. The Apple fritters with hazelnuts & caramel sauce with yoghurt, dusted with a minted sugar ($9.50) was sold out. So I went with the Ricotta Pancakes with brandied blueberries, toasted almond flakes & Barbados cream ($12). They were the hardest pancakes ever, Maccas would beat them hands down if not for the over zealous amounts of baking powder.
He wanted the Shakshouka - Baked Israeli Eggs, spicy Napoli sauce, served with yogurt ($12) but I didn't allow him to order it so he chose the poached eggs with sides of mushrooms, sausages and hash browns ($18). They forgot the hash browns we already paid for but we didn't want to wait another 45 minutes so we didn't bother telling them. The mushrooms were bland and the sausages, while tasty, were dripping with oil.Clearly Matt Preston gets preferential treatment!