Meet The Baristas Behind The Quirky Cafe Scene In Port Kembla
Wentworth Street, Port Kembla has become a centre for fun and quirky shops and most importantly, cafes!
We checked out five brilliant cafes that are slinging java goodness up and down the street, each with their own unique vibe and style, and met some of the awesome baristas serving friendly smiles and hot cups of the good stuff from behind the counters.
BARBERISTA
Why We Love It
A barbershop that also sells some of the best coffee in town, wow! Not only is the coffee delicious, but the fit-out is exactly what we need to remind us that Port Kembla is actually a beach town. The whitewashed walls and touches of greenery let us imagine we’re relaxing on a coastal getaway, even if we’re just stopping in for a caffeine fix on our way to work.
Who We Met :: Jai
Jai says
“I love how unique Barberista is, especially with the barber next door.
It’s a relaxed vibe here, very coastal [pointing to the beautiful blue whale painted on the wall above his head].
We focus on espresso coffee and have a range of different kinds of milk for all tastes. We sell pastries from Brasserie in Sydney, which are really nice. My favourite is the almond croissant.”
We can vouch for that! Oui Oui!
SCRATCH
Why We Love It
Bibliophiles will LOVE this place!
We love a coffee that will get your heart started but also tastes like it’s been brewed with passion and care, and that’s what Scratch is all about.
They roast and sell their own beans so you can take some home. Combine that with a book from the fab selection they offer, and you’ll have your next Sunday morning on the couch sorted!
Who We Met :: Duanne
Duanne says
“I love the customers. There is a diverse community here and people say hello.
I’ve worked in cafes before where people see each other every single day and they don’t even speak to you.
Here in Port Kembla, people come in, they know each other and they’re part of each other’s lives.
All we do is coffee, just coffee. We focus on making one thing well. At the moment I’m drinking almond lattes, but it changes all the time.
We also sell books and have a book swap section so if you don’t have the money you can swap for a book and get some free reading.”
Books and brew what more could we want!
THE FOUNDERY
Why We Love It
The Foundery [owned by the lovely James] shares their space with the Salvation Army that operate a wonderful Family Centre in the same building.
When you step inside you just know you’re going to want to have your coffee and cake to “eat-in”.
With big couches to snuggle up on and loads of games and books lining the walls, for little kids and big kids alike, it’s the kind of place we dream of spending a drizzly morning or three holed up in.
Who We Met :: Lorna
“I really like the sense of community in our cafe and the fact it’s owned by the Salvation Army.
I’m new to Port Kembla so it’s been a nice way for me to meet locals.
It feels warm, a bit like home with cosy places to sit and chill out. There’s books and local products.
I also love the way the cafe team bonds together. If you’re hungry, I love our brekkie burrito and to drink it’s gotta be the tropical smoothie. It’s juice based but I love to have it with milk.”
That’s a drink hack we can get behind!
ARTHUR’S FOOD STORE
Why We Love It
Arthur’s Food Store is a treasure trove of foodie delights!
There’s a menu full of delicious brunch and lunch options, a display case bursting with cakes, sangas and salads and fridges filled with so many scrumptious looking take-home treats that dinner, dessert and late-night snacks are all sorted!
There are also relishes, sauces, sweets and cute little knick-knacks that you can bring to your next dinner party, providing you don’t change your mind and keep them for yourself, and hey we’re not judging if you do.
Who We Met: :: Kate
Kate says
“What I love most about Arthur’s is the customers – we have a lot of regulars. I love that I get to come to work and have a chat.
All the food we sell gets made in-house and it’s so tasty. I’m always thinking ‘what am I going to take home for dinner tonight?’ (What a perk!)
The coffee is fantastic. We serve ‘All Press’ and it’s the best.
Our sweets are good, the whole top shelf is gluten-free, the orange blossom cake is popular and our scrambled eggs, I’m obsessed! I’ve tried to recreate them at home but it’s not the same, oh and the relish!”
We’re drooling here, people!
ENIGMA
Why We Love It
For a lot of us a good coffee is almost a spiritual experience, but what if you could combine your next cup with an actual spiritual experience?
Well, that’s what Enigma is all about! A cafe and psychic hub – if that’s not unique then we don’t know what is!
Who We Met :: Julie, who may be camera shy but sure is proud of her one-of-a-kind cafe!
Julie says
“We started here about eight years ago.
During covid, we were shut down for about 3 or 4 months and because I had done some work on the psychic side of things, we were sitting here having a coffee one day and thought hmmm…. we’ll turn it into a psychic cafe.
It’s a bit of a gathering place for a lot of psychics because there is a very spiritual element in the street now. Our style is quirky. I didn’t want a standard cafe.
We run workshops, we’ve done spiritual painting and make your own smudge stick classes.
We also host psychic high teas every couple of months. We have visiting psychics from Sydney who do small shows. All our events are on Facebook. And for the food and drink? Best toasties in the Illawarra.”
Mmm, toasties, nom nom!
With the revival of Wentworth Street in full swing, time a visit with the next event or market happening along the street and with a great selection of grocery, arts and clothing stores as well, make a whole day of it!
If you head over for a cuppa or two, you will not be disappointed. And if you happen to be served by any of the baristas featured here, don’t forget to say hello and tell ‘em The Fold sent ya!
