Some call it a gift and others call it a caffeinated curse, but somehow, no matter where I am, I always happen to stumble across the best cafes in a city - not that it's particularly difficult to find yourself a good brew of black stuff when wandering around Sydney's Surrey Hills. In this suburb coffee reins supreme, cafes seem to outnumber residence and the hipster beard is almost a prerequisite uniform. While wandering through this beautifully leafy suburb on my first day in Sydney, I felt my caffeine senses tingling (this usually only happens closer to a full moon) as I approached Reuben Hills, a Sydney cafe that's like the barista equivalent of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. Except on Steroids.
Reuben Hills' long and narrow interior, with a roller door out back and an unassuming shopfront, is full to bursting with extraordinary apparatuses that envelope you in a world of brew ratios, filtration methods and specialty coffee. Sitting proudly atop the long stone counter is the customised three group mistral, behind which dedicated apron-clad baristas work their magic on the specially sourced coffee. Owners Nathan Borg and Russell Beard are committed to making specialty coffee as appealing and accessible as possible, and by providing customers with a wonderfully balanced cup of coffee, they do just that. Make sure you try out the rotating espresso of the day as well as the deliciously drinkable house blend, which has proven to be a keen crowd pleaser. Borg and Beard now roast their beans on site, which are carefully sourced from their travels to countries such as Honduras, Colombia and Panama.
The menu also draws inspiration from their culinary exploits throughout Honduras and El Salvador, resulting in super-chilled food with a mexicano vibe. Think baleada honduran tortilla with egg, queso fresco and black beans, or a Charquican chillean beef stew with soft fried egg, tomato rice and fermented pebre. For something a little more lunchy than brunchy when you've got the munchies, go for 'the NOT reuben sandwich': two thick slices of rye filled with wagyu brisket, manchego, pickled slaw and horseradish cream. If you can handle it, follow up your meal with the salted caramel milkshake. Trust me, you won't regret it.
I know I'm supposed to turn my nose up Sydney coffee, but when it tastes this good how could I possibly resist the urge to congratulate this extremely awesome cafe on being, well, extremely awesome! With its unpretentious coffee-geekery, wonderfully modern space and a menu that induces unconscious drooling, I think Iv'e found the Sydney cafe that would make even the most smug Melbourne coffee lover swoon.
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