Nookie, Surry Hills

Of all the coffee-serving shops in Sydney, Nookie is probably the smallest; there’s enough wiggle room for a single barista. The counter is only big enough to fit an espresso machine so the treats are lined up at the ordering window. There’s nowhere to sit and it’s located near the corner of two very busy roads – Cleveland and Elizabeth – that aren’t pedestrian heavy but it’s somehow still surviving.

Nookie uses a custom blend from Charlie Coffee for its coffees and also serves tea. Although I’m not sure why anybody would order a tea to-go. As for the snacks, there is a tray of assorted muffins ($4) because they go hand-in-hand with caffeine. There’s also a jar of cookies ($3.50) from Luke Avenue, which is found in a large amount of popular Sydney cafes. I’ve had the breakfast oat cookie before and it definitely tastes like your morning bowl of muesli.

There’s not much else to say about Nookie aside from suggesting that you pop by once if you’re in the area. Sydney’s coffee culture has accelerated at such an astounding rate over the past few years that sometimes we forget that not every cup has to be specialty. This is what Nookie does well: clean, simple coffee for when you’re in a rush and don’t care about which specific altitude the beans were grown at.

Nookie
268 Cleveland St
Surry Hills NSW 2010
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