Cafes & Chocolates in Alexandria

Often I like to go somewhere where there isn’t just one thing to do or one place to eat at. That’s why I love this little complex in Alexandria, which houses (among other stores) Bread & Circus, Pana Chocolate & Campos Coffee. This is a bit of a long post, but there were so many good things to write about this places that I had to cram it all in. Bear with me, here we go.

Bread & Circus

Bread & Circus serves up a feast for the eyes, as well as the belly. Big windows flood the café with light and every nook and cranny is filled with fresh produce, jars of paints and pastes, and pink. Loads of pink.

It’s an absolute delight to the senses, including that very particular sixth sense that I feel when I walk into a café or restaurant and can immediately feel the love and care that is poured into the food. Bread & Circus prides itself on serving wholesome, nourishing dishes, which I reckon are as good for your soul as they are for your taste buds.

The menu is mainly vegetarian, shining a light on the gorgeous local produce. The list of sides alone was enough to make me salivate and reconsider the contents of my fridge. When mum and I visited last week, we waited in line for about twenty minutes (seems to be standard on a Sunday) but we didn’t mind because there was so much to look at (plus a nice waitress from Pana Chocolate next door gave us a sample of yummy mint chocolate vegan cheesecake – more on that later).

We ordered a gorgeous six-hour grass fed lamb soup with farrow and lemon. The lemon and chilli packed a punch and the lamb was perfectly melt-in-your-mouth. We also ordered two side salads, a fresh cabbage kale sprouts and shisho, and one with kipfler potatoes*. Both were delicately flavoured and make a great accompaniment to any dish, or a even meal on their own.

For our “main course” we had the caramelised lemony banana pancakes. In emojis, they would be described with the heart-eyes face and bowing down hands (the ultimate combination). The pancakes are flourless, made from ricotta, banana and a biodynamic egg, which made them dense, but not heavy at all. They were served with maple syrup, lemon compound butter, caramelised banana and strawberries. Could the combination be more perfect? I think not.

The Preston hot chocolate. It's steamed with Earl Grey milk. Do yourself a favour and order it. 

Pana Chocolate

If you’re vegan, something-intolerant, health-conscious or just appreciative of artisan chocolate, then Pana is for you. Their chocolate is handmade, raw, organic, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free with no refined sugar. Phew! What a list, am I right?

 

The café is all whites, marble and copper; a minimalist, modern setting to let the chocolate speak for itself. Pana has a large range of chocolates, from flavoured bars to delicate truffles, and also chocolate products like hot chocolate powder (I use this at home, it’s really great) and chocolate granola. You can sit in and enjoy a raw dessert or take some home for a not-so-naughty snack.

We tried the Raw Cacao bar, which was deliciously bitter and nutty. Because the chocolate is raw, the texture is almost soft and crumbly, but in a really nice way. Kind of like biting into a fudgy truffle. I also bought a bar of their limited edition Hemp & Nib chocolate, which I’ve hidden in a secret corner of the kitchen, because I know if my dad gets wind of it, it’s gone.

Special Mention: Campos Coffee

I didn’t actually sit down at Campos, but it’s good to know that it’s there! Plus, with the way the little green cups are infiltrating every corner of Sydney these days, I don’t really think needs an introduction.

*I don’t remember what was in the rest of this dish, serves me right for not taking a photo of a menu that changes almost daily.

Bread & Circus

21 Fountain St, Alexandria

NSW, 2015

breadandcircus.com.au

@breadcircus

Pana Chocolate

21 Fountain Street, Alexandria

NSW, 2015
www.panachocolate.com

@pana_chocolate

Don Campos

21 Fountain Street, Alexandria

NSW, 2015

www.camposcoffee.com