While the Australian brunch scene is dictated by fast moving trends and Instagramable dishes, Harry Paton, Mitch Jones, Michael Ico, and Daniel Harrison wanted to create a café that was classic, simple, and honest.
With some of the team consisting of past staff members from Sydney based cafés Goodfella and Tuck Shop, they had the experience and knowledge to do it.
“We realised there was a gap in the area for something without a niche, like a neighbourhood corner style place that we wanted to bring to the area,” says Harry, who along with Mitch, runs the floor day-to-day.
Serving up classic Australian brunch food, the menu features classics like avocado on toast and house muesli, mixed in with what Harry describes as more speciality dishes such as black sausage sangas and a porchetta roll which features provolone, braised greens, and confit garlic in a ciabatta roll.
Vegan and vegetarians are also catered for, including with a tofu scramble or mushroom on toast combo.
Soulmate serves up Single O coffee with the café’s filter and cold brew poured from taps.
“A couple of my business partners have been using them for years at their other cafés, so we have a really good relationship with them,” says Harry.
The café uses the new La Mazzarco KB90 espresso machine, alongside a Mahlkönig EK43 Short Hopper grinder.
In line with their ethos of simplicity, a speciality on their coffee menu is what they’ve named the “McHenry”: batch brew topped with fresh whipped cream.
“One of our business partners, Daniel, has a partner from a town in the United States called McHenry, just outside Chicago. And every time Daniel goes to visit, he takes some Single O coffee and that’s how they drink it, black with whipped cream on top,” explains Harry. “It’s been really successful.”
The café also caters to non-milk options using Bonsoy and Oatly oat milk.
“We just love to be a spot for people in the surrounding area to come and hang out, it’s just as nice open space and it’s great to see the locals come spend time in the café,” says Harry.
Soulmate
Unit 12/39 Phillip Street, Newtown New South Wales 2042
Open seven days 7am to 3pm
0423 876 640