Lansdowne Cafe

I truly love this cafe. It's my local, and I try to go there for a coffee at least once a week. I love that the staff know my name and my coffee. I love that they remember the names of my kids and ask how they are. I love the way way they make their coffee. And the food's pretty good as well.

I have had some damn sublime breakfast experiences here: the most memorable being a pair of poached eggs atop perfect asparagus and spinach and toast, smothered in a zingy hollandaise. Heavenly. It was a work of art, and I wish I'd taken a photo. A few days later I snuck in for a furtive feast, ordering poached eggs with smoked salmon. Although pleasantly surprised to be presented with lovely chunks of hot-smoked salmon, the toast was tough and impossible to cut, let alone chew. And it was unbuttered, which didn't help.
The menu has a few interesting-looking dishes such as green eggs and ham (scrambled with pesto) which I imagine I might try some day.
I often share a muffin with Mr Nellie over our coffee, and they are invariably satisfactory (but not amazing). Big though, cooked in mini-loaf tins (Whitey, there's a good-value tip for you!) and too big for one person.

The coffee's very good. I know people drive to Lansdowne for the coffee alone, so that speaks volumes.

I cannot fault the wait staff at all. Except for being too darn perky and happy every day. But seriously, they seem genuine in their friendliness and relaxed without being slow. I gather many of their patrons are regulars, so there's a confident familiarity that works pretty well.

OK, this place is Mumsy-Central from 9-11am. And Dadsy-Central, for this is West Hobart and shared parenting is the order of the day. It's hard to negotiate the prams that clutter up every available space some mornings, which irks me somewhat (and I'm a mumma too, but purleese leave the bloody prams outside thanks).
There's plenty of breakfast meetings and coffee meetings happening too, but not suits - more the creative types than the business types.
And just lots of locals - middle aged women and men, uni students etc. Not people out to see and be seen, but people popping in to have a decent coffee and read the paper.
It's a brilliant vibe, I reckon. It reminds me of the bar in Cheers, where "everybody knows your name".

The only real gripe I have with the place is its too cosy: I wish there was more room to spread out a bit. It's too tight to feel relaxed with the kids in tow. The staff are accommodating to families, but geez an internal courtyard would be the icing on the cake.


Rated 8/10
Lansdowne Cafe