Zest Cafe Gallery is a quaint little cafe just off Jetty Road on Sussex Street. The place has a very relaxed vibe about it with an enclosed outdoor area, small tables and vines overhead. As the name suggests, the cafe showcases artwork along its walls. Breakfasts and coffee seem to be their specialty, however, they do have a selection of home made desserts available.

Today, I ordered the Cherry Custard Cake. The cake came out within 5 minutes of ordering and was average in presentation. I just happened to get a slice that was less than perfect. There was a thick layer of custard mixed with cherries sitting on top of a sponge cake. The custard had a subtle sweetness and it was balanced out by the sourness of the cherries. There was one piece of cherry in my cake that was hard as a rock. It was interesting but nothing to write home about.

My friend was feeling more adventurous and ordered the German Poppy Seed Cake. The poppy seeds provided a toasty nutty flavour which is unlike anything I’d ever tasted. The bottom was made with yoghurt and was moist, almost like bread. The strudel crumbles on top were a nice golden brown and the presentation was quite nice. Personally, I think it was more of an acquired taste as most of the table didn’t like it.

The Banana Cake was the least fanciest and surprisingly tasted the best. The cake was soft and moist, while the cream cheese icing had a perfect subtle sweetness. The toasted almonds provided a nice crunchy texture, but it was the icing that was the highlight for me.

The staff were friendly and the service was good. It’s actually quite rare to get table service in a cafe, but they do it here. The atmosphere was relaxed and they seem to have a high turnover of customers. All our desserts were $6 each which is probably less than what you’d pay at other cafes, however, the desserts were probably worth that much. Coming here for something sweet was probably a mistake as you can definitely get better elsewhere. Looking back,  I should have ordered one of their meals instead.

Verdict: A nice cosy little cafe with friendly staff.

WHERE: 2A Sussex St, Glenelg