Category Archives: Organic
Appleseed Café – Strathalbyn, SA
30 High Street, Strathalbyn, SA, 5255
Strathalbyn is one of those idyllic little Adelaide Hills/Fleurieu Peninsula towns that residents of the flats (aka Adelaide) flock to on weekends, and eastern state tourists come to visit to see what air looks like when it does not contain so much smog. Or at least, they come to the High Street of Strathalbyn, because that is where the antique shops and the quaint cafés are located – you head too far east and you get to the zinc mine.
Located on the Adelaide side of the High Street is the Appleseed Café – which I discovered was even there, after my first subscription edition of Beanhunter magazine arrived yesterday and it said this place was a place who stocked the magazine (after five newsagents looking at me dumbfounded when I asked about it – “what scene Magazine?”) – looks more like it should be in Hyde Park or North Adelaide then in Strath. Looking classy, yet comfortable both inside and out, the Appleseed Café is known locally for its concern for those who have food issues – allergies, intolerances and other conditions which are more frequent that other cafes realise – and so has a dedicated and supportive clientele, as indicated on their facebook page.
Latte Quality – Good – as with many take away coffees the barista over compensated with the temperature, which (a) made the cup difficult to hold in one hand, with my toddler holding my other hand, and (b) even after allowing driving time to the playground, it still burnt my tongue. And I ordered a large, but rather than keeping pour to milk ratio equal, this was just a very milky latte.
Cost – $5.20 for a large take away which is expensive.
Coffee Supplier – Veneziano Caffe
Fair Trade – Probably not – at least there was no mention in store, but Veneziano do do a “Pure™ ‘Fairtrade Organic”
Customer Service – – average – pretty much what you would expect – you go away neither blown away by the experience, nor complaining about it;
Special Notes – Plenty of food options for those needing gluten free, vegan, organic etc. Kid friendly with a children’s menu.
Venue Suitable for:
- Quiet Chat, Deep and Meaningful, and/or Study and Reflection – Absolutely – I was there at around 1pm and while there were customers in the various rooms, it was by no means packed. There was also some outside seating available. There is also a beautiful Uniting Church only a short stroll away should you need some spiritual guidance.
the green room on high street – Willunga, SA
2 High Street, Willunga, SA, 5172
In my part of the world, Willunga is the place to go for good quality locally produced organic food, live music and quality coffee – so it should not come as a surprise to anyone to find such a positive review for another of Willunga’s top notch cafés. ‘the green room on high street [lower case by their design] eco-emporium & tea-fé’ is, as you would expect situated near the start of High Street, Willunga – or from my end “at the bottom of the hill.” It seems, from the outside, to be an eclectic mix of café come studio come haberdashery come interesting nic-nac come alternative hang out come, come, come….it is hard to put in one box. We ventured in after another successful outing to the Willunga Farmer’s Market and based on coffee alone – it was well worth the effort. You can also get light lunches, snacks, sweets and all sorts – and on another visit, I will take one for the team and sample their food – but now to the all important coffee and locale review….
Latte Quality – Excellent – aroma, flavour, colour – brilliant! It would have gone in straight as a ‘Lattastic’ but with my change in policy, it will need a follow-up to confirm such a high rating.
Cost – $3.50 – for a cup which is around the mark.
Coffee Supplier – The Coffee Works – Black Mountain
Fair Trade – The store itself is very Pro-Fairtrade, however the coffee itself – being organic Australian grown and roasted is not Fairtrade (it does not need to be)
Venue Suitable for:
- Meeting – Quiet Chat – Study and Reflection – As I ventured in on a Farmer’s Market day – you could barely move, let alone think and reflect – however there are plenty of tables both inside and out and I am sure it would be a great place for such pastoral activities during the week. I hope to return there in the near future.
Lars – Hyde Park, SA **Update**
116a King William Road, Hyde Park SA 5061
This was one of the very first reviews I conducted way back in May 2009, and after making a return visit this morning, I decided that it needed an update – because things have changed. The food (breakfast – as this is all I have tried there), coffee and service are all still excellent – but the thing I noticed before I had even walking inside was that this little logo was plastered all over the place. You see, four months ago Lars went Fairtrade – and not just providing a Fairtrade option, but serving nothing but Fairtrade Organic Coffee – and proudly displaying the logo and pretty much ever flat coffee related surface.
Latte Quality – Excellent – after yesterday, this coffee was a Godsend.
Cost – $3 for a regular sized coffee
Coffee Supplier – Diamond Coffee
Fair Trade – Yes, and proud of it!
Venue Suitable for:
- Quiet Chat – Yes – the tables are small, and there is enough ambient noise to allow for privacy.
- Deep and Meaningful – A possibility – depends on your ability to maintain attention and focus. There are flat screen TVs inside, music in the background and the traffic of King William Road can all be distracting. A great place for a breakfast meeting with colleagues.
- Study and Reflection – Not really that sort of venue. Is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner – but not really the place to spread out your books, laptop and do some serious study.
The Organic Market and Café – Stirling, SA
5 Druids Avenue, Stirling, SA, 5251
A very comfortable, very trendy little Cafe – attached to an Organic Market (hence the name) nestled in a side street, off the main tree lined street of the picturesque Stirling. Parking is a problem, but that is typical of Stirling at all times of the year. A good thing to do is park up near the steam engine playground, and enjoy the short walk to the Café.
Latte Quality – Excellent – only a thin foam but with a 25 second descent rate. Really nice flavour.
Cost – High – at least to begin with – $4.00 – but when the cup (read – bucket) comes to your table, the four bucks seems to be a bargain.
Coffee Supplier – According to the small label on the Coffee machine, the beans used were Vittoria.
Fair Trade – No – however, RIO Fair Trade Beans (and other brands of Fair Trade Tea and Coffee) can be purchased in the Market area.
Venue Suitable for:
- Quiet Chat – No – a very busy place, with people coming and going regularly.
- Deep and Meaningful – probably a good place for it – enough background noise to allow for safety in conversation topic, but quiet enough so you don’t have to keep repeating yourself.
- Study and Reflection – being a really busy place, and with there sometimes being a wait on tables – it is probably not the best place for that.