Eathouse Diner, Redfern

A brief look at my Instagram and you'd know that I used to spend a lot of time in Redfern. Every time I crossed the intersection of Chalmers and Redfern, Eathouse Diner would catch my eye. It was probably the bright turquoise walls, red and yellow handlettering, and Victorian style hands along with "eat here" on the signage. The wall behind the bar is lit by a string of fairy lights which reflect off of a mirror mounted on the top. This may be one of the best-stocked diners in the city judging from the range of bottles on display.

Cleveland's, Redfern

A barber and a barista walk into a bar. I’m not sure what goes down but we somehow end up with Cleveland’s – it’s a cafe at the front and a salon at the back. This sounds like a weird combination but they’ve been making it work since 2012. I’d heard that “it seems like somewhere you would want to check out just because” which seems to be a good reason as any.

Three Williams, Redfern

On the far side of Redfern is Three Williams, a brunch institution. Since the huge warehouse space opened, it’s been constantly filled thanks to a combination of filling, pretty cafe food and a minimal aesthetic. Sydney-siders seem to be really getting into the bare room, low-lighting, industrial feel recently. In what seems to be a rare occurrence, the cafe looks like it’s actually designed to accommodate prams and kids – ramps line the space, there’s room around the tables for high-chairs, and a chalkboard at the back to keep the little ones occupied.

Bean & Berry, Redfern

Bean & Berry is about three months old and has already achieved a steady stream of customers and loyalists. It’s pretty impressive when you remember that there’s no shortage of cafes in Redfern right now and that they’re literally next door to Coffee, Tea & Me.

Cafe Oratnek, Redfern

Cafe Oratnek is the first solo project from Kenny Takayama, former head chef of bills. It’s hidden in plain sight on leafy Pitt St. If you’re stuck, look for the signature four pronged fork spraypainted in mint on a wooden board. You’ll know it when you see it. There seems to be an overarching theme of neutral colors accented by mint. Takayama’s motto is “finished everyday, fresh the day after”, a remnant from his days at bills. Everything is made in-house except for the coffee and bread. Here, the chosen coffee roaster is Mecca and Brickfields provides bread. Even the herbs are “in-house”; you can sit amongst them in the courtyard.

Communion Coffee, Redfern

There are more coffee shops in Redfern than I have fingers and one of them is brought to you by Sutherland legends, White Horse. They’ve set up shop at Communion Coffee and are bringing their amazing brews to one of my most favorite suburbs in Sydney. It seemed like they popped up overnight (like daisies!) without any fanfare at all.

Baffi & Mo, Redfern

A mix of general conversation, cutlery klinking against plates, and the hisss from an always-running coffee machine are the backbeat to a café. But once every so often, a gem can be heard from the hubbub.

“I hate when cafes use the wrong size of bread. That’s such a first world problem.”

Yes, fellow luncher, I agree. On both counts. I’m sitting in the corner of Baffi & Mo, a Redfern staple, nursing a hot latte. To the outsider, it looks like I’m staring out the window and having a pensive moment, but I’m actually trying very hard not to laugh at what I just heard from the table next to me.

Coffee, Tea & Me, Redfern

Upcoming exams mean less time for actual living. This is how I ended up at Coffee, Tea & Me, a Redfern favorite, for a quick lunch. Anybody who has walked past it will tell you that more often than not, there is a crowd around the door waiting for their coffees. The reason for this is they do a good coffee, and the shop is tiny. Everyone knows that you only step in to place your order, then you join the mass of people outside. There are a mismatched tables set up outside, each with equally mismatched chairs. There are old school tables, step ladders, and recycled wooden chairs. Almost all of which are splattered with paint.

Refn Courtyard Cafe, Redfern

If I hadn’t been on a mission to find this little cafe, I never would’ve stumbled across it. Located just off of Redfern St and flanked by terrace houses, Refn blends into its surroundings. It’s that time of semester where you need at least one coffee before even being able to think about going to class and so here I was, strolling through Redfern with Google Maps out, looking for this place.

Scout's Honour, Redfern

Between writing this and finding Scout’s Honour on social media, the Australian spelling of ‘honour’ came back and bit me more times than I’d like to admit. This little coffee bar/sandwich shop is located in what used to be a small Redfern fruit shop. In an area that doesn’t really come alive until night time, it’s pleasant to see more day-time cafes creeping up over time. Scout’s is known for their rotating variety of soups available for lunch. Unfortunately, I overestimated the short walk from Redfern Station and arrived during breakfast. Luckily they do takeaway so I was able to bring some soup home.

Tapeo, Redfern

Summer vacation means a lot of spare time for dinners with friends. We decided to head out to Tapeo, a small tapas bar with a great reputation. Located at an intersection in the heart of Redfern, it seems to be at a centre of local activity. There’s bar window seating outside and although it’s not kitchen window seating, it’s a nice vantage point. Sadly, it was taken by the time we had gotten there. Nevertheless, we settled in for some conversation and dinner.