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    Tropicana Caffe

    3.3 (24 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 am - 11:00 pm

    Tropicana Caffe Photos

    TROPICANA CAFFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - Tropicana Caffe

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    Chicken salad
    Annabelle W.

    Living locally this is another favourite!! I love that I can either have a huge pig out with a massive bowl of pasta or grab a healthy salad if I'm not super hungry. The spaghetti gamberi is a winner! For $19.90 it's a HUGE bow of pasta in a tomato white wine sauce filled with yummy prawns. You also have the option to get creative with the pasta. I get them to make me fettuccine Napoletana with bacon, olives and chilies. On occasion they have home made gnocchi and its to die for. With the salads I can't go past the chicken salad that comes with potato wedges in it!!! I also love the summer salad with chicken. The wine is so cheap and its not a bad drop. You can get a bottle of house red for $15 or a glass for $3. If you're looking for a quick cheap delicious eat than Tropicana is your place!

    Ana S.

    Tropicana café may or very well may not be your cup of tea. If you're a green tea drinker then I'm going to say you're fairly health conscious and with that very clear scientifically unstable conclusion I would say you're going to like it. They have about 8 to 10 different hearty salads, one that comes with tuna and egg plus lots of salad bits or the chicken salad which comes with grilled individually sliced pieces of chicken and sliced avocado and potato wedges (yes, I know, so good) and tomato and all the rest of the salad bits (because, really, who cares). If you're a black tea drinker then you're like me and if you're like me you love pasta. I go for the pasta I can't remember to spell or pronounce (Aunnlulta?) You can choose the pasta (fettuccine, penne, spaghetti etc) and then it comes with chicken, mushroom and zucchini in a cream sauce. It was really very good. No unnecessary superlatives there. If you're an iced tea drinker I'm going to say you like sandwiches (they tend to go very well with iced tea) and if you're going for the Focaccia sandwiches go for the pollo: chicken, avocado, cheese and lettuce. Another brilliant invention along with the light bulb. This is a bit of a trendy place but if you were anything that would mean the opposite you wouldn't be in Darlinghurst to begin with so I wouldn't worry about it. Tell the lovely lady or the crabby guy behind the counter what you want, give them the number of where you'll be sitting (look behind you and at the ceiling) and wait for the obligatory 5 minutes for your food.

    Joel Amigo H.

    Let's start with a bit of Sydney history. The original Tropfest film festival (hopefully everyone knows about this - as it's amazing) was called Tropicana Short Film Festival, and started in the very cafe over 10 years ago. More than 200 people showed up for that first screening. Inspired by the turn out, John Polson decided that a full-fledged short film festival was the next step. The meals are relatively cheap in comparison to other sit down restaurants in Darlinghurst, although it is more of a take-away service, and less than an adequate level of food. I've had salads there which were dry, and my friends chicken schnitzel was very thin. This is a great meeting spot in Darlinghurst, as many people know where it is, and the coffee isn't horrible. I'd only recommend the cheap breakfasts, as they're very hard to screw up. If you're in the mood for a bit more of a vibe, I'm sure you're the more lively and culture type (as you're on this awesome website) then hit the streets and avoid this place. Good history, but not so good present.

    Julia W.

    For a place that is touted as somewhere to 'sit and be seen' Tropicana is remarkably humble for what is a Sydney institution. A great spot for a quick causal lunch or dinner, 'Trop' has a cool canteen vibe. The system works by pre-ordering/pre-paying at the counter then the food is brought to your table. The atmosphere is typically bustling with an eclectic, but never too cool, crowd. The food is simple Italian dishes done well. My personal favorites are the Invernale Pasta (try it in a pink sauce) and the Chicken Salad which is big enough to be a meal in itself. The value is excellent with the average meal price at $15-$20. Tropicana is cash only.

    Cafe interior
    Danielle L.

    You know Tropfest right? Well this is the place where it all started....a cafe on the famous Victoria Street Strip... I think this place has been here for forever - or at least i can't remember a time when it wasn't around. it's one of those Sydney icons that everyone knows... It opens at 6am so its a great place to visit if you have an early start. The dishes are simple - nothing too fancy - but they do the job of helping you feel satisfied.... my morning suggestion would be Uova in Cocotte (Vegetarian) - $10.70 Hash brown, mushroom, onion, 2 eggs, tasty cheese & toast... Now if you're getting up late in the day, may i suggest you stop by for salad. Of course I'm going to recommend - the Tropicana Salad - cos & rocket lettuce, tomato, boiled egg, tuna, grilled capsicum, sun dried tomato & tropicana dressing. ($12.70).... it's really really delicious and suprisingly exciting for a salad.... Its a chilled place - so don't expect anything fancy - it's a great place to grab a cheap snack with a friend or to watch the interesting crowd which makes its way from Kings Cross to Darlinghurst.

    Seaton K.

    For years I've had a dream of writing and starring in a sketch comedy show that catered to my darker sense of humour and acerbic wit. And now, after months of talk and planning, months of writing and compiling, we were meeting a man who had read the pilot and wanted to direct it. These were exciting times, all the hard work looked like it was leading to something, if excitement was an oven mitt, I'd have an oven mitt inside me. We were meeting at Tropicana Cafe in the Cross, or Darlinghurst (A confusing geographical uncertainty.) The cafe is large and very cafeteria like on the inside; outside, the tables are spaced between heaters and are on a quieter street of the cross and thus you aren't subjected to the heroin addicts who spend their days and nights asking for money and try to guilt trip you into paying for their next score. Tropicana is in the clean side of the Cross. We have a coffee and discuss the premise of the show, talk about what our options are, how we want to pursue them and what we could each be doing to strive for the finished product, but most of all we had to see if we liked each other. We did. So perhaps my view of the Tropicana is flavoured by the affirmation of having someone appreciate my work and wanting to see it realised, but now the Tropicana is melded with good thoughts and exciting oven mitts in my mind. Good coffee, good meeting. Good.

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    13 years ago

    Great place for a big salad or a pasta. Cash only. Nice, but no fluff. Open late. Good to know about!

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    8 years ago

    Used to be one of my favorites but unfortunately has changed hands. Food and service are now terrible. What a shame. Never going back.

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    10 years ago

    Visiting for a few days and came upon this restaurant for dinner. It was quick, tasty and reasonably priced. Warning, they only take cash.

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    Review Highlights - Tropicana Caffe

    n. A great spot for a quick causal lunch or dinner, 'Trop' has a cool canteen v

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    A Tavola - The courtyard at the back

    A Tavola

    4.3(30 reviews)
    0.2 kmDarlinghurst
    $$$

    Aaaahhhh Taaaavooollaaa…read more The space, that buzzing communal table, the courtyard outback - in either position, you'll just want to stay all night. Our waiter was so wonderfully Italian. We could hardly understand what he was saying. But we didn't want to tell him to stop, as he rolled of the specials with such passion and animation- we just let his rolling rrrrrrrs and sweet accents be music to our ears. Engaging service to say the least. Wines list - bellissima. Food - billissima some more. Chef could not have cooked my salmon more perfectly if he tried. That parpadelle number won't be forgotten any time soon either. Soft ribbons of pasta swathed in a rich sauce of slow cooked pork and figs. No room for dolce! My favourite dinner experience in Sydney to date. Get me back there soon!

    It ain't cheap. My last meal there came out to a touch over 90 a head. although that included…read morewine. If you don't mind shelling out $30+ for a pasta main, please continue. If you a visceral reaction against paying that much for wheat and water (and that I can understand), then I don't suggest you come here. Now, if you're still reading, I can recommend A Tavola very highly. I am a great fan of intimate dining and the restaurant upstairs is sufficiently divided into small spaces that you can enjoy your meal without being overwhelmed by noise or by crowds. The light level is low, good for romantic dinners (although I have yet to enjoy that personally. It's been friends and colleagues thus far). The service is generally excellent. Food arrives at regular intervals; the meal is not rushed, but there are no gaping spaces between courses. Most of the proficient wait staff is Italian, from up and down the peninsula, and they seem fairly familiar with details of Italian cuisine: I've had a couple conversations with them about regional dishes and variations thereof. Their wine list, while not extensive, shows a fairly broad selection of Italian varietals--and again, the waitstaff seem quite familiar with what's on offer. The prices for the vino are perhaps a trifle high, but I understand that alcohol often subsidizes the cost of the food. As for the food itself, I must base my review on the three meals I've had here. In addition to some pretty standard but tasty antipasti, they have some regular mains (the Bucatini all' Amatriciana, Rigatoni al Ragu and a few others) that are first rate. In addition, there are always a number of specials of the day that all look devastatingly edible. I've yet to try their ratatouille (which was on offer on two occasions) nor their fish soup (what my nonna would have called a cioppino). But on my last visit, I had a black linguine with lobster. Pasta, sauce and meat were all superb. And that brings me to the pasta in general. It is actually quite difficult to get proper al dente pastas outside of Italy. Why this is the case, I am not sure. Whatever the reason, their homemade noodles are perfectly cooked. This alone to my mind makes coming to A Tavola worthwhile. I wouldn't call this restaurant an every day affair, given its price. But I've no objection to paying a fair amount for really good food. Too often in Sydney and elsewhere, you can pay a lot for mediocre fare. Fortunately, A Tavola delivers.

    Photos
    A Tavola
    A Tavola
    A Tavola

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    Bei Amici Restaurant - Tuesday 3 courses for $40 set menu - what is not to like ?

    Bei Amici Restaurant

    4.5(8 reviews)
    1.1 km
    $$$

    What do clouds taste like? Want to found out...? Well you can at Bei Amici, because their gnocchi…read moreis like eating a ball of white fluffiness...its the closest you can get to an airy food experience. Bei Amici isn't positioned next to a huge array of restaurants and so you kind of need to know about it - to know about it. It's a small restaurant and so I suggest you book before you go. The staff are really friendly and they take their food and wine seriously - so you know you're in good hands... Everything is good - but I do recommend the gnocchi above anything else.... I also suggest ordering an entree - their Artichoke and Salt Cod puree is delicious.... It's pricey with Entrees costing around $15 and Mains costing around $35 -so save it for a special occasion. The food is excellent, the vibe wonderful and sometimes you can celebrity spot!

    Wanted a quiet, cosy restaurant with an excellent degustation menu…read more When I saw the restaurant full of locals (assumption on my part as most walked than drove) I was worried that it might be too noisy and crowded. I needn't have. The food was delicious. The restaurant was alive, while quiet enough to have a conversation. Most of all the service was unmatched - it's only in Japan have I experienced such a combination of professionalism and personal touch. Can't wait to go back again.

    Photos
    Bei Amici Restaurant - What dessert is that ? Coconut meringue!

    What dessert is that ? Coconut meringue!

    Bei Amici Restaurant - The pumpkin bread that is raved about, we serve it to you free of charge !

    The pumpkin bread that is raved about, we serve it to you free of charge !

    Bei Amici Restaurant

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    Chester White Cured Diner

    Chester White Cured Diner

    4.6(13 reviews)
    0.5 kmPotts Point
    $$

    Oh my. We have a new contender…read more Q: Why am I so obsessed with cured meats? A: Because they're so char-CUTE-rie. Yeah so see how awful that joke was? Flip and reverse that to get a measure of how smitten I am with Chester White on the Inversely Proportionate Scale of Amazingness. It's tiny, this place, and 6 of us had to cram around a little corner and didn't end up staying for long because the table we wanted wouldn't do us the courtesy of leaving, but this little taste was more than enough to tempt me back many times over. Magnetic bars on the walls hold your cutlery. There's a little verandah out the front, and lovely white tile reminiscent of an old-time butcher's shop indoors. Meat boards come with your choice of cured meats, house pickled vegetables, delightful cheese, bread, and some other things I've probably forgotten. The hot salumi damn near kicked my tongue out of my mouth. There's a ton of other sides and menu items too, all cheap as anything. Plus $7 Trumer Pils. In Potts Point. Score. The wines run you $12 - $17-ish but the nebbiolo I tried was smashing. So much win. Best seats are outside, snaffle one of them if you can.

    The boys behind Buffalo Dining Club have backed it up with a meaty counterpart. The similarities…read moreare there - hole in the wall place, select wines, focus on service, and a small yet well-formed menu of Italian house favourites. What parts Chester White from BDC is the darling alfresco, complete with cute white picket fence. Plus there's the house cured meats which are the specialty here. The meats and pickles were OK. Ironically it was a vegetarian dish that stole the show. Ricotta and spinach polpette - little non-meatballs covered in juicy blistered cherry tomatoes, delicate fresh basil leaves and parmesan cheese. Chester White is another tucked-away gem in Potts Point, fit for intimate get-togethers over good drink and bite.

    Photos
    Chester White Cured Diner - Cured meat plate.

    Cured meat plate.

    Chester White Cured Diner - Not Chester carbonara and the house made chilli.

    Not Chester carbonara and the house made chilli.

    Chester White Cured Diner - A side of ceviche.

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    A side of ceviche.

    Buon Ricordo

    Buon Ricordo

    4.3(6 reviews)
    0.4 kmPaddington
    $$$$

    Sometimes after all those modern cuisine, one misses the comforts. Buon Ricordo delivers comfort in…read morean elevated fashion. Not fancy but very, very good Italian. Warm and charming service, excellently executed dishes with an equally excellent wine list. Not to be missed

    Buon Ricordo delivers flavour and ambience in spades! Like walking into a private club, you feel…read moreinstantly welcome and like you were meant to be there. The signature dish that everyone raves about is the Fettucine Tartufo (a dish invented by the Chef/owner Armando) which has a truffle-infused-egg on top, cut & mixed at the table by your waiter with a serious dose of grated parmesan cheese & cracked pepper to finish it off. Grazie Magazine rated it as the BEST pasta in the world! Aside from this 'must try' dish, just about everything else on the menu screams flavour and as this is an Italian restaurant, the servings are decent - Italians are all about satisfaction! The prices are not for the faint-hearted but, as they say, you get what you pay for - so if you're game go for the Degustazione (your choice of 6 courses for $125) - unlike most restaurants Buon Ricordo allow you to choose your dishes from the a la carte menu or you have the option of letting the chef decide a complimentary assortment of dishes :) PS. The wines on offer are ALL fantastic, even at the cheap end. Mind you 'cheap' is a relative term and in this case, the wines are at 'restaurant prices'.

    Photos
    Buon Ricordo - The unassuming entrance of Buon Ricordo Sydney

    The unassuming entrance of Buon Ricordo Sydney

    Buon Ricordo - Fettuccine with spanner crab

    Fettuccine with spanner crab

    Buon Ricordo - Crumbed veal stuffed with spinach and parmesan

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    Crumbed veal stuffed with spinach and parmesan

    Buffalo Dining Club - Menu

    Buffalo Dining Club

    4.3(57 reviews)
    0.1 kmDarlinghurst
    $$

    Have you ever had your pasta twirled in a giant wheel of cheese before it hits your plate? It's…read morecalled cacio e pepe, it's at Buffalo Dining Club in Darlinghurst in Sydney, Australia, and it's heavenly. I was first alerted to this momentous dining experience by an American friend who sent me a video of the action. I went to try it on a Saturday night. The spot doesn't take reservations, except for parties of seven or more and on the last Sunday of every month, and it was already packed with a two-hour wait by the time I walked up. With timely obligations, I had to leave but vowed to come back again. It turns out, Buffalo Dining Club is a perfect place to visit for lunch on a Wednesday, around 12:30 p.m. There were plenty of seats, though be warned much of it is communal in this hip restaurant that seats around 50 people altogether. If you're a twosome on the patio, chances are good you'll be rubbing elbows with your neighbor, and a substantial long table takes up much of the space in the dining room. Cheese lovers will adore Buffalo Dining Club, which imports mozzarella from Italy and has an amazing burrata appetizer ($22 AUD). The giant hunk is melt-in-your-mouth goodness with every bite. The cacio e pepe ($20), or spaghetti with salt, pepper, olive oil and parsley twirled in a massive wheel of pecorino cheese, is gooey and flavour-packed. The show is even better, as a server flashily spins the pasta for amazed eyes. The gnocchi ($20) is also top-notch, delightful pillows of buffalo ricotta dough with napolitana sauce. Getting the items mentioned and sharing makes for a perfect meal for two. The restaurant has an extensive selection of wine to pair with your Italian meal, plus strong and tasty handcrafted cocktails made with fresh ingredients. The staff is friendly, the atmosphere is bustling, and the food is delicious. As raved about online and having garnered attention worldwide, Buffalo Dining Club is a worthy dining destination.

    *Warning: the menu was simple; mostly cheese, prosciutto, and sides, not much protein at all. The…read morewhole point of coming here was to try their signature pasta dish: CACIO E PEPE! Though it was obviously not as good as Rome, it was pretty delightful in its own unique way. The al dente pasta was twirled in a giant wheel of pecorino cheese, table-side! Then I was able to enhance it with the house-made pepper jam (provided at the table). We also tried the house salad (fresh and well-dressed) and San Daniele prosciutto ribbons, while sipping some crisp Pinot Grigio - all good complements to the heavy pasta. Overall, my sisters and I enjoyed our carb lunch al fresco that day!

    Photos
    Buffalo Dining Club - Culatello, balsamic tomatoes and Brussel sprouts

    Culatello, balsamic tomatoes and Brussel sprouts

    Buffalo Dining Club
    Buffalo Dining Club

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    Tropicana Caffe - italian - Updated July 2026

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