The cafe is located on the corner of a quiet residential neighborhood, and even though I stress the…read moreword quiet, this place was bustling when my husband and I stopped by at 11 on a Sunday. A crowd outside the place consisted of many eager to get their hands on delicious foods everybody raves about. We weren't sure where to tell them our names to put us on the list of people waiting for a table, so we ended up in the "to go" line until we grabbed a waitress to do so. There were already people behind us in line that grabbed that waitress ahead of us, which was a little annoying, but the wait wasn't too long. I wish they had a better system for dropping names for people who want to dine in. Anywho, once we were seated, we were able to order fairly quickly, but our drinks were pretty slow to come out- essentially our food came out at the same time as our coffees. The Arabian eggs I had and the big breakfast my husband had were both delicious; no complaints there. The chili peppers in the Arabian eggs were impressively spicy, which ngl is hard to get me to say as a Korean. Staff were nice, but I wish it was a bit more organized in terms of ordering/giving our names. Two different girls asked us for our drink orders, and I saw the girls touch dirty dishes/napkins and clear them in the kitchen and then come and deliver foods and coffee without washing hands... a little upsetting to see. Overall, great food and coffee, but disappointed by staff and organization. I'd come back, but probably not the first place I'd suggest for a weekend brunch.

Annandale, in Sydney's inner-west, had me at hello with her rows of terrace houses and she woo'd me…read moremore with the lure of lunch at Revolver. Housed in what was meant to be a hotel back in the day, this cafe is bustling and I'm told by my local living friend, often lines out the door on weekends. When we arrived there was no wait and we were seated straight away. The staff were friendly and polite. It's a smaller space but they make the most of it with a home-y interior. It's warm, inviting and too easy to spend a lazy afternoon here. There's an all-day breakfast menu with all the usual suspects and some stand outs like the lamb bruschetta. I was lucky enough to sample this from one of our lunch party and would definitely order should I return. On this occasion, I ordered the lamb kofta special with natural yogurt, quinoa and coriander. It was a suitably filling and soul hugging meal of comfort and everything was balanced to perfection. The coffee was strong and easily drinkable. There's a range of gluten free cakes should you not be feeling like lunch and most of the menu items can be made gluten free. The kitchen here may be small but from our experience it's certainly not limiting what they're serving!

To say that I have found the best cafe in Westleigh is likely to be correct. To say that I have…read morefound the only cafe in Westleigh may also be correct. :-) Though honestly... the coffee I had here was certainly on par with or better than the average cafe you'd find in the CBD of Sydney. The crema was better than decent, and it had the perfect amount of milk. About the only issue here was that the coffee was over espressed, and as such, was a bit watery. Still, when all is said and done, if you are in need of coffee, this is your best bet in this region. Cafe Summary ------------------------ Passion for Coffee - 6/10 Coffee beans - Bellaroma Crema (1=burnt, 10=velvet) - 7/10 Special coffees avail? - N/A

We have been shopping at Westleigh since the Centre opened but being so close to home have never…read morefelt the need to have lunch there. We changed that philosophy yesterday and had lunch at Cafe n'More. Both of us were so impressed with our meals. Both were super fresh, well prepared and nicely presented. The staff were very friendly and nothing was too much trouble. I have to say the milkshakes were the best we have had in years. Lots of it and icey cold - the way they should be.

Stumbled on this lovely little spot and glad we did. Clearly…read morebusy with locals, prams about and lots of mums and kids, but wow what a great looking menu. I could not resist the sausage roll, and it was spectacular! She had the quiche, which was also excellent. The accompanying salad was amazing, I think it had candied dried tomatoes or something in it - awesome!! Coffee, also most excellent. A winner!!

The quintessential inner west weekend brunch spot. Pig and the Pastry has been a recent discovery…read morefor me and I keep coming back for more. It's a fairly decent sized space with some seating outside, being right next to a public park is good and bad for parking. The service is always friendly and accommodating depending on your group size, probably best to call ahead of time for large groups as its big enough to be a cafe but not large enough to be classified a restaurant in Sydney. All the produce used in the food is fresh and most likely of organic origins (which I'm guessing on the decor and vibe). Simple and clear menu has some classics like a Chicken Schnitzel but done with a humble salad and chipotle that transports your tastebuds. Breakfast has some healthy-ish options but these are taken in consideration with the core component of the meal. Take the Bacon and Egg Roll, it's served as a burger and the barbecue sauce commands the dish. Cakes and pastry is sold as eat-in and take away items (which change every so often), coffee and milkshakes as well. The gingerbread is a favourite of mine - super refreshing for the sinus. At the end of the day, this is a humble little place that 's rustic feel and pastel interiors make it feel homely and the food cements this feeling. A place to return for sure.

First things first: what a brilliant name for a cafe…read more It was this delightful name, along with the promise of Toby's Estate coffee that made me try Spilling the Beans. Crammed amongst Clarence Street offices, this cafe is more like an oasis, with the San Pelligrino bottles lining the floor to ceiling glass frontage providing a brightly fresh green glow. I visited in the late afternoon, well after what I'm sure is a bustling morning and lunchtime trade. The staff looked a little surprised to see me in fact, but they quickly kicked into gear and rustled up a scrummy oregano chicken panini. The skim cap definitely didn't disappoint either. CBD cafes can be so hit and miss, which makes me very pleased to know that I can stroll down Clarence Street for good coffee and a late lunch. That's worth spilling the beans about.

In the midst of all the many cafes that line the streets of the CBD it's always nice to find a café…read morethat exceeds your expectations. Spilling The Beans is just that. It has been opened for a bit, but I know I've walked past it many times without a try (I'm usually getting my coffee just a couple of doors down. I'm glad I did give it a try because this is a 4 star café. Let me explain my star rating: 1.It's location. It's no more than 100 meters from my parents gallery and around the corner from the QVB and David Jones so that's one star. 2. The coffee is solid and I've seen them advertise $2 takeaway happy hour (that's another star). 3. Good clean décor and the sandwiches and food items are pretty spot on (so one more star). 4. I do have to give it up to the staff. They are always really friendly and quick. A big plus when your hungry or need a coffee (usually the case when your walking in the CBD. So four stars it is. I'd give it another just for the name itself, but the café has the real goods to give it a great reputation.

My aunt took me here and told me this place is really popular. I agreed to it for family…read moreobligations sake. It's located in the center of a really cute garden so the view is nice when things are in full bloom. We were able to get a table right away and sat in the corner of the cafe. CHAI This drink was disappointing. It was way too sweet for my liking. I didn't taste much chai because the sugar was overpowering. The consistency was smooth, but flavor needs more work. STRAWBERRY MILKSHAKE This milkshake was way too sweet and not the fruity strawberry sweetness, but sugar sweetness. I had one taste and I just left it for my cousin to finish. I didn't like it at all. MUSHROOMS ON TOASTED SOURDOUGH- poached eggs and house made hollandaise sauce My aunt ordered this for me and told me it was very popular. Honestly, this dish was a disappointment. I liked the flavor of the earthy mushroom and the meaty texture of it, but with the eggs, and the hollandaise sauce, everything was pretty bland. I needed more flavor and I wasn't getting it. The sourdough was crisp and added some texture to the dish, but other than that this dish was a let down and very lackluster. HARVEST BIG BREAKFAST- bacon, baked tomato, roasted mushrooms, beef sausages, roast potatoes, wilted baby spinach, and eggs This dish was a bit better than the first. I liked the different textures on this dish and the roast potatoes really complemented the meats on the dish. The egg was poached so it made things creamy and runny when you cut into it. The sausage was meaty and flavorful and the mushroom was earthy, which complemented the acidic tomato. The bacon was a let down because I like my bacon fatty and this was not the case, it was more of a chewy texture than a crispy one. Sorry-not-sorry, but american bacon is the best there is. Overall, everything was at the most okay, but most was not to my liking. There needs to be more spice and flavor to these dishes. I left hungry and very disappointed.

Amid the flora at the Bonnyrigg Garden Centre, you can find Cafe Harvest. This spot is a regular…read morespot for me on weekends. My top breakfast/brunch picks would be; 1) Cafe Harvest French Toast: stacks of thick, fluffy Brioche French Toast, soaked in Syrup and topped with fresh creamy Ricotta Cheese, Mixed Berry Compote and sprinkled with Toasted Almond Flakes 2) Pesto Sourdough with Field Mushrooms & Goats Cheese. Cafe Harvest offers a good variety and food & drinks are pretty good. However, the good news stops there. What negates Cafe Harvest away from being an exceptional cafe is the customer service and wait time. On one we waited close to 1.5 hours in line for a table of two, even though from visually spanning the cafe there were at least 5 empty tables/spots. We were told by staff they were for bookings, however while waiting the 1.5hrs the tables were still unoccupied. We needed to prompt staff several times until at last we were seated on the same table we sighted empty for more than 1 hour. Staff need to be better trained to understand logistics of seating customers, clearing tables and just providing Great Customer Service! Smile more, be more accommodating and the customers will return! Food/drinks 4/5 Location/Ambiance 3.5/5 Service 2.5/5

I am lucky enough to live in the mecca of great hipster cafes in Sydney... Marrickville…read more And now, I have to announce that we have found the best one. It is... Illi Hill. Yup. Sorry. I had one of the best cafe breakfasts ever in life, and as a newly converted pescatarian, hanging on by a thread, forever conflcted between my carnivore tastebuds but philosophical angst over factory farming... I have to say... I think I will have to eat the Illi Hill burger at some stage. I almost cried tears of joy when I saw a pair of them perched on the counter, ready to be dispatched to two very lucky lunchtime diners. Those burgers looked absolutely incredible. I am not exagerrating one bit! And then, also on the menu, ricotta buttermilk hotcakes that I will have to try at some point... soon! I've had a freshly baked ricotta and blueberry muffin from them, which needless to say, was pretty delicious. The cafe standard in Marrickville is very, very high and these guys have dfinitely met it, and even raised the game! Really great little spot, through and through. And they're so nice! Haven't even mentioned that, but yup... super friendly and thoughtful too.

Had the burger! Was delicious! Well presented and filling, chips are proper potato cut…read more The restaurant is nicely decorated, bit Art Deco hipster. Staff are super friendly and good!!!

This cafe warrants a 4 mostly on the cheapness of the meals. It was nice for a quick brunch and…read moresuper cheap, which is hard to get in the east. I went with a few friends for an early brunch. 1 person wasn't too hungry and ordered a passionfruit muffin which was fresh with actual passionfruit and apple inside, not just a compote or something. Another friend ordered the savoury mince, on fresh sourdough bread with spinach and a poached egg - for $8 that is incredible. My other mate and I weren't too hungry so ordered ours takeaway but looked so good, we ended up eating it. He got zucchini fritters with rocket and poached eggs and I had the quinoa salad with spinach, fetta, pumpkin, pine nuts and a balsamic dressing. Really yummy. My friends got fresh juices and I had a really nice chai latte. Not too fancy but great for a quick bite to eat.

Food was a disappointment, so was the coffee. Two stars max…read more.. Fish n Chip: Tasteless tartar sauce, overfried fish. BOO Salt & Pepper Calamari: Poor, thin batter, falling off the calamari. BOO Latte : Had a hint of burnt taste, yucks. Service was good. But with three strikes, I do not see myself coming back. B.O.O

Cafe Ella in Darlington has some tough competition in its neighbourhood, and I think it's going to…read moretake a lot of work before it can pose any kind of threat. As we walked in we were notified by the friendly waitress that there were no menus on the tables. This in itself would be fine, except that the menu written on the chalk board at the front of the cafe was scrawled almost illegibly, and with no order whatsoever - breakfast items were hidden amongst lunch items, and figuring out exactly what was on offer was an effort in itself. Thwarted by the challenge, we opted instead for one of their cakes, which was nice enough. The coffee was average, and when we asked if they took Eftpos, we were informed that they did not, and that the nearest ATM was a 15 minute walk away. The problem with Cafe Ella lies not only in its haphazard menu, but more so in the fact that it can't beat its competition. With the bustling Shortlist cafe only two doors down, any passer-by would look at the dreary, empty Cafe Ella and suspect that they must be doing something wrong. Whilst we decided to give them a go in the spirit of trying somewhere new, I know where I will be heading next time I'm in the area and it won't be to Ella.

I read the last review and felt instinctively like I need to defend Cafe Ella!…read more Rachel C. is right about the coffee -- it's Vittoria, and not amazing. It's not bad though, it sort of depends on who the barista is on the day. (Denise is great.) I will say this for Ella: it's super friendly, and the chalk-board menu is iconic (same as its sister cafe, Cafe Giulia). The menu is not as extensive as Cafe Giulia, but given the kitchen is small, they do a good job. Cafe Ella's servings of food are always generous, messily presented, and fresh. The muffins and cakes are rich and delicious, and they do a good blueberry bagel with ricotta. They don't have Eftpos, but there's a pub 1 minute away with an ATM. Cafe Ella is not as self-consciously trendy as one of its neighbours, Shortlist, but the staff at Ella make an effort to remember your name (and your coffee order). Cafe Ella has a lovely, quiet upstairs area and they're happy for you to sit there and read for hours. It's a place where you can feel at home.