Petty Cash Cafe, Marrickville

Bills Beans coffee. 68 Victoria Rd, Marrickville. On the edge of Enmore Park, near the play equipment, is this character-filled spot. A colourful band of staff work hard at keeping the orders coming and cleaning the place up where necessary. The furniture is diverse – each table setting comes from somewhere else, which gives the …

Lisbon Love Patisserie, Panania

Caffe Molinari coffee. 188 Tower Rd, Panania. Portugese tarts and a range of pastries and cakes, with some savory choices, on brioche. I try the ham and cheese brioche, toasted. It has a slight sweetness to it, and a light texture: seems a promising sign for the other pastries. The Portugese tarts are very good: …

Pulse espresso bar, Kogarah

Morgan’s handcrafted coffee. Shop 4, 26 Belgrave St. With its proximity to St George Public and Private hospitals, there are more doctors and nurses here calling in for breakfast or lunch than you might be used to, but as a break from the in-house catering, this is a welcome retreat. Choose salads, sandwiches or burgers, …

three tone cafe, Chinatown / Sydney

Belaroma Coffee. Shop 8,405-411 Sussex Street, Sydney. I saw this place not long after it was opened, and was really surprised that a western-styled cafe was open in the midst of Chinatown in Sydney. A few weeks later, I managed to return to try their decaf. When walking through the door, you’re greeted with a …

dmF Emporium and Cafe, Warrimoo

Morgan’s coffee. 285 Great Western Highway, Warrimoo. I’ve seen this place any number of times driving from Sydney towards Katoomba, but never managed to stop when it was open, until now. It’s hard to know what to expect from this well-maintained old building. Step inside, and there’s plenty of wooden tables and chairs to sit …

Di Bella Roastery, Surry Hills

Di Bella coffee. 50 Holt St, Surry Hills. Open only a few weeks, this place has been decked out with a spectacular array of coffee-making tools, and a broad range of coffee sampling options. Strict council regulations mean that there’s not much of a street presence: it’s only the “roasting warehouse” wording on the external …

Peppertree Cafe, Bankstown

Di Bella Coffee. 63 The Mall, Bankstown. The space underneath one corner of Hoyts at Bankstown has been converted into this space. It has lots of exposed brickwork, but comfortable tables and chairs, mixed with a generous spread of cushions and a well-designed logo makes it an inviting place for a pre-or-post-movie drink or snack. …