Sub-Station Cafe

This café is a short walk from where we moved to so we thought we’d give it a go. We’ve been there twice now, got breakfast to go the second time. The coffee does take a while and while the service is friendly, it doesn’t seem too efficient and the quality of the product probably isn’t worth the wait. The breakfast took really long and I could see why. We only ordered two bacon and egg rolls but while waiting I could see that the kitchen was cramped and the grill used look like a camp grill, tiny! Plenty of other cafes around the area to try.

What can I say. Sub-​station was ok. Nothing to write home about though. I like the idea of the converted sub-​station and what they’ve done with the limited space inside, especially the pot plants.
The coffee took longer to come out than the food, even though the coffees were ordered first. And when it did it tasted kinda weak. The food was also a bit underwhelming. No real skill required to put a few ingredients together on a plate. Nothing special or creative, and a pretty small menu to choose from. I admit that the muffins and pastries on the counter looked really good, but I didn’t get to try them.
Parking is very very difficult. I’d say the café is more for locals and those who work in the area.

Sub-​Station. Looks pretty modest on the outside but when you walk in you are pleasantly surprised to walk into a cool café which boasts great coffee and great food.
Big bunch of friendly staff, open kitchen and indoor seating area which has a bit of a courtyard feel. They have cruisey tunes playing and gas heaters to keep inside nice and cozy. Wouldn’t bring a large crowd as it’s not a huge café but bring one or two mates for breakfast or lunch.
Daily breakfast specials are on show to check-​out before one orders. I liked the look of one of the three specials of the day — Shakshuka eggs. A baked egg creation with tomato base and winter warming goodness. The flavours were nicely balanced and I loved the big chunk of fresh bread and radish served on the side.
Hubby went for the Sub-​Station breakfast which looked like a platter of breakfast goodness — eggs, ham, ricotta, avocado, spinach and toast.
It was $ 58 for two big portions of breakfast, two Botanica cold pressed juices and two regular coffees. The cold pressed juices hiked up the price but the breakfasts were about $ 16 which is pretty competitive pricing in the area for a hearty brunch.

Whats the go with all these little hipster joints popping up all over the place? I’m all for the small café boom, and I appreciate that some of these places are in random little buildings (like this one in a converted electrical sub station) however don’t pretend to be this hip cool place when clearly you’re struggling to understand the whole concept. First off, the menu is very very limited. And when I mean limited, I mean vegan dish, a vego dish and a meat lovers dish (the lunch menu had panini’s and Turkish bread sammiches) but for brunch, its was avo on toast, egg on toast and an egg/​bacon roll of sorts. They have a larger selection of baked goodies out the front if you’re after something sweet. The staff was not very helpful and in fact confused themselves to the point of frustration. Mr Barista was not getting the order regardless of how many times we had repeated it, the other guy (the one who normally takes the orders) had given up and walked away — FTR, we ordered avo on toast with a side of ricotta x2. Anyhoo, you order at the bar, take a number and find a seat either at a communal bar that acts as the wall between the outside and the inside, or a table in their outdoor area. This area is green and really quite pleasant but NO AIR Jordan Sparks. A couple of fans wouldn’t go astray here.
We were hoping the coffee would be their saving grace … it was good but nothing to write home about. I wish I could give it a higher rating, but I just can’t … next !!!

Great coffee — and the most fantastic savoury muffins EVER!
As I delve deeper into this place, i’ll add a better length review — I have only been here once but dayum! Im a convert!

I’ve been watching the coaches from my gym get coffee from here for the last few months, and finally decided I needed to cheat on my usual caffeine dealers and check this spot out.
It’s exterior is super cool, it’s in a smaller old electrical sub-station…hence the name. The interior is a perfect fit with the exterior, and it’s hipster/​artisan vibe goes well. Everything they’ve done adds to this feeling, from the heavy use of wood everywhere, to the table numbers made of wooden spoons with metal gear wheels as bases, it just looks and feels cool.
Now to the drug delivery system… the coffee was perfectly done, a flat white for me and a large long black for the wife. Hers was a little bit bitter, but not off-​puttingly so. Maybe it’s just my taste buds gone soft since I switched to the FWs, but she gave a thumbs up. The selection of pastries and other items looked solid as well but we didn’t try any.
I still feel a little guilt cheating on my usual haunts, but it’s nice to step outside and make sure you’re still in love with your old girl…

I was so delighted when a friend and I stumbled upon this little place, it’s absolutely gorgeous. I reminded me of my favourite café immediately — Cornersmith in Marrickville.
Alas! This is no Cornersmith.
My friend and I got essentally the same thing, except I paid $ 19 and she paid $ 13. We got eggs & avocado on toast & a coffee. She got 1 poached egg. I got 2 poached eggs and my bread was gluten-​free, which is an extra $ 2 here. Okie dokie.
So the lady behind the counter made a big song and dance about how to ring up my order, made it sound super confusing, and I ended up paying $ 19 for a latte and avocado on toast with 2 eggs.
To add insult to injury, our plates come out and hers is all nicely put together properly and mine is all separate, with less bread. So I complained. I was quite nice, but I pointed out the discrepancy and how is it possible mine is worth $ 6 more? And it’s all crap and not put together and I get less bread? Huh?
The guy was really nice. He took my plate away and put my toast together and mentioned something about fixing the money. The lady kept interrupting and he shushed her (rightly so). I think they’re married or related, they have the same accent.
We stayed for probably another 20 minutes. No one fixed the money. It’s tiny, and we had to push passed them to leave. No one said good bye or mentioned anything. Not cool, but oh well.
The poached eggs were rubbery… not awful, but not perfect. Yeah, certainly no Cornersmith.

Great new discovery. Just dropped by one Sat looking for somewhere with fresh and tasty food and found this little gem. Excellent use of space. Quick, fresh, good menu and a friendly vibe. Highly recommended.