Cornersmith

It’s one o’clock Saturday afternoon and this joint is pumping. A clever patron-operated blackboard queuing system keeps staff attention fixed upon their seated customers. It also ensures our path to a table is quick, landing us next to a pair of single origin sipping Asian hipsters, debating the merits of various coffee roasts versus the difficulty of procuring them. I cave and order an Iced Espresso ($3.50). It arrives sans-frills – just ice and round, premium coffee. A jam jar of Nectarine and Cinnamon Milkshake ($6) summons memories of apple pie, and incites me to idly wonder whether the whole of Sydney has suddenly run out of glasses? Food here is healthy whilst smartly staying in the realm of something you actually want to eat. Poached Farmer Brown Eggs ($9) come with chutney and sourdough; but can be dressed up with sides like Dukkah Roasted Eggplant, Chickpeas and Sumac Yoghurt ($5). Monday sees them close for pickling; the inconvenience is eased by enjoying the fruits of their labour in a Two Cheese and Zucchini Pickle Toastie ($9), all the better with Free Range Bresaola ($4). Actually it’s hard to avoid leaving clutching a jar of something, from locally produced honey to Pink Grapefruit Cordial ($16) – wonderful in a grapefruit ‘tini.

Cornersmith
314 Illawarra Road, Marrickville
Ph: (02) 8065 0844 Facebook: Cornersmith
Café $