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Restaurant

Papa Bear

Shop 5 Midway Arcade, 972-974 Main Rd, Eltham VIC 3095, Australia

Recommended by 6 people

Updated

Find Papa Bear

Shop 5 Midway Arcade, 972-974 Main Rd, Eltham VIC 3095, Australia

Directions ↗
+61 3 9439 8736
HoursMonday: 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM Tuesday: 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM Wednesday: 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM Thursday: 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM Friday: 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM Saturday: 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM Sunday: Closed

*Opening hours may differ during holidays.

Plan your visit

About Papa Bear

Tucked inside Midway Arcade, Papa Bear turns out serious Melbourne coffee, daily-baked muffins, and standout savory bites. Regulars stop in along the covered walkway for Axil brews—ordering everything from a morning Magic to off-menu caphe sua da—alongside hefty house sausage rolls and crisp pork banh mi. The owner bakes daily batches from scratch and discards leftover stock each evening, while the kitchen easily handles custom twists on the fly. Tables stay shielded from the elements outside, right down to the last warm sip of sticky chai latte.

  • Daily Scratch-Baked Muffins: Every batch is baked fresh in-house each morning, with unsold stock cleared out at day's end.
  • Covered Arcade Seating: Sheltered walkway tables offer weather-protected seating inside Midway Arcade for commuters and cyclists.
  • Custom & Off-Menu Flexibility: The kitchen and barista happily customize dishes and whip up off-menu requests like caphe sua da.
RestaurantCoffeeCafe

What's On at Papa Bear

Upcoming events, special menus and other reasons to plan a visit.

No events or specials listed right now.

Why Choose Papa Bear

Why locals and coffee aficionados head into Midway Arcade for breakfast, lunch, and espresso.

  • Daily Scratch-Baked Muffins

    Fresh house-baked goods are prepared on-site every morning, with unsold muffins discarded at day end to guarantee peak freshness.

    The owner bakes all the muffins fresh by himself everyday and discards the unsold ones at the end of the day.

    Jay Locke

  • Satisfying House-Made Savory Lunches

    From generous sausage rolls and breakfast tarts to custom rolls and burritos, morning and midday dishes are prepared fresh with substantial portions.

    The sausage rolls, veggie stack, wraps and tarts are all packed with flavour and clearly made with quality ingredients.

    Eric Zhao

  • Melbourne-Grade Specialty Espresso

    Papa Bear pours specialty Melbourne staples like Magic coffee and balanced triple-origin beans with reliable technical precision.

    5star coffee (and I’m a Heidelberg coffee snob I might add),with some decent brunch options, and a warming atmosphere.

    Scott mcrobert

  • Off-Menu Flexibility and Vietnamese Specialties

    The kitchen readily prepares custom requests not listed on the board, including authentic Vietnamese iced coffee (caphe sua da).

    Even serves caphe sua da - a Vietnamese treat (on request).

    Ron Wilson

  • All-Weather Sheltered Arcade Seating

    Tucked into the Midway Arcade corridor, outdoor walkway seating remains fully covered and comfortable regardless of rain or cold weather.

    Cozy and outdoor seating, being in a covered walkway, is shielded from any possible weather events.

    Sami Makelainen

  • Cycling-Friendly Alleyway Hideaway

    Hidden away in an Eltham walkway, the venue offers a peaceful, bike-friendly retreat for cyclists, walkers, and commuters needing a fast pitstop.

    This is a great spot for food - and did I say it is cycling friendly.

    Edward Hore

House-made breakfast and lunch staples favorites among Eltham locals

  • Banh Mi

    The best Banh Mi in the whole area!

    Ben Pithie

  • Sausage roll

    if you’re after food, GET THE SAUSAGE ROLL!! Amazing establishment!!

    Josh stevo

  • Chilli Scramble breakfast

    I had the Chilli Scramble breakfast. Beautifully plated, fresh ingredients and well constructed on top of the sourdough bread.

    David Smith

  • Mushroom and cheese toastie

    YUM!! I just had the mushroom and cheese toastie. It was absolutely delicious!

    Kirsten Svendsen

Other favorites

Fresh baked goods, handcrafted chai, and specialty cold drinks

  • Fresh daily muffins

    The muffin is fresh (made daily), fluffy and have the right amount of fruits/chocolate.

    Jennifer LI

  • Sticky Chai Latte

    Papa Bear is one of the pro cafe made the best Sticky Chai Latte. The owner offer full Chai flavour, creamy foam and perfect temperature.

    Jennifer LI

  • Caphe sua da

    Even serves caphe sua da - a Vietnamese treat (on request).

    Ron Wilson

  • Breakfast tart

    beautiful coffee and a breakfast tart that is to die for.

    Harry Stogdale

Beyond the menu

Thoughtful operational gestures and custom accommodations at Papa Bear

  • Daily Scratch Baking Routine

    The owner bakes batches of fresh muffins by hand every single day and discards any unsold items at closing to maintain daily freshness.

  • Off-Menu Kitchen Customization

    The kitchen readily prepares custom off-menu breakfast requests and dishes that are not on the printed board upon request.

  • On-Request Vietnamese Iced Coffee

    The barista crafts authentic Vietnamese iced coffee (caphe sua da) as an off-menu specialty treat on customer request.

  • Sheltered Arcade Walkway Dining

    Seating set along the enclosed arcade walkway provides a cozy outdoor pitstop completely shielded from rain and cold weather.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the seating like, and is it suitable for groups?

Seating inside the walkthrough arcade is cozy and compact, with covered walkway tables outside that stay sheltered from bad weather. It is best suited for individuals or couples rather than large groups.

Are there gluten-free or dietary options available?

Yes. The cafe consistently carries gluten-free baked goods and menu options, and staff are happy to accommodate dietary requests or tweak dishes if you ask.

Can you make off-menu or custom requests?

The staff are known to make off-menu requests when possible, including special breakfast adjustments or traditional Vietnamese iced coffee (caphe sua da).

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