Little marionette coffee. 277 Australia St, Newtown. I was first told about this place on twitter: they were recommended as “even better than Adriano Zumbo, but without the post-Masterchef queues”. Naturally, I added it to my to-visit list. Both times I’ve been here it’s been close to closing time, though during its main opening hours the place is generally quite crowded, with some stools out the front for the overflow.
The coffee is variable between good and excellent, depending on who is making it. They even have a decaf grinder, which is great news for me at least. There’s a complexity to the flavour that is too often lacking in decaf, and the milkwork is good too.
Where this place really shines, though, is in its pastries / desserts: they have really creative, gorgeous looking items that taste amazing. If you’re a dessert buff, you owe it to yourself to check this place out.
Oh man, I *have* been meaning to check out Black Star Pastry. Thanks for the reminder.
Coffee is from Little Marionette in Balmain, and it’s very, very good as a spro, milk-based drinks aren’t quite as awesome (also depends on the barista) but if you nail an espresso standing at the counter, you should be happy.
highlights: leek and goats cheese tart, choc tart w/ salt flakes, raspberry galette, and everything else.