It’s light and airy, with Scandinavian inspired décor, and leafy green hanging ferns drawing your eye upwards. The excellent sound system kicks out chilled beat selections at precisely the right volume – creating atmosphere without making anyone shout. Sinking into over-stuffed cushions in a booth overhung with staghorn ferns manages to feel intimate, despite the large space. Cradled by the comfortingly fluffy cushion, I tuck into a bowl of Steel Cut Oats ($14.50), balanced by tart coconut yoghurt and a pretty fan of spiced quince. Gypsy Espresso coffee scrubs up very smoothly in their likeable 12-hour infused Cold Drip ($6). Beet It ($8.50) will scratch your freshly squeezed juice itch with a pleasant combination of pineapple, beetroot and apple. However if you’re in the mood for something decadent, the Mango & Passionfruit Splice ($9) takes honey, vanilla ice cream and coconut water and turns them into a thick, icy treat. The tight but sufficiently ...read more
I went here for a hearty breakfast on a cold and particularly rainy day and it was just what I wanted. Barista & Cook is a cafe with a focus on serving great coffee and a mix of healthy food with some not-so-healthy indulgences. I got the mac'n'cheese toastie (one of the aforementioned not-so-healthy indulgences) which was exactly how it sounds, very cheesy macaroni inbetween toasted bread. Although it was very heavy (that was to be expected), it was so good I wasn't too bothered by the food coma afterwards. The staff were all really great and they even have outdoor 'dog parking' with a little water bowl and a quirky illustration for your canine friends. The only issue with this pace is that if you don't live a walk away from it the parking is a nightmare.
