Yi on Edward

From the street you could be excused for thinking that Yi is just a gift shop. We were meeting an old colleague and walked straight past in search of the café he had suggested. Stepping inside you leave the hustle and bustle of the CBD behind and are surrounded by books, gifts and nic nacs.
If you can’t decide what to have give the tapas a go. Whatever you don’t get to try can go on the list for your next visit, because you will be back!
We tried just about everything on the tapas menu:
Salt & pepper calamari
Garlic prawns
Smoked salmon
Tandoori chicken
Prawn dim sims
Pork dumplings
Fries
Braised pork belly
Thai fish cakes
Vegetarian spring rolls

Yi is turning out to be one of my favourite spots for lunch during the working week.
I went back a few weeks ago and this time we tried some of the tapas. Very nice.
I also had a hot chocolate that was delicious. Not your usual powdered gunk that other coffee shops serve.
Will, of course, be back!

Yi is one of my favourite places to go in the city. Vivian and the staff are absolutely lovely and take the time to prepare food and drinks properly.
I love that there is so much to look at. The walls are decorated with a sophisticated range of unique gifts, jewelry, artwork and books. I don’t know if they are, but It feels like every piece is a one-​off collectable. The lighting is not harsh and fluorescent like a lot of places, but warm and a little mysterious. It feels like you have escaped from the city rush.
One afternoon, when I used to work in the city, I escaped into Yi on a particularly stressful working day, ordered scones and coffee and read a book. It was bliss. The food is excellent and the coffee is Good with a capital ‘G’.

In the hustle and bustle of the CBD, it’s a relief to find a quiet refuge, especially when that refuge is full of food, drinks, and pretty things to buy. Yi is a café as well as a gift shop; so expect to be distracted from your food by the lovely giftware tucked into every nook and cranny around you.
The menu offers several Asian-​influenced dishes, but take a look and you’ll also find options such as pasta, pumpkin soup, and bean nachos. The service is friendly, but can be a little slow, so if you have limited time be sure to grab somebody’s attention early. The signature Yi homemade steak pie is delicious, and if you’re after something lighter, the tapas are tasty and fresh. Breakfast is also available for the early birds.
Sometimes the surroundings make the meal even more enjoyable, and Yi is a fine example. A seat by the window on a rainy day is one of the most perfect places to spend a lunch hour.