I just happened to be visiting a friend at the Flourmill Studios, otherwise I never would have found this place. Tucked away down Gladstone St (think behind Young Henry’s), Els & Co is very off the beaten track and seems to primarily cater to nearby workers. The decor was a strange mix of bamboo and fake jungle leaves, with mismatched […]
Els & Co Bakehouse, Newtown
Ariana’s Place, Newtown
I got a kick out of the advertising for this place. The flyer was in an envelope addressed “To our special friends on PHILLIP STREET, ENMORE” which is not only a little over-the-top, but also not even close to my address. Inside the envelope, the flyer was a dramatic open-the double-doors fold-out thing referring to the cafe as a “unique […]
Little Island Hungry Sea, Balmoral Beach
I’ve had a really good run with cafes in Balmoral, so I was a little hesitant to try this little takeaway kiosk since there are so many seemingly better options. But this time I didn’t have the pram and needed the convenience of being right next to the playground, so we just toddled on over and were pleasantly surprised. Everything […]
Goods, Marrickville
My goodness, Goods has got the goods. Sleek and chic, this little hole-in-the-wall is part cafe and part hipster gift shop. The Butter Boy cookies caught my eyes (and the toddler’s) and I almost came out with a Goods-branded tote bag to boot. The manager/barista took pride in telling me about their roastery and Goods obviously cares about delivering a […]
Coco Madness, Chatswood
Sometimes you’re just in a busy semi-urban Westfield with very few options, so I tried out Coco Madness because I wasn’t game enough to go to the Three Beans after my experience at their Broadway branch. But Coco Madness wasn’t exactly a fantastic alternative. Even in a small, the coffee was too milky. I could barely taste the coffee, so […]
Kellerman’s Cafe, Marrickville
Conveniently straddling both Enmore Park and the Annette Kellerman Aquatic Centre, I loved being able to order poolside while the toddler splashed and the baby whinged. My coffee was surprisingly good for a pool kiosk, as was the banana bread. I ordered chips and nuggets too and everyone was happy. Although none of it was especially remarkable, that wasn’t the […]
Bathers, Coogee
When taking the babies to the beach, I usually have enough to carry without stopping for a coffee and banana bread, but I managed to score a fantastic 4P free beach spot right next to this sunny little coffee kiosk on the street underneath Bathers Coogee. The coffee was Seven Mile and executed perfectly with a nice, rich flavour. There […]
Sub-Station Cafe, Alexandria
I’ve driven past this place so many times, but it’s strangely hard to get to since you can’t just pull up out front and the street parking in this semi-industrial location seems to fill up with semi-industrial vehicles. But inside the disused shell of Electricity Substation No. 152, Sub-Station Cafe is like a wonderfully refurbished little oasis, with the side […]
Cafe Blossom, Chatswood
You don’t go to Cafe Blossom for the coffee or the food – you go there because it’s right next to a huge indoor playground. The location is everything, and Cafe Blossom isn’t bad enough to force you to go somewhere else for anything better. With run-of-the-mill Mama Kaz banana bread and a coffee that was neither here nor there, […]
Elbow Room, Chatswood
Elbow Room used to be my local a very long time ago. They had a cool chef who was unusually good at executing homely cafe fare with a slight twist of elegance. I was pleased (and also slightly disappointed – I liked the guy) to see that he was still here after so many years. As well as having a […]