January 2013

Sayer’s Sister

Mark and Steph Sayers have a new little sister in the heart of Northbridge in WA.

After the couple opened Sayers Food Leederville in 2006, they waited for the right time and location before opening Sayers Sister in August 2012.
“Sayers Sister has gone off with a time bomb,” says Owner Mark. “Six years ago I didn’t realise [coffee] would turn into something so huge. [This industry] is about trying to incorporate completeness and an understanding of coffee as well.”

Mark and his wife Steph have taken an involved approach to their coffee business, travelling around the world to coffee origins, going direct to farmers for their produce and even planting coffee trees in Bali.

“We are very passionate about what we do and there’s a passion in us delivering that as well,” says Mark.

The café is driven towards a mixed crowd and teaching the next generation to appreciate coffee. “We think cafés are a modern-day community centre and a good meeting place that supplies good coffee and food,” says Mark. “We’re trying to inspire young people to be more passionate about coffee – and many already are and that’s full of encouragement.”

The café interior takes a recycled approach with reused timbers and images of Mark’s coffee travels displayed on the walls. “We want people to see what we do and why we do it,” Mark says.

Sayer's Sister aims to push unique and one- off coffee offerings to its WA customers using Five Senses Coffee. The houseblend is a combination of Brazil Santo Antonio, Balinese Kintamani and Indian Attikan Estate.

Single origins are also available and change frequently.

“Coffee brings a whole sense of well- being. You build a product, and sell it to the best of your ability,” says Mark.

Food is also important to accompany good quality coffee at Sayers Sister. Gnocchi with sweet corn, zucchini and preserved lemon is a house favourite.

Mocha’ry Café

Business partners Andrew Sidhom and Richard Allouche have the coffee bug. After searching for the ideal café location and finally taking the plunge into the coffee world, Andrew and Richard finally opened the doors to Mocha’ry Café in July.
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Bunker

Camouflaged among the overgrown and interchangeable colours of the creeping fig hedge, is Bunker. As the hedge vines seep into the café walls from the outside in, through the doors and into the ceiling, it’s fair to say Bunker has its own unique wallpaper.

“The hedge is quite a big feature of the café,” says Owner Marcus Allison. “It changes colour and even buds with flowers in the right season.”

As people stop to take photos of its incredible facade, it seems this café is no longer a hidden gem in Brisbane’s Milton area, but is fast becoming a local treasure. Marcus discovered the former unused garage site two and a half years ago. It was once used as a World War II bomb shelter.

“When I first found it, it was fairly dirty, covered in graffiti and people would toss rubbish in it on their way passed. But I saw its potential,” says Marcus.

The small suburban café has since been transformed into a unique hangout and take-away haven for nearby business and industrial workers, train commuters and curious café explorers. Bunker serves Five Senses as their House Blend on their modified La Marzocco Linea 2-group, which Marcus describes as “full bodied, sweet with caramel tones”.

The café serves filter coffee via AeroPress and features a rotating selection of guest coffees for both espresso and filter brewing. Past favourites include local Brisbane roasters Cup Coffee, Fifth Battery Roasters and newcomers The single Guys.

“Customers can expect genuine, down to earth service and a strong focus on quality” says Marcus.”

Bunker also processes their very own chocolate, which features in their hot chocolate, coffee and bottled ice chocolate milk.

“Bunker is a unique experience. People initially come here for a variety of reasons, and we hope they leave inspired by the quality and space,” says Marcus. “Our focus is on specialty coffee and I enjoy seeing its constant evolution.”

Blefari Café and Cucina

It’s been said that ‘two’s company, three’s a crowd’, but the team at Blefari Café and Cucina is proof that’s not always the case.
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Tricyle Café and Bar

No matter if it’s an early morning coffee to start the day or an afternoon pick-me- up, Tricycle Café and Bar is ready to take your order.
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Vivace Espresso Café and Roastery

Bernard Smith has coffee in his blood. His grandparents were coffee roasters in the 1940s, followed by his parents, and now Bernard is following the family tradition with Vivace Espresso Café and Roastery.
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The Daily Café Espresso Bar

Located in a 160-year-old building, The Daily Café is making headlines. Named appropriately as an ode to its origins as a former newsagency, owner Laurence Greenfield says the coffee bar resembles a “Melbourne city style café, but with a Perth touch”.
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Uncle Joe’s Coffee Shop

Uncle Joe’s Coffee House is like settling into a family member’s lounge. Adam Metelmann, Director of the Coffee House, has over 20 years experience behind the coffee machine and says this new place is his pride and joy.

“It’s rewarding to serve people who are as excited about coffee as we are,” he says.

The coffee brokerage and roasting facility is owned by roaster Mark Leo and Yili Wang from 3rd Crack Coffee. “We’ve made no compromise with our roasting, coffee machine and of the quality of coffee serve, and we’ve been happy with the results,” says Adam, who operates the coffee house with business partner emily senior.

Located in Coorparoo, the coffee house has embraced an “earthy, organic vibe”, complete with wood furnishing and matched with modern brews. The showpiece – the shiny Kees van der Westen machine sitting on the bench.

“The Mirage has been fully modified, similar to an analogue-style machine. I can’t believe its stability – when we get into large volumes, it’s just stunning to use.”

The coffee house has only been open a few months, but already a swarm of loyal clientele are calling Uncle Joe’s their second home. “When they come here they appreciate what we’re all about – and they keep coming back.”
Adam works closely with roaster Mark to produce the supafly House blend. The coffee comprises of beans from El Salvador Finca San Jose, El Salvador Finca El Aguila, and Rwanda Mig Maraba. “This coffee has a mix of shitake mushroom, elegant red berries, plum, a multi dark-chocolate taste with subtle fruits and a twist of plums to finish,” says Adam.

Uncle Joe’s offers single origins coffees that rotate weekly, including an Ethiopia Bench Maji and El Salvador Santa Felisa La Organica. The café also specialises in aero press and pour over.

The coffee house was named as an homage to Joe Hsu (Yili’s Uncle) of Orsir Coffee. Based in Taiwan, Adam says Joe Hsu is one of his coffee inspirations. He sources coffee for his own coffeecompany but Adam says his passion and coffee knowledge is “unheralded”.

At the end of the day, Adam says his coffee focus is all about quality over quantity. “I’d like nothing better than to stand behind the Kees van der Westen and make coffees all day,” he says.

Cliffs Café

Watching over the bustling traffic of Brisbane River sits a café with perhaps the best outlook over the Brisbane city skyline: Cliffs Café. Owner Nick Abbink says the café is ideally located in the newly developed Kangaroo Point Parklands and has become an icon in the area.
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Primo Café

From CEO’s to tradies, coffee fans at Wetherill Park have found themselves a home at Primo Caffe’s flagship store on Victoria street.
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