Coffee and Cafe Guide
Sydney Coffee and Cafe Guide
Making the perfect coffee is a blend of both art and science – but it’s rarely mastered. Here is Time Out’s hot shot guide to conjuring the black magic.
Know your beans
Most Sydney beans come from high-quality Arabica or high-yielding Robusta. Most Australians have milk coffee, so they need a stronger Robusta bean for flavour and the fresher the coffee, the better the taste and aroma. To ensure peak freshness, baristas keep oxygen, heat, humidity and sunlight in check. “If you don’t get the balance right, the grind gets stale,” says Vicky Young, co-owner of coffee couture café Vella Nero.
Go to press
Each 7g espresso shot is pressed with a pestle-like tool called a tamper, so water slows as it drips and extracts more flavour. Use force from shoulder to wrist to compact the grinds.
Froth
Perfect froth takes a steady hand. Aerate the surface, creating a soft hissing. Lower the jug, ever so slightly, and continue the sound flow until you’re at 40°. Then swirl (aka texturing) until you hit 65°. Too fast and you get milkshake bubbles. Bang out any remaining bubbles and spin for shine.
The perfect shot
The perfect 30ml shot should take 30 seconds to pour. Any longer and the coffee grinds will burn. Any faster and the water isn’t stripping enough oils off the grinds, resulting in weak flavour. Adjust the grinder to a coarser or finer grind.
Pour!
Pour the frothiest drink (cappuccino) first. Then pour the latte a little slower in the centre of the cup till there’s 10ml of froth 1cm over the rim. Swirl before pouring each and then (if you must) add your design.
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Sydney Cafes by Area
CBD
Vella Nero
Mecca
Spilling the Beans
Guylian Chocolate Café, Circular Quay and The Rocks
Toby’s Estate, Woolloomooloo
East
Gusto, Bondi Beach
Caffe Quattro Passi, Paddington
Bill & Toni’s, East Sydney
Wall Café, Surry Hills
Single Origin, Surry Hills
The Bunker, Darlinghurst
Bellagio, Charing Cross
North
Avenue Road, Mosman
2KF, Mona Vale
The Source, Mosman
The Penny Royal, Mosman
Belaroma Coffee Centre, Manly Vale
South
Grind Espresso, Cronulla
Café Sopra, Waterloo
Allpress, Rosebery
West
Campos, Newtown
Deus ex Machina, Camperdown
Broadway Café, Broadway
Bertoni Casalinga, Balmain
Cordial Café, Camperdown
Café Giulia, Chippendale
Rosebud, Rozelle
Café Chocolat, Balmain
Need more caffeine? Check out Sydney's Best Coffee.
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