I know I'm going to sound like every other gushing belieber on here but seriously, this cafe is too good not to 5 star. The spectacularly friendly Dan and Amanda make coffee, counsel on life's problems and serve delicious Sweet Lola desserts and Four Seeds treats to a community of locals, loyals and newbs they treat like part of the Ethel family. If you are going to browse or shop in this life size Etsy store you need to be prepared... When you arrive just order coffee, a chocolate salted caramel brownie and sit down at one of their nanna tables. Do not pass GO, or the 100 crocheted, wooden, ceramic tiled items of jewellery. Skip the ironic tea towels hanging on the wall or cards saying "If I were a zombie I'd totally eat your brains." Just sit down. Sit and enjoy your De Groot coffee or Scullery Made tea (served with a side of love and a chocolate freckle) in this peaceful, homely cafe and let your eyes initially do the browsing. Then when you've had a coffee hit you will have the strength and stamina required to begin your shopping expedition. Trust me, you will walk out of there with at least 1 gift for a friend or 3 treats for yourself. Walk off the main drag of Melbourne St and into this sanctuary of soul nurturing sweets and handcrafted treats and your heart will skip a beat too. read more

E for Ethel - All the coffees at this place are always so picture perfect! - Restaurants Near Me - North Adelaide, SA

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I'd heard a lot about E For Ethel and had wanted to check it out for a while, but hadn't managed to until today. I wasn't sure that it would live up to the hype--I mean, look at all these 5 star reviews! I am pleased to say that it did. Great staff, very friendly and helpful, delicious food and coffee and another place in Adelaide that make a great flat white with a shot of vanilla. Excellent! Our little group sat at the back table and chatted while we had our drinks and our brunch. The only real negative here (and it's a little one) is that the table wasn't cleared of our plates once we'd finished eating. And we stayed there for an hour after finishing our food, so that was a bit meh. Otherwise, E for Ethel is a nice little hideaway in North Adelaide and I can see why it's so popular and well-loved. Will be back for sure. read more

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A little haven tucked away on Melbourne St, this sneaky little cafe & gift shop is one of my favourite places in all of Adelaide - and it seems like a lot of people agree with me since their awards list is as long as my arm! Most notably in 2015 they were voted best cafe in Adelaide (The city Awards), #5 in the top 100 of best places to eat in Australia and best coffee in SA (both awarded by Yelp!) Apart from their amazing coffee and inventive menu, the owners Amanda and Dan are some of the loveliest people you will ever meet. They really make an effort to get to know their customers and their orders. Everyone who walks in the door is made to feel like a friend and I always feel more than welcome every time I visit. As well as food and drinks there is a great range of gifts here. Quirky and cool objects line the walls - think like a mini version of an Adelaide market! Lots of locally made and small batch businesses are stocked here and if you are looking for a specifically 'Adelaide' gift this is where to come - from tea towels to colouring books you will find the right thing. I love that I can eat brunch and do my gift shopping all at one stop! Ok, I know you want to know about the food.... My photos are the real evidence of its amazingness but trust me, everything on the menu is the right choice. The menu varies from the basic and delicious, like a bowl of nutri-grain, to the clever and ah-may-zing combination of sweet potato, mushroom, beetroot & feta in a warm salad. And of course, try the coffee. Heck, have 2 or 3. It's that amazing! Honestly, try everything on the menu at least once and you will likely find more than one reason to be back. And if you need a brunch buddy you'll find me there every Wednesday sipping amazing coffees and longing after all the awesome gifts!! read more

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You would never know that this café is here from the road. The first time I arrived, I was a little confused about it's location. Lucky there is a sign on the road that caught my attention. So be on the look out for a sign. Nestled in the back of a block of what seems to be offices and stores is E for Ethel. Super cute on the way in, the store is lined with all kinds of art, toys, home décor, candles, and goodies. E for Ethel offers not only amazing coffee and food, but also supports local producers and artists. It's a cafe for the community. There is a range of small tables set up inside, so this is cafe suited to smaller groups of people. The service is always with a smile and so welcoming. When you arrive you know exactly why Yelpers love this place. It is a very snap happy place. Eclectic, vintage, almost pop up feel. The cups, teapots and furniture are vintage and really impacts on your café experience. Coffee is very good. Lovely blend, smooth and tasty. Almost nutty. The barista here has his latte art perfected. Check out the photos! As for the food, I have actually never dined here. Which is a shame, as the pictures just look so good. Will have to do that soon! E for Ethel is a café to shop, dine & recharge. I really do love this place and recommend you check it out! read more

E for Ethel - Strong Flat white. The cookie in the picture was a gift from elsewhere - Restaurants Near Me - North Adelaide, SA

Adorable and fun place to hang out on an afternoon! After hunting around a bit on the street, we saw the little chalkboard sign and found the cafe under the alcove and other buildings. Walking in, I was immediately wowed by the gift shop and how cute everything was, and I started browsing the shop. After a while, I ordered a smashed avocado on rye. Except for the hardness of the bread, the flavor was amazing! My family got the salmon bagel, the sandwich, and mushroom bruschetta; everyone agreed that the bread component was a little crispy or tough but we all enjoyed the meals. The assortment of drinks we ordered (tea, mocha, cappucino, coffee) were all wonderful, and came with a little disk of chocolate. Overall, I got the impression that everything (from the dessert case to the tea service) was well thought out. Be advised that the menu is a bit on the small side and that it isn't directly on the street, but I can't help but give E for Ethel a 5 star review. read more

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Well, I'm going to add to E For Ethel's 5 star Yelp reviews ... it took me a while to get here, since it's not in my local area, but I have been wanting to come here for ages! As an artist, I try to support local artists whenever possible, and love buying handmade products - so that's why I was drawn to E For Ethel. We expected it to be super-busy, being late on a Saturday morning ... but I think the combination of voting day and the show kept the hoards away, which was great for our first visit! The decor is 70s, with a lot of retro tables and chairs and crocheted seat covers - cute! The music was not to my taste - but suited the decor (daggy 70s). It's a much larger space than I expected, the tables are nicely spaced out and there is plenty of room for the gifts/homewares. Coffee and cakes were served on (deliberately) mismatched retro dinnerware - the travel spoons and snippets of dictionary pages are a nice touch! I had a delicious soy latte and my partner and her daughter had homemade juices - the desserts we sampled were also delicious, mine was a salted caramel tart from Sweet Lola Desserts - mmmm! We bought a few gorgeous gifts from here too - there's a good selection of artisans represented here, many that can also be found at Bowerbird Bazaar. Service was excellent and friendly too! We will definitely be coming back here again - I'd love to sit down and do some cross stitch here on one of their crafty days too ;) read more

E for Ethel - Nommy salted caramel tart & soy latte ;) - Restaurants Near Me - North Adelaide, SA

Not only do I know they are AMAZING, but Adelaide is quickly understanding the awesomeness of E for Ethel - granting Amanda & Dan's E for Ethel "Best Cafe in the City" award - you little beauty! Having recently done a re-fit, Ethel's is still maintaining the personality and passion of the home-away-from-home feels, but with a bit more of a snazzy face - and some other faces behind the counters! Bearded dapper blokes and sweet and lovely lasses are helping expand the Dan & Amanda dream team, and they all fit in so well into the loveable mould of Ethel's. Don't hold back your hello's, infact, give more hello's away! Bring more friends and show more people what a place full of love and joy feels like! To gush further, the de Groote coffee is fruity and full of taste and made truly well, the Sweet Lola desserts are TO DIE FOR - so so good - the community of local people who lovingly create things for us all to peruse and purchase for friends (or mostly, for ourselves)... and not to mention the fact that you are warmly welcomed into the Ethel embrace... oh, I could gush for hours! So much love for this place! Do yourself a favour. If you have never been, do go (for brunch or lunch, morning or afternoon tea) - but be prepared that if you go at the 'perfect time' - everyone else in Adelaide might be there too---- (i'd book a table for Saturday & Sunday mornings!). And you know, maybe you'll see me there - either behind the scenes or occupying a table... read more

E for Ethel is just a little hidden so keep your eye out for it. Once you find it you will discover what a treasure this place is. It's more than a cafe, filled with distractions of artisan items available for purchase. Carefully selected and curated to only represent South Australian businesses and their beautiful handmade products. The cafe store itself is bright and airy, the decor consists of wooden tables with pops of colour from the chairs. Service is very friendly and welcoming. On to the menu! Coffee is good here so coffee lovers rejoice. Tea lovers also rejoice for their selection of Scullery Made Tea deserves a big thumbs up. For a bit of detox of health boost, they do some good juices and smoothies. I had a watermelon mint juice and it was so refreshing, just what I needed. You can already tell they are huge supporters of local produce so be assured they take pride and care in the quality of their food which are all rather healthy and organic I might add. The taste? Absolutely there. We were there for brunch so I ordered the Mushrooms Bruschetta and Prosciutto with Rocket and chutney on rye, it was a generous portion and absolutely delicious. I love sourdough bread anyway so win win win for me. It was cooked and seasoned perfectly while the chutney gave it that lovely sweetness. We also tried the Avocado, Quinoa Corn and Red Onion Salsa topped with feta on toasted rye which was light, fresh and uplifting. The servings are generous too. There are also salads, pancakes, sandwiches, toasties and bagels on the menu. This place is definitely worth a visit. More than that, it is worth returning to time after time! read more

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Cute, cute, cute! Great coffee too. A range of fresh juices and smoothies available, as well as some pretty tasty food. read more

E for Ethel - Restaurants Near Me - North Adelaide, SA

We stopped here as our first stop on the fair trade shopping tour. Mum and I were very impressed - what a cute little shop - would be hard to find if you didn't know about it. All the goods for sale are made by local artists and are absolutely adorable. I purchased a bib for the Boo. My coffee was amazing - and mum had a short black (which means bad coffee cannot hide) and she loved it! The menu looked amazing and all those cakes we will be coming back to try! I absolutely adored the apricot slice and goji berry brownie and the freshly squeezed juice was heavenly. Really enjoyed the talk from the owner about fair trade and she was very passionate about the cause. Would be nice to see the coffee beans that they use on sale as I would love to use them at home! read more

My favourite place in Adelaide. Wonderful coffee, tasty food and amazing staff!!! Also an amazing array of different, ever changing range of products for sale from earrings to cushions. Amanda & Dan are always there with a warm welcome and smile on their faces. This cafe/shop has such a welcoming at home feel that can only come from love and creativity. Whenever a friend comes from interstate or overseas, Ethel's is always the first place I want to take them read more

Decided the check out E for Ethel since it is on yelp's Top 100 places to eat in Australia. The place is located down in Melbourne Street, well known for its quaint restaurants and cafes. E for Ethel has a modern feel to its restaurant but also presenting a fresh appeal to its decor. Quite hard to describe but I definitely liked it. One of E for Ethel's philosophy is providing generous servings of the freshes ingredients, and I definitely saw that! A tripple stacked pancakes, loaded with fresh berries and mapple syrups, topped off with lemon sorbet! This is truly was comfort food is all about. If you havent already, E for Ethel is a must try. Totally agree with its place on Australia's Top 100. read more

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I'm giving 4 stars as I only tried the coffee and didn't get an opportunity to dig in this time. We were here for the beginning of a parklands tour so we decided to get a coffee prior to heading out. We were greeted by the friendly staff and ordered our coffee to go. The coffee was smooth and tasty, next time I will ask for extra hot but it was still a good temperature. The cafe is filled with gifts and various knick knacks to buy, my kind of cafe! I can imagine this being a great place to stop for gifts for Christmas. I will definitely be back and hopefully upgrade my review after tasting some food! read more

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It surprises me how gorgeous little owner operated places like this can get it so right when bigger establishments struggle with the bare basics. We've been here a few times for lunch and ended up doing a whole lot of gift shopping at the same time. First, I'll let you know about lunch. There are heaps of vegan options to choose from and because everything on the menu is made to order, non-vegan options can be veganised. Not only that bit when we ordered tea, I was given a vegan treat on my teaspoon while non-vegans get a chocolate freckle - 10 zillion points for attention to detail and caring. My bean salad and hummus and corn fritters were the bomb! Crispy fritters with a perfect balance of gutsy hummus and tangy lemon made me happy. The salad was fresh, crispy and full of flavour. You know when you can feel the love food is made with? This place nails it. The decor and crockery is funky retro, kinda like going to see my old tellies but the food is way better. While we waited for our lunch, we got lost in the perfectly displayed gifts. There's so much stuff in here, all eco, handmade and Aussie - the perfect philosophy. I can't fault this place, it's the sort of cafe that fills you with food and good feelings without emptying your wallet. It's like a top up of happiness every time I visit. read more

Another five star review here! There isn't much I can add that hasn't already been said in other reviews. I dragged my husband here for breakfast on Sunday (I literally made him walk 30 minutes for it!) because of all of the fabulous things I had heard & read. The food & drink selection were fantastic. I ordered a smoothie & museli while my husband had a coffee & toastie. While we waited, I browsed around at all of the gorgeous gifts, crafts & jewellery - I almost didn't want our order to come out so quickly so I could keep browsing! My museli was HUGE! I'm used to ordering museli at other places & I have the sad looking 'healthy' meal while everyone else gorges on the massive 'big breakfasts. Not here! My bowl was overloaded with delicious museli, fruits & yoghurt. I couldn't resist getting something to takeaway for later - we got some apricot balls (one vegan, one regular - love that both options were there!) and a four seeds brownie. Everything about this place is amazeballs. read more

IT'S LIKE FRANKIE MAGAZINE EXPLODED AND BECAME A CAFE YOU GUYS! I like E for Ethel. It's pretty much the opposite of a bland chain cafe: think homespun, mismatched furniture, old school board games, letterpress cards, quaint aprons, formica tables, 70s wallpaper and good coffee... and you'll come close to the vibe that is Ethel's. The owner is super lovely as well, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere from the second you peep in. read more

This is the friendliest place in Adelaide. Relaxing and gorgeous with coffee, juice, local wares on display for sale and a beautiful little snippet of information with your coffee! (De Groot!) E for Ethel has incredibly Adelaide-savvy and passionate owners. They individually greet each person as they walk in like old friends. They serve coffee with a chocolate freckle a quote and a smile. They have filled their cafe with local produce and local art, which gives opportunity to local creatives. It is only natural that they are opening their doors to be a part of the Adelaide Fringe in 2015! Watch out, Melbourne Street - this cafe is dominating with charm, delicious food and beautiful art. read more

As part of the Fair Trade Tour we were lucky enough to have morning tea at E for Ethel. What a wonderful little gem tucked away on Melbourne Street under the vines. We enjoyed a delicious coffee/tea of choice with freshly made Fruit and Nut Bliss Balls made completely with nuts, seeds, fruit and apple juice, old school CWA style Apricot Slice and Goji Berry and Coconut Brownies. I could tell there was not an excess (if any) added sugar as they all were delightfully not too sweet! I felt that was as good an excuse as any to try them all...twice! The shop is full of fair trade goodies, some made by local mums and dads, and small businesses, unusual and interesting. Definitely a place I would recommend for a casual catch up and a place to look for a different kind of gift for a friend! read more

Cute cute cute! A great place to pick up a quirky, vintage inspired or otherwise funky gift. Great coffee too. A must visit! read more

Seriously, I could spend sooooo much money here - coming here for coffee (or in my case, a smoothie) requires so much will power, but it's certainly worth the effort! A care crossed with a gift shop, this place is full of tempting goodies to eat, drink and adorn yourself with! I've tried a couple of the delicious fruit smoothies and can not fault a thing! Packed with so much gorgeous-ness and cute-ness I just wanna take everything home, from bags, to wallets, to jewelery and quirky stuffed toys, the wonderful e for Ethel is a fantastic hidden gem in North Adelaide! read more

BOOM! Five beautiful stars! Shout out to Chloe R. for introducing me. How could I have not visited sooner? This little gem really pulled my heart strings today. As soon as you walk in, you feel a warm, invisible hug from the humble and inviting atmosphere. It may not be the largest cafe, but it's not too small either, making it the perfect size for a comfortable and enjoyable experience. As soon as I sat down, I dived into the beautifully created menu filled with yummy and unique breakfasts, brunches, lunches, desserts and drinks. I grabbed the chocolate tea with a zesty orange spice which sounded glorious .. and damn right.. it exceeded every expectation I already have of tea (I'm a tea-fessional). It was served with milk and honey...AND.. ready for this? two freckle chocolates + a beautiful quote on the side. I don't know what was cuter? the fact that my chocolate and tea obsession was completely fulfilled or that the quote sent my brain buzzing! Either way, this place brought me pure happiness. The kind that only comes from experiencing new places, people and possibilities. I'll be back. Probably with my mum, because I have a feeling she'd adore the beautiful, locally produced arts and crafts available for sale not to mention everything else. Thank you E. See you soon! read more

E for Ethel - Restaurants Near Me - North Adelaide, SA

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Very - very nice salad and quirky decor. Had the roasted beetroot salad and the avocado, salsa, bbq corn salad - very yummy. Loved the carrot, orange and ginger drink - satisfying and polished the aura. -1 star: Bit of a shame about the dodgy chairs though, mine was missing screws on one side and had to be swapped (might have ruined the feng shui - sorry). Retro is ok, as long as it's comfortable and functional. read more

As we get old, ladies and gentlemen, there are certain things that fall out of our favour. Toys lose their appeal, and park-visits grow less and less anticipated, and it's not often an exciting prospect to have a night of board games. After all, the cool thing to do is to go get pissed and vomit into each other's mouths, no? I've never gotten tired of board games. As I've said above, I don't get as 'excited' for them, but when I've found myself in the midst of the action, I love it more than anything. It's like that television show you really, really like, though you never sit down with the express intention to watch it, but find yourself pleasantly surprised should you happen to find it's on. I'm fortunate enough to have a group of friends who enjoy a good board game here and there, and they had the grace to accompany me to E for Ethel on a Thursday night, as I'd heard about a board game night. That, together with some coffee and pastry, spliced together to make one of the funnest nights in recent memory. Definitely check it out. read more

Nostalgic & new, ethical Ethel is a joy to embrace. With a focus on local, sustainable, and handmade, this retail cafe is the perfect gift shop, tea house & community space all in one. Winning further cred, owners Amanda & Dan support community initiatives such as Suspended Coffee and the North Adelaide branch of the SA Country Women's Association. A must visit to support the locals who are supporting the locals. read more

My all time favourite EVER cafe! Ethel's ticks all the boxes: warm and welcoming, local and recycled, gifts and art, amazing de groot coffee, positive and bubbly service and a strong community focus. Enjoy perusing the shelves and sitting down to a scrumptious lunch with a friend (or a book!), or pick a cheeky four seeds brownie and take away latte to whisk off with you - either way you'll be impressed with this sweet and peaceful oasis tucked beneath the glistening green vines of the Melbourne street gardens complex. read more

What an amazing menu. I would happily try anything from here and that is really saying something. I love the ethos of this place. All fresh and local food. Giftware available from local artists. The place is amazing. Tucked away you could easily miss it but it is worth the hunt. I had the savoury bagel which was amazing, Camembert, tomato and avocado on a fresh bagel. read more

Easily the best cafe I've been to in Adelaide. Passion for coffee = tick. Welcoming atmosphere = tick. Delightful staff = tick. There a tiny little details in the way they serve their food and beverages that show how much thought and care go into this place. Love. read more

Sorry guys, just don't like this coffee and there is just too much crochet and knitting going on here. I had great expectations following the five star reviews, expecting a Funky Freo style buzz... However, the visit left me flat. Ps I actually do knit and can crochet, but I don't see why a cafe should feel like a 70's tearoom. read more

What a quirky little oasis we found to quench our thirst for oddly endearing cafes! Hidden like a toy in a cereal box amongst a plethora or north adelaide trendy shops and cafes I needed to seek it out! Inside was full of delights and acted like a giftshop for the hip, had to restrain myself from buying all the terreriums jesus christ I love terreriums, shove a succulent in a jar and I will buy it, so very dangerous environment for my wallet... anyway The food was brilliant, the salad plentiful and the coffee came with an Ace Ventura quote, similiar to a fortune from a cookie it told me everything was going to be "allllllllrighty then" haha see its these touches, with the chocolate freckle I gifted to the boyfriend, that make me so happy to have yelp to direct me to such magical hidey hole places. Im aware you get a free gift for checking in but honestly I just wanted to throw my money at these guys for doing such an awesome job, seriously cool place I'll be visiting again. Awesome owner, good coffee, fresh food and juices the hunt was worth it! read more

E for Ethel - Yasss - Restaurants Near Me - North Adelaide, SA

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E for Ethel is so welcoming and cosy. The service is brilliant, it's always really nice to be greeted by the owners who are passionate and enthusiastic about their coffee, food and products. I love the vintage crockery and teacups that goodies are served in, Ethel's is visually beautiful and interesting and is my most favourite cafe! read more

This is a lovely little cafe tucked away on Melbourne Street in North Adelaide. I first visited 4 years ago to attend a Learn to Crochet class so it has very special memories for me. They are still very craft friendly and don't mind a few knitters and crocheters spending all afternoon there getting our craft on over a few pots of tea and cake! Excellent range of small cakes and teas are available and they make great coffee, always accompanied with a little complimentary biscuit on the side. I love how its all served in shabby chic/retro plates and teaware. Also available for sale are a range of lovely handmade homeware, giftware and small artworks from many different local crafters and artisans. If you are looking for a quiet spot to have an excellent cup of coffee on Melbourne Street, please check out E For Ethel! read more

Nice cozy cafe. This place is quite charming and offers great coffee and yummy food. Service is quite nice and the people are super friendly. They serve all day breakfast. read more

E for Ethel - Great coffee and food - Restaurants Near Me - North Adelaide, SA

I loved the vibe. Very charming decor and homey atmosphere. Warm, friendly, personal customer service. They catered to my friend's little one who needed a high chair. I'm a maker, so the hand crafted items they had for sale were great to browse through. It's the perfect place to find a unique gift. I had the beetroot spinach salad which was fantastic. And the iced coffee which had the freshest cream I've ever had. A great experience. I'll be back. read more

Located in the 80s built little mall off Melbourne st. Friendly service and good coffee. Cakes very tasty and fresh although my lime and ginger tart lacked flavour. Large range of gifts just a bit girly for me. Very nice cold tea and juices. Didn't try the savouries but they look good. Large range of interesting jars that they serve drinks in. For me there are better Cafes around. read more

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Highly recommended. Friendly staff with food for all tastes & dietary requirements. Fab coffee!

Love me some E for Ethel coffee what I love even more is the chilled vibe and moseying around the locally made goodies available for sale. It's basically like attending the Gilles Street Markets with better coffee and not waiting for a random Sunday or spending 30 mins finding a carpark. The odds and ends tea cups and saucer make me feel like an old friend. People think Melbourne street has nothing to visit anymore, well surpass the lion and cibos and head on down the the secret of E For Ethel hidden away from the street and relax and maybe buy a gift for yourself or well yourself.... read more

Blink and you will miss it. Secretly tucked away from Melbourne Street, E for Ethel is a cool coffee shop with a split personality. Not only does it provide all the conventional goodies that most cafés do such as meal options and some good coffee, but this shop also dubs as a hand made gift store. The items sold are unique gift ideas, which are local and Australian made. The whole store also conveys somewhat of a storybook influence, with lines for the Disney tale Bambi served along side the coffee. Many small details and lots of efforts have notably gone into this store, where the owner is very sweet. Sealed with a retro feel, this place is a great option when you crave something a little left from centre rather than your mainstream Cibo. Take a look for yourself. Their promise is that it is worth the effort. Ps. Thursday night is games night. Get your scrabble words pumping. read more

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My lovely local crafty cafe. Great hosts and interesting crafty stuff everywhere. Beautiful coffee and mum's '60s kitchen table. read more

Listening to Amanda and Dan welcome everyone into the cafe/shop as if they are their friends. It's so nice to have lovely people around like that.....that go above and beyond normal service read more

E for Ethel - Loving my time here. With someone very special. - Restaurants Near Me - North Adelaide, SA

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Ethel uses locally roasted (Port Elliot) De Groot beans which give a lovely smooth rich blend. A little tucked away but worth the search!