Bona Fides

Delicious breakfast of eggs benedict with smoked salmon and half a grilled tomato, rocket and half an avocado on the side plus a latte for $ 24. Was very delicious. Staff were very friendly.

This is an update of my prior review. Largely the food here continues to be good, well presented and freshly prepared. I had the green eggs, which were a little greasy but your going to get that with a good serving of basil pesto and a chorizo sliced lengthways. A hearty feed.
Reason for going 3 stars is the service is a little off. Seems that when they get slightly busy the standard slips a bit. We needed to call the waiter back out to take our orders (we were sitting outside) and for a morning meeting breakfast you don’t have all the time in the world to get things done. Also when our waters were being topped up, more attention is needed to avoid dripping/​spilling water on our groups electronic goods (tablets etc)… Not a great note to finish on… But the food is still good I guess, and the coffee is about standard for the area.

Extremely hearty breakfast to be had here!
Love: strong coffee/​long blacks!
Like: crusty, thick cut toast; the variety on my green (from pesto) eggs breakfast plate, including sauteed mushrooms, sausage, and rocket (could have done without that though).
Dislike: that my appetite wasn’t bigger, and I couldn’t finish 100% of my plate! Food was on the slightly greasy side, maybe too much oil in the pan.

Came here yesterday because I was looking for a brunch spot in the CBD that had decent reviews on Unilocal.
Since it was a Saturday I was a little worried about The Rocks being overcrowded, so ended up coming here.
Definitely not the fanciest of places. The décor is a bit old school. But the food was definitely delicious and I’d highly recommend.
I had the green eggs and my friend had the smashed avo toast and both dishes were massive. I actually struggled to finish mine. The coffee was also decent so if you’re look for a good no-​fuss breakfast definitely come here.
They also have a nice little side area that is outside and were very accommodating when the sun came out full force and was shining in my friends eyes.
Great staff and worth a visit.

I went for breakfast after seeing the Unilocal review. Ordered a cup of flat white, americano, and 2 bona fides breakfast platter. It was perfectly fine, good atmosphere, well cooked meats and eggs. I wish I could give this place 3 ½ stars, because it was better than ‘a-​ok’ but a little shy of ‘I’m a fan’ because I thought it was nothing spectacular. I thought the price was a bit much for what we got, but that seems to be the case here in Australia in general.

Absolutely amazing café in the heart of Sydney. I couldn’t fault the food, it was beautifully cooked and the service was friendly and warm. I can’t wait for my next trip to Sydney as this is destination no. 1 for me!

Great: location is central, place is charming, outdoor seating is calm and cool with a little breeze, eggs were good (neither overcooked, nor undercooked), fresh OJ was very good!
Could be better: offer tap water spontaneously (esp. if customers have both had coffee and juice), the ciabatta could have been toasted better, service was friendly, but a bit oblivious (forgot a latte, delivered the tap water to another table, made a mistake with our neighbours)…
All in all, we could have ordered the wrong thing (Tuscany breakfast, where the pancetta was very smokey and the ciabatta undertoasted), it may have been a bit of an off-​day, or we may be used to stellar performances in Australia (Melbourne and Sydney have mindblowing brekkies options)… This place is convenient, but do not go out of your way to visit

Amazing place!
We were passing by and just stopped for coffee and a late brunch.
Right from when we were shows out tables, then the coffee aroma, the food (pasta and steak) and the dessert — everything was just right.
They have really good coffee and amazing food.
The best thing perhaps about the restaurant is Zack. When we complemented them about the tasty food, great coffee and the value for money, the response was ‘isn’t that the way it should be’. Humble and balanced response. Also one that the restaurant owners seem to love by.
Great place, highly recommended.

Stopped by this café with a couple of friends for a late lunch. I was very glad they were still serving food at 3ish. I’m glad we found this place though! It’s a great café in a convenient location and the food was fresh and delicious. The staff were friendly and attentive without being too in your face and the menu was pretty extensive with a European feel about the place.
It has some nice outdoor seating if you’re not opposed to listen to the hustle and bustle of a busy intersection in the middle of the city but the little lane way is sheltered from the sun which is nice, especially on a sunny Sydney day!

Finally a coffee shop near Town Hall worth mentioning. I was reluctant about entering because I just wasn’t sure they’d be on their coffee game as they appear to be more of a restaurant from first observances.
However, after spotting the familiar La Marzocco Espresso Machine I knew I’d made a wise decision and I strode confidently to the counter. The service was lovely, both the barista and waitress appeared to be gentle souls, happy to serve with a smile.
My coffee was rich, creamy, and of a decent strength. It took a little longer to get to me, but I am happy about waiting for a good end product.
Could be my new go to, unless I happen to stumble across something better in a closer vicinity to work (which isn’t really likely since I have tried everything within a stones throw and they are all 3-​star jobs).
Now to compile a list!

Too much vegemite. Not enough coffee. Attractive barista. Plenty of outdoor seating.
Good for a quickie in the Sydney CBD, but don’t go out of your way.

This café certainly lives up to its name as far as coffee and brunches are concerned. The caffeine is 100% organic and the baristas know what they’re doing. They’re not cheap, mind, $ 4.20 for a cappuccino is pretty steep for the CBD.
The thing I like best about Bona Fides is the outdoor seating. Sure, Druitt Street isn’t the quietest neck of the woods — you’ll have to make do with buses groaning down the street behind you — but the area they’ve cordoned off is quite delightful. There’s an awning and comfy seats (I like a chair with armrests) — once a big group of us took over the entire area.
The service is always bright and bubbly. They’ll leave you be if you fancy sitting in with a good book — the leather seats and warm wood surrounds inside are particularly conducive to that.
Bona Fides is a handy spot to keep in mind if you want to catch up with a friend in town. It’s just across the road from Town Hall, so meeting up is simple as can be. Then with a nice, simple modern Australian menu, you’re always able to find something good to eat.

There are two best things about Bona Fides Café. Number one is the staff are super friendly and they all remember your name after having asked only once (it’s like they write it on a black board in the kitchen or study it overnight). The second great things about this narrow little café is the coffee is divine. Extra hot (how I love it), creamy milk (always an issue if you’re a soy drinker like me) and never burnt (bitterness is a big thumbs down for me). It’s worth noting that this café uses a 100% organic coffee bean from the Private Label Coffee Roaster.
Bona Fides have an outdoor area down the narrow alleyway beside the café if you’re a smoker or prefer the fresh air of the stinky city streets. The food looks pretty tasty too though I didn’t try it as I was only there for a coffee break. Breakfast and Lunch prices on the Mediterranean and European menu range from $ 15 – 25.