Sugar

Sugar is a little café resembling some of the old school cafés in nearby Surrey Hills. Opposite the Nelson Hotel, which in itself has old school hotel charm, and just off busy Oxford Street the street view isn’t much of appeal, but food, ambience and service are.
A few sweets on the counter, breakfast and lunch menu on a blackboard behind and on-​pavement outdoor seating all add up to its own charm. It’s a quite café with a calm ambience.
Lighting is a bit dim indoors, which made me wonder if the espresso machine uses up all the available power, or maybe the lighting is enhancing the mood and creativity of the barista. Have you ever tried an espresso in the dark? Take one sense away and you enhance the sensitivity of the others. Fabulous experience. Cafés should have darkrooms (just like photolabs) for the real connoisseur. Sounds like a business model to me, but I’m getting a bit off-​track here.
The Grinders coffee served here is bright in taste. It has a dryness and sharpness typical of Central American coffees with a light sweet-​acidic note and chocolaty aroma. Regular coffees are priced a bit higher ($ 3-​$ 3.50) than those in nearby cafés such as the Baker from Jaffa and About Life, but Sugar nevertheless serves a good coffee to come back to.