With some of our established coffee roasters rolling out second, third and fourth outposts (we see you, Barrel One), it feels like high time for a new player to shake the proverbial coffee tree in Sydney. Enter Noosa via Melbourne roaster Padre, who’s just dropped a sleek, piccolo-sized concept store at Paddington’s Five Ways.

“We were looking to go bigger and do a roastery,” says Ben White, head of Padre Coffee NSW. “And then this came up and it became a question of, ‘can we do something smaller?’ Doing a roaster takes an army, so we decided to start small and see how it goes.”

With a dedicated following already established in the inner city and eastern suburbs, a sun-lit former dress shop at the Five Ways felt like a natural fit. And from the moment you walk in, it’s clear the brand’s first state debut ain't just another eggs Bene on the roundabout.

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A built-to-order Slayer V3 espresso machine dominates the counter, accompanied by four grinders filled with Padre’s seasonal espresso blends and single origins. For those on the move (the bus stop is right outside), there are two self-serve taps pouring hot filter and cold brew, with Keep Cups for sale conveniently perched adjacent.

But ultimately, it’s meant to be a place where coffee drinkers of all creeds, from casual to hardcore, are welcome. Just look to the wall of brew gear, which spans elite hand-grinders by Comandante, to entry-level espresso machines by Breville and beyond. You can also pick from Padre’s range of a Day Dripper filter bags, Wild Child espresso pods and, of course, bags of whole beans.

To celebrate the Sydney launch, Padre has also released a limited, Paddington-exclusive espresso blend. It smacks of cherry cola, is omni-roasted for both filter or espresso, and is available to try in store or brew at home – but only for a limited time.

“We wanted to work with the best Colombian coffee importer in Australia, and that’s Cofinet in Marrickville,” says White “All the Colombian coffees we use come from them. So we thought we’d grab a really special release to roast here.”

While you’ll find plenty of poached eggs in the neighbourhood, Padre instead serves snacky things to complement the main event. Pastries and freshly baked bread come courtesy of northern beaches sourdough stars Staple; Portuguese tarts are by Sydney favourite Tuga; and a rotation of treats including burnt-butter choc-chip cookies are supplied by pastry pro Libby Dunlop, who’s behind cult Clovelly sandwich shop, Cut Lunch Deli.

The shop’s cool, Scandi look was nailed by White and Padre founder Marinus Jansen, with beautiful cabinetry by Melbourne’s Cantilever Interiors. The classic Paddo building, which is roughly 90 years old, has lived many lives, and was most recently a dress shop. Now it’s home to a training and education space, where the brand will host its popular Espresso 101 course. Padre is on a mission to grow its name in the state, and will also use the space to level-up incoming baristas to the Padre stable.

Padre Coffee Paddington
241A-241B Glenmore Road, Paddington

Hours
Mon to Sun 7am–3pm

padrecoffee.com.au/paddington