Inlakesh living foods

There’s a whole new trend sweeping across Sydney and that’s whole living, raw, organic food.

Inlakesh living foods is located in the newly opened section of Macquarie Centre, and it’s both a mini supermarket and a cafe.

The menu is completely raw and organic.

After having tried the amazing raw, vegan cheesecakes at Earth to Table in Bondi, I was on the hunt for something closer to home.

I’ve only tried the raw tiramisu so far, but if it’s anything to go by then the other cheesecakes should be just as good!

The 9 spices Chai latte is also yummy!

Lid & Jar

I had first heard about the Lid & Jar at Rhodes and had tried the honeycomb milkshake there, and thought it was fantastic!

But there was little food options there so I was so glad when I heard they were opening a new store at Chatswood.

The store is located at the Concourse and there’s seating upstairs outside, which has a lovely relaxing atmosphere.

We were recommended the sliders and southern fried chicken.

The pork belly sliders were amazing. The pulled pork was braised to perfection – super tender and juicy.

The spicy mayo went perfectly with it. But what I liked most was that crispy brioche bun.

The southern fried chicken was really authentic, though I must admit I still prefer Mary’s. The chips though were disappointing.

I also ordered the Chai milkshake, which was amazing! I highly recommend it.

It comes served in a hipster mason jar – Instagram worthy.

All in all, this is a great place to hang out and just chill with some great food.

It has a really relaxed atmosphere and I loved how it wasn’t too packed.

I’m not sure why it hasn’t gotten some rave reviews, but I did go on a weekday around 2pm so when it was not so busy. From personal experience staff were all very friendly and helpful.

John Smith Cafe

I love discovering new places in Sydney, it makes me feel like a tourist in my own city. I usually go to the same local areas when I’m eating out but I’m slowly working my way around Sydney and it seems the inner west is a hot spot for new trendy cafes.

John Smith Cafe is located in Waterloo, near Alexandria. The only time I’ve been to Alexandria was to go to The Grounds, but this time I walked from Redfern Station. It’s a nice short walk and you discover things you’d usually miss when you travel by car. Who knew there were so many factory outlets on Gibson St, I managed to nab a few bargains along the way at Cotton On.

You can’t miss the cafe as its Gold Copper signage can be seen from a mile away. It’s small and cosy inside with a very organic feel.

It was a beautiful sunny day, and we got a seat by the window, which had cute micro plants lined up along the window seal. First things first, we had to order the cronuts. I’m officially a self-confessed cronut addict and a good one at that. Here’s me with a chocolate and glazed cronut, with a cappuccino on the side.

Chocolate and Glazed cronuts

Cronuts on display

It’s no surprise that these cronuts are amazing, as they’re stocked from Brewtown Newtown. The glazed will forever be my favourite. Simply heaven in your mouth.

I also had to try their Pulled Pork Eggs Benedict that I had seen so many mouth watering photos on Instagram.

Egg yolk porn

You must try this dish when you come here! Pulled pork and poached eggs with that buttery hollandaise sauce is a match made in heaven. That side salad gives the dish balance and cuts through the richness of the eggs perfectly.

Pulled Pork sandwich

My friend ordered the Pulled Pork sandwich with mango chutney. Apparently the mango chutney is what makes the sandwich and that melted cheese – who could say no to that. They also do fresh cold pressed juices such as kale and apple. There’s so much more on the menu that I want to try and I can’t wait to come back next time.

Hardware Societe

Apparently this is the brunch place to be in Melbourne, and after visiting twice I can certainly see why. The food is fantastic.

Good thing we arrived around 9.30am, because anytime after that there’s always a crowd of people outside waiting to get a table.

The restaurant is tucked away near the end of Hardware Lane, though it’s hard to miss as its already buzzing early in the morning.

We got a nifty spot near the cashier with our own bench with cushions and all.

Hardware Societe is known for their baked eggs with chorizo and they certainly do not dissapoint. The small pot of bubbling goodness packs a punch, with the spicy chorizo and meaty flavours. It’s the perfect size for a satisfying brekky.

On the other side of the table, my friends ordered the pork belly which looks phenomenal, you’d mistake it for a lunch option not a breakfast one!

All the coffees come with a cute tiny donut ball which is delectable. I wish they sold these! (not sure if they do)

Had to come back to try this!

The fried Brioche with Earl Grey pannacotta and mini meringues looked amazing as it came to the table. The pannacotta had a strong earl grey flavour.

Definitely a favourite place of mine in Melbourne.

The Pig & Pastry

Oh my goodness, why haven’t I discovered this gem of a cafe earlier! The food here is SO good! You really do find the best hidden cafes on Instagram.

I came here on a nice sunny day, and it was relatively easy to get to by car albeit I missed it the first time, as it’s sitting right on the corner from where you come in off Parramatta Road.

They have a great selection on their menu for Breakfast and lunch. The milkshakes menu immediately caught my attention with the unique flavours.

This gingerbread milkshake was the bomb diggity. It really tasted of gingerbread, and even had pieces of it throughout the drink that gave the whole drinking experience another element. Highly recommend this!

When I saw a plate of cured salmon walk past me, I knew I had to get this. The salmon is house cured and was literally bright orange when it came to the table and it tasted so fresh.

The best element on the plate though was that fried poached egg. Can I get an amen. This is the epitome of good food.

The accompanying apple and avocado slaw cuts through the richness perfectly, providing balance to the dish. Absolutely loved this dish and would highly recommend it.

I also tried some of the chicken schnitzel and it was also cooked to perfection. The chicken was still moist and tender with a super crispy coating. It was so flavoursome and I loved the mayo that came with it.

What a great find! This place definitely serves up some of the best cafe food in Sydney.

Excelsior Jones – Cronuts

Cronuts. Can we all just take a moment to appreciate the geniusness of the guy who created these little babies!

They truly are the best thing to come to the food world since I’m not sure what, but until you’ve tried one of them you probably won’t understand the hype – so go get yourself one now!

My friend and I are convinced Excelsior Jones makes some of the best cronuts in Sydney. A good cronut should be crispy on the outside but have the same fluffy texture of a donut, except with the layers of a croissant. The cronuts at Excelsior Jones achieves this balance perfectly.

Excelsior Jones is located on the corner street, so be careful not to miss it like we did on our first visit. When you first walk in you’ll notice the cute, homely decor. We got a seat by the window, which provided a nice view of the quiet street.

There are three flavours of cronuts on offer: cinnamon, glazed and chocolate hazelnut. I opted for the more traditional option of cinnamon and my friend ordered the glazed. I tried the glazed and I definitely recommend those – they’re my fave!

The crispy exterior sprinkled with speckles of sugar, and layers of buttery goodness that taste fluffy and airy, like heaven in your mouth.

We also ordered the house smoked salmon hash with pork crackling and poached eggs, which was also delicious! It’s a struggle to finish though, as the fattiness in the salmon with pork hash get a bit rich towards the end. 

Would definitely recommend this place as another inner west Sydney cafe that’s convenient to get to!

On another visit:

Glazed cronut and Chocolate hazelnut.

Had the cheeseburger with fries. The fries were so good!