Canberra Cafe: Milk Crate, Civic

If you’re like me and you follow closely whenever a new cafe opens up in town, you might have noticed that a new little spot called Milk Crate opened up just a few weeks ago. These last few weeks my instagram feed has been filled with photos of delicious looking pastries and cute blue coffee cups.

Last week, I finally got to see if it’s as good as the instagram hype. Steven and I ordered a couple of coffees to start and settled in for a mid-morning breakfast bonanza.

First impressions are everything and this place hits the mark in every way. With their on trend industrial interior, exposed brick counter and milk crates scattered out the front, this small cafe oozes cool vibes. As the weather warms up, I can see their outdoor space heating up too.

For breakfast, I ordered the avocado, tomato and smashed Persian feta ($8.50) and was pretty surprised when it came out as a toastie. This different take on the very trendy avo smash that seems to be everywhere at the moment was really good.

Steven was even more impressed with his breakfast. He got the Istanbul roll ($9.50) with sucuk, poached eggs, grilled haloumi and homemade tomato relish. The sucuk is a delicious chorizo-like beef creation that Steve believes everyone should get around – your taste buds will thank you.

We were also keen to try their homemade bagels with cream cheese ($6.50), so we ordered one to share on the side and it did not disappoint. It was deliciously garlic and was smothered in just the right amount of cream cheese.

To finish, we had another round of coffee and just couldn’t go past one of their homemade nutella muffins that were still warm from the oven. Need I say more?

As we sat and enjoyed our breakfast, we couldn’t help but notice the constant stream of people coming in for their morning coffee. Being in the city, this is a place for everyone – young, old, hip or not. If you’re into good coffee, chilled vibes and delicious food, then Milk Crate will suit you just fine.

Find this cute little cafe at Shop 6, 12 Moore Street in Civic. It’s open 6.30am to 4.00pm. They’re also on facebook and instagram.

– Bec x

Note: This article was originally published on the RiotACT as part of their Weekend Cafe Hot Spot series (see here).

Canberra Cafe: Sweet Bones, Braddon

Sweet Bones has been kicking around the trendy Braddon precinct for a little while now. Originally located in the old Lonsdale Street Traders (now a fully fledged construction site), this little organic vegan cafe and bakery can now be found just down the road on the corner of Lonsdale and Elouera Street.

As a vegetarian, it’s probably not surprising that I’m a big fan – having free reign of an entire menu is not a luxury I normally get – but Sweet Bones isn’t just for those with plant-based diets. It is a seriously good little cafe, vegan or not. And for any skeptical carnivores out there, you don’t even have to take my word for it – Matt and Steven, both meat-eating young men, have only good things to say after our visit a few weeks back.

It seems that many in Canberra agree. It was Sunday afternoon and we were out for a leisurely lunch in Braddon. Sweet Bones was absolutely pumping, but after a short wait, we managed to hawk a table inside and settle in with some drinks and baked goods to start.

While Sweet Bones do a pretty mean coffee (and they don’t charge extra for soy!), it’s their smoothie menu that really keeps things interesting in the drinks department. Matt ordered “The Elvis”, a peanut butter, chocolate and banana smoothie, which had both Steve and I envious from our respective sides of the table.

The chocolate chip cookies and delicious brownie more than made up for it though. I’m not even kidding, the cookies are that good that we went back for seconds before our lunch had even arrived.

Speaking of lunch, the menu at Sweet Bones is almost entirely Mexican-inspired. In fact, the whole place has a Mexican feel to it, with sugar skulls for table numbers, cute cacti in pots on all of the tables and the whole rock ‘n’ roll desert vibe going on. I love it and their food is seriously delicious.

I got the “Big Breakfast” ($18) with hummus, tomato, avocado, coconut bacon, sourdough toast and the best tofu scramble going around. Matt was also a pretty happy camper with his “Nacho Mountain” ($16) made with homemade refried white beans over corn chips and all the other vegan nacho goodies.

Steven got amongst it too. Not usually one for fake bacon or cheese, I think he was surprised by how much he enjoyed his “Bacon Cheeze Burger” ($15) with a marinated tofu patty, smoked coconut bacon and cheddar-like “cheeze”.

We all left with smiles on our faces, full bellies and happy feels right down to our bones. Sweet Bones is a great little cafe for vegans and non-vegans alike. Open every day of the week, you can find them at 8/18 Lonsdale Street in Braddon (entry on Elouera Street), or on facebook and instagram.

– Bec x

Note: This article was originally published on the RiotACT as part of their Weekend Cafe Hot Spot series (see here).

Sydney Eats: The Grounds of Alexandria

The City2Surf has become a bit of a tradition for my family – once a year, we all go to Sydney, run a casual 14km on a Sunday morning and spend the rest of the weekend eating and enjoying the warmer Sydney weather.

This year, on our way out of Sydney, we stopped in at one of my favourite places in Sydney – The Grounds of Alexandria. I’ve written about The Grounds before (see here), but I’ve only ever been on a Sunday when they have their gorgeous market stalls out in the courtyard. On the weekends people are absolutely everywhere and the wait for a table at the cafe is hours long.

While their market stalls are full of delicious goodies, I was keen to try the cafe this time. For a Monday morning the place was surprisingly busy, but after a short wait for a table, we were seated inside and treated to a killer brunch.

The photos pretty much speak for themselves – good coffee, chilled vibes and delicious everything else. I had the berry hotcake with vanilla marscapone and it was all kinds of light and fluffy. Everyone else enjoyed their meals too – the baked eggs were cooked to runny perfection and Steve was impressed that his breakfast burger came with a side of chunky polenta chips.

Their attention to detail is one of the best things about this place and they are killing it on all fronts  – everything looks good, tastes delicious and always delivered with a smile.

I definitely recommend a visit, even if it’s just for a wander through their gardens and courtyard. They have a gorgeous florist on site and if you’re into cute farm animals, you can’t leave without saying a quick hello to Kevin Bacon, the Grounds’ resident piggy.

The Grounds of Alexandria is located at Building 7A, 2 Huntley Street in Alexandria. If you’re into a little bit of food envy, they also have the most drool worthy instagram feed.

– Bec x

  

Canberra Cafe: Barrio Collective Coffee, Braddon

It was a rainy Sunday afternoon a few weeks back when I got to spend some quality time with my favourite Cuzzillo men.

It had been a while since we’d spent an afternoon just the three of us – Dad, Steven and I, that is. Given such a rare opportunity, we decided to try the newest cafe to hit Lonsdale Street in Braddon, Barrio Collective Coffee.

This cute little spot opened only a few months back and has quickly become my go-to for good coffee in this trendsetting area. It’s a tiny little hole-in-the-wall cafe with communal bench seating for all, good vibes a-plenty and the best cafe interior I’ve seen in a long time – those white wall tiles are seriously instagram worthy.

Good interior design aside, coffee is Barrio’s main game. I went for a brewed coffee, while the boys ordered a couple of flat whites. With no soy on the menu, Steven gave their house-made nut milk a go and loved it. My coffee was equally as delicious and I even grabbed a bag to take home with me.

Barrio’s lunch menu is on point too, with food that is simple but impressive. I had the avocado on rye with togorashi seasoning and it was delicious. Togorashi is now my new favourite thing – it’s a Japanese seasoning and if you know where I can find some, please do tell.

Dad and Steve were big fans of the food too. Dad ordered the marinated eggplant sandwich with piquillo peppers, goats cheese, pine nuts and bean sprouts, while Steven had the special of the day, a decadent toastie with fried mortadella and cheese. They were in Italian sandwich heaven.

We finished off with another round of drinks and some Italian pastries to share. Dad had a second coffee and I almost joined him, but instead got a chai while Steve tried the house-made lemon and rosemary soda. On all counts, it was the perfect end to our long lazy lunch.

For a tiny little cafe that specialises in coffee, Barrio does everything well. While it’s a given that their coffee should be good, it’s the other details that really make Barrio special. You can tell that a lot of time, thought and love has gone into this place and what they offer.

While coffee is what keeps the place buzzing, Barrio’s food menu is delicious and interesting, and their non-coffee drink options are also worth taking the time. If you’re not in the mood for coffee, I recommend a big mug of their chai with a cheeky doughnut on the side – a particularly good combo for a rainy Sunday afternoon.

Barrio is open from 7am, every day of the week. Find them at the ORI Building on Lonsdale Street in Braddon, as well as on facebook and instagram.

– Bec x

 

Canberra Cafe: Fox and Bow, Farrer

I’ve been looking forward to this edition of our Canberra cafe series for a while now. Fox and Bow is one of my favourite cafes in Canberra and I’ve been hanging out to tell you all about it.

There is something about this little cafe in Farrer that just feels right. The atmosphere is cosy, the staff are friendly and the good vibes, always free-flowing. They have a killer menu too, with cheeky names for all their dishes.

When Bec, Matt and I ventured out there last weekend, we grabbed a table inside and got some coffees and the last strawberry cronut to start. For those not in the know, cronuts are a magic combo of croissant and doughnut, which taste as good as they sound and are a great way to warm up the tastebuds before a big feast.

It was lunch time and I ordered the “Old Mate”, a delicious ricotta gnocchi with braised lamb, peas, mushrooms, gravy and parmesan. Being Italian, it shouldn’t surprise you that gnocchi is one of my all time favourite meals and, while my nonna’s recipe will always reign supreme, I did enjoy Fox & Bow’s take on the dish. It was definitely a great meal for a cold winter’s day and, as a long time gnocchi enthusiast, I would highly recommend it.

Bec had breakfast for lunch, ordering the “Hot Toasty Nuts”, a warm chia and chai spiced porridge topped with coconut, banana, strawberries and nuts. Matt went for the “Roadrunner”, a down-to-earth chicken burger with spicy jalapeños, Swiss cheese, slaw and guacamole. It was an all-round delicious meal for everyone involved.

We also got a few of their fancy drinks to wash it all down. I tried one of the new shakes, cheekily named “The Kimye”. It’s a delicious mix of white chocolate, caramel fudge and enough glitter sprinkles to give Kimmy K a run for her money. With flavours as punchy as Kanye’s lyrics and the visual aesthetic of Kimmy’s bottom, this is a shake that lives up to it’s name.

As for the others, they went for the healthy option and got a juice each. Matt got “The Buzz Lightyear”, a green juice that, thanks to a little tabasco, will well and truly take you to infinity and beyond. While Bec had the “El Macho”, a delicious but unusual pineapple juice with coconut and nopal cactus – it definitely seemed to make her a very happy señorita.

If you’re feeling foxy and a little peckish, then get amongst it at Fox and Bow. Located at the Farrer shops, they can also be found on facebook and instagram.

– Steven

Note: Fox and Bow were very generous and gave us the coffees, cronut and one of the meals on the house. As always, all opinions are honest – and I can honestly say, we love this place!