Sparrow Cafe

Welcome to bland city: population Burger Special. At least I ordered the chicken and avo sambo which was largely average, but I felt so bad for Bdub and his «tasty beef and pork patty» with extra thick slices of beetroot and tomato, we wound up sharing.
Food sads are the worst kind of sads.

Was better before.
Have been coming here for over 3 years and the owner used to let us try the gelato flavours.
Now, it’s become very popular and the owner is getting stingy. Only allowed 2 samples! How am I supposed to buy properly without testing the flavours?
Other desserts are yummy.

Quite simply the core reason for visiting Crows Nest. Whatever restaurant or café you’re visiting, leave without dessert and stroll down to Sparrow. The gelato is superb. If you are lucky, they’ll be hosting one of their unusual specialties, such as gin and tonic sorbet, coconut, ginger and chili ice cream or Mexicali chocolate. Even if they only have the more standard fare in stock, you’re in for a treat.
The portions are generous which, given the quality, is most welcome, if threatening to the waistline. The staff are friendly and witty, being more than willing to let you try numerous taste tests before deciding on which one best suits your fancy. They will even compliment you if the two flavours you order complement each other.
Beyond the ice cream (which is the reason to visit), they also offer a wide range of coffee, cakes, pastries and more savoury options, all of which have been delicious when I’ve strayed from the gelato lined path. They might not be my go to place for good coffee in Crows Nest, but they run it a close second.
Always worth a visit, especially with kids in tow. Grab a blanket from the conveniently placed unit by the ice-​cream bar and sit out on the grass in the sun. If the kids polish off the gelato before you do, they can run the sugar off and/​or, if you’re less lucky, get wet in the nearby water feature.

Best coffee in the area. The lunches are good, gelatos are dope and the desserts are outta this world (try the banoffi pie)

Oh my, the gelato here is so good. Why go East and wait in line for Messina when you can go here?
Flavours I have dreams about:
— Salted caramel
— Coconut pandan
Strange but surprisingly pleasant flavours:
— Banana vegemite
— Balsamic vinegar and strawberry

It was my first time at Crows Nest ever, and my friends insisted we have the gelato. So it was windy and a bit cool (y’know how these summer nights have been) but Sparrow was still making pretty brisk business.
There’s a selection of gelato — fortunately not too many. Y’know the paradox of choice? Basically, the more choices there are, the more overwhelmed you get til you walk off in a huff without choosing anything (no ice cream for you!) Fortunately, they seemed to have just the right amount of choice — not too much and not too little.
I got the salted caramel (after taste testing!) in a bambino cup. For $ 2.50 it’s the perfect size for «oh I really shouldn’t have any dessert» vs. «I’ll be darned if I don’t have any!»
I have to say I prefer Gelato Messina’s a tiny bit over this, but just a little tiny bit, and that’s more of a personal preference. But it still gets a full five stars though for being generally awesome and not as hectic as the madness that is Messina. Plenty of places to sit and enjoy gelato!

Love this place !!! :)
Yummy bold coffee! This place it’s heaven for a sugar monkey like me! Staff are lovely. Very cool vibe. Love that they open late. Great for a little coffee and cake dates with the other half :)
You just can’t go wrong ;)

Great hidden little gem, if you find it enjoy, Start with a coffee then… Try yogurt caramel gelato !

I came here for a chat with Ben B, and I doubt I would have found it otherwise!
This cute little café that literally feels like a space carved out in a wall, but in a really awesome way. The atmosphere is really friendly and warm and the latte I ordered was lovely and smooth.
On my way out, I got to have a taste of their new mojito flavoured sorbet — Oh my gosh, it was awesome! I also got a scoop of Apple Pie gelato to go. The taste? Wow, spot on. Cinnamon-​y, apple-​y, and just lovely without being excessively sweet. And also, at $ 2.50 for a single scoop? This is excellent value!
I also had a sneak peek at the dessert cabinet just past the coffee machine, down in the back, and I *have* to go back to try some of them!

While service is fast, there a few tables. It is nice to get food and sit on the grass, but to be honest, I find I can easily get much better food in same area and eat that right outside.
On the three occasions I’ve attempted to dine there:
1. I couldn’t find anything on the menu that tempted me that day (happens a lot)
2. ordered a sandwhich, which was ok, but for the price, was well below par; my friend had a slice of quiche and while, again nice, over priced and the base was soggy.
3. I met a friend there, who had already been served a sandwich and as soon as I arrived she asked me, did i think this was ok? and no– the meat on the sandwich smelt very questionable to me. she returned it (staff we very polite and quickly gave her a refund, but didn’t check the other sandwiches in the display)
And we haven’t been back since.

This is a no brainer. Gelato with REAL apple pie IN it!
WARNING!!! DO NOT go down to the back of the store if you are diabetic. The cake cabinet is life threatening.

‘Pass me the Sensodyne’, I yelled. ‘I’m a goin’ in!’
Contrary to popular opinion winter solstice is the perfect time to thrust oneself into the dark night in search of icy treats. My son left with a classic raspberry gelato the size of his head. His choice was far easier than mine. I deliberated long and eventually plumped for an Apple Pie piccolo before justifying my wussy portion size by stating ‘I don’t want to ruin dinner’. Well guess what I did ruin dinner. In fact I ruined sleep that night too. My mouth talked to me in the still of night. ‘Go’. It said. I know where it wanted me to go and still does. Until all have been tried all 30 flavours I shall not rest. Think of me…

Great vibe, lively music, dee-​lish desserts featuring gelato and nice range of gorgeous looking little cakes lined up to tempt us from the display fridge.
We called in after enjoying a lovely Vietnamese dinner in Crows Nest and were not in mood for Asian dessert. When would anybody ever be in the mood for Asian desserts. Besides, come to think of it I don’t think I’ve ever tasted a great Asian dessert — ever. I mean the choice is clear isn’t it. Asian dessert — Italian dessert — it’s a no brainer. And I reckon that’s why you don’t see many overweight Asians — cos their desserts are so unappealing.
Luckily for us just a short stroll around the corner was Sparrow. We swooped in on the last available table and watched the people coming in and lining up for their sweet fix of super yum gelato. Yum!
We ordered coffee gelato in a crisp sugar cone and fig gelato in a cup. The fig gelato was so lovely and figgy — even had those teeny weeny fig seeds which added a nice crunch.
And guess what?! Clam chowder has come to Crows Nest. Yes, that’s right, now Sparrow features Clam Chowder for lunch. Definitely gonna sample this. Stay tuned for my clam chowder review. After chowing down in the famous pierside chowder houses in Monterey California AKA the Clam Chowder Mecca of the world I believe I can offer a half decent review of clam chowder.

Its been probably 4 or 5 times that I’ve been here since my last review. Still just as amazing as always. But there are a few new flavours. There is ‘after dinner mint’, cookies and cream, dulce de leche, strawberries and cream, and pear with rhubarb.
Just thinking of this place is making me fatter and happier.

In Crow’s Nest, a Sparrow is taking over. After a lovely lunch (which consisted of dessert, too), we all migrated to Sparrow for some of their famous gelato. But it is more than just a gelateria. It is a café that, in addition to making simply delicious sandwiches and salads, also offers a brunch. Retro in feel, Sparrow is very cozy on the inside with dark chairs and wooden walls. There’s also an outdoor patio where you can enjoy your food.
The showcase of gelato is right in the front, so you can’t miss it. You’ll find some traditional flavors like chocolate and vanilla, but what you should really try is some of the more unique tastes. Among the best I tried were the pear and rhubarb (so good!) and blood orange. Even if you don’t like fruit-​flavored ice cream, there are some richer flavors that will surely satisfy you, like the chocolate toffee crunch.
One scoop of gelato is around $ 4. Likewise, the items on the menu are quite affordable with everything under $ 15. If you find yourself on the North shore on a sunny afternoon, you should pay Sparrow a visit.

Sparrow is a café and gelato bar. It’s location outside the Crows Nest Community Centre with the open grass area is ideal for attracting all the kiddies for cool treats on a hot day. But it’s not just the gelato lovers who will like Sparrow. The mocha is sublime — especially when I get it in the large cups (no glass on request). It’s smooth, hot and has a kick to it. The staff are all lovely and seem happy to be working there which always makes me feel like my coffee has been made with an extra shot of love.
The gelato is homemade, the coffee is Genoveses, the macaroons are sweet and the sandwiches are fresh. The gin and tonic sorbet or coconut and pandan gelato is worth a test as is the Haloumi salad.
There are tables outside under the tree and blankets you can borrow to lay on the grass if you fancy.

Sparrow is just everything you could want from a café.
The food and coffee on offer exudes sumptuousness such as the speciality homemade gelato like coconut and lychee, and the thick Belgian waffles which come doused in melted chocolate.
It’s also a very open café, with warm wood panelling around the walls and lots of chairs and tables to allow people to sit under the awning out front. It’s got the privilege of facing into the small park which symbolizes the heart of Crow’s Nest, Ernest Place. The lunchtime crowds have a hard job not being sucked into it.
Lastly, the staff seem to have a constant smile on their faces! I wonder if they get extra portions of gelato?