The North Spoon — Restaurant in Sydney

A Must-Visit—If You’re Craving Disappointment

Oh, where do I begin? This café is undoubtedly the place to go if you’re in the mood to burn a hole in your wallet and question your life choices. My partner and I, being ever-so-adventurous locals, decided to pop by on a sunny afternoon after being lulled in by the charming décor. Let’s just say the décor was the only thing that didn’t let us down—though it did set a rather unfortunate tone of false hope.

I kicked things off with an iced strawberry matcha. At a mere eight dollars, you’d assume they’d at least muster up some fresh strawberries. How silly of me. Instead, I was treated to a fascinating concoction involving ultra-processed strawberry syrup. Because nothing says “artisan café” quite like a sugary red mystery liquid swirling in your overpriced tea.

My partner took the plunge and ordered a Caesar salad with chicken. A bold choice indeed! We were thrilled to discover it was “deconstructed,” which apparently means the kitchen couldn’t be bothered to chop up lettuce. They served up a hefty head of lettuce—complete with the butt intact—and some sad, dry chicken on the side. Topping it all off were runny eggs that tasted…well, let’s just say a bit off. Cutting and dressing your own salad is obviously the sign of a truly premium dining experience—who doesn’t love paying 30AUD (yes, you read that number right!) to do the chef’s job for them?

Despite the rising prices in Sydney, this café manages to take “overpriced” to a whole new level. If your dream is to experience the absolute worst quality-to-price ratio in town, look no further. Consider my mind thoroughly blown!

In conclusion, I’d like to extend my sincere gratitude to this establishment for teaching me an invaluable lesson: never judge a café by its ambiance. If you enjoy feeling scammed, betrayed, and slightly nauseated, you’ve found your nirvana. Otherwise, steer clear....

We decided to have a coffee break from our bike ride, before we head back home across the Harbour Bridge, and chose the location we were familiar with, having stopped here many times before, as does other cycling bunches.

The location is pleasant - there's plenty of indoor and shaded outdoor seating, along with a large tree for cover. Overall the coffees were spot on, we ordered Flat White and Latte. There was a small selection of cakes on the day, the Poppy Seed one was a little dry, the Carrot Cake was very nice.

What we didn't know this time was a slight change in the business, and had become a table service establishment. As we had our bikes, we used the outdoor area's entrance we were familiar with and walked inside. Sorry about the confusion.

The service was very friendly, and the menu was well planned and caters for all tastes and diet requirements. Just missing the bit about cakes, but also we had forgotten to ask what was available. Walked inside and had to wait a little to get to the display to see what was available.

Thanks again for the coffee break, and will see you next time.

Suggestion:

1. Add something into your menu about cakes and pastries - Cake of the Day, for example, and to direct patrons to ask the service what's available;

2. A sign that says Welcome, and for patrons to wait to be seated;

3. Not sure about the drum-like standing table outside, takes up space especially if you have more patrons who wants to enjoy the...

Friends in Costa Mesa CA USA had mentioned that North Spoon was a much loved location in Sydney’s north side so on my return home I decided to venture into the casual realm of the North Spoon on a rainy Monday. Images & the menu will tell you that the crew work hard with local growers & suppliers to provide the very freshest produce available & its obvious that their commitment to the establishment is well rewarded… even on a rainy day! Their crab cakes are outstanding & the octopus salad was truly divine amongst a light myriad of tantalising breakfast, brunch & lunch options. I rate the offerings 8 1/2 out of 10! Why not higher? Because I’m a pain in the arse! Spoon is a lesson to all small light dining business operators that food & it’s quality is but part of the equation. Relying on ridiculously young staff as a cost save is false saving. Spoon has mature staff that are life skilled, engaging, well timed in their arrival & departure & is ever mindful of when you’re ready to order or move forward. This service is reminiscent of the many eateries I’ve visited in Italy & France. Attention to detail, engagement & developing a rapport with the customer. The menu is incredibly well priced as is the wine. You don’t walk out thinking you been sitting on some restauranteur’s finger for the past hour but rather being appreciated for the visit. All up, GO! excellent quality, service &...