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Cuppa Flower Waterloo: Sydney’s Prettiest Cafes

April 5, 2019 / Inner South East, Sydney, Sydney Food, Waterloo / 0 comment

Cuppa Flower: Sydney’s Prettiest Cafes

Cuppa Flower is a delightful spot in the Sydney suburb of Waterloo that is a combination of cafe and florist. Good coffee, great food and fresh flowers are on offer.

The cafe is extremely popular due to their highly Instagrammable food and drinks, including vibrant cakes, smoothies and pancakes.

There is an all day breakfast menu plus a dedicated lunch menu. Popular choices include the red velvet, taro, and matcha green lattes, flower teas, fizzy lemonade drinks, acai bowls, pancakes, pastries, sandwiches and wraps.

Everything is beautifully presented, and thankfully tastes as good as it looks.

Cuppa Flower is a busy cafe thanks to its Instagram fame. There is a wait of 20 minutes when we arrive on a Sunday lunch, with a large crowd outside the front steps.

The staff are friendly and extremely efficient. No time for small talk and chit chat, but everything is said and served with a genuine smile.

Tip: Order at the counter, don’t wait for a server to come to your table!

We ordered the Kids Fish and Chips ($12.50), Ricotta Pancake (served with seasonal fruit, cuppaflower homemade mixed berries jam, ricotta cheese, honeycomb, mascarpone cheese and maple syrup, $20.80), Eggs on Toast Your Way (2 free range eggs, poached scrambled or fried, and a choice of toast, $9.50) with a side of Hash Brown ($4) and the Grilled Atlantic Salmon Steak (quinoa, edamame bean, cheery tomato, roasted pumpkins, asparagus, lemon wedges and mayonnaise, $25.80) and the lavender-flavoured Iced Fizzy ($7.50).

Usually when we order pretty dishes they don’t taste that great, so it was a wonderful surprise that the fancy pancakes tasted amazing. I would order them again in a heartbeat.

The kids’ fish and chips were a massive serve and was served nice and hot and fresh.

The scrambled eggs were creamy with a generous side of toast and tomato relish. Two hash browns were served as the side.

Hubby enjoyed his salmon and declared that he would be more than happy to eat here again as the food was delicious, not just pretty.

My fizzy drink was a mix of lemonade and lavender and I found it extremely refreshing.

The kids menu has plenty of options for junior diners, and there was a high chair available for babies.

Disabled access is through a ramp in the rear.

The cafe is even dog-friendly, with two tables outside where canines can enjoy brunch with their humans.

Cuppa Flower
1/15 Allen St, Waterloo NSW 2017
Monday to Friday 7am-3pm
Saturday to Sunday 8am-3pm
https://www.facebook.com/CuppaflowerWaterloo/

Social Hideout Waterloo: Sydney Cafe Reviews

March 19, 2019 / Inner South East, Sydney, Sydney Food, Waterloo / 0 comment

Could this be Sydney’s most Instagrammable cafe? Social Hideout, located in Waterloo and Parramatta, delights the eyes and senses with its floral decor and beautifully designed dishes.

We visited the Waterloo cafe on a busy weekend around 11am. The cafe is a decent size with jam-packed indoor and outdoor seating. The indoor seating is where you want to be to take the pretty shots of yourself and your food (if that’s your thing!).

Outside the cafe is a set up with a pretty wall and bike in front of it for taking photos, as well as plenty of table where you can sit with your dog if you want to bring it along. There is even a pet menu for Fido.

Inside is where the real magic happens, however. The cafes is decked out with 17,000 flowers, neon lights and a gorgeous Audrey Hepburn wall.

The menu is small but designed to bring the “wow” factor. We ordered the Avocado Smash (poached eggs, cherry truss tomatoes, danish feta, dukkah, basil, sourdough, $16.90), the Mafia Hot Chocolate and Red Velvet Eggs Benedict.

If you order The Green Frenchy, staff come to your table with a blow torch and caramelize the banana at your table.

The colourful lattes are stunning, and the milkshake that comes in a bathtub is so cute.

My only negative about the cafe is how unfriendly it is for families. There’s no kids’ menu and while there are some ides they can order from on the breakfast menu, there is nothing on the lunch menu that kids can eat – the lunch menu is served from 11:30am onwards at Waterloo, while Parramatta has all-day breakfast.

We asked for a piece of toast and a side of avocado for Cheese fifteen minutes before the changeover of menu and had the staff come back to us a minute after changeover to say they couldn’t do it as it was now the lunch menu being served. When I explained that we had ordered it before the changeover time and there was nothing else my daughter could eat on the lunch menu, the staff member shrugged and said, “Yes it’s a real problem, we have nothing to serve kids, parents are always asking for a kids’ menu”, and that was it.

Since there is a dog menu, I’m not sure why there can’t be a kids’ menu too, particularly when there is a demand from their customers for it?

Social Hideout Waterloo
Shop 4/5/25-33 Allen St, Waterloo
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-3:30pm, Sat & Sun 8am-3:30pm.

Social Hideout Parramatta
2a/20 Victoria Rd, Parramatta
Hours: Mon-Fri 6am-3pm, Sat & Sun 7:30am-3pm
socialhideout.com.au

The Sweet Spot Waterloo: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Waterloo

March 6, 2016 / Inner South East, Sydney, Sydney Food, Waterloo / 0 comment

The once industrial inner east of Sydney has come a long way. It’s now full of cute little dining spots, including The Sweet Spot, a kid-friendly cafe in Waterloo that is famous for its delicious desserts.

We stumbled upon the patisserie in search of a sweet hit, and continued to return for its savoury dishes.

A regular order for us would be Corn Fritters (roast tomato, avocado, bacon, balsamic reduction, poached eggs & a slice of sourdough, $15) where I swap the bacon for haloumi, kids’ chocolate milkshake, Pancakes ($12) and the Big Breakfast (chorizo, spinach, mushrooms, bacon, roast tomato and 2 eggs, $18).

We found the food very reasonably priced, big portions, and absolutely delicious. We could easily very happily share two meals, but it’s all so delicious we would end up ordering one dish each, then stuffing ourselves to the brim.

While there is nothing particularly kid-friendly about the cafe, we found the open air seating, spaciousness and attitude of the staff to make the patisserie very family-friendly. There is plenty of room for strollers to fit next to tables, and if little ones need to be strolled, there is a long ramp that leads down out of the cafe where babies can be calmed down or walked around until they’re able to return to the cafe. It’s an easy place to escape from other diners if your kids aren’t having a good day out.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

The Sweet Spot Waterloo
Shop 1, 2 Allen Street,
Waterloo NSW 2015
Phone: (02) 9690 0340
Prices: $
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-3:30pm Sat&Sun 8am-3:30pm
Get Directions

Tartine: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Mascot, Sydney

June 3, 2015 / Inner South East, Mascot, Sydney, Sydney Food / 2 Comments

At Tartine in Mascot, the humble jaffle sanga is being elevated to new heights. “Tartine” literally means “open sandwich” and at this cafe, you will not just enjoy tartines with amazing toppings like double smoked leg ham, provolone, chives on sourdough, you can also indulge in a delicious jaffle, unlike any you’ve likely ever had before.

Chef and co-owner Anthony Telford has brought the French open sandwich to Sydney, along with his partner Amy Kirchhoff, who’s the creative behind the interior.

The food is simple and reasonably priced, with every item on the menu is under $10. The tartines are beautifully presented on Brasserie bread, which is one of our favourite local breads. Jaffles are stuffed with combinations like heirloom tomato, buffalo mozzarella, or even dessert options like nutella, banana and marshmallows.

Families are extremely welcome at Tartine, and we did see several babies and toddlers having lunch at the same time that we visited. There is plenty of outdoor seating, which is particularly good for strollers, and a large lounge area that can also accommodate a stroller.

We started with an English Breakfast Tea ($4.5 pot), Flat White ($3.50 small, $4 large), Hot Cocoa ($4).

When i asked for the hot chocolate for Cheese, the waitress very helpfully let me know that she would make it lukewarm for her, which we all appreciated. It came out with the most adorable kitty face, making Cheese’s face in turn light up with joy.

Next up was the food: Vegemite, Feta, Avocado, Sourdough ($9.50), Cheese Jaffle ($8), Herbed Cottage Cheese, Tomato & Avocado ($9.9).

The jaffles and tartine were so delicious. Wonderful bread supporting fresh, flavoursome fillings. My avocado was the perfect ripeness, and the combination with the cheese and vegemite was heaven for my tastebuds.

Cheese devoured her jaffle, as did Alec his. We fought over who ate Cheese’s crusts.

We still had room for dessert, so ordered the Apricot and Frangipane Tart ($4) and a Coconut Tea Cake ($4).

The tart was delicious – light and fruity, with the perfect crust.

The tea cake was dense and moist – what Cheese didn’t want I finished off for her.

We loved this hidden gem in Mascot and will be back frequently for more jaffles and tartines.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Tartine
635 Gardeners Road,
Mascot NSW 2020
Phone: (02) 9700 9847
Prices: $
Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-4pm, Sat 8am-3pm, Sun 9am-3pm
Get Directions

Clubhouse: Kid-Friendly cafes, Rosebery, Sydney

March 10, 2014 / Inner South East, Roseberry, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

When friends suggested we meet for breakfast at the Surf lifesaving Clubhouse in Rosebery, my first thought was, “huh?”. Rosebery isn’t known for its beaches but what awaited us at the Clubhouse was a fabulous, kid friendly surprise.

Right on busy Botany Road, the Clubhouse is hard to miss. It’s got an inviting patio with lots of sun-safe umbrellas and comfy cushioned seating. Inside, however, you get more that you expect: a well-appointed wood interior with murals representing the great surf lifesaving traditional in Australia. It’s one of those places that somehow strikes the balance between casual day eating and more sophisticated (but cozy!) night/bar eatery.

And then there’s the menu. I ordered the B.R.A.T (bacon, rocket, avocado, fresh tomatoes, aioli, $14) which is pretty much the best BLT-esque breakfast sandwich I’ve had in years. Lorin ordered the Smoked ham & eggs Benedict on brioche ($20) and his only comment before he proceeded to devour the dish in under five minutes was that the eggs were poached to perfection. Baby Lukas ordered some banana bread ($4) which also managed to be a knock out being surprisingly light and fluffy. Echo after echo of “yum” from Baby Lukas confirmed this assessment.

Smoked ham & eggs Benedict on brioche ($20)

Another thing that blew us away was that upon arrival, Baby Lukas was given a “little nippers” goodie bag full of crayons, paper and stickers, which amused him for a good 15 minutes. Which, borrowing the concept of dog years, translates into roughly an hour in restaurant time.

Last bite: If you’re for a kid-friendly place for brunch and are bumping about the far Eastern suburbs, visit the Clubhouse . You and your children will leave happy.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: Yes.
Kids’ menu: No, but kids won’t starve

Clubhouse
789 Botany Rd, Rosebery NSW 2018
Phone: (02) 9669 2828
Hours: Mon-Sun 8am-late
Reservations
Get Directions

Three Williams: Kid-Friendly cafes, Redfern, Sydney

November 30, 2013 / Inner South East, Redfern, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

To borrow a phrase from our Kiwi neighbours, the Three Williams café in Redfern is sweet as. Why you, ask? Well, for starters, anyone who gets excited by good grub will appreciate the good quality offerings on serve and the cool, exposed-brick venue. And anyone with kids will appreciate the large interior and dedicated kids’ area. That combination, my friends, is why Three Williams is sweet as. On its second weekend in existence, we decided to try it out for breakfast.

The first thing we noticed was how large Three Williams is: even parents with prams the size of small homes will be able to find an out-of-the-way place to park the mothership. Another luxury not commonly found in Eastern Suburb dining establishments is that the tables are spaced out so that you don’t feel like you’re sitting in the person’s lap at the next table.

Next we noticed Willy’s corner, a large, on-the-wall chalkboard that just beckons kids to it. It took Baby Lukas all of two seconds to gravitate towards it and paint a few artistic strokes. It took him just a few more to start eating the chalk (sorry, Three Williams).

Willy's corner for kids. Photo by Emily Staresina. — Willy’s (pristine) corner for kids. It didn’t last that way for long! Photo by Emily Staresina.

So impressed were we with the kid-friendly fit-out, that by the time our food came around we felt like that was icing on the cake. I had the Scrambled Eggs on Toast ($10) with Avocado ($3) and a cheeky side of bacon ($4). Lorin ordered the Crunchy Brioche French Toast with Roasted Pecans and Maple ($14), which would please even the most discerning French-toastie. Surprisingly crunchy and sweet, it was a total hit with everyone, including Baby Lukas.

Crunchy brioche French toast ($14). Photo by Emily Staresina.

Yummy eggs on toast ($10) with avocado ($3) and bacon ($4). Photo by Emily Staresina

Last bite: If you’re looking for a kid-friendly place with great food, look no further than Three Williams. It may be a new establishment, but it’s one to add to the rotation. And do it quickly – it won’t be long before there’s a line for this place!

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Heaps.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: Yes.
Kids’ menu: Yes. Ask for it, it’s lots of fun!

Three Williams
613a Elizabeth Street, Redfern, 2016
Phone: (02) 9698 1111
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon-Sun 7am-3pm
Get Directions

Nan’s Place: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Zetland, Sydney

November 9, 2013 / Inner South East, Sydney, Sydney Food, Zetland / 0 comment

The rumour mill has been spinning with whispers that Nan’s Place, a new café in Zetland, serves up food like your nan’s but only (gasp) better and with a twist. Never one not to investigate a promising food rumour, Baby Lukas, my husband and I decided to check out Nan’s this past Saturday.

Looking into Nan's from the outside. — Looking into Nan’s from the outside.

Expecting gaudy, lacy tablecloths on which comfort food like heavily buttered scrambled eggs are served, the first thing that strikes you as you walk up t0 the understated corner café, is a reminder that this is the inner-city: Nan-inspired it may be, but the décor is trendy with food offerings to match.

The interior is small, with a main circular table for communal eating. We decided to eat outside, next to a family enjoying what looked to be a dynamite breakfast. Plus, we figured if Lukas started acting up, his noise would blend with the other kids’.

Looking at the menu, I was intrigued by the offerings and knew I had to try the Half Ruby Grapefruit, Coconut Sugar and Toasted Almonds ($6) with Brickfield’s Sourdough Toast with Preserves ($5). Like any clever wife, I convinced my husband to order another dish I wanted to try: Poached Rock Chic Hen Eggs ($10) with Tuscan Kale, Green Garlic and Garden Herbs ($5).

Poached eggs ($10) with Tuscan kale, green garlic and fresh herbs ($5). Photo by Emily Staresina. — Poached eggs ($10) with Tuscan kale, green garlic and fresh herbs ($5).

Brickfield's toast with butter and strawberry jam ($5). Photo by Emily Staresina. — Brickfield’s toast with butter and strawberry jam ($5).

Ruby grapefruit with toasted almonds and coconut sugar. Photo by Emily Staresina — Ruby grapefruit with toasted almonds and coconut sugar ($6).

While we waited for our food, Baby Lukas made friends with the kids at the next table, as well as the dog tied to the post nearby. By making friends I mean stealing their toys, attempted food theft and pulling the poor dog’s tail. The staff weren’t phased by weaving between children to deliver breakfasts to patrons, which was nice to see, and were more than happy to interact with them in between orders.

Our food came, and I’m pleased to confirm the rumours were true: served on mismatched plates (just like at your grandma’s!), the food was fantastic. The eggs were poached just right (runny but not liquid) and the strawberry jam had real chunks of berry. As for the coconut sugar on the grapefruit – well, let’s just say there’s no going back.

The boys eating breakfast. Photo by Emily Staresina. — The boys eating breakfast.

The one thing missing from making this a total coup was that there weren’t any highchairs, which meant that we had to take turns eating. No big deal, as any seasoned parent knows, but worth considering if you can’t do without one.

Last bite: if you’re looking for a fabulous new kid-friendly café where the food is great and your kids are treated well, look no farther than Nan’s Place.

Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: Limited. If you don’t need one, don’t bring one.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No, but kids won’t starve.

Nan’s Place
2a Portman Street, Zetland
Phone: (02) 8084 0731
Prices: $$
Hours: Tues-Fri 6:30am-3:30pm and Sat 8am-3pm
Get Directions

Saint Michiba Pizza: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Waterloo, Sydney

October 5, 2013 / Inner South East, Sydney, Sydney Food, Waterloo / 0 comment

What do you get when the Franciscan order and a flying pig cross paths? You get a slice of pizza heaven. St. Michiba’s is a kid-friendly pizza eatery on Waterloo’s leafy Phillip St with a sinfully delicious menu with a playful shade of Japanese-anime-inspired ambience.*

Lukas pointing out the cool artwork inside St Michiba's — Lukas (kind of) pointing out the cool artwork inside St Michiba’s. Photo by Emily Staresina

On a recent blustery spring evening, Baby Lukas and I took my parents (visiting from Canada) to St. Michiba’s. For the sake of full disclosure, I must admit that it was not my first time at St. Michiba’s and that they may even know me when I ring for takeaway.

As the restaurant interior is small, we elected to sit outside which was great because it left us room for the pram and allowed Baby Lukas free access to zawk (my word to describe his style of zombie walking – a fresh skill he’s acquired) and gawk at all the people walking by.

The first thing my parents noticed was the unusual menu – salads are listed under “The Garden of Eden” while vegetarian pizzas hail from “The Franciscan Order”. We decided on the Genesis salad (prosciutto, avocado, toasted walnuts, parmesan on wild rocket, $14), the Rahmiel (smoked ham, mushroom, pineapple and olives, $26) and the Assisi ($22, otherwise known as a Margherita).

In not very long our pizzas arrived, and they didn’t disappoint: for approximately 10 minutes not a sound (other than Baby Lukas happily chowing down on pizza crust – which make for excellent teething snacks, by the way) was heard as we concentrated on the goodness. As a testament to the quality, my father, who’d rather have a steak over pasta (which is what he classifies pizza), was stunned at how good these thin-crust pizzas tasted.

Lukas in awe of the heavenly feast before him (Genesis salad, $16, Assisi pizza, $22) — Lukas awed by the heavenly feast before him (salad, $16, Assisi pizza, $22). Photo by Emily Staresina

While we ran out of stomach to try any of the Last Temptations (also known as dessert) we were more than satisfied with our dinner.

Last bite: Waterloo doesn’t lack for pizza joints, nor does it lack for kid-friendly places to eat, but St. Michiba’s is one of those rare places where good food and stuff to do make happy babies and happy parents.

*Clarification: I’ve no idea if the flying pigs artwork that adorn the pizza boxes and the walls actually are Japanese Anime inspired, but this is what my uninformed self would call it.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No, the menu suits any kids eating pizza

St. Michiba’s
Shop 8 / 863 Bourke Street, (actually located on Phillip St at end of Pedestrian crossing)
Waterloo NSW 2017
Ph: (02) 8068 8767
Prices: $$$
Hours: Sun-Sat 5pm-10pm
Get Directions