Illawarra Coast NSW - My Surviving Favs

 

On the Illawarra coast, we live a relatively free lifestyle devoid of
severe movement restrictions related to Covid 19.

Eating outlets have been reopened for dine in from July 2020. Fresh produce markets, cafes and supermarkets have witnessed bounce back in business.  There are no caveats on travelling north to Big Smoke Sydney and south, further north or west to regional areas.

So in gratitude, I list the outlets that still operate and carry on the good work they have been doing even before the arrival of the Coronavirus - and which I still drop by   from time to time.

Nowra - The Deli on  Kinghorne.

Berry - Queens Cafe.

Lake Illawarra - Fish and Chips.

Warilla Mall - Baker's Delight and Mitchell's.

Warrawong Westfield - Country Grocer, Fish Feast and the Coffee Emporium.

Figtree - Coles.

Wollongong -  My Lan, Kurtosh, Kinn Thai, Da Orlando, Lagoon, Harbourside, Aqua Cafe, Utopia Cafe and Boston Espresso.

Fairy Meadow - Broken Drum Cafe, Fedora Fresh Pasta, Massimo Papa Patisserrie.

Balgownie - El Nido and Mad Cup Cafe.

Towradgi Beach - Hello Darling Cafe.

Corrimal - Sam's Crusty Bread, Haven Cafe, Manjits.

Woonona - Mountain Meats, Moon Sushi, Three Beans.

Woonona Beach -  Northbreak Cafe.

Bulli - Bulli Seafood and Meats, Timbermill Cafe.

Thirroul -  Black Market Roasters.

#yongkevthoughts

George Town - Barista Coffee

The earth oven used for toasting bagels at the Mug Shot Cafe, located at 302 Chulia Street.





There are more than just yummy street food, innovative wall murals and Victorian age architecture in the UNESCO Heritage quarter of George Town on Penang Island.The palate needs sustenance after walking around for half a day past quaint lanes, busy markets and busy streets.   

For a coffee devotee, you would have tried the local versions of Teh Tarik, Kopi-O and white coffee.   Australian visitors would resist going into Starbucks but may sample the cafes run by Hudson's from Perth or the Coffee Bean franchise chain shops at shopping centres.......but what about real barista made unique coffee blend cuppas?

Sighted in the UNESCO Heritage Quarter of George Town, Penang Island - Wheeler's Coffee.

There are cafes and cafes in Penang and one cannot possibly have even the best of it all on one visit to the island.     There are unique non-coffee competitors as well - Ais Kacang, Cendol, Rosewater syrup,  cooling Cantonese herbal drinks, barley drinks and more.    So how do you size up and conquer the barista coffees available in George Town?   


One technique is to go by location.  There are several streets you want to walk by to explore.  Use the cuppa to break the regime and perk up when required.   Coffees go with a meal and are great to counter balance the variety of street foods available in Penang.    Having a shot at a cafe seems to be the preferred way to get to chat and relax after hours,e especially at night, in Malaysia.  Unlike hipster espresso outlets in Australia, which close mostly by 3pm, here in George Town, you have extra hours to check out more cafes.

Twelve Cups at corner of Bishop and Beach Streets.  12, Whiteaways Arcade.

The strength, texture and flavour of the ubiquitous coffee blends can be your guide to chalking up your visits to George Town cafes.  For this, you have to do homework even before hitting the road.   Social media,  internet, talking to real people.....all these helps.

Having said all this, may we be reminded that George Town is a very navigable, friendly and rather small sized area to conquer.    Do not be the eager early riser though, for most cafes open later than what you are used to perhaps in Western countries and cities.   Retail business opens late till night so do keep in mind a different commercial culture.

The gates were closed on the morning after the big festive eve of the Birthday of the Jade Emperor of Heaven.The V Cafe at Sekeping Victoria with an address of 164 A and B, Victoria Street.

The offerings of creative breakfasts, cakes and brunch can figure prominently in your coverage of George Town cafes.  For example, pancakes and Japanese stuff are the surprise at Gudang Cafe, located at 5 Armenian Street Ghat.    


At China House, founded by a Kiwi couple, its Kopi C Cafe starts with fifty varieties of cakes made by the Beach Street Bakery;  China House, interesting enough, has two entrances/exits, one at 183-B Victoria Street and another at 153-155 Beach Street.  You not only can listen to live music at China House, but play Jengka, relax with your sketching skills and also have proper meals there.   There are various sections in the long and deep terrace, a good place to explore for kids, adolescents, families and hipsters.


And we must not forget ambiance, a very broad term which can cover a spectrum of impressions, feel and comfort.   It can be the peel in the wall, the bare ceiling, the types of lighting, the architecture, the odd kitchen equipment or the engagement by the baristas or staff.    


One Monday morning, we found ourselves sitting at a small canteen styled table, cozy by itself, as I found the environment as if visiting an aunt in a George Town styled town vintage terrace house  - only later did I realise the shelves surrounding our table were stocked with wares not related to the coffee business, but part of the model of a cafe and retail outlet.So there you go, you need not just pump out the coffee, you can spread the risks by offering art, clothes, conversation, specialty dishes and more.


Some cafes do look cluttered, but hey then it is supposed to look earthy, realistic and lived in like a home space.    Wooden panels, blackboards, metal interruptions and rustic looks of cafes  in Wollongong are complemented with weaves and crafts of natural materials, heritage icons and stores of grain and beans in George Town.     There seems to be variations of space, several cafes are spacious, most are small and a few even are warehouse sized.   

Gudang has an airy feel, is spacious and is easily reachable when you do the George Town Heritage Walk 9 or cycle or motor bike)

Chairs and other seating options are varied in George Town cafes, from sleek modern to stools, from smallish wooden contraptions to IKEA like foldables. Of course, there are the individuals who park themselves on a regular basis to attend to cyberspace and social media.    How do these cafes cater for them?   


Penang heritage terraces date from  the 19th first half of the 20th century.  Many of the cafes in George Town are housed in romanticised buildings that have aging roof tiles, bare unpainted walls and high ceilings.   When the colonial rent control policy was stopped by the State Government,  many people residing on relatively cheap rents had to relocate, freeing up the heritage buildings for other commercial purposes.  UNESCO came in with a significant declaration of a world heritage site for George Town (co-jointly awarded to Malacca as well) - and the rest is history, with a blooming in developments of hotels, cafes, museums and tourist arrivals (now significantly and increasingly via ship cruises).


Do we cover cafes that are most "Instagrammed", is that a wise choice?  In the end, to hark back to my question as to how best to cover these numerous cafes in George Town, I reckon the best is to just go with the flow.     If we go back to core values, it is the quality and style of the coffee made in front of you that matters most of all.   So to me perhaps the most significant development in the next stage for cafes here is in their surprising offerings.



Appreciation is expressed to Mr. Richard Liew, Mr. Philip Yeoh and a requested unnamed friend in the research, experience and opportunity leading to this blog post.




You may want to check out the other following cafes in George Town:

1.  Secawan 'n' Such at 205 Hutton Lane.


2.   Cafe 55 at 47-55 Stewart Lane.


3.   Pik'Nik Cafe, at 2, Argus Lane15-17 Nagore Road.


4.   Sitigun at 30 Nagore Road.


5.   Macullum Conneisuers at No.1 Macullum Street Ghat.


6.   DCOVA at Logan Heritage, No.4 Bishop Street.


7.   Budan's Brew Coffeebar at 2 Argus Lane.


8.  Bricklin Cafe Bar at  31A Gurdawa Road.


9.  Tavern in the Park, 125 Timah Road, Hin Bus Depot Art Centre.





For your reference:


Avenue -  Lebuh Raya

Close - Solok

Cup - Cawan

Ghat - Gat

Lane - Lorong

One Way - Sehala

Piece - Keping

Road - Jalan

Street - Lebuh

100 Espressos - Wollongong NSW

One late morning, Craig and I were having an early lunch when he decided on a fun experiment of doing a list.


A list?  Craig asked me how many cafes I reckoned are operating on the Illawarra coast from Coledale in the northern villages to the southern city limits of Wollongong itself. Wollongong, south of Sydney and separated by the Royal National Park, has an indicative population of 292,388 in 2016 reports.    It is the 11th largest urban conurbation in Australia by latest count, behind the Sunshine Coast in south-east Queensland but ahead of Hobart, Tasmania; Darwin, capital city of the Northern Territory; and Cairns in northern Queensland.

The Scratch Coffee Co. at 173 Wentworth Street in Port Kembla NSW.

For a regional hub, I previously thought it would be around 60 cafes for Wollongong.  Craig and I went to work, writing on napkins whilst enjoying the modern Aussie breakfast dishes creatively made to accompany the more than 200 blends of coffee available on this continental island, with a current national population of 24 million.


The results after half an hour of Craig and I listing on napkins turned out to be more than 100.   The results are provided at the end of this blog write up.*   I only know of one cafe that closed in Thirroul in recent years, but again I am no expert, only a consumer and visitor to cafes.   My burning hot questions are then these:


1. What does each operating cafe do utmost to attract and retain their customers?

At All & Sundry off 383 Princes Highway, Woonona NSW.

2. How does each cafe owner differentiate his or her business from the others, especially in an increasingly competitive environment?   Can it be having a unique and attractive coffee blend, keeping the target customer demographic engaged or providing secondary requirements like unique food?


3.  What key factor does each cafe owner/operator attribute to bringing success?  Is it business location, coffee blends, keeping costs to a minimum,  regular patronage, interior decor and projected ambiance, changing regularly to sustain interest or the very model of the business itself?

Buck Hamblin is located at 260 Lawrence Hargrave Drive in Thirroul NSW.

4.  Viable cafes do achieve a baseline of revenues, product turnover and minimal expenditures.    What do cafe owners view as the most risky threats to their business?


5.  What is the next big thing each cafe owner plans for the future?


I invite interested parties to send me much appreciated feedback by making comments in response to this blog.  Please let me know if I have missed listing your business or favourite cafe.

The Broken Drum Cafe is near Woolworths in Fairy Meadow NSW.

The cafe business can be like living in a small village, where a network of baristas, cafe owners and coffee suppliers can interact and know each other well.   There are people who have come from the capital cities, there are innovators who know their market and customers and there is the supply of staff in a pool from a university town like Wollongong.   Several cafes are especially active on social media.  Many provide cakes, others savoury dishes from a kitchen and several have both.


When Cafe Pellegrini came to Wollongong from Melbourne, it was a landmark event, but that was so many years ago.    In the past ten years, the sector in Wollongong, and really around Australia, has transformed significantly, got attention from the world and now set the benchmarks in many aspects of the art and trade.

Hevan Espresso is at 181 Princes Highway in Corrimal NSW.

Are most cafes in Wollongong making money?  Are they making enough to project their individual businesses to the next stage?  Are the mostly twenty something year olds working in such cafes only putting a temporary stint to earn side money while they make other plans for their career?   Most cafes in the Wollongong area close by 2pm.   Some have licensed liquor bars, many make big breakfasts and smoothies seem to be always available with the coffee.


The demographics of customers can change with each hour of the cafe being open.   There can be a parade of train commuters, dawn cyclists, tradies, pensioners, young mothers, grandparents, kids after school, hipsters, gender-based groups and coffee devotees.   They have made the cafes an integral part of their routine, to accompany their other activities around town or the suburb.   

White Rabbit Cafe is at 2/50 Grey Street in Keiraville NSW.

Cooler temperatures in winter can make them yearn for properly made hot cuppas, while the iced lattes feature more during days of sweltering summer heat.   Many cafes in Wollongong close on weekends and yet some are beginning to lure customers seven days a week.   Some cafes are small, others have two shop fronts and yet others are not visible from the main strip.  Many cafes commenced business with an emphasis on coffee, yet there are some now that are adjuncts to existing restaurant operations.


Several cafes make extra effort to create an experience for the customer, whether it is in the quaint accessories, the thoughtfulness in creating the walls or in the lay out for flow of spaces, private or for groups.  Do the baristas engage in meaningful conversation that makes people want to return?    Is there easy access through private vehicle parking or by good public transport?   Are opening hours suitable for customers?

Earth Walker & Co General Store is sited at 749 Lawrence Hargrave Drive in Coledale NSW.

The One Hundred and More Cafes in Wollongong area, NSW - February 2017*

This list is in no particular order of ranking and does not include franchise chains.

Northern Villages

1.    Earth Walker, Coledale
2.    Austi Beach Cafe, Austinmer
3.    Fireworks, Austinmer
4.    Bread, Espresso &, Thirroul
5.    Fin Box Board Store Cafe, Thirroul

6.    Honest Don's, Thirroul
7.    Seafoam Cafe, NSW Rail Station, Thirroul  
8.    Cucina, Thirroul
9.    Buck Hamblin, Thirroul
10.  Gidgets Cafe & Bar, Thirroul

11.  Beanstalk Cafe, NSW Rail Station, Thirroul
12.  Tin Shed Cafe, Thirroul
13.  Jose Jones, Thirroul
14.  Stokes Lane, Bulli
15.  The Point Milk Bar, Bulli

16.  One on Park Cafe Kiosk, Bulli Beach
17.  Ruby's Bulli Beach Cafe
18.  Gelato Emporium, Lookout Point, along Motorway, Bulli


Northern Suburbs

1.     Four Little Beans, Woonona
2.     Cafeli House, Woonona
3.     All & Sundry, Woonona
4.     Flat White For One, Corrimal
5.     Franks'N' Beans, Corrimal East

6.     Hevan Espresso, Corrimal
7.     Manjit's Cafe, Corrimal
8.     Coast Cafe, Corrimal
9.     Coffee Guru, Stockland Shopping Centre, Corrimal 
10.   Cafe Angeli, Corrimal 

11.   Drift Lounge, Corrimal
12.   Luna Espresso, Corrimal
13.   Green Bean Play Cafe, Corrimal
14.   Dusk Cafe, Tarrawanna
15.   Yarnsy's, Tarrawarna

16.   Bill & James, Balgownie Village
17.   Urban Grind, Balgownie Village
18.   Nourished at Bally, Balgownie Village 
19    Broken Drum Espresso, Fairy Meadow
20.   Two Doors Up, Fairy Meadow

21.   Patiscceria Massimo Papa, Fairy Meadow 
22.   Reay's Place, Fairy Meadow
23.   Triangle Cafe, Fairy Meadow
24.   Staggletooth, Fairy Meadow



North Wollongong

1.    Delano Specialty Coffee, Montague Street
2.    Rush iC Cafe, Innovation Campus
3.    The Matchbox, Innovation Campus
4.    Diggies Cafe, Cliff Road
5.    My Pantry, Cliff Road

6.    The Northbeach Pavilion, Cliff Road
7.    Cafe at the Lagoon
8.    Mud Cat Cafe, Novotel North Beach
9.    Connie's Cliff Road Cafe
10.  Aqua Cafe, Cliff Road

11.  Bluorange Cafe, Cliff Road



West of Wollongong City Centre

1.    Rush, UOW Main Campus
2.    Rush 2, UOW Main Campus
3.    The Yard, Building 7, UOW Main Campus 
4.    Panizzi Cafe, Library, UOW Main Campus 
5.    Urban Grind, URAC, UOW Main Campus

6.    White Rabbit Cafe, Keiraville
7.    Zanders Cafe & Dessert Bar, Keiraville
8.    Giddy Goat, Keiraville
9.    BarLissimo, Gipps Road
10.  Espresso Warriors, Keiraville



Wollongong Harbour

1.    Bombara Seafood, Endeavour Drive
2.    Levendi's, Cliff Road 
3.    The Green Room City Beach Cafe, Marine Drive

  

WOLLONGONG CITY CENTRE

CROWN STREET

1.    Lee & Me, Lower Crown Street 
2.    Lower East, Lower Crown Street
3.    Sopranos on the Mall, Crown Street
4.    Patiscceria Massimo Papa, near Crown and Corrimal Streets
5.    Beast & Bread, GPT Shopping Centre, Keira Street

6.    Sugar Cube, Lower Crown Street 
7.    Mr Crown, Crown Street
8.    Quay Canteen, above the Square Cafe Restaurant Bar
9.    Square Cafe Restaurant Bar, midway along Crown Street Mall
10.  Quotes.Cafe

11.  Yum Yum Cafe & Bakery
12.  Swell Coffee
13.  Glass Alley Coffee
14.  Town House Chamber
15.  His Boy Elroy

16.   Kurtosh House No.5, Globe Lane
17.   TLC Cafe, behind Lee & Me

BURELLI STREET

1.   Terra Mia
2.   The Social, Illawarra Performing Arts Centre (IPAC)
3.   Kafe on Burelli, Wollongong City Council
4.   Santana Coffee
5.   Crafted Espresso


CORRIMAL STREET

1.   Litani's Mediterranean
2.   Marco
3.   Il Mondo Del Cafe
4.   Gigi's, corner of Market and Corrimal Streets
5.   Deli &  Dine, on Market Street next to Gigi's
6.   Lili-J Cafe, Corrimal Street south, opposite the Wollongong Golf Club


KEIRA STREET

1.    Cafe Pellegrini, Hotel Illawarra, Keira Street
2.    Happy Barista Espresso Bar, Keira Street 
3.    Bull & Bear Cafe, Keira and Victoria Streets
4.    Opus Coffee Brewers, Keira Street
5.    The Living Room

6.     Keira Street Cafe 
7.     Cafe Adore


WOLLONGONG RAIL STATION/HOSPITAL

1.     Lettuce B. Frank, Crown Street near NSW Rail Station
2.     Sandy Goodwich, Crown Street near NSW Rail Station
3.     Meni  Cafe at Picadilly Centre, Crown Street
4.     Crown Cafe & Catering, Wollongong Hospital



OTHERS

1.    Little Stompers, Kenny Street
2.    Emporium on Swan, Swan Street
3.    Zac's Cafe & Bistro, Church Street
4.    Panizzi Cafe, Princes Highway
5.    Prufock Espresso Bar, Atchison Street

6.    Bostons Espresso, Atchison Street
7,    City West Cafe, Market Street
8.    Ground Cafe, Kembla Street


South of Wollongong City Centre

1.   Portobello Espresso Bar, Mangerton 
2.   Lechappe Cycle Cafe, Keira Street
3.   Scratch Coffee Co. at Wentworth Street, Port Kembla
4.   The Foundery  at Wentworth Street, Port Kembla
5.   Seascape Cafe, NSW Marine Police Centre, Port Kembla


(Latest count here = 118 cafes)