Pancho Cafe

I was not expecting to have the best brunch I’ve had in a while (or ever) in a quaint cafe in Daylesford! A big kudos and appreciation for the chefs here because they really know their flavours. Mushroom congee was the best dish I’ve had in a while. I appreciate the chef understanding the Asian flavours and texture and adding a twist to traditional congee. They nailed it. We had to come back the next day because I was blown away, and I got the hot cheese and salad roll and WOW. Divine, best one I’ve had! My partner had the Turkish eggs and they were also delicious - very reminiscent of manti sauce. I’m from Melb but would drive here regularly just to eat at Pancho.

Having recently made the move from Melbourne, the question for me was always going to be ' Who does the best coffee, breakfast and brunch?'. Well, Pancho lived up to this expectation very quickly. Open kitchen, exposed bricks, spiral staircase, open fireplace, rustic feels, and without a doubt some of the friendliest and most attentive customer service that I have ever encountered. FOOD! Whether its's the Pancho eggs with a side of brathwurst or mushrooms (Most unique and BEST mushrooms I've had) or something a little heavier for lunch, such as the hot roast beef roll in a perfectly toasted panini roll with epic slaw and flavours. Just to give further context, I messaged photos of the breakfasts and roast beef roll to mates back in Melbourne and they are driving up for the weekend just to experience this establishment and the epic food that this business has clearly spent a lot of thought and time investing in. Oh, and they are licensed :) Huge thanks to Jess, Michael, Lauren and the team for making me feel very welcome and delivering such an exceptional experience every time. Keep up the great work. Cheers - Raman and Nakia (The Kelpie).

I took my daughter here for her 26th birthday,(2nd August,2023) & honestly, I was kind of stunned by the service,& the genuine and authentic willingness to be so accommodating to Our particular needs. They actually greeted & opened the door to us. We didn’t get a chance to open the door ourselves,& we were greeted with the biggest friendly smiles. My daughter suffers from extreme anxiety,& I explained this to one of the staff members there,& they literally opened up the outside area to us,which was closed at that time of year,just so we could dine alone. No sooner were we seated,& out they came with water,turned the outside speakers on for us,so we could enjoy their music,& brought us lap blankets! The people were so genuinely helpful and lovely,& when the food came out,oh.my.goodness. It was sublime.Such unusual flavours,but they just blended so well together,unlike anything I have sampled before. Lovely plating,very good quality produce ,& service that went way beyond what we expected. Just such lovely attention to detail,with all meals,& such prompt service. Then,we were offered to pay at the table,so my daughter could avoid the main dining area. Honestly,such kind and caring consideration was given to us,& the whole experience from beginning to end was made so special for my daughter’s birthday. I cannot rate them high enough,service and food! Thankyou,for creating such a lovely day,& experience for us.

It was cold and wet outside but the fire was burning in this charming cafe. The food and service were also wonderful- warm friendly staff . How they zip up and down the gorgeous iron spiral staircase is beyond me ! I would go there again and would encourage the owners to open more cafes ( Sydney inner west please) They have the right recipe! 💜