Seventhwave Coffee & Tea — Restaurant in Sydney

The coffee roasted by Seventhwave has been a staple over the last few years. It has travelled with me from Victoria, Australia to Hermitage, France and I’ve since realised, it is more than just coffee which has travelled. The education that comes from having a; passionate, intelligent and considered roaster like James in orbit is he also teaches you along the way. In his humility, he seems to take the ‘beans’ of your feedback into his next grind.

Thanks to James, I’ve taken the tasting part of wine out of its intoxicating context and appreciated it through the lens of coffee. I now pay attention to the acid, tannin and balance in my morning cup, not dissimilar to what we look for in our shared passion for wine. We only know such things about each other because James takes the time to get to know his customers. The Robusta coffee turns out as strong as the friendship after he delicately pours the Ethiopian Heirloom, learning about those from my family too. The conversations may then diverge in many directions; there’s often a food-related theme. After listening to James talk about caviar, where to buy roast duck in Sydney and his meal preparation techniques, one can only imagine how serious he takes his business Seventhwave Coffee & Tea.

So serious about coffee, James has made it possible for me to drink a morning cuppa in France. Of a morning, I open the kitchen windows (les fenêtres), feel the morning dew, hear the birds as they fly towards the Syrah swept Hill of Hermitage AOP France and take a sip, then dip into inspiration. Indulge me for a minute while I try to explain the Brasil blend Fazenda California Capricornio Coffee, which he sent over the hemisphere.

I take a sip and imagine a woman dipping her toe into a bath of cocoa. The violet robe she is wearing covers her body, like the coffee envelopes in mouthfeel. She slips it off, her body revealed, elegant and in proportion. Like the coffee, which glides to the back of the mouth, it’s delicate yet rich in depth and length. With a pointed toe, she dips her foot into the bath, slowly integrating, just like how the coffee calibrates with this early Rhône spring morning. She’s wild in a tub of cocoa; the coffee too, for the experimentation with wine yeast- added to the ferment. The acid dances to the back of the throat and thrusts the experience out of the flat, to a place of elevation, like somewhere on the Hill of Hermitage. Awoken by the coffee, I am heading onto this hill for a day of seasonal work amongst the vines. Glancing over to read the coffee bag “85 percent of profits go back to the farmers”.

Merci James, Merci Seventhwave Coffee & Tea ]et...

What an absolute great find! I could sense the relaxed energy and that it was a safe space right away. I was asked if I would like a homemade biscuit on the side with my coffee, pineapple jam or almond shortbread. I was a little taken aback, was this going to be extra? I said yes anyway, prepared to pay. It was $4.50. Very reasonable for an Americano / long black with two shots on Single Origin beans from Vietnam. It had a very smooth mouthfeel and was delicious.

I loved the decor and set up, with posters up of what beans they are serving on espresso and filter. Lots of books + magazines about coffee, a coffee wheel you can interact with that tells you about different regions where specialty coffee is from and the flavour notes! Coffee beans on the tables for you to smell. It was a sensory and pleasant experience. I liked how open and big the space was. I sat down across another lady who started up conversation with me and was very kind, telling me of a book on the table about Redfern and stories of the those who live and have lived there. All the people that came in after me seemed like locals and had great dynamics with the staff. It was a fun space to be in.

I was thrilled to find such a large array of specialty coffee beans and from so many different countries. It took me a long time to choose, the staff were kind in asking me if I needed help, and giving me information on the beans, letting me smell some they had open. The prices were so good, the best I have come across. I really hope it can stay that way for a while longer so I can come back and buy some more! I’m so glad you guys created this cafe because I never would have known about Seventhwave roasters otherwise.

I cannot comment on the food, maybe next time I can try a toastie, but if the small biscuit was anything to go by, I’m sure it will be just as tasty. I am looking forward to trying the beans I bought!

The only thing I didn’t like, was that the writing on the black boards behind the counter up on the wall were very small to read, difficult to understand and I have relatively good eyes. I could see that there was a paper menu on the counter which was good because it is more inclusive of those who perhaps cannot read the black board or who may be too anxious to ask what is...

I have been a Seventhwave customer for almost 4 years. During the first two years, in addition to being a customer I also worked there and considered this place my second home. They say that a business is a mirror of the owner and Seventhwave translates everything that James is: a person with immensely unique knowledge about coffee, wine and cooking in general, who does everything he sets out to do with excellence; a roaster like no other - it's no coincidence that he sells the best coffee beans I've ever tasted; a huge, generous heart, who treats his employees as friends, always willing to share knowledge and learn too - BraSil is spelled with an S, no matter what language you use hahaha - sim, brasileira e com orgulho ;) It feels like I stopped working at Seventhwave yesterday but it's been 2 years and I still buy the coffee because it's simply the best I've had in Sydney! This review is a thank you to James for everything he taught me, for his patience and also for his friendship over these years! It is also a strong recommendation for you to go and visit Seventhwave, because everything there is extremely well done: the teas are wonderful, the cakes and toast are unique and delicious, and the coffees are the best you'll ever taste in your life! Oh, and it comes with homemade (like everything there) biscuits which are incredible! Visit Seventhwave, I guarantee that like me, you will fall in love...