Hidden Jem Cafe - Sydney

Lovely cafe which is bright and airy. The space is clean and the clientele is local. The menu is simple with great classic dishes. Order at the counter and wait for the food to arrive at your table. There is indoor and outdoor seating. I highly recommend the Smashed avocado on toasted rye, poached egg, grilled tomato and haloumi $17.

They proudly serve Toby's Estate coffee, which is a great first impression. The staff here is stylish and incredibly efficient. As for the menu, there are so many enticing breakfast options to choose from: banana bread, messy Jesse burger (which includes bacon, egg, mushrooms, and hash browns), smashed avocado, brekky bowl, breakfast salad (featuring spinach, strawberries, walnuts, haloumi, and avocado), eggs your way, scrambled egg board with labneh, waffles, and eggs benedict. They also offer lunch options like falafel stack, burgers, salads, and salt and pepper squid. Since it was still early, I opted for the brekky bowl, a generous serving of yogurt topped with homemade granola and seasonal fruits—today's selection was strawberries and banana—along with chia seeds, pistachios, and honey. The prices are reasonable, as my dish was only $12, with options ranging from $6 to about $18. Everything was delicious, and I'm eager to return to try more! They also have incredible shakes, such as cookies and cream, strawberries and cream, salted caramel, banana split, and vanilla bean. I went with the vanilla bean, which was a delightful milkshake topped with cream, jelly beans, sprinkles, and a Freddo frog—perfect for kids! This café is a fantastic spot if you're in the area, and I would definitely recommend making the drive to experience it for yourself.

I had the dairy-free green smoothie and the pumpkin fritters. The smoothie was refreshing without being too sweet, and the fritters were well-cooked and just the right size. The location was lovely as well; it was quite busy, but overall, it was a great café experience.

We visited the restaurant on a quiet day, which meant the service was very fast. I received my drink before my friend even had a chance to order. I initially ordered the vegan nachos, but since I’m not vegan, I requested regular cheese. Unfortunately, they informed me that they don’t melt cheese, which was a bit disappointing. I ended up choosing the falafel salad instead. While the falafel and sauce were delicious, I thought the salad would have been better with spinach or arugula; it felt more like a bowl of garnish. I had high expectations but ended up feeling somewhat let down. I might return, primarily for the convenience of the play area across the street for the kids, and I’d likely try something different next time. I’ve attached photos of the menu as of September 20, 2017.