From Lovedale to Singleton, the Hunter Valley is packed with coffee spots where you can get your java fix. Here are five local favourites.
The sun-kissed deck at this cafe/bakery is a terrific place for that first cup of coffee in the morning to get you functioning. Their barista brew of choice is Sprocket Roasters coffee – beans roasted in a sustainable way in the industrial heart of Newcastle. Some say their coffee is out of this world. Funny that as they use Sprocket's Cosmic blend – a medium roast from Brazil and Columbia with a mix of nougat, caramel and citrusy flavours. And what's the most popular seller? Cappuccino with a side of fluffy scones.
You can sip cult coffee brand Campos Coffee all-day-long at Cafe Enzo. They use the award-winning Campos Superior Blend, which is known for its sweet red fruit and caramel and chocolate notes. You can enjoy your pick-me-up outdoors in the Tuscan-inspired courtyard but if the wind whips up scuttle inside the sandstone walls and pick a perch beside the enormous antique timber fireplace dating back to the 1700s.
WOW is a great place for a coffee break in the historic town of Singleton. It's a combo shop, florist and cafe so you rifle through the vintage goods and smell the heady aromas of the seasonal blooms as well as the freshly ground coffee beans. They serve Peaberry Coffee, a boutique specialist roaster based in Newcastle, and like their coffee intense and rich, which is why they opted for the Black Betty blend - Peaberry's most popular blend with deep chocolate notes of quality Brazilian beans combined with fruity Ethiopian and creamy Columbian coffee.
If you're looking for a sun-drenched afternoon coffee spot, try Binnorie Dairy. The armchairs on the outdoor deck are the best seats in the joint to soak up the winter sun while sipping a mug of Belaroma Coffee by Seven Miles. Owner Simon Gough has been using the Manly Vale-based coffee brand for more than 10 years and sells hundreds of cups a week. His blend of choice is Julius, a medium-roasted blend with rich flavours of dark chocolate with sweet spice notes, ideal for milk-based coffees.
This place is justifiably proud of its coffee AND cocoa beans. Hands-down this lovely artisan chocolate shop makes the best hot chocolate around – who else serves a chocolate ball filled with marshmallows that melts as you pour the hot chocolate drink over it? But they're serious about their coffee too, sourcing beans from Silverskins Coffee, a micro-roastery based in Newcastle. Owner Aymee Slaviero prefers the rich chocolate and caramel tones of Silverskins' Oi Pablo blend as it pairs beautifully with her handmade chocolates… and each cappuccino is topped with 60% dark chocolate shavings she makes from renowned French chocolate Weiss. Bliss.
But if you're obsessed with a different brand of coffee, don't despair. We've probably got a cafe that serves it. At Two Fat Blokes they serve Crema Coffee, Cru Pantry has Darks Coffee Roasters, The Deck Cafe brews Piazza D'Oro and at Winehouse Hunter Valley it's Morgans Craft Roasters… and the list goes on. Pick up the phone, call around and you'll no doubt find your cup of choice somewhere.
