Here in the Mountains, we take our coffee seriously, with our enticing cafes rivalling big city counterparts in quality and service.
By Julie Miller
When it comes to exceptional coffee, there are simply no excuses. Australians are obsessive about their morning caffeine hit; and it’s no different here in the Blue Mountains, where locals and visitors alike demand city café quality with our own unique spin on ambience and a focus on fresh, local produce presented with heart.
From Glenbrook to Mount Victoria, every village has its own treasured bolthole where you can pull up a chair, soaking up the Spring sunshine as you linger over conversation and fine food while sipping on black liquid gold.
Here are some of our favourites and their signature dishes or beverages guaranteed to lure you in:
Kickaboom
6 Ross St, Glenbrook
W: kickaboom.com.au
Mon-Fri 7am – 3pm, weekends 7.30am – 3pm.
In a village chock-a-block with excellent cafes, Kickaboom is a standout. Its unique, travel-inspired creative takes on classic brunch dishes – such as its signature Reuben Benny – has elevated its Asian-fusion menu to fine art; while the café is also unique in Glenbrook by offering a variety of coffees from specialty quality-focused coffee roasters, both local and international.
Finn & Co
107 Macquarie St, Springwood
W: finnandcocafe.com.au
Tues- Sun 7.30am – 3.30pm (kitchen closes 2.30pm)
Finn & Co in Springwood is a warm and welcoming family-run café with an emphasis of supporting other local businesses and the community. With its rustic ambience and excellent customer service, the café is renowned for its brunch served seven days a week, with an all-day brekky menu including its popular Sunrise Bun - bacon, fried egg, caramelised onion, avo, cheese and hash brown on a toasted potato bun.
Sorensen’s Glasshouse
8 Herbert St, Leura
W: sorensensglasshouse.com
Wednesday to Monday, 9am-3pm
The transparent walls of Sorensen’s Glasshouse – purpose-built for the adjoining plant nursery some 15 years ago to replicate the original glasshouse belonging to Paul Sorensen – invites nature in as you dine on food and coffee, sourced from local Blue Mountains suppliers. Due to the structure of the glasshouse and its original intent, the kitchen has many limitations, with the menu designed accordingly. Signature dishes include smoked salmon fettucini in a creamy white wine sauce, a slow-cooked beef brisket burger and an Asian chicken rice noodle salad.
Fed Blue Mountains
6 Station St, Wentworth Falls
W: fedbluemountains.com.au
Daily 7.30am – 4pm
The evergreen Fed serves a wide variety of fresh homemade food and drinks in a warm and friendly atmosphere, with the goal to provide superior quality home-made foods and healthy options. Breakfast is served until 12 noon, with light brekky rolls offered alongside hearty feasts including the signature The Stack – sourdough topped with avocado, hashbrown, bacon, haloumi and a fried egg, enhanced with housemade tomato salsa.
The Bunker
117-121 Leura Mall, Leura
and 150 Macquarie Rd, Springwood
T: (02) 4751 6615; www.thebunkercafebarrestaurant.com.au
Springwood: Wednesday/Thursday 7am – 9pm, Friday/Saturday 7am-11pm, Sunday 7am-9pm
Leura: Wednesday/Thursday 12pm-9pm, Friday/Saturday 8am-11pm, Sunday 8am-9pm
With two locations – Springwood and Leura – The Bunker combines a team of talented and driven people with locally-sourced produced. Striving to deliver a casual dining experience at a consistently high standard, The Bunker offers a place to connect, a place that feels like home whilst dining out. Both cafes specialise in all-day breakfast (including breakfast cocktails!) and good wine and cocktails at night.
GalleryONE88 Café
186-188 Katoomba St, Katoomba
W: www.galleryone88finearts.com
Thursday to Monday 10am – 3pm
Located within Katoomba’s Art Precinct on Katoomba Street is Gallery One88, a world of creativity showcasing local art, music, coffee and food. ONE88 began almost six years ago as an art gallery and has slowly evolved and expanded to cover three floors and two shopfronts. The café serves all day breakfast, coffee, cake and lunches from 12noon; cakes are made by local bakers, and the coffee roasted by Blue Mountains Roasters.
Monkey Creek Café & Pantry
227 Chifley Rd, Dargan
T: 0407 746761; W: www.facebook.com/monkeycreekcafepantry
Daily 9-4pm
Not many cafes in the Blue Mountains can boast views as unfettered and wild as Monkey Creek, with the isolated modern structure just off the Bells Line of Road offering far-reaching views west across rugged pagoda country. Inside, the focus is on warming comfort food, with specialties including home-made soups, twice-baked loaded spuds and sourdough open toasties. The pantry also has a lovely selection of local and Australian-made products which make ideal gifts.
Hounslow Blackheath
5/23-25 Govetts Leap Rd
Blackheath
T: 1300 002 785; W: https://hounslow.net.au/
Mon-Wed 7am-3pm, Thurs-Fri 7am-late, Sat 7.30am-late, Sun 7.30am-3pm
With an all-day menu featuring delicacies such as Bass Strait scallops, Will Studd goats milk halloumi, iron bark smoky streaked bacon and wagyu beef burgers, Hounslow – nestled in the arcade on Govetts Leap Rd - has upped the ante in Blackheath’s café scene. Premium wines are served by the glass of bottle, with a top shelf range of internationally-acclaimed icons also available for wine connoisseurs. The café also hosts regular events including wine tasting nights featuring premium wines paired with delectable seafood canapes.
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