Twenty One (21) Espresso

Been coming to this place for over 30yrs as did my mum and dad when alive.
Never didsapoints but no longer live in area so don't go as often as I would like ..was born 8n the area

The food is homely but tasty and the service matches. Highly recommend the chicken soup for a miserable winter day.

This establishment has stood the test of time. I first discovered this gem in primary school and am still going to it over 30 years later. Wether it's for a quick coffee or a meal for dinner or lunch you won't be disappointed. They offer old school soups and meals where the flavor is plentiful. You can't go wrong with any item on the menu. Staff are very accommodating with fitting you in even if they have bookings, they just always go the extra mile here.

Reading the other reviews, I may have to go back and have a meal other than breakfast!. However having spent a large part of my childhood going to the 21 for special family meals, I had a great sense of nostalgia and optimism on returning decades later. But oh dear! The breakfast belonged back in the 80's. Overcooked scrambled eggs, under cooked bacon, and (bizarrely) drizzled with pesto! The wait staff was absolutely charming but sadly even with the biggest appetite we couldn't get through the food and when there's so many outstanding breakfasts within spitting distance, we won't risk it again.

Twenty One has always been my go-to caf for when I want to escape the saturation of modern city caf scenes. In this place I can soak in a purely traditional old-school ambience like it was a blast from the past.

With what seems to be original 60s dcor and endless 90s songs, this mid-sized corner caf has closed indoor seats with glass walls for a view of the up-scale Knox St of Double Bay, as well as some outdoor seats on the alley it shares.

The food range being offered is also very conventional: no fusions, just plain grandmas recipes type of cooking. I tried their apple strudels with raisins and cinnamons, and it could not have been closer than a heartwarming home cooked dessert. For drinks I had chai latte. Both the dessert and the drinks had very strong flavours, which might not be to everyones liking, but it certainly did not hold anything back.

Both the staffs and (what I assumed as the) owner were attentive and friendly.