The Fitz Cafe & Bar — Restaurant in Wollongong City Council

There was a time when the success of a town was reflected in how many pubs it had. It now seems that watering holes have given way to the little roasted bean and coffee is the new measure. That being the case Bulli is on its way to the top! The 2516 postcode now plays host to no less than seven cafes and The Fitz is the new kid on the block…

Opening its doors in early 2021 the cafes claim to fame is its rooftop seating area that formed the centrepiece of the extensive renovations at the site of the old local chemist.

The venue is trendy and the decor has an industrial meets the Hampton’s feel that is edgy but not pretentious.

The inside dining room isn’t large but good use is made of the area which combines the dining, service and kitchen into one harmonious space. There are occasional bangs and clangs from the open kitchen but nothing that is too distracting. That said the crowds here are pretty constant and as it’s walk in’s only it’s sometimes hard to find a table.

I have been to the Fitz a few times before this review but wanted to give the owners and staff a chance to settle in and find their feet before committing to a narrative.

On this visit we ordered a few items from the Brunch menu. There is some great variety and something for all tastes and dietary needs. This time we opted for the Smoked eggs Benny, Belgian Waffles and a cake from the front cabinet.

The eggs Benny was extremely well presented and for the most part delivered on flavour. The dish suffers a little bit from perhaps having too much going on. A look at the menu shows this being the case for a lot of the meals. It does pay to keep things simple and limiting a dish to three or four flavour profiles makes a lot of sense.

The waffles were a bit of a let down. For the $21 price tag it seemed to pale in comparison to the eggs Benny. With one waffle quartered it lacked a little in serving size. The waffle was also clearly burnt and I was surprised the kitchen hadn’t opted to make another to replace the blackened offering we received. The Nutella panna cotta was perfectly bouncy and sweet but again there was confusion with the flavour profiles. Instead of the sickly sweet strawberry pearls a sauce or syrup would have been nice. The dish also lacked a contrast flavour to balence the sweetness of the dish.

The cake was lovely and served with fresh cream.

One thing the Fitz has nailed is the coffee. Served hot and strong everyone enjoyed the perfect iteration of this amazing brew.

So after a few visits and similar experiences I have to conclude that The Fitz is heading in the right direction but isn’t quite there yet. The price point of a lot of the dishes has been mentioned by a few reviews and I have to agree that it is steeper than other local cafes but if the food standard can lift then the cost is definitely justified.

I look forward to seeing this new local growing into a Bulli...

Stayed in Bulli for the October long weekend, and decided to try out the Fitz for brunch on our second day. It’s on the main ocean road between the Royal National Park and Wollongong, so there’s a bit of traffic noise, and parking right out the front may be limited. That said, the later wasn’t an issue for us as we walked from our beachside accommodation, a casual twenty minutes stroll away. The former also wasn’t an issue once we found our seats in the rooftop bar area.

We ordered two dishes. Miso Glazed Bacon Benny W/ Poached Eggs, Wilted Spinach, Seeded Mustard Hollandaise, Paprika, Chives On Sourdough Toast, and also the Poke Bowl W/ Sesame Crusted Seared Tuna, Black Olive Tapenade, Avocado, Smoked Soy, Charred Broccolini, Radish, Shallots, Nori Crumb, Sushi Rice. For drinks, we had a regular Cappuccino and a large Flat White.

The coffees arrived first. There’s always a sense of trepidation before you take the first sip, in case you’ve wasted your time and money. The coffee also usually dictates the standard for the rest of the meal. The coffees were excellent. I reckon it’s the best flat white I’ve had in ages, and I’ve just returned from Europe. Think caramel, toffee, cream, just the right amount of bitterness. Perfect.

The food was also good. The Miso glazed bacon was sweet, salty and cooked to crispy perfection. The poached eggs popped and oozed creamy yellow goodness. The Tuna was fresh and not overcooked, with just the right amount of sear. Combined with the other flavours it was Japan on a breakfast plate.

Only downside was the Benny being served on two slices of sourdough, one under the other. This made for some tough knife work. This is a minor observation as overall the meal met our expectations.

Probably wouldn’t drive here to visit but if you live in the area, are passing through or staying locally then it’s definitely worth a look.

I believe the rooftop area also doubles up as a bar in...

Stopped in on Wednesday morning for breakfast and cafe was full of customers which was pleasing to see. Greeted by pleasant staff who found us a table and we were seated. Ordered coffee (2 x Almond mochas) but unfortunately wrong size was served to us both which we were not charged for! Disappointedly both mochas very strong and bitter where sugar was needed but never required in an almond mocha. Ordered food, one by scrambled eggs with side of mushrooms . Arrived with scrambled eggs placed on top of toast which was a sloppy mess! Mushrooms watery and tasteless! Other meal was a brekky burger which looked appealing but unfortunately the taste let it down. Also ordered serving of fries which was left off the order and finally delivered to us halfway through the meal with no apology. $61 for brekky and always disappointing when you leave after having a meal feeling yucky and this was one of the occasions. So much potential for the cafe but a let down!! Wish you guys all the best but unfortunately wouldn’t...