Hill St Beans Cafe Roseville — Restaurant in Sydney

This is my first time writing a food review, and I genuinely hope it’s the last I have to give to this restaurant. I recently ordered the pork banh mi, which is one of my favorite comfort foods. Unfortunately, it turned out to be the worst banh mi I've ever tasted.

From the moment I took my first bite, I was disappointed. The bread was overly crusty on the outside but strangely soggy inside, lacking that perfect balance of crunch and softness that makes a good banh mi so enjoyable. Instead of a fresh, vibrant flavor, the pork was overwhelmingly salty, masking any nuances of taste. I’ve had banh mi where the pork is succulent and flavorful, but this was just a salty mess.

The vegetables, which should have added a refreshing crunch, felt limp and lacked the bright pickled flavor that’s essential in a great banh mi. To top it all off, the mayo was far too heavy and didn’t complement the dish at all; it felt out of place and only added to the overwhelming saltiness.

Overall, this experience was incredibly disappointing. I’ve enjoyed banh mi from various places, but this one missed the mark entirely. I will definitely not be returning to this cafe for their banh mi again. I’d recommend finding a spot that respects the dish’s authenticity...

I’m so happy with the crispy pork bánh mì here!! Haven’t yet found a good bánh mì in the North Shore area that’s comparable to those back in South West Sydney, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that Hill St Beans does a great one!

They source their bread from a Vietnamese bakery, so you’re going to get that satisfying crispy crunchy bite!!

While it’s got shredded lettuce instead of cucumber and pickled daikon, they nailed it with the deliciously very well seasoned crispy pork belly, pickled carrot, and everything else. Best bánh mì in the North Shore area so far - we loved it so much we bought another one right after!

They also have a lovely team, a great chilled atmosphere and an indulgent bacon...

By far the best cafe on the either side of Roseville station. It’s still a suburban North Shore cafe so don’t expect any sort of culture defining dining experience, what you will find here is classic Sydney cafe food done fairly well. The staff are all friendly and reasonably professional, the food is on point and the price is actually very good. You can get a pretty damn good bacon and egg roll and a coffee here for about $13 dollars, which is a seriously good price in this area. For example, the cafe next door, the exact same meal combo will cost you about $25 and it is nowhere near as good. It’s pretty simple grub in here but done very well. This place is fast...