Cafe Berlin

Down to earth service with a smile. Very impressed with their charity help with Nepalese families.
Great coffee, though could have done with a little more chocolate in the mocha. As a rare coffee drinker it was definitely nice.
Eggs benedict when done properly leaves a delightful aftertaste and café Berlin delivered. The vegetarian board is plentiful and the wilted spinach was delicious! A great touch is the homemade pesto!
We don’t live in the area but always make a habit of coming back. All day breakfast is tough to beat.

The coffee is always fantastic from here. The service is mainly good
The food is standard for a café. Nothing special — and to be honest it would be really good to see some German specialties on the breakfast menu. I’ve had eggs benedict with bacon, as well as the bacon and egg roll with wilted spinach. They were both pretty good — but unadventurous.
I come here for breakfast in Balmain because I know I’ll get good food and some great coffee every time.

This café is a stock standard Balmain icon! It’s been around for years and seems to be known for the large amount of cakes in the window but also they used to famously not charge a public holiday surcharge. Not sure if that is still the case but worth checking out as last Easter long weekend I paid $ 4.8 for a regular coffee! Oh my that was a lot!
So Café Berlin do decent coffee, a tasty but basic menu with a side of haphazard service. All in all though it is value for money, a Balmain institution open decent hours if you need a feed! I remember the sandwiches being delicious and on thick cut bread. Word of advice though sit as far away from the cake window as possible or you might just find yourself ordering a delicious cheesecake instead of a healthy salad!

The iced coffee was great, comes in a mason jar with milk and ice cream with powdered chocolate. Probably the best I’ve had on this trip except perhaps the one at the Spring, downtown Brisbane. Sipping on my coffee and reading the great Unilocal reviews of the food I asked for the menu but unfortunately the kitchen was closed, it was 4.20pm.

Another Balmain institution — Café Berlin may not be a hipsters’ paradise, but boy can they do cake. Black Forest, Blueberry Cheesecake, Marble Cake, Poppyseed, and the good old Pav — they’ve got a handle on the cake situation (albeit in a fairly traditional way).
As for food, it’s not «gourmet» in the Surry Hills sort of way, but the servings are generous, usually fresh and rather tasty — best to go for simple things like burgers, sandwiches and toasted croissants, with chips or salad. This place is good for families and taking grandma out to lunch. It’s open out to the street, and everyone is friendly. Café Berlin has a great «old-​Balmain» sort of vibe, and they’re reasonably priced.

I was searching for lunch in Balmain and wandering the streets when I heard the word «Reuben» and was stopped in my tracks. While in NYC recently I had fallen in love with these pastrami filled beasts with their oh so tender and flavourful meat *drools*.
So when I started enquiring inside about if the sandwich was served on rye bread, I noticed to my dismay that they used. corned beef and not pastrami … :-(
But… I had already sat down, and still needed lunch, so as is my way, I ordered their burger. I had intended as a backup plan to try their kransky hot pot special, but it appears it had already sold out. AND THE BURGER WAS DELICIOUS!!!
Next to the mass of thin fries (that were so plentyful I could not get through them all) was a burger consisting of a juicy burger lavished with bacon, cheese, caramelised onions and plenty of love. Even the bun was awesome, giving me good purchase as I demolished this amazing lunch item. Even thinking about this burger now just makes me drool…
I them finished off the meal with a nice little mac. It was pretty damm nice (though not as good as the burger…). That said… it was still one of the better cafes I have found in Sydney, and so well worth checking out if in the area.
Café Summary
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Passion for Coffee — ⁷⁄₁₀
Coffee beans — Morgan’s coffee
Crema (1=burnt, 10=velvet) — ⁷⁄₁₀
Special coffees avail? — N/​A
Special Features
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Toilets

It is my pet hate that this establishment is still a ‘cash only’ establishment. It is a great locale to come here and enjoy some yummy fish and chips for a longish lunch during the week; just being a lady of leisure; and maybe catch up with some writing simultaneously. Their coffees aren’t too bad either. If you are not fussed as to where your coffee is coming from at any given moment, then you will be fine and settled with the coffee at this establishment.
It is the food; sort of trendy ambience (they have updated themselves to keep up with the trends of this area) and an establishment that has stood the test of time in Balmain makes Café Berlin worth coming back to time and time again. And oh yes, I cannot forget to mention their cake display at the shopfront window. The cakes would arguably have to be the main event as to why the locals come to this establishment. The problem is that there is too much choice on the different cake varieties; what to choose from. And another problem for me in particular (not sure whether or not this particular problem applies to you) is that I need someone to share a slice of cake with; and we both have to be unanimous with our decision; their slices are just that filling; so yes great value is enjoyed here.

Café Berlin plugs the fact that all their baked goods are homemade, in the very kitchen you’re sitting beside. It’s scrawled in chalk down their chalkboard, written on their menus, signposted in their window and vocally communicated — they want to get this point across to you. Mind you, if I baked cakes as impressive looking as their lemon meringues and berry pies, I’d be letting you know too.
Their entire menu is pretty reasonably priced (Chicken Burger w fries $ 15, ‘homemade’ Salmon quiche with salad $ 12) and their lunch menu is just as appetising as their all day breakfast menu, which is really saying something when there’s ricotta pancakes with fresh berry compote, and maple marscapone on the menu (certified delicious). They’ve got a good list of cold, fresh juices (the mojito — freshly squeezed apple, mint and lime) and their ever-​so-​attractive fridge full of cakes, pies and sausage rolls flaunts itself before you for the entirety of your stay (what a tease).
This café, with its breezy open shopfront, has friendly service and is kid friendly, with books, play equipment, a tiny tots table and chair and plenty of high chairs. Café Berlin’s slightly offputting features are the many, many photos of the owners’ daughter/​granddaughter framed and hung around the shop, taking boasting parent syndrome to an entirely new level.
Eftpos minimum of $ 15.