Cafe Giulia

Sometimes, the best things often come when most unexpected. When going to new cafes, I always pre-plan where I am going to go, and have a look at the menu beforehand to not only get a better idea of what the place serves, but to also get my tastebuds excited. On a rainy Sunday morning, my friends and I drove to Chippendale to have breakfast at 'Brickfields Cafe', but where we ended up was most unexpected but such a nice surprise.

Brickfields is a small cafe in Chippendale that is known for its pastries and breads. I had heard and seen many good reviews about this small local joint, so I had to include it on my list of places to visit. However upon arriving, it was extremely busy, and there was not much seating within the small venue. Also, given that people can only dine on a first come first serve basis, the staff were not able to tell us when a table would be available next. As my friends and I were very impatient that day given that we were all starving, we decided to look elsewhere, so out popped trusty old Google maps to find a nearby cafe.

Whilst browsing the internet, I heard my friends mention that they were craving waffles, and coincidentally I found a cafe nearby that had some on their menu - the decision of where to go soon became incredibly easy. 

Only a 3 min walk from Brickfields, Cafe Giulia is situated on Abercrombie st, Chippendale. It is quite hard to miss, given the artistic graffiti that has been painted onto the side of the cafe, giving it a very alternative vibe, and perfect for the area in which it is located. Walking in through the doors, there was a large blackboard on the back wall which was scribbled with dozens of meal options, so many of which I wanted to try that it took me a while to make a decision! After having been seated at our table, we proceeded to the front to make our orders. Some of the meals that were decided upon include French Toast with grilled banana, English muffin with sausage, bacon and a side of waffles, Bagel with haloumi, avacado and tomato and coffees/ice chocolates galore. 

I chose to order the bagel with haloumi and avacado, with a soy cappucino - standard. The wait was not too long despite the crowd which was great, and the food was absolutely delicious! The bagel was toasted to the right amount so that it was still soft enough to eat with the other ingredients, and didn't crumble away once bit into. The haloumi cheese had just the right amount of saltiness, and when paired with the avacado, provided a perfect balance. The coffee was also one of the best that I have had in a while. Unfortunately, I am not sure what beans they use, however would definitely recommend anyone in the area to pick up one of their coffees along the way.

My friends were all thoroughly pleased with their meals as well, and said that it was the perfect way to satisfy their hunger. One downside however was the waffles that were served. When the waffles arrived to the table, they were still soft and quite dry. They did not have that crispy toasted texture that one would expect of waffles, and were also quite cold.

Putting the waffles aside, everything else was great. This cafe was also great value for money, with nothing on the menu being too expensive and the portion sizes being quite generous. For Cafe Giulia, I woulds score 7/10.