by cafedave on July 20, 2009
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 and pictures to bring them up a notch: to go a step further, it would be necessary to do some serious remodelling, but it seems that with mostly takeaway customers that this is unnecessary.
The decaf latte is good: this would be a place worth revisiting if you’re in the neighborhood, and surely one of the better cups available in a two-block radius.
by cafedave on June 24, 2009
Allpress Coffee. 769 Harris St, Ultimo. I spotted an Allpress cup on a desk at UTS, and asked “Where can I find it”. The answer was “around the corner from campus”, and indeed, only a short walk from the UTS Broadway campus is this place. With a bare street presence, it’s an easy one to miss, but they’re doing good work.
In the window are a range of pre-prepared breakfast and lunch options: salads, muesli-and-yoghurts. There’s indoor seating in the shop immediately next to the cafe (just walk through the interior doorway and down the step).
Coffee (the decaf is pre-ground) was good: the familiar Allpress flavour is there, and they know what they’re doing in making it.
by cafedave on June 20, 2009
Allpress Espresso coffee. 60 Park St, Sydney (opposite Starbucks). It might be considered brave to set up a cafe across the road from the first Starbucks in Sydney, but this place doesn’t seem worried. Modern design with lots of straight lines and a repetitive dance beat, and an interior colour palette that it mostly black and grey, with red highlights. The cafe has the usual menu options: sandwiches and salads.
Coffee is the usual Allpress standard: a perfectly reasonable cup, but there’s nothing here that particularly draws me back to keep visiting.
by cafedave on March 5, 2008
Allpress coffee. 1737 botany rd banksmeadow. It’s a long walk past the bread counter, all the way to the espresso bench in this bakery / café. Seating almost 50 in a modern, refurbished warehouse space, there’s a window into the bakery proper where a superb array of breads are created monday to saturday.
Coffee is quite well made: the milkwork is impressive, though grinding to order might enhance the freshness somewhat.
Worth a visit for the bread alone – try the caramelised garlic bread, even at breakfast time!
Brasserie Bread, Banksmeadow
by cafedave on February 18, 2008
Allpress espresso coffee. 354 darling st, balmain. A green colourbond fence surrounds a paved courtyard with its funky wooden chairs, and black-painted wooden tables.
Staf are friendly, they even come to the table and pour your water for you, with a slice of lemon in the glass: above the call of duty.
The decaf is good – $5 gets you a bowl latte with four shots of coffee: it’s a monster, but it’s good drinking.
by cafedave on February 16, 2008
Allpress coffee. Fast moving order process here: grind to order, helpful staff. Overlooks the tarmac. Sells food, coffee beans, and snacks.
Coffee is quite good. Hot, but not too hot, just the right texture. A good find as you race to your flight.
by cafedave on January 25, 2008
UPDATE (4-Jun-10): I’ve revisited this cafe.
Allpress coffee. 83 foveaux st, surry hills. Cheerful french style accordion music is regularly drowned out by the sound of beans being ground, and coffee being made.
The aesthetic is dark wood, even lining the walls up to the high ceilings, and though the lighting is a little low, it has a pleasant ambience.
Coffee is made quickly – especially for takeaway orders, and it’s tasty and well made. Worth a visit.
This seems like it would be a good place to get some writing done, though it was difficult to get the waiter’s attention to order subsequent drinks after the first order: perhaps a more lenghty stay would correct that.
by cafedave on January 22, 2008
Allpress coffee. A combination of bakery, gourmet food shop and café, this friendly place even has a space in the back for kids to play.
The music – classic hits – is a little loud for ambience, but it distracts nicely from the sound of traffic. Wide range of lunch options: sandwiches and pies, and a highly tempting cake selection.
Coffee is good: promptly made, good temperature for immediate drinking, and tastes good: especially for a decaf.
by cafedave on December 16, 2007
Allpress espresso. Paved floor, large courtyard out the back, and cheery staff. Not a place for those in a hurry, but if you have some leisure time, a pleasant spot to spend some time.
Coffee is hot, but not too hot, and has all the hallmarks of well-made allpress.
As a writing destination, the lack of light may be an issue, but if you can find a table out the back, you’ll be well served with an environment in which to create.
by cafedave on November 14, 2007
Allpress coffee. 67 Abercrombie St, Chippendale. Take a tiled kitchen, and put a café in the front of it, and you have this place. I’m not saying the kitchen is out back, but rather that the café’s seating is in its kitchen. Staff are friendly, and always working on something.
Coffee is made in front of you: from most seats, you can see the extraction descend into the cup. This decaf: pre-ground long ago, has the last vestiges of crema, and is then swamped by creamy, frothed milk at a temperature that’s ready to drink.
I noticed this place a long time ago, and have tried to visit before, but it’s always been closed. As a writer’s destination, the tables are small, and it faces a busy road, so even when the place is empty, there’s some soothing background noise, and some visual distraction if you need a break.
Six Seven Ate, Chippendale
