Four Ate Five — Restaurant in Sydney

This cafe’s name caught my eye as I quickly googled for a place to grab a quick brunch with a pal after visiting the nearby Brett Whiteley studio. This small cafe buzzed with a weekend crowd, and we nabbed the last table by the door.

Friendly staff and quick service, perhaps that’s why they pre-cooked some items for efficiency? Not sure.

I ordered from the weekend specials menu, and it was corn fritters with poached egg, crispy kale and tzatziki. It was, sadly, a letdown. The fritters weren’t crispy and tasted dense. They looked pre-cooked, then re-heated and came to the table lukewarm. The crispy kale was crunchy, so not sure why the star of the dish failed. Because it wasn’t cooked to order, it tasted cloying, soggy and left a film of oiliness in your mouth. They made me have major dish envy from other tables and their dishes.

My pal ordered the ham toastie, jammed with a spud hash! She liked it but said the cheese probably needed a mix with some stringy cheese and more time under the press to allow the “melt” to ooze into the bread, ham, chutney and aioli better.

The coffees were good.

Oh, word of caution - a big step is near the front table! The waitress quickly reminded us, which I’m grateful for, as I could have easily seen myself face plant...

I had one of the worst service experiences from Fey (the blonde waitress at the door), who made me wait outside on the street because my friend hadn’t arrived yet. Meanwhile, another group of two people who arrived after me (and were also waiting for their third friend) were immediately given a table. When I asked why, she bluntly lied and claimed they had arrived before me and that they were only two (both of which I saw were untrue, since their third friend joined them minutes later).

On top of that, when my friend finally arrived, Fey tried to seat us inside even though we had clearly asked to sit outside, and there was a free table visible outside. The whole experience felt unnecessarily hostile, discriminative, and I honestly don’t understand why I was treated that way. If this is how she treats certain customers, I don’t think she’s suited to a role in hospitality. Clearly does not enjoy her job.

It’s a real shame, because the other waitress who served our food was wonderful (friendly, smiley, and attentive) and our brunch was delicious. The food and the rest of the service were great, but Fey’s attitude completely overshadowed what could have been a...

I’m a coeliac, and I absolutely love this spot! Staff are so friendly and knowledgeable of coeliac disease and gluten free, I feel very comfortable eating here. Eating out can often be so isolating when you have a dietary requirement, and you’re often confined to just getting a drink, or something really plain, but not at Four Ate Five! The menu isn’t clearly labelled with allergens, however upon speaking with staff, many of the options are gluten free or can be made gluten free. I ordered the Shakshuka and advised I was coeliac, and staff confirmed they could make it gluten free by swapping out the gluten bread side for gluten free bread, and would take extra measures to reduce cross contamination with the toaster. Obviously there is still an element of risk as a coeliac, as it’s not an entirely gluten free kitchen, but I feel fine each time, and confident in the staff and kitchen. The juices are also delicious and freshly squeezed. I absolutely love this spot, and will continue to take visiting family, friends and loved ones here, to enjoy an amazing...