Local Customs — Restaurant in Newcastle-Maitland

We had a mixed experience at Local Customs.

Local Customs strongest point is their atmosphere. There are lots of great seating locations among an array of plants with nice table settings - seats were comfortable. There was plenty of indoor and outdoor options, both shaded/sun spots. You would never know you are on a main road, and it has a great vibe that made me feel like I was on vacation.

The prices are a bit steep in my opinion, and a few things on the menu struck me as strange (e.g. eggs 'your way', unless you want them scrambled, in which case you are paying $3 extra - note that this surcharge is not visible on their website menu, only in person).

I had the Woodfired Panini which was very delicious - this item seemed steep at first glance for $26 but the quality and taste truly shone through for this one and was worth it's price. Highly recommend trying this on your visit. Great portion of bacon and the panini itself was very light and toasted perfectly.

My party had the sausage roll (which they enjoyed) and a bacon and egg roll - the bun on this was a bit too crispy.

Unfortunately when we received our Iced Chai on soy the bottom quarter of the drink was filled with soy chunks. We did not drink it and mentioned it to the staff who offered and provided us with a refund. The server was great and very accommodating, and did help to redeem our experience.

A beautiful spot with some standout elements, but a few inconsistencies held the experience back. Definitely worth a visit to form your own opinion. There’s potential here, but it didn’t fully...

Breakfast on a weekday for one.

Pros Nice decor. Decent menu.

Cons The prices. 22 dollars for a reuben and 5 dollars for a small (and I mean small) cup of coffee better be special. Brown rice fritters will set one back almost 30 dollars for basic extras that other places give as part of the dish. The reuben was cooked unevenly. Some parts of the bread were toasted to a crisp. Those parts whilst not burnt, tasted like biscuit. The experience was meh. A roast beef sandwich from 7-eleven that is toasted tastes better and costs a third of the price. Service. It was annoying to be brought food and not be told where the serviettes were. It was even more annoying to pointed by staff to a place where serviettes could be found, only to find out that there were no serviettes. Climate/weather. I sat inside to avoid the cold. It was 16C outside. The air-conditioning/heating was not turned on. That people were donning jackets and coats indoors indicated that I wasn't the only one feeling cold. I shudder to think how it feels in summer or winter. Indoor seating is rather cramped and felt like a food court with better furniture. Because it's opposite another cafe, parking can be a problem.

TLDR: Special prices for not so special experience. Try the place...

Wow, wow, wow. . Had to post about this place, because it’s an absolute gem and it’s hard to come by places that make such dang good food like this with quality, quantity and aesthetic. . First of all, the pistachio latte is a must - we tried with an espresso shot and without. Recommend with. We also tried to chai latte, which wasn’t my fave. It’s all about that pistachio. She’s pricy coming in at 9$, but honestly I’d pay it every time and the espresso itself was good. . For food we got: The chicken sando (24$) - omg incredible - juicy, big piece of chicken with homemade zucchini pickles and jalepeno hot sauce. 1000% recommend and would smash again. It’s big enough even without chippies. . The hot cauliflower salad (24$) was also amazing and packed with flavor. I’m not vego but would eat again for sure. . The house-roasted trout salad (29$) was yummy, but the other two dishes were the winners - didn’t even snap a pic 🤷‍♀️. . Overall great vibes, great staff, great food and such a gorgeous cafe with plenty to buy for gifts...