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.
“The popularity and attraction from our customers surprises me every day,” says Andrew. “Fire brigades park in the bus zone to grab a coffee, people travel from Balmain and cars double-park just they can come in.”
The coffee industry seemed an unlikely venture for the pair before they realised their liking for café culture was more than just a hobby.
“I’ve found my niche,” says Andrew, a shop fitter and consultant. “If Richard and I weren’t working, we were at a café, so this next move only made sense.” Richard is a plumber by trade. He found his passion in food after experiencing new and exciting restaurant ventures. “It’s a great way to keep what we offer exciting and different,” says Richard. With no plans to abandon his trade business, Richard says balancing his café commitments are a great way to emerse himself in his hobby.
“We’re happy in our jobs, we’re not looking to make a quick buck. We’re doing something that makes us happy and we just want people to taste our quality coffee,” Richard says.
Andrew’s love for Melbourne shines in the newly opened café, taking the best parts of the city and translating that into the café design.
“We’ve reflected our own personal tastes to the café and not gone with café trends,” says andrew. “In terms of design, we wanted everything in the café to be raw – from the walls to the grips on the machine handles to the table tops.”
The interior displays textured wallpaper and featured artwork from local artists, a raw timber countertop and tables that Andrew refurbished himself. “It adds a bit of character and personality to the café and shows our style,” says Andrew. “We always get lots of positive reactions from people commenting on our café and coffee, so that’s when we know we’ve done something right.”
Mocha’ry uses Ducale Coffee’s Moonsoon blend, which Andrew says offers an “almond flavour” that isn’t too sweet but goes really well in milk- based coffees. “We’ve slowly been able to change a few drinking habits around here too – now many customers have converted to drinking their coffee from two sugars to none,” says Andrew.
Single origins are also available twice a week for the espresso lovers of Drummoyne.
The café’s coffee machine has a naked portafiler, which Andrew says ensures each customer gets a nice, strong double shot to start the day.
A range of savory muffins and quiches are also available. With specialty food services proving strong competition in the suburban area, Andrew says he has only one aim.
“We want to be known for serving the best coffee in the area,” he says. “We’re trying to put coffee first as well as our customers. We invite everyone to come in, grab a coffee and have a chat.”
Better yet – for the busy office or shop owner in the area, Mocha’ry can personally deliver coffee orders to the door.
“I’m loving every second of [the coffee industry],” says Andrew. “I enjoy producing everything by hand, it’s similar to renovating, you start with a clean slate, then you have to develop what you have and the end product
is what you make it. The passion and hard work you put into it is what you’re going to taste.”