this thread has been quiet for a while, so here's my two cents .... Not mentioned yet - Coffee Alchemy/Flint and Steel Addison Rd Marrickville - Flat out the BEST espresso bar in Sydney & one of the best in the country. Hazel de los Reyes is a passionate and dare I say magical roaster. Her skills as a barista, along with offsider Dan are of the highest quality. Every day you can expect at least 1 espresso blend, 3 Single Estate espressos and 4 or more single estate pour over offerings. This outlet is really all about Hazel's passion for the quality green coffee she is able to source and wanting to serve it in the best way she possibly can. Small space, no food offerings but it doesn't matter. Open Tuesday - Saturday 8am - 3pm. If you're coming from interstate its minutes from the airport so can be the first thing you do in Sydney after collecting your bag! Beandrinking Ernest Place Crows Nest - While not a new cafe, 2010 has seen some big changes for the team at Beandrinking. Sydney's only Slayer (if that matters to you), Syphon and Pourover bar, cold drip offerings. Always plenty of choices for different beans and blends. They have also invested in a roaster but I'm not sure if its in action yet - please correct me if I'm wrong. Nice choices of sandwiches and hearty soups in winter. I'm having a brain snap on names of the whole team, but the owner, Keith's passion for coffee is shared by the whole team. Good selection of Hario products for sale too! Coffeetrails Lee St Sydney - Location is on the upper left of Henry Deane Plaza as you walk down to the Devonshire St Pedestrian tunnel. Coffee from Single Origin Roasters, Jonno and his team are young, passionate (noticing a theme?) and heavily involved in the local coffee scene. Always offering tasty brews, like the other places I like to frequent they are more than happy to talk about what's on offer that day and what is coming up. Serving espresso based drinks at the moment, I think the Syphon is there to tease but maybe we all just need to goad Jonno into offering some brewed options as well. Nice selection of pies, sandwiches, salads and delicious stuff from Brasserie Bread. Le Monde Foveaux St Surry Hills - Coffee from 5 Senses and is one of the few places in Sydney I can think of that are sourcing from them. Anthony and his sister Renee have transformed a catering business into a thriving cafe over several years. Offering espresso and Clover brewed coffee the team at Le Monde are always seeking innovation in their food and coffee offerings. With a seasonal, changing menu they are always offering great specials and also have a breakfast degustation on offer Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings, paired with coffees. My feeling is that their menu will continue to evolve as the chef looks for ways to innovate cafe food service along with Anthony & his lead Barista Brad's constant seeking of better coffee. All these places have something in common - they are run and owned by passionate, friendly people who love to talk and share what they know about coffee. Its an absolute pleasure to be able to frequent these establishments around Sydney.
