Caffe Di Gabriel coffee. 479 Crown St, Surry Hills. (Formerly called Mangiare?) Feels like a new cafe in its interior. A preference for small tables and chairs, this would be a great spot for a catch-up with a friend, before browsing the amazing paper shop next door.

A decaf grinder is almost the first thing you see when you walk inside the cafe, and the coffee is made promptly by a friendly, engaging barista. At first taste I’m not a fan of the coffee, but given a little time, it mellows into a pleasant enough drop.

Caffe di Gabriel coffee, 268B Cleveland St, Surry Hills. A truly small space: just big enough for the machine, grinder, some shelves, and a sink for washing up. It’s noisy here: there’s almost constant traffic, but the available seating (two milkcrates with cushions) suggests that takeaway coffees are the more popular option.

Coffee is good: the decaf is pre-ground (no room for a decaf grinder), but somes together nicely. Worth a look, if only for the curiosity of visiting such a small place.

the foyer cafe

Caffe di Gabriel coffee. Shop 602, 207 Kent St, Sydney. Lots of outside seating for the smokers, and on the inside, there’s a high ceiling, a licensed bar, and a largish team of staff keeping everything moving along.

Coffee has a good texture, just the right temperature for drinking, with a slightly sweet finish.

Oh, what a Bite! North Sydney – West St

Caffe Di Gabriel Coffee. West St, North Sydney. This is a renovated sandwich bar where nothing is as you’d expect. The staff are friendlier, the food fresher, and the coffee is better.

I’ve never heard someone in a cafe say “bless you” to one of the customers – by name – when they sneeze, and especially not when the cafe is busy.

Coffee – a decaf – has swirling latte art, and is a pleasant decaf to boot (perhaps a little on the weak side). A diamond in the rough – look past its fittings, and try something!