Walking to the park this morning was like being on holiday – temperature well on its way to 30 plus, tropical humidity, and the smell of Moreton bay figs and bacon and eggs wafting through the air like an island resort’s breakfast buffet. I wanted nothing more than to be sitting down with an omelet and an OJ. Instead, I […]
Chill Cafe, Newtown
R Restaurant and Cafe, Camperdown
They don’t have a name. They don’t have a menu. The don’t really have anywhere to sit nor much going for them stylistically in their apartment-block-foyer location. So when the manager/barista asked me, “How’s the coffee?” I felt kinda bad how surprised I sounded when I said “Yeah, it’s actually really good!” I could taste the coffee. It’s kinda pathetic […]
Oh My Days, Glebe
Oh my days… I’d heard good things about this trendy vegan patisserie, and the goodies in the window looked absolutely tantalising. Give me some of that savoury danish please and a banana bread for science. Like Buddha Bowl, Oh My Days is proudly vegan-only, so I had to choose my milk substitute, and like Buddha Bowl, I was hoping it […]
Il Caffettino, Westfield Sydney
I almost didn’t see this cute little place, hidden underneath an escalator in the Westfield hidden underneath Sydney Tower. It had an old-timey Italian hole-in-the-wall style, so I was hoping it would be run by old-timey Italians serving classically rich espressos in tiny little cups. Unfortunately there was none of that, but the service was quick and I’m sure they […]
Swedish cafe, IKEA Tempe
Do all IKEAs have a cafe? I don’t mean the automatic machines where you press the button over your little pre-paid mug. I’m pretty sure they all have those. I mean a real-ish cafe, with an espresso machine and a barista (or two, this time), that will actually serve you a real coffee and a banana bread. The coffee was […]
Buddha Bowl, Newtown
Vibrant and welcoming, Buddha Bowl really brightens up the shady-looking intersection of Enmore Rd and Station St, where Newtown has pretty much ended but Enmore hasn’t quite kicked into gear yet. The interior decor is rustic but sleek with warm lighting and lots of indoor plants. The plants are tidy and tasteful (you’d be surprised how often I see them […]
Either Or, Newtown
I approached this place with a degree of optimism because it looked and sounded good. I was instantly impressed as I stepped inside and soaked up the minimal industrial decor, all polished concrete, steel and glass. Marring this sleek minimalism was a very prominent and unnecessary sandwich board: “For takeaway, please order from the right hand side of the counter” […]
Ferah, Newtown
While Ferah claims to be both a cafe and restaurant, it’s primarily a Turkish restaurant specialising in sit-down, banquet-style dining with gorgeous ambience and beautiful presentation. I felt a bit awkward walking into a restaurant to order a takeaway coffee, but the girl who served me and made my coffee was absolutely lovely – good service makes such a difference. […]
Sappho Cafe, Glebe
Sappho is a gorgeous vintage bookstore with a stunning courtyard and bar out the back with speckled shade, a lazy cat, live music… I could lounge around here browsing through the books and sipping on summery cocktails all day long. But not today because it’s a Tuesday, it’s raining, and I’m trudging along pushing 30kg of pram and children. The […]
The Front Room, Newtown
I’m just gonna come right out and say it: Allpress Espresso is the worst. If you use Allpress Espresso beans, for goodness’ sake don’t advertise it! That was Front Room’s first mistake. The barista actually did a really good job, leaving me a bit conflicted over whether or not to consider it an average 0, but no, it still had […]