What Pond is
Pond is a cafe at 39 The Esplanade, across the road from the beach in the middle of Torquay. It does all-day breakfast and lunch, the coffee is Seven Seeds, and it doesn't take reservations. That's more or less the whole pitch on its website, and it's enough.
Broadsheet's listing describes big glass windows and doors that let the light in, an outdoor area, and a crowd of locals after a surf and travellers fuelling up before the Great Ocean Road. RACV's Torquay guide (February 2025) says Pond plates up some of the town's most interesting breakfast fare.
This is an independent guide; menus, prices and hours change, so check Pond Cafe's website before you go.
The story
Pond has been around a while. Broadsheet reported in early 2014 that it opened in late November 2013, started by Tom Sereika, a Torquay surfer and carpenter who'd worked as a barista at Seven Seeds and De Clieu in Melbourne. He told Broadsheet he wanted something on the water, because there weren't many cafes on the water around here.
More than ten years on, the Seven Seeds connection is still there on the menu. We haven't been able to confirm who runs it today, so we'll leave it at that.
What's on the menu
Everything is served all day. The dishes and prices below are from the menu on Pond's website (last updated March 2026). Prices change, so use them as a rough guide.
Simple stuff
Dench 10-grain sourdough toast ($13), sourdough crumpets with butter and preserves ($15), thick-cut fruit toast ($14), poached eggs on toast with kasundi ($15), and buckwheat and pecan granola ($20).
The sweet ones
Banana bread with caramelised banana, toffee sauce, walnuts and chai butter ($24). Or the dressed-up crumpets, with white chocolate matcha ganache, raspberry coulis and pistachio crumb ($20).
Proper brekkie
The full Pond breakfast ($31): bacon, poached eggs, avocado, Meredith goat's cheese, field mushroom, cheese kransky and kasundi on 10-grain toast. There's also a brekkie burger on a milk bun ($22) and smashed avocado with herb labneh and feta ($25).
Lunchier things
Tarka dhal with rice and roast pumpkin ($23, vegan and gluten free), a grilled miso salmon bowl ($28), garlic butter mushrooms on rye ($26), a beetroot and goat's cheese salad ($24), and a beef brisket sandwich ($27).
Coffee and drinks
Seven Seeds espresso, batch brew, chai, matcha and tea. There's a list of cold-pressed juices ($12), plus iced coffees, iced matcha, kombucha and an affogato. Plant milks are a dollar extra.
Hours, bookings and paying
Opening hours
The website says Pond is open every day from 6:30am to 3pm. Older listings elsewhere give different hours, so check the website before you go.
No reservations
You can't book. Turn up and grab a table. On a summer weekend, get there early or be ready to wait a bit. If you just want a coffee to take down to the sand, there's online ordering through the website.
Paying and surcharges
The menu asks you to pay at the counter after your meal. A 10% surcharge applies on weekends and 20% on public holidays. Gluten-free bread is available for a little extra.
Kids
There's a kids' menu for 12 and under, $14 a plate on the March 2026 menu: fried egg and bacon, ham and cheese, waffles with chocolate sauce, or a mini granola bowl. Chocolate or strawberry milk is there too. Early is the easy option with little ones, because it's open from 6:30am and the no-bookings thing means queues later on.
Getting there from Holyday House
Holyday House is in north Torquay, near Whites Beach. Pond is about 5 minutes away in the car, or about 25 minutes' walk along the foreshore. That walk is a good way to earn the banana bread.
Parking along The Esplanade fills up on warm weekends, so you might end up in a side street. It's also a handy coffee run for the house while everyone else sleeps in.
Nearby
Pond is on the same strip of The Esplanade as Bomboras, if you'd rather book a table for lunch, and Fisho's, for fish and chips later in the day. Pond shuts at 3pm, so for an evening meal try the Surf Hotel or Mule, a short walk away on Zeally Bay Road (Thursday to Sunday). Pair a coffee with a walk along the beach, or a stroll on the Surf Coast Walk.
Pond Cafe FAQ
Can I book a table at Pond?
No. Pond doesn't take reservations, so just turn up. Online ordering is available through the website if you want a takeaway.
What coffee does Pond use?
Seven Seeds, the Melbourne roaster. It's listed on the menu and mentioned in RACV's and Broadsheet's write-ups.
What time does Pond open?
The website says 6:30am to 3pm, every day. Check the website before you go, as hours change.
Is there a kids' menu?
Yes, for 12 and under, with things like egg and bacon, ham and cheese, and waffles with chocolate sauce.
Is there a weekend surcharge?
Yes. The menu lists a 10% surcharge on weekends and 20% on public holidays.
Are there vegan or gluten-free options?
Some. The menu marks dishes as vegan, gluten free or dairy free, and gluten-free bread is available for a small extra charge.
Hungry for more? Our Torquay restaurants guide covers the town. The Torquay beaches guide will help you choose where to take your coffee, and the surfing guide covers the early session before it. Want to stay 5 minutes up the road? Check dates and send us an enquiry.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these sources on 14 October 2026. Opening hours, patrols, rules and closures change — check with the source before you go.
- Pond Cafe — Pond Cafe
- Menu — Pond Cafe
- Coastal Coffee at Pond Cafe in Torquay — Broadsheet
- Pond Cafe — Broadsheet
- Torquay guide: where to eat, drink and play — RACV RoyalAuto