Box Diner Cafe Restaurant Review

Simple cafe food. Fresh produce. Quality regional ingredients. It can’t get much better than that when grabbing breakfast or lunch. Box Diner, a Canberra café on Tennant Street in Fyshwick, believes that low miles from ‘farm to plate’ attract many café customers who want tasty food made onsite daily.

Box Diner uses fresh herbs, local eggs from happy, free-range chooks, beef from Hereford cattle who thrive on tasty grass, and artisan breads from a nearby bakery made with little or no preservatives. The Canberra café’s jams, marmalades and relishes come from Boorowa’s Walsh Country Kitchen and are made with love from regional fruits and vegetables.

This Fyshwick cafe is open crack of dawn with Canberra business people, tradespeople and staff from local businesses arriving for a barista-quality coffee, or a cup of Adora tea (don’t forget to grab a loyalty card).

To kick-start your day, Box Diner’s menu offers small options, such as spiced Turkish raisin toast with espresso creamed butter, up to the Big Box Breakfast, sure to satisfy the hungriest of workers. All dishes are made in-house.

Those who prefer savoury options can’t go wrong with a toasted croissant, with tomato and cheese or ham and cheese, or the bacon and egg roll with tangy BBQ sauce. Those with a sweet tooth adore the crepes - a traditional lemon and sugar, as well as apple and cinnamon or hazelnut and chocolate. Vegetarians regularly opt for the Herbivore - open range eggs, avocado, fried haloumi, roast tomato, mushrooms and spinach. Meat lovers dive into the Carnivore with Smokey bacon and spicy chorizo. And the café’s Big Box Breakfast, as its name implies, promises ‘the lot’.

While some daytime Canberra cafes stop serving food mid-morning to prep for lunch or mid-afternoon to close down, Box Diner has delicious ‘all day’ options. Try the rice paper rolls (Thai omelette or chicken) - an instant success when the diner first opened - or the Moorish pot pies. Paninis, house-baked focaccia and toasted baguettes (3” and 9”) can be ordered all day at the cafe and Box Diner’s home-baked sweets are fabulous.

As the clock ticks towards noon, this Fyshwick cafe rolls out its lunch menu, with rotating blackboard weekly and daily specials adding interest for customers who return often. On the regular menu is salt and pepper squid with light chilli citrus salad, garlic prawns with jasmine rice and good old tempura fish and chips. The salad range features the champagne poached pear with blue cheese and walnuts, a honey mustard chicken, and a roast vegetable.

Feeling like a bit of pasta? Box Diner has five styles, including the sensational fettucini gambrei. Eleven types of burgers are on the menu, including the tangy peri peri, a flame grill lamb with blue cheese and the hearty Portobello mushroom.

Located in Fyshwick, an industrial, retail and office area, this Canberra cafe has a perfect location, only minutes away from the Parliamentary Triangle, trendy Kingston and Manuka, and other parts of the city. Box Diner is a peaceful place to dine, overlooking hectares of farm land. There’s plenty of free on-street parking and easy access for people with disability.

The atmosphere at the Fyshwick cafe is relaxed and non-pretentious. Dine indoors in stylish surrounds with warm timber accents and in comfy booth or table seating, or alfresco under weatherproof awnings with gas heaters to keep you warm in Canberra’s cooler months. The café also offers corporate catering and party catering.

Box Diner is open Monday to Friday, 7am to 3pm. 65 Tennant Street, Fyshwick, ACT. (02) 6202 5555. Dine in or take-away. Take-home dishes available. BYO.

Six Reasons Why I Like Box Diner

When you dine out frequently, it’s comforting to find a spot you can call your own. Somewhere that looks great but is non-pretentious. Somewhere that welcomes you. Somewhere that serves delicious food that is reasonably priced so you can return time and again.

I’m not talking fine dining restaurants here. I’m talking about a great café that becomes your best friend.

One such café is in Canberra’s industrial, retail and office area, affectionately called Box Diner. There is a myth that industrial area eateries are only for those wearing fluros who want greasy, heart-attack-type food. This Fyshwick cafe shatters this myth. Here are six reasons why I love the place.

• First, I admire this Canberra café’s dedication to simple food, prepared with fresh produce and quality regional ingredients. Box Diner uses fresh herbs, local eggs from happy, free-range chooks, beef from Hereford cattle who thrive on tasty grass, and artisan breads from a nearby bakery made with little or no preservatives. This is food that is good for you. 

• Second, I respect that Box Diner will feed me all day. The café opens crack of dawn for breakfast and serve delicious food at lunch. But in-between, this Canberra cafe has an all-day menu and a line-up of sweets you can enjoy with a top-quality, barista-made coffee or relaxing cup of Adora tea. The all-day menu features light rice paper rolls (Thai omelette or chicken), Moorish pot pies, toasted baguettes (3” and 9”) and more.

• Third, I find Box Diner’s breakfast menu is well designed and diverse, with light options, sweet or savoury options and more fulsome options for those who need a super kick start to the day. I adore the spiced Turkish raisin toast with espresso creamed butter and when in the mood, I opt for a crepe - lemon and sugar, apple and cinnamon or hazelnut and chocolate. This Canberra café offers a vegetarian Herbivore, with open range eggs, avocado, fried haloumi, roast tomato, mushrooms and spinach, which makes me feel healthy. Although I’m never that hungry, I’ve watched workers loving every bite of the Big Box Breakfast.

• Fourth, I find Box Diner’s lunch menu, including its rotating blackboard and daily specials, has something for everyone. The salt and pepper squid with chilli citrus salad light is refreshing and the batter on the tempura fish and chips super light. When I crave a salad, I often select the champagne poached pear with blue cheese and walnuts. And I never tire of the café’s line-up of 11 types of burgers, which features the tangy peri peri, a flame grill lamb with blue cheese and the hearty Portobello mushroom.

• Fifth, I find Box Diner’s fit out comfy and non-pretentious. This Canberra café is very stylish with warm timbers a main feature. You can settle into booth seating or select a table for four if you want to dine indoors. With al fresco dining, Box Diner has weatherproof awnings with gas heaters to keep you warm in Canberra’s cooler months. 

• And last, but not least, I like Box Diner’s convenience. This Fyshwick café is close to the Parliamentary Triangle and to the shopping precincts in Manuka and Kingston. Essentially, it’s minutes from everywhere. And there’s lots of free parking. 

So there you have it. My six reasons for loving me dear friend, Box Diner.

Box Diner is open Monday to Friday, 7am to 3pm. 65 Tennant Street, Fyshwick, ACT. (02) 6202 5555. Dine in or take-away. Take-home dishes available. Corporate catering available. BYO.

Six Tips for Saving Money When Dining Out

Dining out can be expensive when it’s a regular habit. Sometimes we have no choice but to go out for breakfast or lunch. It might be to celebrate a friend’s birthday, farewell a colleague or meet with a supplier or client.

So what to do if your budget is tight but you still have to dine out? Here are six tips for doing so without burning a big hole in your pocket, compliments of Box Diner, a Canberra café in the heart of Fyshwick, an industrial, retail and office area in the ACT.

First, be the one to suggest where to dine. Selecting a place like Box Diner will help because the menu is designed around various price points. While this Fyshwick cafe dishes up a Big Box Breakfast for $22.50, which has ‘the lot’, it also offers tasty options to start your day for as low as $6, such as spiced Turkish raisin toast with espresso creamed butter.

Second, plan ahead. A bit of planning can help you save. Bring something light from home to munch on before heading out to a café, like crackers and cheese or fruit. Then you can more reasonably priced item from the café’s menu. Box Diner, for example, has a 9” baguette for only $9 and a champagne poached pear salad with blue cheese, walnuts and baby spinach for $12.

Third, select a café that offers daily specials. Box Diner has $10 cheese burgers on Tuesdays, $10 pasta on Wednesdays, and $10 bacon and eggs at breakfast on Thursdays. And the Fyshwick café has 2 for 1 coffee Monday mornings.

Fourth, select a café that offers BYO, but be careful since some corkage charges are expensive and almost defeat the purpose. Box Diner’s BYO charge is only $2.50 per person.

Fifth, check out loyalty programs. With Box Diner’s coffee loyalty cards you will earn yourself a free hot drink. Buy seven and get one free. And this Canberra café also has a loyalty card for ‘food to go’.

Sixth, opt for something small. Box Diner offers small slices and pastries which means you can enjoy a sweet without spending a fortune - starting at $2.50 for something small but tasty.

In this day and age, eating out is hugely popular and at times we end up having to go to a café when we’d prefer not to for budget reasons. The good news is that applying these tips will help ease the pain and ensure you still have a great time while eating at a café

Box Diner, Canberra café in Fyshwick, ACT. Open Monday to Friday, 7am to 3pm. 65 Tennant Street, Fyshwick, ACT. (02) 6202 5555. Dine in or take-away. Take-home dishes available. Corporate catering and party catering available. BYO.

Catering For Parties - Catering in Canberra

Catering in Canberra is easy! Excellent dining establishments like Box Diner provide catering services, too, aside from their regular services of providing delicious food and beverages on the weekdays for their loyal customers. Box Diner Fyshwick provides catering services for all occasions including group lunches and corporate meetings, birthday parties and anniversaries, and formal gatherings, among others. Name the occasion and the diner’s chefs and wait staff can accommodate your catering needs and wants.

Easy Ordering System

If you want a fast, easy and convenient method of ordering for your needs and wants in catering in Canberra, Box Diner Fyshwick has it covered. Just log in to its official website, download the catering menu, and complete the online order form before submitting it to the diner via email, fax or drop off at its address. Of course, emailing at info@boxdiner.com.au and/or calling the diner via its fax number - (02) 6202 5565 - are the better options for individuals with busy schedules but dropping off the printed form at its address will also work to their mutual benefit.

Whatever works for the customer, the staff of Box Diner will find ways to accommodate his requests for the best catering in Canberra!

Easy Terms

But as with any establishment in the restaurant industry, Box Diner Fyshwick has its terms and conditions that prospective customers are expected to comply with so as to ensure excellent delivery of the agreed products and services. Don’t worry though because these terms and conditions are standard operating procedures in the industry so there are no unpleasant surprises here.

The terms and conditions of the Box Diner in its catering services are:

• Placement of the catering order at least 24 hours before the event to guarantee satisfactory service. The order must also be placed by 3 in the afternoon of the day before the catering event starts. (Note: The Box Diner Fyshwick closes by 3PM Mondays to Fridays)
• Surcharges can be added to the main catering bill in case of last minute and/or urgent orders. Box Diner Fyshwick may also reserve the right to ask for additional charges, as agreed upon by both parties.
• Payment of orders must be made in full before delivery or pick-up. A 50% deposit may be required as well.

When the order has been accepted and confirmed by Box Diner, the customer - your, for example - will be notified. If you have yet to receive your confirmation and your event is nearing, you should call the diner at (02) 6202 5555 right away to avoid any future inconveniences.

Easy Delivery or Pick-up System

The Box Diner Fyshwick also prides itself on its efficient delivery and pick-up system for small and large orders for catering in Canberra. Orders that do not meet the minimum amounts stated below will be charged a $20 delivery and pick-up fee. Free or not, the Box Diner assures its customers that their ordered food and beverages will be ready on the appointed time.

The minimum orders with free delivery depend on the location of the event, thus:

• Fyshwick $70
• Inner south $150
• Inner north $150
• Queanbeyan $150

Pick-ups will obviously be made at the physical address of the Box Diner Fyshwick - 65 Tennant St. in the east of the city’s industrial area. You can call in advance to confirm your pick-up time, thus, making it easy for you to get the orders and then hop back into your car with a minimum of fuss.

Of course, the best thing about the catering services of Box Diner is its delicious food and beverages including the sides, dishes and desserts as well as the coffee, tea and mixed drinks. The catering menu of Box Diner Fyshwick includes quiches, light salads, and premium salads as well as drinks like coffee, tea, and orange juice. Your job is to choose which of these great selections will be on your menu for the day.

Box Diner Fyshwick - An Amazing Cafe in Canberra

Canberra, known as the Bush Capital for its beautiful areas of natural vegetation including planned gardens, certainly has many excellent dining establishments catering to its multi-ethnic population. Amongst all these dining establishments, however, stands out an amazing cafe in Canberra – Box Diner Fyshwick and for good reasons, too!

Relaxed Ambience

After a long day at work, all that Canberra’s will want to do is to relax in the company of good friends, in a good place, and with good food on hand – truly, feeding the body as much as the mind and soul. Good friends are easy to find in Canberra and good places with good food even easier to find because of the abundance of great cafes like Box Diner Fyshwick.

The relaxing and relaxed ambience of Box Diner cafe restaurant can easily be seen even from a distance. Its façade has an open, casual and inviting feel – an open roof showcasing the beauty of the sky especially during a sunshiny day and a starry night, tables set for intimate dinners and group gatherings, and a spacious bar for ordering the food, among others. Even the lighting configurations of Box Diner Fyshwick consisting of pendant lights and small spotlights mix privacy and openness that few cafes of its size can equal.

And then there’s the enviable location of Box Diner Fyshwick on the east of Canberra’s industrial area. Diners have open vistas of fields to enjoy while eating their delicious dishes and desserts, among other food on the menu.

A relaxed and relaxing ambience coupled with a great urban panorama – just one of the things that make Box Diner cafe restaurant the best cafe in Fyshwick!

Excellent Menu

Of course, frequent diners at Box Diner cafe restaurant come here not just for the beauty of the place but for the quality of the food, too. We all agree that the quality of the food and beverages served is the ultimate characteristic that we will judge any café on Canberra including the Box Diner Fyshwick and we are proud to say that the diner certainly delivered on great food and beverages.

Delicious food and beverages start with the best ingredients including the fruits, vegetables, grains, meats, fishes, nuts, seeds, and dairy products used. The fresher the ingredients, the better the food will taste!

To ensure freshness, the chefs of Box Diner Fyshwick ensure that many, if not most, of their ingredients are sourced from local sources. Doing so has its secondary benefits, too, including greater support for local industries and lesser carbon footprint for the diner.

Diners at Box Diner cafe restaurant are assured of dishes and desserts prepared with fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables as well as fresh eggs, free-range chickens, and Hereford beef from local cattle. Add in artisan breads from a local bakery and jams, marmalades and chutneys from a local manufacturer and your dining experience at the best cafe in Canberra will truly reflect local flavours.

Box Diner cafe restaurant serves its delectable foods and beverages from 7 in the morning to 3 in the afternoon on Mondays to Fridays. Enjoy your breakfast and lunch as well as your morning and afternoon coffee and tea breaks here with its regular menus and specials. Box Diner certainly knows how to satisfy the palate and fill the stomach of its diners.

For breakfast, try the spiced Turkey raisin toast, bacon and egg roll with the house BBQ sauce, and crepes with many fillings like apple and cinnamon. For lunch, enjoy the chips with a trio of dipping sauces, garden mixed salads, and a wide range of pasta dishes. For snacks, savour the delicious flavours of both heavy snacks like burgers and light snacks like pastries with coffee or tea.

In a hurry but you still want to enjoy the delicious food of Box Diner? Order for takeout favourites like baguettes, focaccias, and rice paper rolls, among others, and share the happiness!