Coffee Brothers: Mona Vale

Coffee Brothers in Mona Vale is one of the most popular coffee shops in Sydney from both local and not-so local visitors, and has received excellent reviews across the board for it's coffee and it's food and service. It's popularity has surged since it was recently voted the 10th best Cafe in Australia! 

Located in the industrial locality of Darley St , Mona Vale and opened by local Northern Beaches family almost four years ago, Coffee Brothers has an inner-city Melbourne vibe and casual cafe food that people fall in love with immediately. It also stocks a signature blend for milk-based coffee made with beans sourced from Indonesia, Colombia and micro plantations from Tanna Island in Vanuatu. For espresso drinkers, Coffee Brothers has a blend made with Brazilian, Indonesian and Vanuatu beans.

I decided to write about Coffee Brothers not only because of it's excellent reputation, but also because of it's relationship with fair trade coffee that Coffee Brothers prides itself on. Coffee Brothers have a personal relationship with the farmers that grow their beans in Vanuatu by visiting them many times during the year, and also encourage people to write messages to the farmers themselves.

Overall, Coffee Brothers is definitely a cafe you should check out (and not only because it's the 10th best in Australia!) and visit if you're ever down near the Northern Beaches.

Harvest Store & Kitchen: Newport Beach

Harvest Store & Kitchen began as concept store created by two Northern Beaches women who wanted to showcase locally produced Australian products. With a holistic and organic approach to food, Harvest uses sustainable practices to serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. The cozy and girly cafe decorated with plush couches also houses a pantry store where you can pick up many of the products used in their food, as well as homemade chutneys, jams and sauces. 

One of my favourite thinks to drink at Harvest is their Sticky Chai, a honey soaked tea made in Australia from natural and sustainable ingredients which is also available for purchase if you love it just as much as I do.

The only downside to Harvest is that it is one of the more expensive cafes along Newport, which isn't really a problem when there are so many to chose from! Harvest is excellent for special events or when you want to spoil someone with a fancy breakfast and coffee to start the day! Located at 352 Barrenjoey Road, Newport, Harvest is a unique cafe that adapts itself beautifully from breakfast to lunch and dinner.

By

Nicolette

Armchair Collective: Mona Vale

The Armchair Collective, located on Darley St East near Mona Vale Beach is another extremely popular cafe along the Northern Beaches. The crowd and demographic is slightly different from the other coffee shops I have reviewed on the Northern Beaches. Armchair Collective attracts a older selection of people, located away from the main shops of Mona Vale near retirement homes and also doubles as a homeware store. 

They sell one of a kind restored designer armchairs, colourful cushions and custom lamp shades among many other unique interior decorating items. However, it is not the homewares store that attracts the most attention! With an extensive breakfast, lunch, drinks and all day menu, Armchair Collective has become a relaxing coffee shop to go to after a day at the beach and has proven its popularity time and time again.

Open from Monday to Sunday, 7:00-4pm, Armchair Collective do not take any bookings or reservations and is fully licensed. 

Gluten Free Cafe: Newport

Located directly opposite from the newly opened The Newport, the Gluten Free Cafe in Newport claims to be the first 100% gluten free cafe of it's kind in Sydney. With a belief that people who suffer from coeliac disease shouldn't have to give up taste to live healthily, GFCafe aims to have a modern and indulgent menu for those who choose or have to eat gluten free to enjoy.

One unique thing about GFC is that they have an extensive range of take-away lunches and dinners, with cakes available to order as well. Their breakfast menu, which is available until 11:30 am contains items such as Eggs Benedict, lemon curd and banana bread, and also pancakes with caramelized banana.

In terms of lunch, GFCafe is also BYO, so you can bring your own bottle of wine for $5 corkage per person. The lunch menu boasts items such as burgers, salt and pepper squid, salads and sandwiches that you can purchase to take home as well. Lunch is available until 2pm from Midday.

If you know anyone who is gluten free, I highly recommend a trip down to 1 Kalinya St, Newport, to check out this unique cafe and all it has to offer!

Zubi Bar: Newport Beach

Also located along Barrenjoey Road, Newport, 

Zubi Bar is one of the busiest coffee shops in the Northern Beaches and attracts customers from everywhere with it's young and friendly staff that keep it contemporary. Tucked away with a 

hidden garden and a cozy atmosphere, the line for take-away coffee spills out onto the street until mid-morning. Popular with all ages, Zubi Bar is a go-to coffee shop for most. Zubi also hosts many young and upcoming local bands which adds to it's appeal.

As seen below, the menu is fairly simple, but it is this simple menu that allows the staff at Zubi to excel at customer service instead of dealing with complicated orders. My favourites: chai latte with pear and raspberry bread.

Recognized as one of the winners in Sydney Morning Herald's Good Cafe Guide, Zubi is an unsuspecting gem on the Northern Beaches that is definitely worth a visit to!

By Nicolette

Shot Lab Expresso: Newport Beach

https://www.facebook.com/ShotLabEspresso

Located along the main shopping strip of Newport on Barrenjoey Road, Shot Lab is my family favourite coffee shop and a favourite among many families in Newport. Frequently visited early every morning before I begin my trip to uni to start the day, Shot Lab has a unique style and extremely friendly staff, but most importantly uses a fair trade blend of coffee that tastes just as good in a long black (my new favourite) as it does in a latte.

https://www.facebook.com/ShotLabEspresso/

Highly recommended would be their signature hot chocolates, served uniquely with a glass of melted Lindt chocolate beside a bottle of warm milk! My brothers and sisters love that they are able to make their hot chocolate the way they want or even have the milk separately.

My sister Bettina (who also happens to work at Shot Lab)

Keeping up with all the latest trends in healthy food, Shot Lab's food menu includes acai bowls / smoothies and homemade granola as well as gluten free and low-sugar options. In addition, traditional cafe breakfasts such as a bacon + egg roll and wraps are also available.

Check out their Facebook page here!

By Nicolette

Introduction: The Northern Beaches

Hello! My name is Nicolette, and I will be reviewing some of the popular cafes on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, especially in the suburb of Newport and surrounding suburbs such as Palm Beach, Mona Vale and Avalon.

A exclusive collection of quiet coastal suburbs, the Northern Beaches of Sydney are located an hour north of Sydney's central business district.  With enchanting scenery and a coastal lifestyle, our area is famous for our beaches, lookouts, and laid back way of living. This is reflected in our abundant number of cafes (I can already count ten in Newport...) that all have a unique culture to them. Many of these receive favourable reviews and some have even won awards, which I will be discussing in my future posts as I review some of my favourite places to go.

Hopefully my future posts will convince some of you to come and visit!


Until next time, 
Nicolette