Cafe Hernandez

Great warm hideaway in the cross and very quiet of an evening.
Spanish-​inspired menu which is very limited. The coffee is very good which makes up for it. Service can be a little touch and go but overall it’s the best 24hr café in Sydney.

If you’re after coffee, this is where you need to come.

The shortage of cafes that are open late-​night boggles my mind. Sydney seriously needs more of these around the city and the ‘burbs! Add that to the list, Sydney 2030!
Luckily, right around Kings Cross (go figure), is Café Hernandez. I’ve only been here once but I can tell you that I’m already a fan. Step into the café and you’ll feel like you’re in Europe. It makes me think of Spain and I get the temptation to throw my serviette on the floor (if only they had a bar to sit at) to show my liking.
I’d be very down to chug some coffees into the wee hours of the night and do some work on my caffeine high.

Café Hernandez is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and located in the heart of Kings Cross. I know what you are thinking but seriously it’s not like that. This café is not only a comfortable, cosy, relaxed environment with wonderful, friendly service, but it is also quite a landmark.
I was taken here the first time by a major coffee snob so I figure it must be good. A must-​visit café, with great coffee and a selection of authentic Spanish cuisine. They have spanish doughnuts — yes that’s right spanish doughnuts. I was wary too. But the ‘Churros’ doughnuts ($ 2 each) really are a lovely sweet treat to enjoy with your coffee.
Being open ²⁴⁄₇ the café truly attracts all sorts, from bar hoppers and back packers to shift workers and locals, the blend of diverse clientele along with the eclectic décor really do give the place a lot of character. To top it off, the service is great and the staff here are truly friendly and warm.

A long long time ago, I used to live in Elizabeth Bay, and work at this almost historic café. I did the grave yard shift from 1am to 9am and then went to university after that. What led me to this though was that I was a regular customer here. It was my favourite café back then thanks to the unique atmosphere, great coffee and focaccia or empanadas.
Roasting the beans on site meant that Hernandez would always have the freshest coffee, and a great range of blends. That skill with the mix has been handed down in this family business, and expanded to another store over near Oxford St.
Going back in the other day the coffee was still decent. It has always been the case that the coffee has a range from good to awesome depending on who made the coffee and when it was roasted. For me, that inconsistency adds to the charm.
If you are feeling like a snack, and can smell donuts here, it likely means they have just cooked some fresh churros, and when they are fresh, they are very moreish. My other addiction here were the choc coated coffee beans… YUM!
So ²⁴⁄₇ if you are in the area and feel like a coffee or a snack, check it out.
Café Summary
— — — — — — — —
Passion for Coffee — ⁷⁄₁₀
Coffee beans — Hernandez
Crema (1=burnt, 10=velvet) — ⁷⁄₁₀
Special coffees avail? — N/​A

It’s 3am, you’ve had a big night, and another alcoholic beverage may tip you over the edge and cause you to fall over in the street. How to solve this? Coffee! And where will be open at this time? Café Hernandez! Open ²⁴⁄₇ (they don’t even have a lock on the door) and situated a couple minutes walk away from Kings Cross, you won’t find a more convenient caffeinary than this! Its coffee may have changed (unfortunately not for the better) in recent times, but it gained iconic status long ago, so its still worth a visit just for that! And you have to respect a place that hasn’t shut for 39 years!

There are 2 things you need to know about Café Hernandez:
It is open ²⁴⁄₇
It serves up superb coffee
In fact, make that 3 things.
It is legendary.
Popular with cabbies for obvious reasons, Hernandez is an institution in the Cross. The service may be inconsistent and you never know quite what you’re going to find there, but the coffee is always good and Café Hernandez will ALWAYS be there for you.
There is huge history attached to this place, not least the fact that they have not closed their doors since the day they opened in 1972! I kid you not.
You gotta respect that. I tip my hat to you, Café Hernandez

Lovely small 24 hour café in Kings Cross away from the bustle of the main street. The walls are lined with imitation art work, namely the Mona Lisa and other well known paintings. It is very small and casual and I would only drop by if you really had get something or liked the company of older people. It was hard to get service, I waited at the counter for someone to take my order for a coffee for about 5 mins before anyone came. So If I was in a hurry, they would have lost a sale. The range of cakes was not that spectacular, and I love my cakes, I like my mouth to water at the sight of them before I buy a slice and yeh, it didn’t take me there. There didn’t seem to be any amenities either, just in case you were wondering.