Vogue Cafe Sydney — Restaurant in Sydney

It would be lovely to unwind in the city over the weekend.

One Sunday, I found myself in the city, unsure of where to go. As I strolled through the streets on a slightly overcast afternoon, I stumbled upon Darling Harbour. The first thing that caught my attention was Vogue Café, situated at the base of the W building and boasting a magnificent view of Darling Harbour. The café occupies the first floor, while the restaurant is located on the second floor. The interior is spacious, contemporary, and adorned with a light, understated, and inviting décor. Additionally, a remarkably large and well-organized kitchen space is (half) visible. A delightful brunch experience featuring cocktails, snacks, and desserts. The staff kindly recommended a shareable dish that pairs well with cocktails without being overly heavy for a later dinner: king salmon toast. Once again, the presentation of the dish was visually appealing, leaving a positive impression. The harmonious combination of ingredients was truly remarkable—the brioche toast was perfectly crispy yet melted in the mouth, complemented by avocado, salmon, salmon roe, and crème fraîche. The garden of time dessert also showcased a delightful balance of flavors, featuring guava sorbet, buffalo yogurt, and heirloom tomato granita. However, I must note one minor drawback: the yogurt and a small portion of the granita were still frozen, slightly disrupting the overall smoothness of the dish. The restaurant has an expensive location—a beautiful location to enjoy food and drink and watch the sunset amid the hustle and bustle of the city. A good first impression of the food. That’s a plus for going back a second time and...

I was very disappointed with my visit.

Table organisation: There was absolutely no system for seating guests. For about 15 minutes, we could not find anyone to help us get a table. When we finally got someone’s attention, the waiter had to run around asking the manager about the minimum spend per person. First, the waiter told us it was $50, then the manager said $60. Honestly, it felt like they were just inventing this policy on the spot.

Service: When we were ready to order, the waiter came over and asked what we wanted. But when we actually started to order, he suddenly realised he did not have anything to write it down with and had to go back to get a tablet. Why come to take an order unprepared? It felt very unprofessional.

Reservation policy: Before coming, I checked the website. It clearly stated that water view seating had a $120 minimum spend per person, while inside (general dining) seating had no minimum spend. Yet when we asked to sit inside, the staff insisted on $60 per person. This was never mentioned on the website. Very misleading. In the end, we sat outside and did not pay any minimum (despite the website saying otherwise).

Food: I specifically asked for my food without chili, but it was still served spicy. The dishes were nothing special, and the service remained unorganised throughout.

Extra charge: When I asked for a paper cup for water to take away (since the food was too spicy), they said it would cost $1.50 just for the cup (for coffee cup, seriously?). This is absurd in a restaurant.

Overall, the service, policies, and professionalism were very poor, and the whole experience left me dissatisfied. I would not...

During my stay in Sydney over the long weekend, I walked past Vogue Café several times on my way to other spots, each time thinking how lovely it looked and I knew I wanted to eventually stop in and give it a try.

On Easter morning, my partner and I decided to pop in for a coffee and a hot cross bun before driving home, I thought it would be a nice way to start the day.

The café wasn’t overly busy at the time, and I could see around five staff members including the barista, I wasn’t acknowledged while waiting to order, not even a quick “I’ll be with you in just a moment.”

I ordered two coffees and two hot cross buns. After waiting 25 minutes, our coffees were finally ready. I politely mentioned to the person serving me that we were still waiting on the hot cross buns, but no longer had time to continue waiting. She was genuinely lovely. She kindly went to check, and I overheard the barista say “what’s that?”

Eventually, I received what I assumed were the two hot cross buns, only to later find a croissant and one bun inside. Sadly, both were stale and inedible. We each took a bite and had to throw them away, which was incredibly disappointing after such a long wait.

The coffee, to be fair, wasn’t bad, actually quite decent, but the experience as a whole didn’t justify the cost, especially with the added Easter surcharge. It ended up being an expensive stop for something we couldn’t even enjoy.

The café has a beautiful aesthetic, and I really wanted to love it. Hopefully next time it’s a smoother experience, because the setting is lovely and the potential is there, but unfortunately, this visit...