Bar Mattino, Chippendale

Vittoria coffee. 96 Abercrombie St, Chippendale. Busy at lunchtime with a mix of suits and designers, this place has a bustling kitchen, and borderline restaurant menu, with prices to match. Even the takeaway menu is on the expensive side. I’m here toward the end of the lunchtime rush, and the coffee seems slow on its …

The Coffee Emporium, Burwood

Nonos coffee. Burwood Rd, Burwood. A newish franchise, that started at Bankstown and now has 12 Sydney locations and a planned expansion to Melbourne on their horizon. Inside it’s strikingly similar to Gloria Jeans, though with a greater sense of tidiness and sophistication. Coffee is really good: the decaf is smooth, slightly complex, and the …

Sapori Di Roma, Burwood

Schibello Coffee. 117 Burwood Rd Burwood. It doesn’t get much more authentic than this. Amazing, delicate pastries, a comfortable, well-apointed interior, and the kitchen dominated by a pizza oven. Open for dinner only on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, there are pizza slices and other delicacies on sale the rest of the week. The decaf is …

Sweettt’s, Surry Hills

Espressa coffee. 80 Devonshire St, Surry Hills. More deli than cafe, this well-presented little shopfront has a bench where you can sit indoors, or outdoor seating for about 16 people on a somewhat quiet street. Inside, the dominant feature as you walk in is the coffee machine: adjacent, a broad variety of breads (bagels, rolls) …

Cafe 407, Surry Hills

Allpress coffee. 407 Elizabeth St, Surry Hills. I noticed people walking around nearby with Allpress cups, and was pleasantly surprised to work out the source. Oddly, there’s nothing outside the cafe to suggest such a high-quality coffee is made here. Inside, this place feels like an old fish-and-chip shop’s fittings have been given some paint …