The wonderful waitress wowed me with her wit, wisdom, and willingness to give my request for a Magic Flat White a red hot shot. I'd never had one, she'd never heard of it (got the hot tip from Howard C, thanks Yelp!) but she went and done diddiliy got it made for me, a flat white made on a ristretto base, and it was maaaaahgical. She also dished up some raisin and fig toast and baby, this thing was a sensation, the figs went all caramelised when it got toasted and it was sweet and yielding and a bit charred and when basted up and slathered in butter it made me want to howl at the moon. I didn't though, largely because it was 10am. read more

Bar Contessa - Fruit & fig toast, delicious. - Restaurants Near Me - Balmain, NSW

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So I called this place to make a booking and the dude was all "we don't take bookings but come in 15 minutes before your group arrives and we'll work it out". Normally when I'm going out for a client lunch, that doesn't cut the mustard but after reading the reviews on this place, I took a leap of faith and trusted the phone dude. On the day, phone dude stayed true to his word and a table was put together and I looked uber organised when my party arrived. The wait staff are turbo attentive but not annoyingly so, coffee is almost forced upon you and you'd be a fool not to accept. If you only take one thing from this review, make it this: The coffee is good, no, wait, the coffee is grand. I had the B.R.A.T sambo, others had the cheese burger and eggs benedict (that's right, all day breakfast - FTW). Everyone raved about their meals and we all had another coffee before leaving. There were 5 of us, we drank bottled water and paid $120 which was freaking awesome. There's this big old rad mural on the left side wall, you can't miss it and don't want to - it made me want one in my house. The atmosphere is casual, organic and a teeny but grungy. The wait staff fit the atmosphere, their knowledge and professionalism makes it a no brainer for me to take clients here for a casual meeting. I love this place and will defo be back. read more

Bar Contessa - Sandwich noms. - Restaurants Near Me - Balmain, NSW

This is one of my favourite places to visit for breakfast, brunch or lunch in Balmain. The food is exceptional and the staff are lovely. When I lived in Balmain this place was definitely a regular spot for me. The owners make you feel welcome and remember you once you have been a few times. This I think is amazing and what you want from a regular brunch spot. There is a New York italian style twist on the food. One of the best parmys I have ever had. Actually I seriously can not fault any of the food here. Eggs always poached to perfection, chips mouthwatering and the meatball sub . Portion sizes are quiet big so you never leave hungry. There are also heaps of side options to add to your eggs and toast. Gf toast is also available. If your in Balmain and want a satisfying and amazing meal I suggest you head to bar contessa. A must if you are in Balmain read more

Bar Contessa - Specials - Restaurants Near Me - Balmain, NSW

Happy mornings begin at Contessa Balmain! There is even an outdoor table for you if you want to bring your furry friend! Dog Lovers, rejoice! This funky café is family owned and operated thus quality is never compromised! Order the frogiccino with your Italian brunch and it will get you grinning so big! Who could resist looking at this cute little drink? Such a crowd-pleaser! read more

Bar Contessa - Restaurants Near Me - Balmain, NSW

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A stroll away from the busier part of the Balmain Darling St strip near Woolies, Bar Contessa has a nice outlook onto the Town Hall and Library. This cool little cafe offers something a little different from the others in Balmain. Good coffee, food and service come together with a chilled urban atmosphere to provide a relaxed haven for lunch or a catch-up and caffeine fix with friends. Coffee: Excellent and consistent. Good strength and aroma and no bitter aftertaste. Food: Delicious, generous and well presented. The quality of the food is excellent and great thought has been put into the menu and care into the preparation and presentation. It tastes fresh and flavoursome and doesn't look like it was just thrown on the plate. Service: Prompt and friendly. I took a recommendation on the salad special (Grilled Chicken Pesto with Haloumi) and was not disappointed. Atmosphere: A raw urban look with dark colours, exposed brick and copper conduit for hiding lighting wires (nice touch) and a cool graffiti style mural. A cool spot to eat or catch up with friends over a few coffees. Overall: Excellent. I am honestly not sure how things could be improved. This little cafe is fast becoming a new Balmain favourite for me. read more

Bar Contessa - Contessa Salad - Delicious! - Restaurants Near Me - Balmain, NSW

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I had the breakfast burrito. Very flavourful. Light, but filling. Great atmosphere. Friendly wait staff. Looks like where the locals go. Will definitely be back. read more

Great service and tasty food. I would totally recommend this place. It has a variety of food and the staff were fun. The tasty food had me visit them three times read more

Contessa Balmain has been in Balmain for 24 years and 13 years under the current owner. What I notice first is the incredible friendliness and hospitable nature of the owner and staff. Truly felt welcome and had a fun time! That really makes for a great atmosphere. I'm a rarity at giving a 5 for a cafe, but this deserves it. The place has had a recent reno and styled much like the city cafes with the bronze pipes and hanging lights and little green flowers in vases on the table. The menu is extensive and has 4 icons to highlight the menu, cocktails, good, coffee. Starting with a cocktail (we are on holidays :), ordering a bloody mary and a bellini mimosa, what an awesome start to the day! Sort of feel like we're in NYC! In regards to food, We took some advice from the staff and went for the nutella brioche, corn fritters and breakfast burrito. Though you could order eggs, burgers, pastas and more if that takes your fancy. The breakfast burrito was a huge wrap filled with scrambled egg, chorizo, cheese, sauce and topped with guacamole, this was great! Also shared the corn fritters, which were less doughy than most places, which is a GOOD thing. You can actually taste the corn kernels. We chose bacon to accompany it, though you could get salmon or chorizo if you like. Then the mother of all sweet things, brioche french toast with nutella, toasted oats, coconut and this was insanely amazing. I'm not normally a fan of French toast as it's too eggy, but this was just right. Although I might need to run around the block a few times to work it off, it was worth eating! I then also got a little 'froggacino'. What is this, you may ask?? But a baby cino that looks like a frog! I loved it, even as an adult. All round top place and thanks for great service! read more

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The food arrives as we're discussing the coffee and suddenly it becomes hard to concentrate on anything else apart from the burger sitting in front of me! The Ultimate Bacon & Egg Roll $(14.50) really is just that. Hickory smoked bacon, fried free range eggs, caramalised onion, provolone cheese, house made tomato relish and mayo all on a brioche bun. Let me tell you, this may actually be one of the best bacon & egg rolls I've had. Ever. The bun is fresh, there's just the right amount of mayo and relish, the onions are cooked to perfection, and the hickory bacon is ah-ma-zing. This is definitely an indulgent breakfast, however lucky for me, we've also ordered the healthy Bruschetta ($13.50), so that should balance it out, right?! Overall: Great atmosphere, a cafe dedicated to delivering fresh ingredients and great coffee. Nice options for kids and the health conscious Price: Reasonable. Great portion sizes, takeaway sweets and toasties great option if you're in a hurry Taste: Fresh, great flavour combo's and tried and true menu items as well as modern additions. Decor: Very cool, urban vibe. read more

In a hazy hungover daze, BF and I padded out of bed this afternoon and down Darling Street, determined to try a different breakfast place. We stumbled into Bar Contessa. Excellent decision! BF immediately chose the spanish omelette special, and I was torn between the corn cakes with rocket, avocado and tomato salsa, and the deluxe bacon and egg roll. I asked the gregarious front of house barista who took our order for his recommendation. "Wow, they are both so good! Try the corn cakes, though. They're different." You could choose between a topping of hickory smoked bacon, Tasmanian smoked salmon, chorizo, or sauteed mushroom. I chose bacon. Two flat whites completed our order. Let's break it down: Coffees: some of the best on Darling Street, which is saying a lot. Ambiance: cozy, casual but sharp. Staff: attentive (but not overly), enthusiastic. Food: while the corn cakes did not come out with the promised tomato salsa and instead simply had chopped tomato, the presentation was beautiful. The corn cakes were crispily fried and unique in flavor. The only things I can fault them on would be that there was no tomato salsa and that bacon was totally unnecessary (and I LOVE bacon.) If I ordered it again, I would get mushrooms. A poached egg on top also would not go amiss. In my hungover state, I ended up being grateful for the corn cake recommendation as my tummy felt much better after a belly full of salad, avocado, and corn. BF's omelette was more of a frittata: open-faced, perfectly cooked (that is to say, not over cooked, but not runny either), creamy, chock full of delicious cheese, olives, roasted pepper and chorizo, again beautifully presented. It came with two large bits of sourdough toast and a dish of butter on the side. They also have several gluten free options, which as a dietitian I appreciate even if I happily devour gluten like its my job. All in all, for $44 for two it's a bit more than I like to spend on breakfast, even for Darling Street. Had to ding them a star for price. $19 for an omelette? $14 for a bacon egg roll? But the quality was certainly there. I will def be back to try the bacon egg roll- while snooping around I spied one of the sandwiches looking decadent and delish. The salads also looked yum. read more

Great coffee. Super friendly & attentive service. My boyfriend had the breakfast burrito which was both massive & delicious. The beautifully presented eggs benedict was a big disappointment as I discovered that the hollandaise sauce was pre-made :( I quickly recovered from my food depression though by helping my boyfriend out with his burrito (thanks babe) & ordering a second cup of coffee. Despite the below par hollandaise I'll definitely be back. read more

Bar Contessa - The amazing breakfast burrito & sub-standard hollandaise on a beautifully presented eggs benedict - Restaurants Near Me - Balmain, NSW

Had an amazing home-made meatball linguini that was made to perfection. As satisfying as it was, my eyes still wandered to the mouth-watering Tiramisu with the unmistakable Frangelico after taste. Not only was the food beautiful, the smiles, friendliness and service of the team at Bar Contessa did not miss a beat either. My whole family loved it and we will be back for dinner again. Also been there for breakfast and the "Rosa's Breakfast Bruschetta" was very healthy and delicious. They also make the cutest Baby Elmo Chino for our lottle ones that surely brings on extra smiles and laughter.See you again really soon guys : ) read more

Bar Contessa - We know great food and coffee. Join us and tell us what you think - Restaurants Near Me - Balmain, NSW

Where to start? Awesome vibe, friendly staff, great Italian/American inspired bites and frog eyed baby cinos - something for everyone. This is a brunch spot for us and the meals range from those that would fill a retired prop from the old Balmain Tigers to those who just want something light before shooting on down for a swim at the Dawn Fraser pools. Our three top picks are the breakfast burrito, corn fritters, and the breakfast bruschetta. At lunch have the chicken parmy and wash it down with a beer, wine or cider and enjoy the Darling street strip that Balmain is known for. Even if you are not after a meal this place is worth a stop for one of the best coffees in Balmain. The artwork inside is awesome and adds to the vibe of the cafe - just note that while they pack a lot of people in and you don't have to wait long for a table it is a tight space esp. If you are a large group. When it comes time to pay, because let's be honest this review has sold it to you, don't go past the choc chip cookies at the counter. Enjoy yourself and enjoy your meal at this place. read more

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This is by far one of the best cafes in Balmain. From the best coffee, to delicious food to the attentive staff and service that it extremely rare to find. This place is one in a million. Whether you are looking to grab a quick bite with coffee or a boozy brunch, this is the place to be! read more