Coffee: Refinery Espresso Passion: 8/10…read moreCrema: 7/10 Finding great coffee up north has been a challenge for some time. Sure there are a couple of cafes that make a passable coffee, but I am more likely to drive 30min south to find something enjoyable. So you can imagine how happy I was a couple of months ago to find a cafe in Hornsby that is roasting their own beans. While the first couple of months has seen a refining of the blend of beans, now the mix is much more to my liking (not overly dark). Better still, one the occasion (like today) they are even starting to offer single origin coffees. Today I had a Brazilian single origin from the Dattera Estate which (after getting the espresso shot pulled over a small dash of hot water) opened up brilliantly. While straight up the espresso had a tinge of something dark in the after taste, with the water it was smooth and a little floral. Very enjoyable. So while I will still travel far and wide for a great cup of coffee, it is great to know that I have at least on cafe I can count on closer to home. N.B. No public WiFi is available No #powerwhoring is available Decent breakfast menu available (Via http://bitterbliss.com/cafe-reviews/the-refinery-espresso/ )

This place was ranked one of the top 10 cafés in Sydney. So I decided to check it out. Coffee was…read morefantastic for the North. They brew their own coffee here, so stop and have a chat - they love talking about their coffee. And it is good. The cafe was small and the staff was extremely friendly. They have all day breakfast which a serious plus sometimes. The food here is good. Honestly probably not as good as the coffee, but I can't point out anything bad about it. They have a specials board which changes weekly. And also they have dessert, sandwiches and pastries if you just want a quick bite to eat and not willing to sit down. Worth coming to if you are in the area.

Cafe Shenkin came on my radar when I researched too hot chocolates to try in Sydney according to an…read morearticle on Concrete Playground. Unlike prey Cafe Shenkin isn't a moving target so knowing exactly where it's going to be makes the catching of it a lot easier. So time to catch my target. Most of the cafes around Newtown are thriving and this one is no different. Still packed with people on a Sunday afternoon one hour before close. I didn't want to get distracted by anything else in there but that became difficult because they have got amazing deserts on offer like Pistachio bite, wagon wheels and numerous amazing looking pastry dishes. I decided to stick to my guns this time and go in to complete my mission. I told the barista I was ordering the hot chocolate and instantly he was excited when he found out I was a Shenkin Virgin. He explained it was going to be amazing. I was offered the option of either regular hot chocolate or a Coconut flavoured one. Not generally being a lover of bounty chocolate I decided to play it safe. Unfortunately there was little room available in the cafe so I had to opt for takeaway. It didn't take very long at all to come out. First sip and I was feeling liquid warm chocolate in my mouth. It was simply Devine and brought me straight to chocolate heaven. It was served hot, creamy and rich but not overly heavy. These guys are totally justified being on the list of great hot chocolates in Sydney.

Great little cafe in Newtown, corner location always helps to people watch, as you sip your coffee…read more Coffee was ok, not the best blend in my opinion, but then again I am spoiled with my favourite brand. Service was good, the Almond Croissant was a bit dry (too long in warmer) and very crisp on the bottom. All in all a good place to people watch the eclectic residents of Newtown walk on by.

I was drawn to this sweet little café because it was off the main high street of Military road…read more(despite it's address). But then I saw the leafy fern motif wall and the long narrow layout - Albion's charm screamed sit down, sit down. It's a relaxed atmosphere in here so take a book or a girlfriend for a chat and enjoy the sweet feelings this café induces. The coffee will do the trick too. The barista looks very cosy in the back corner making coffee. Paul Bassett Espresso (World Barista of the year 2003) coffee beans are used to make the hot brew. They serve breakfast (try the Italian baked eggs with tomato, leg ham and shallots for $12.50), lunch (Bruschetta with roasted pumpkin, goats feta and rocket for $12.00 tickle your fancy?) and a few delicious sweet treats. No Wifi, heaters outside. Nice place for a cosy cuppa on weekdays. Susanne - one of the owners - is very friendly.

This is a nice little cafe in Mosman. Down Albion Lane, this is a very small cafe, with a nice…read moresitting area outside. My friends who live here swear about this place, however, I personally don't think it is as good as the Source - but I think most people will disagree with me. As most people in the area are die hard fans. The coffee here is alright, it is drinkable but not brilliant. However, the tea here is great! So if you come here I would order the tea (specifically the Chi) over the coffee. The food here is nice, but nothing amazing. Again, I know that most people will disagree with me. I ordered the salad, maybe it was the wrong thing to order. Saying that milkshakes were impressive. To summarise - this place is nice, but I don't think it is overwhelmingly great. But if you are looking for aumbiance, then this cafe is better than the Source, but I generally care more about coffee and food than anything else. But that is just me.

Best coffee in town, friendly staff, good food. Bless to have this gem in the neighborhood.read more

Great coffee, basic menu small tables, noisy and busy. Small plates on small tables do not make for…read morecomfortable dining. Staff standing around and no table service. Still great coffee and tasty breakfast. NB. The Photos of the Menus are obsolete, there is no table service so you have to stand up in what tries to resemble a queue (take away orders mill about) and read from the board.

A lovely hole in the wall cafe off World Square. It was brimming with people who were mostly city…read moreworkers getting their coffee fix. There are some seats outside the cafe so you can sit and people watch if you have time. The service is lovely and helpful. I had a Mocha and a Raspberry Mini Muffin. As there was a blueberry muffin stuck to it, the lady kindly gave me both! That was nice of her. The coffee was nice and the muffins were delicious.

While this cafe offers very little in the way of atmosphere, with all seats out on the footpath of…read morea major road, for those looking to duck in, grab a coffee, and scamper back off to work, this could fit the bill. Though be warned... if you are a non-smoker, you might want to avoid this place. It is a smoker's paradise. Alternatively, if you are a smoker, come here, it is a smoker's paradise ... :-) Cafe Summary ------------------------ Passion for Coffee - 8/10 Coffee beans - Neoma Coffee Crema (1=burnt, 10=velvet) - 7/10 Special coffees avail? - N/A

Nice little gem of a coffee place located near the Bronte Rd bus stop at Bondi Junction. Probably…read morethe best coffee in the immediate vicinity of Bondi Junc. Upon walking in the place, you are greeted with a coffee roasting machine that is humming away doing its magic on some Sumatran beans (they roast their beans in-house daily). The staff are always super friendly and the place is my number one pick (pun intended) for a coffee while shopping at Westfield or when a caffeine hit is needed before boarding a bus to Bronte. The place itself is nicely decorated with comfy lounge style chairs if you feel like having a pastry or sandwich with your beverage (yep they'll satisfy mild hunger pangs too). To add to the atmosphere, the walls are adorned with coffee information and shots of the owner in action preparing syphon coffee and other various coffee related acts. Can also buy some coffee hardware here too (percolators, syphons and other coffee paraphernalia). Top spot this one..

Probably one of the worst coffee blends I've ever had. I have to stop ordering espressos in Sydney…read more I'm sure that as part of a mocha or a latte it would've been ok. Thankfully it was part of quite abundant yet lacklustre affogato, which for $5 in Bondi Junction was quite reasonable. The atmosphere is awesome despite being small and tucked up in a sidestreet that you wouldn't choose to walk down on unless you knew this place was there. The staff is friendly and the service fast. The takeaway here: Sydney doesn't cater to Italians and other espresso drinkers. This place is no exception but it's quite a nice and cheap alternative to the thousands of coffee shops that already exist.

Its only Sunday afternoon and Mondayitis is already coming on. Only way to kick that is with a…read morenice strong bean and I make my way to Roseberry Street Cafe in Balgowlah. Roseberry Street roasts the coffee that I love so much at Sophie's Place at Cremorne wharf and Im keen to try a Single Origin - Dominion Republican as recommended by a work colleague. This coffee was sensational. Good body, smooth, soft, rich mouth feel with a sweet cocoa finish. I looooove a good coffee I had drunk this with the intention of heading back to Neutral Bay then I thought why not go out on th edge and knock myself out with a asparagus, caramalised onion, goats cheese frittata. The cafe has a lot of space and perfect for kids - service was fantastic. Really enjoyed my little coffee soiree there and hope that many other people do too.

Great stop for breakfast or a cup of coffee! Fair prices and a good product. The breakfast and…read morelunch menu is diverse with great options for all diets, and their coffee drinks and smoothies hit the spot! Cute interior and friendly staff, too.

Coffee was good…read more.. Waitress was fast with order... However I do not like that she chews food with her mouth open wearing pink lipstick as we can see into her mouth. And I don't want to see what she is eating. But she was a great waitress.

Excellent food, good service, nice and warm inside on a cold day... What else do you need? :-)read more