Workshop Espresso

The fantastic coffee shop culture in Sydney is so varied and top notch that it can quickly turn you into a bit of a coffee shop snob, and I’ll admit that when I stumbled across Workshop Espresso I assumed that it was just some overpriced spot that leveraged it’s location to get away with otherwise subpar offerings. I was wrong.
Star 1: How were the service and atmosphere?
If I worked in a coffee shop where the location was such that lines ten or fifteen folks deep were commonplace I’d probably be a pretty horrible person to be around come midday, but that’s far from the case with the staff at Workshop Espresso, who I’ve decided are actually the reason Workshop lines get so lengthy. Friendly and cheerful even late in the morning, the staff helped me navigate the menu in a way where you wouldn’t have guessed they still had to tend to six people in line behind me. Star Granted.
Star 2: How were the portions relative to the cost?
I don’t have a ton of experience with cronuts, but I do know that they’re typically pretty spendy stateside being a novelty item and whatnot. With that in mind, I was maybe a bit surprised when my salted caramel cronut came to only $ 5.50. Not huge but also not small, this was decent value to pair with my coffee, which was also priced competitively. Star Granted.
Stars 3 and 4: How was the food?
Good? Yes. Great? Not entirely. The consistency and flavor of my cronut was good, but if I’d closed my eyes and taken I bite I’m not sure I would have known that it was a salted caramel cronut. There was melted caramel on the top yes, but given the flaky nature of the cronut that really only made it such that the first two or so bites tasted like caramel. Outside of being a little bit lumpy things were gravy from there. Single Star Granted.
Star 5: Would you eat here every day if you could?
I applaud Workshop Espresso for not falling victim to the trap of being able to get away with sub-​par coffee and food items due to a great location. I’ll be back, and I’ll be back often, but I simply can’t say that a cash only spot (where I’ve decided the cash only nature is also a contributor to the lengthy lines) could commonly trump somewhere that takes cards. That’s not my only reason for not giving a star here (I should have gone with the normal and cheaper cronut) No Star Granted.

Good coffee, usually pretty busy and good food. Had the avo on toast and a salted caramel cronut which was very rich but yummy (we shared it).

This has definitely become go-​to for coffee. Not only is it one of the very few coffee shops that does proper chai tea latte but at a decent price too! I’m yet to try out their food soon especially as it’s so conveniently located to my work!

This my favourite place in Sydney to have coffee. Great service and some excellent eats.

Small and quaint. The Flat White was absolutely delicious! The pastries were delicious and melt in your mouth. The service and people there were exceptional! I will visit this place when I come back!

Great coffee. I had ordered an iced latte, which I’m not sure is typical given the confused look I received, but they tried hard to accommodate me. Cash only, and no real seating, but definitely well made coffee drinks if you’re looking for a fix to just grab and go.

I know this place gets rave reviews, but I’m not a great fan. Firstly, its primarily a take away joint meaning you’re going to be drinking from a paper cup. It is possible to have your coffee in a proper cup, but then you need to squeeze up against the wall.
The coffee I had was very nice, but I guess the main complaint is the size of the shop. It’s not really big enough to enjoy what they produce. Come here if you need a caffeine fix on the run and you’re in the area. It kills any of the chains like Starbucks.

Good coffee and breakfast. There is always a line in the morning but service is fast so it is acceptable. There are so many choices for coffee in Sydney CBD I am feeling so spoiled!

Best coffee in Sydney CBD? Perhaps. It’s good, the service is great but it wont reinvent your view of coffee. It’s never been terrible, but its not the best ever.

Little shop front outside the Galeries on George Street that serves excellent coffee. I’ve only ever bought coffee to go as there isn’t much room to dally about and the place is forever busy regardless of day or time. This is prime real estate!
They have a quick system to ensure you don’t wait too long for your coffee and they manage not to mess up orders.

Due to our usual coffee shop being closed so early in the morning, my partner and I ventured into new café territory. Workshop Espresso offered a good latte without the slightly sour taste I’ve found in some Sydney coffee shops. The bruschetta with avocado and tomato was tasty, with a good amount of toppings (not skimpy like some). My partner enjoyed her chai latte as well.
Although we sat at the little table near the front, I’d recommend choosing take away from here due to limited space inside.
It’s good and I would happily return (especially for the bruschetta – I’m more or less addicted to avocados) but it doesn’t have that special something that would inspire me to rate it a 5.

This is the best place in CBD to check out Sydney’s café culture! The line is always super long but it moves fast and the food/​drinks are well worth the wait. I would come here for breakfast every day if it wasn’t on the other side of the globe…
The regular latte and a chai latte are both perfectly smooth and beautifully presented. We also shared the smoked salmon avocado bruschetta and the feta, avocado and tomato bruschetta which are made with amazingly fresh produce that tasted like there’s a vegetable garden in the back. They are served on GIANT delicious fresh baked slices of bread. We also bought a chicken sandwich as a to-​go lunch to eat later but it had been consumed within 15 minutes of us leaving the place.
Highly recommend!

Food was excellent and the coffee were strong — exactly what you need in the morning. Good prices too! Bacon & egg sandwich was $ 6.50 and BAT (bacon, avocado, tomato) was 9.90. Cheaper than things I found in Melbourne CBD.

The owner will sit and talk to you about coffee until you reach the last drop in your cup.
The staff will explain where the beans are from and why the giant sugar donut is worth every calorie.
The line down the street only proves that the locals think the same as the tourist, 5 stars.

This is a great LITTLE little whole in the wall.
Staff happy and friendly and quick service.

Sumatra single origin, I can sense the beautiful aroma of flowers and dry finished.
It’s so nice and strong with pleasant finished for who love the single origin coffee.

I have been to this place a couple of times for an early morning caffeine hit and the coffee is consistently good. The place is always flat out! With lines sometimes going down the street, which attracts more people to lineup (how I first tried it!)
I haven’t tried any food from the workshop but the food selection seems simple and tasty. I believe in most cases that simple is tasty. I will defs go back and maybe get a bacon and egg roll.

As you alight from Town Hall station the first thing you’ll likely see is the throng of people milling around Workshop waiting for their fix.
This place certainly looks the part. Attractive design, attractive staff, attractive nibbles.
The place is abuzz with acitivity. I counted no less than 6 people behind the coffee counter, 2 out the back making food to order and 1 girl out the front (taking turns with another girl) to hand out the coffees/​food.
The service was fast. No doubt about that. 5 stars for service.
Today I ordered a bacon and egg roll w/​chilli jam AND my standard litmus test, the large soy latte. The bacon and egg roll was a 4-​star delight. It hit the spot.
Sadly peeps this is where all the fun ends. The coffee wasn’t good, and my expectation was already high. After Gumption yesterday, the coffee at Workshop isn’t even in the same galaxy. So whilst everything else about the place seems to be working just peachy and is the reason for the popularity, the coffee just does not cut it. Too weak and uninspired unfortunately… Such a shame :(

Alright coffee, however, I am not a fan of Toby Estate beans. You can get a better cup of coffee from Blue Birds or Klinks. Which are both round the corner.
The food was good — but the pre made sandwiches were average. If you are going to eat there make sure it is made from the menu and not the pre-​made stuff. Saying that the staff are extremely friendly. Tried breakfast. Really good. Beacon and egg roll was awesome.
If you want food make sure you stop here but if you want coffee I’d keep on moving.

Awesome coffee and phenomenal sandwiches. Definitely worth a visit when you are in Sydney. During my stay there, i get my skinny latte from them every morning. The line is always long if you don’t go early enough but it’s worth it!
One day for breakfast I had their BAT sandwich (bacon, avocado, tomato) and i was… blown away. Thick, juicy bacon with generous amount of avocado. I’m a fan. I’m a huge fan.
Then I scarfed down the sandwich in 30 seconds.