West End Coffee House

If you want to spice up your daily grind, West End Coffee House is the place to go. The ambient cafe has been serving quality coffee and Thai cuisine since 2010 thanks to the complementary talents of its owners. Em Clare is an incredible cook from Isaan in Thailand, and her late husband Matt Clare was a coffee connoisseur and skilled barista.

When the two combined their passions, they created a local institution that wholly embodies its neighbourhood: communal wooden tables, local art and a vinyl soundtrack courtesy of the turntable in the corner give this place a classic West End vibe.

The breakfast menu is an enticing mix of Western and Asian fare, featuring old favourites (avocado toast, bircher muesli, scrambled eggs) alongside more adventurous choices (fried rice, cucca sardines with Japanese mayo and Laos sausage). Lunchtimes are all about the aromatic flavours of Isaan street food: from 11.30am, the busy kitchen produces generous plates of stir-fries and salads.

If caffeine’s what you’re craving, there’s plenty on offer – the cafe serves Campos beans and a rotating single origin coffee each week. For something milder, try the house-made chai and dandelion blends.