Surry Hills certainly has its fair share of coffee shops, but then again I probably shouldn't be all that surprised considering that we are talking about inner Sydney. Anyway, this is another one that I had stumbled upon as I was making my way around the inner city, or at least one of the Suburbs. The staff, not surprising, were great, and the certainly made an awesome pot of tea as well. Another good place to spend a quiet morning with a book. read more

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THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE. One Best Barista in Australia, that is. And Orto has her: Lou Hunt. If that's not enough to get you caffeine-jacked macchiato-fiends skittering over to the back bit of Sluzza, I don't know what will. My piccolo was so good I slammed it down like a tequila shot and wiped my mouth with the sleeve of my freshly dry-cleaned biznizz shirt, stains be damned This place nails the decor, too. It's light and sunny and open and outdoorsy and it makes me feel like a better person than I probably am. Would be great for hangovers. read more

Orto Trading Co. - The perfect setting - Modern Australian Near Me - Surry Hills, NSW

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After some research in this Surry Hills area, Orto Trading have proved to be champion in the morning coffee experience. Taste: nutty, smooth and delicious, Just how I like it. Service: Uses your name, compliments your clothes and obliges you with (a lot of) extra cocoa dusting when you ask. Price: 50c less for a large soy coffee than those nearby A Good spot for a quieter catch up or a client meeting. I also enjoy their tasteful use of yellow and turquoise. For sure going to come back and see how they fare in the food stakes. read more

I am giving this place a 4 because the food was a 6 but I found the service and atmosphere to be more of a 2.5. When we arrived we ordered our coffees but somehow they forgot mine and it took quite a while for me to get anyone to come over. I actually stood up at one point to try and wave to someone as they were so busy they couldn't see me looking at them from my seat. It was very loud, I think there is a bit of an echo in there so we kept having to tell each other to speak up. Winging out of the way, the food was amazing! We ordered the Fried Chicken Eggs benny and that is a must. The chicken isn't too crunchy which was my worry and the hollandaise was delicious and the eggs were perfectly cooked. My friend had the Hash which was more of a salad which was kind of a nice twist. The potatoes in it were unreal although I was glad it was her dish and not mine. My other friend ordered the hot cake special that came with ricotta and passionfruit and it was also delicious. We were disappointed that a lot of the items we wanted were on the lunch menu so we will have to go back. read more

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I headed to Orto Trading Co. for the free wifi to get some work done. The space is very bright and open with a few individual tables as well as a couple large communal ones. I ordered an iced long black and the waitress seemed annoyed that I wasn't getting anything else which surprised me. When my drink got to me it looked nice but appeared to have milk in it, and when I started drinking it I realized it had some kind of chocolate syrup in it. I may be back as it is a nice place to work, but I'd hope the service is a little more friendly and will probably double check my drink when I order it. read more

Orto Trading Co. - cafe interior - Modern Australian Near Me - Surry Hills, NSW

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Orto is next door to my office and had a few lunch there. The space is beautiful with outdoor sitting options and a nice vibe in the cafe. There are both all day breakfast options and lunch specials from 11.30 onwards. Yesterday we went for the smoked eggplant and gnocchi dishes (both 18-19$). Both plates looked great and tasted yummy and fresh, but the portion sizes...well they could definitely be a bit more generous ! I only had 6-7 gnocchis in my plate that was mostly covered with heirloom cherry tomatoes... So overall good food but not so great value and there are heaps of other options next door to try...although I cannot talk about the cage that is supposedly great there ! read more

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It ticks all the boxes; the place has good ambience, decor, and clientele in an open space. It serves some mean looking food and good looking coffee, plus it's open during the holidays. Well the coffee was pretty damn good...no qualms here. This place is good to catch up with a friend or to have a cup of coffee with a client/first date before moving onwards. The food...the food looked good and the menu was promising, but the execution wasn't completely there and it's on the pricier side. My southern chicken eggs benedict was dry and overcooked, same went for the sloppy joe. I'd be willing to try out the more traditional breakfast/brunch menu items but after this food experience I'm in no rush. read more

Orto Trading Co. - Sloppy joe (yesterday's chilli) - Modern Australian Near Me - Surry Hills, NSW

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The ambient was beautiful. But staffs there were not very welcoming.... No one came to us to give us some advices or asked if everything was ok. It was ridiculous that hash 2.0 even worse than two years ago. Avocado was paste like not fresh slices. The whole dish looked very cheap but the price was so hi. Ham was so salty! I was surprised such restaurant could sustain. Well, it is Australia. read more

Orto Trading Co. - A downgraded Hash 2.0. - Modern Australian Near Me - Surry Hills, NSW

I went to Orto for a birthday dinner, which was a party of 15 people. The birthday girl chose the restaurant based on its glowing reviews on websites and from friends. The decor is minimally rustic in side and out. I liked the various pots of herbs and greens scattered around the exterior. The menu changes seasonally and we were offered the winter selections, which were welcome on a chilly night. After getting our drinks, we began to order the food. A variety of appetizers were placed on the table, which were pretty tasty. The deep-fried cauliflower may have bee the best I've had and the salmon entrée was great. When it came to mains, I decided to split the whole glazed duck and the spatchcock with two others. Many of the plates arrive cold and weren't particularly memorable. While the restaurant was full and we were a large party, I, as well as others, found the service to be a bit sluggish and amateurish throughout the night. Our waiter had to be reminded repeatedly who ordered what, which became annoying after the third time. It took quite a while for the mains to come, perhaps an hour after we finished our starters. One bothersome part of the night was when we were asked to move inside at 10PM (these noise regulations in Sydney are super annoying). They set up a table that only accommodated 10 people, leaving 5 people to stand on the sidelines when the cake was served. After being displaced to the inside, I found it unacceptable not to set up adequate seating, especially for the price range of the restaurant. Considering that we had heard nothing but inflated praise about this place, it was somewhat of a disappointment. read more

Orto Trading Co. - Modern Australian Near Me - Surry Hills, NSW

I'm a big fan. Some friends and I booked a dinner here on a Sunday evening and while it was jam-packed and we didn't get our reserved table until 20 mins after the reservation time, it was clear that the reason things were behind was because people simply don't want to leave. And to be honest, neither did we! The shabby chic decor and outdoor seating options make Orto a very warm and welcoming spot. In fact, it was recommended by a friend and when I happened upon the restaurant from a block away I thought, "Oh that better be where we're eating!" And lucky for me, it was. The food focuses on modern European cuisine. While most plates are small and are designed to be shared, I definitely had to order myself the Haggis and Trout Wellington. I recall one friend (who is a self proclaimed picky eater) had the pork chop and raved about how everything was to tender. The food was outstanding. Sharing plates and hogging some of my own, I could barely get enough. Watch out though because the prices are just steep enough that you don't want to go overboard here. And what's a meal without a huge jug of boozey goodness? When trying to decide on individual cocktails from the menu we spotted the Bantam Jug. This was basically a carafe of dark rum, orange juice, passion fruit and mint, topped off with red wine. Thinking all of these ingredients sounded great independently, we were curious to see how they worked mixed together. The result? Delicious! We ended up ordering a second jug just to be sure ;) And last of all, pulling together what could have been a 4-star experience thanks to having to stand and wait in a cramped space for 20 mins when we'd reserved a table, Orto won me over with their straws. Yes - drinking straws. To drink out boozey punch we each got a cute little mason jar with a blue and white striped paper straw. It was so adorable I just had to take a photo! read more

Because of the child, we've reached that point in our lives when we're out brunching before noon. We're morning people now whether we like it or not. The cool part about being morning people is having lots of tables to choose from at restaurants before it gets crowded. Not sure this place can ever feel that crowded with all the light and the indoor and outdoor seating. Food was good. We ordered specials off the paper while we ordered off the menu for the kid. The kid's plate looked great but we cleaned ours up while he picked at ours. I got passionfruit hot cakes with ricotta while my lumberjack had something with salmon, greens, and a poached egg. read more

Lovely brunch place with a great patio and ambience. We ordered the fried chicken and egg and the Spanish baked eggs. The fried chicken and egg was amazing! The chicken wasn't too oily and the eggs were perfectly poached... Let's just say there goes my diet. Spanish baked eggs were also delicious with a good kick in it (chilies with chorizo). We arrived at 10am on a Saturday and were pleasantly surprised that wasn't a line compared to Bills which we went past that had a line around the block. However, there was a line of about 4-5 groups when we left so make sure you get there early enough to beat the hungover masses! read more

Great weekend brunch place. The juice's are the best I've had in Sydney and the Wagyu burger and the goats cheese olive breakfast choice with a side of crispy bacon just delicious! If you have a big group this is the place. Big tables that seat a decent group and we've never had to wait too long for a table. read more

Really loved my dining experience here- I went with a big group of girls and we all had a great time. The menu has a mix of breakfast and brunch options and what I appreciated the most was that they had a mix of healthy and indulgent options as well. I went with the "hash"- a potato latke topped with ham, tomato, avocado and a poached egg. It also comes with asparagus on the side as well as a rocket salad. Fresh and fantastic and just the right amount of food to fill you up! The other winner on the table was the Southern Chicken eggs benedict- it uses their homemade english muffin and is topped with a generously breaded chicken breast and hollandaise sauce. Decadent, yes, but also freakin fantastic. My only gripe would be that it's more expensive to do a basic egg/bacon/avocado breakfast ($20) vs doing any of the specialty mains (both the hash and chicken were around $16). The service was also great; any staff that can put up with a group of giggly girls gets my vote! read more

Orto Trading Co is one of the many new restaurants to fling open its doors in Surry Hills in recent months. And unlike the flood of Latin American influenced places, Orto has gone for shabby chic, wooden classic style, with some funky touches. The decor is really nice, the ambience is good and the little popcorn buckets are a cute and tasty touch. The food is good but it's not really anything to write home about. Don't get me wrong, it was all very tasty but there was nothing really standout. Given Orto is occupying the pricer end of the scale I wanted to it be a memorable dining experience, it was good not spectacular. The 10pm migration inside is slightly irritating but the bar is lovely and quite a nice spot to sit. I think Orto is still finding its feet and hopefully will get better with time and age. read more

Have you ever felt cheated after waiting forever for a table at a much hyped-up restaurant and the food turned out to be barely mediocre and then you hated yourself for wasting your time for nothing? Orto Trading Co is the exact opposite. I was surprised that there were no queues on both of our recent weekend visits given the overall well-rounded-ness of this cafe. Look, they even have scotch eggs! read more

Orto Trading Co. - Scotch eggs. - Modern Australian Near Me - Surry Hills, NSW

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One of the best spots in Surrey Hills hands down. I love the amount of thought that has gone into the decor and menu. Little things like the planted pots of herbs outside to the shabby chic tables & chairs. I was very impressed with the service and menu. You could tell a lot of thought and time and effort was put into the menu. Loved the free truffel popcorn and the pork was to die for! I have also had breakfast there...I went for my standard eggs benedict...which most certainly did not let me down. Love this place. I am a fan and will most certainly be coming back! read more

Are you a brunch enthusiast? Looking for a GREAT coffee? Hungover and don't want to have to think very hard about what you're doing before you get some food and a beverage? You should check out Orto. Great location, very accommodating for groups of any size, and GREAT brunch food. The inside is bright and airy, and there is plenty of patio seating if you prefer to take in the natural air. I had a simple dish--tomato, avo toast--and was still really impressed with how they jazzed up something so basic. I went with family on a holiday, but will definitely be back when hungover. read more

Orto Trading Company sits in the little foodie alcove of 38 Waterloo Street. A couple of girlfriends who work nearby have commissioned me to meet them for an overdue catch up. I oblige of course both of them unaware that I have wanted to come here for some time and as we eat I'm nodding my head in agreement to their conversation however analysing and reviewing everything within Orto Trading Company. Because everything is simply left of centre without the recent seen polished finished try hard. This is not at all a slight at all the new openings. I love the try hard with a lot of new establishments that are stripping everything back to make all the decor look like it is vintage, boho or grandma went crazy in your lounge room. Not being a designer or renovator myself its glaring obvious to my lack of expertise and untrained eye that it takes a lot of money and time to bring this 'yesteryear random look' together but hey if the food is good who minds a bit. Orto has recycled tables and chairs and I admire the use of the old ladder as a platform for candles and our table its self is a recycled wooden industrial sign. The herb garden at the front in this case positioned in front of our table which holds cute silver buckets of oregano, parsley and basil appropriate in some way given Orto means vegetable garden in Italian, maybe one day they will have a full blown vegetable garden. The food is rustic and being a fan of all things British I'm loving the inspiration behind my choices. I haven't had a scotch egg since my days as a travelling temp in London, this Scotch egg has house made pork and pear piccalilli and then I go big on the order and decide to share a whole glazed duck with mustard mandarins, radiccho and hazelnuts for the main. Orto begins to liven up with the Friday lunch crowd as I suckle ungracefully on a the duck. The staff were extremely professional but personable as they advise me on dinner times I decide to book again for 8pm sitting the next week. read more

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Great option for weekend brunch! May have to wait for a table but definitely worth it. Love the fresh juices. read more

Orto Trading Co. - Modern Australian Near Me - Surry Hills, NSW

Excellent coffee and delicious food. I ordered a simple rye, poached eggs and smoked salmon combo. The bread was so fresh !! Came with a generous amt of butter and also a splashing of oil. All ingredients were fresh and the ambience was good too. Would go back! read more

Good food, had the orto burger and polenta chips. There was a good variety of specials as well.. Though they weren't very special in price. The service was very friendly but they forgot a couple of items and it was hard to get their attention to order more items. read more

Best cafe/restaurant in Surry Hills! Orto have a lovely menu for both breakafast and lunch. I need to eat dinner there one of these days. I love their miche toast with olive tapanade, roast cherry tomatoes and goats cheese. The oysters are great as are the white anchovies - yum! If you want a hearty breakfast, definitely get their baked eggs! Super tasty and filling. If I ate meat I would try their burger with polenta chips as the dish looks incredible. I adore the decor, all the natural light and the atmosphere. I walk my dogs here every morning and get my coffee, which I should also add is always delicious. Lou, the owner, is such a wonderful woman. She is super friendly with her warm smile and she's always happy to see you, no matter how busy or early it is. read more

Had Friday dinner with friend last week. Surprising me is only one table there at 6pm. The food is modern but too sweet or too salty. And every stuff there is seems a bit lazy (maybe due to few tables there). But the price is a bit high. We had Duck for the main, but the pork knuckle looks better on the other table. The deco is really nice, will try the brunch next time. read more

Former Sydneysider now in London but back visiting for the week so am getting my fill of great Sydney breakfasts that I love so much. While the coffee at Orto is great, and i also enjoyed the fresh carrot juice (can you get that wrong?), I found the food very average. I ordered the 'hash' - unfortunately the hash itself was revolting. Super crispy shreds of potato fried to form a hard inedible mass. The rest of it was fine - half an avocado, ham, few bits of tomato, basically nothing I wouldn't have in the fridge at home to put on a sandwich. In fact, it was a basic sandwich but without the bread. $28 all up. Oh well! Wouldn't recommend - except to grab a takeaway coffee. read more

Review based on breakfast only - I haven't been for other meals but have on a number of times for brunch. A bit inconsistent, and sometimes the wait takes ages, but when this place is on form the food is great. Love the smoked trout cakes and baked eggs in particular. read more

I love this place! We have dined for breakfast, lunch and dinner and all are amazing! Their wagyu beef burger in the lunch menu is the best burger I have EVER had! The service has always been amazing and they make the best coffee in Sydney! We take all our visitors here and have never been left disappointed! read more

Hot cakes with passion fruit curd are from heaven. Good coffee too. Always friendly service and the courtyard is lovely for a Sunday brunch.

After the struggle to find a breakfast venue for 9 in Surry Hills we stumbled across Orto Trading. Being Mothers Day we expected it to be busy so we booked to avoid the dreaded Sunday morning breakfast queues. We arrived to find they didn't have our booking but were very accommodating and set a table us for outside. The coffee was really good and the staff seem really friendly and helpful. However, after waiting an hour for our food we enquired after it and were assured that it was being played out and would be with us shortly. We gave concessions for the busy morning and the fact we were a large table. We then asked a further 3 times over the next half an hour about where our food was and were given the same answer. We would have made alternate arrangements for breakfast if we were told after waiting an hour that it would be a further 40 minute minute wait. Unfortunate really has half of our table had a 5 hour drive ahead of them and were keen to get on the road. When the food finally arrived it was hard to tell if it was really good or whether we were just really hungry. We had the hash which was fresh and flavoursome with crispy balls of potato. Scrambled eggs got a good wrap from one of our party as did the fried chicken muffin. Not sure we would return for breakfast but is definitely worth a try, perhaps pick a quieter day and go with a smaller group. read more

I can't get enough of this place... The atmosphere is great, the service is friendly and fun, the drinks are brilliant... and the food is to die for. Its a sophisticated menu at first glance, however the way it is served and shared help's avoid any pretence. The first time I tried it I was taken by surprise a little by the concept and style of the restaurant, however I had a great time and the food was wonderful. So much so that I decided to host some guests from overseas who loved it even more that I do. The only issue we had the second visit was the amount of meat dishes we ordered, however they were all lovely and well suited to a cold rainy night. I look forward to going back and trying their Spring and Summer menu's soon... Great hosts, great vibe, good value, and delicious food!! I will be back. read more

We were excited to visit Orto as we had driven past it a few times on our way to brunch which is what we do most weekends. From the start the service was poor; the waiter had a bad attitude and seemed very dismissive. Ordered our drinks, forgot a juice which he was apologetic about and took of the bill. I ordered a breakfast platter which was awful. I would not recommend. Rock hard-boiled egg and very soggy stale muesli which I could not eat at all, given no cutlery and had to ask twice as the waiter kept forgetting. A whole tub of plain ricotta, I'm not sure what for? A container of old cut unripe strawberries. When we were ready to leave, hardly touching my breakfast there was no-one around to ask for the bill so we stood up to head to the counter to pay. We were quickly asked to sit down again. Waiter saying "it would be best if you sat down and I'll bring you the bill" in a rude dismissive voice. We waited about 10 minutes more for the bill. I have never written a review before but we walked out promising ourselves that we would never go back - terrible! read more