Review Exchange Specialty Coffee - Adelaide

I highly recommend this place, PLENTY of options for vegans (which is hard to find). I went there with my boyfriend (meat eater) and we both loved it! There’s normally some waiting to get a seat(15-20min) as it seems to be pretty busy. Iced coffee was average but the food was DELICIOUS. Also great value for money ($48 for 2 people, food +drinks) They don’t take reservations, only walk in. Empty plates are the best proof of how great it was!

Nice and smooth coffees. My kids really enjoyed their scones with jam and cream. Thank you for giving us a nice start of our day trip in Adelaide.

Busy cafe, arrived at 8.30 but it was half filled, by the time I left (9.30), it was packed already. I recommend you to come earlier or else there's a little waiting time of probably 15-20 mins. Space was a little tight but that's probably because it's that busy. Food was great, loved every bite of it, it all complimented each other in a certain way. Food was definitely on the pricier side but definitely worth it. Service was alright, they come get your order and leave, easy to flag them since they do have a lot of staff on site.

By far the best coffee spot in Adelaide CBD. Superb ever changing roster of coffees on offer in a range of brew styles with some core favourites that remain staple on the menu. Food is superb and very fairly priced - especially given the location. Plate sizes are good, nothing I've had had made me feel skimped out on in size or quality. Options for all dietary requirements are available. Regular specials also keep the menu fresh and interesting. All staff I've interacted with are fantastic, with a couple of notable standouts among them.

I don’t review frequently but this place was so great I feel obligated to offer one up. The cafe was vibrant but had ample seating on a Sunday mid morning. The coffee was great I had to have two. And as an aside the waffles with pulled pork and kimchi is potentially the best breakfast meal I’ve have eaten!

Lovely food, fresh and inventive - a little bit of a wait due to popularity but worth it. Ordered my usual almond flat white but they only have Oat and Soy, which seems a bit odd for a specialty cafe. Location is laneway and cute. Sparkling water is served without asking, which we prefer anyway and was a nice little bonus - would return next time we are in Adelaide

Absolutely wonderful coffee! Nestled in a beautiful laneway of inner-city Adelaide, you'll enjoy beautiful scenery and great coffee. Service was attentive and incredibly welcoming. A must!

Lovely cafe with super friendly staffs. We enjoyed the food and coffee here. Will definitely come back again.

This place is amazing! The staff are so friendly, the food and drink is so good and the presentation of the food is stunning!

Even just to order a takeaway coffee, had a glass of sparkling water brought to me while I waited. Amazing service goes great with the amazing coffee

$7.50 for a strong soy takeaway coffee that was so curdled it was undrinkable. Disappointing and an absolute rip-off.

Excellent food on Saturday, mediocre on Monday - 2 days after.

Great service and food . Coffee not as strong as I like but still well done �

Excellent food and coffee. It would be my local if I lived in Adelaide.

Hell yeah this place rox

Love the coffee and the people are so welcoming and friendly.

I come for the coffee and stay for Wallace.

Cool coffee, cool staff, interesting patrons. Come for the coffee, stay for the radical lefties and yuppie cyclists.

loved the food, 5 star. I'd go again with 1 or 2 but 5 of us having to sit inside due to winter weather, it was too cramped.

Absolutely incredible coffee, beautiful settings and amazing food. Easily one of the best cafes in Adelaide.

Great service & the food is always amazing every time I'm here

Best coffee in Adelaide and the sandwiches are the best!

I stayed in Adelaide city for four nights. Tried a few coffee spots and Exchange was by far the best. I drink my coffee black (the way it should be ;)) and there’s was amazing every time. Breakfast was on point too. Thanks team. I’ll def be back when I’m in Adelaide next 🙏🏽

Saw the newest official website menu and catch the French Toast which is my favorite,would like to try. But they didn't keep updating their menu on website as I didn't find the French Toast in menu today, the staff told me will come back soon,a little disappointed. While the porridge was good,a combination of poached pears and roast coconut, quite fit the cold winter.

Delicious breakfast! We stumbled upon Exchange looking to cure our hangover. Great menu and coffee, we’re both vegetarian and left very content. Nice staff also.

I do love cafés so I am on a mission to find a few good ones that I can always go back to and easily recommend to family and friends. This place was recommended to me for their coffee. I love coffee and coming from Melbourne where you have a huge selection of coffee places, I was excited to try this. We came here on a weekend for brunch and pleased that there is no queue and we were seated straightaway. Looking at the menu, I was very happy to see that they use Market Lane coffee, one of my favourite back in Melbourne. I ordered my usual skinny flat white. It came out and I had a sip, alas! It was not as good as I was hoping for. I don't know if I should have asked for another shot but it was not strong enough. The barista in Market Lane in Prahran Market do measure their coffee per shot so I don't know if that could be the reason? As for my baked eggplant, it was nice but not mind blowing. But having a bite of my sister's roasted field mushroom and that pumpkin puree I was hoping I ordered that instead. The staff were friendly which is always a bonus I'd say.

Breakfast was lovely, nothing too exciting. Ordered a long black which was ok, I think the coffee beans that they have, has got a fruity notes to it which I’m not really a fan of. Service was good. Overall this place is not bad

Been here for coffee a few times. Great quality and comes out quick. Often have a few types you can choose from too and some nice small snacks. Check it out

Lovely little cafe! Went for breakfast with the family in the morning. Hot chocolate is really nice if you love dark chocolate. I had a burger with bacon and egg which was really well cooked! This is a definite place to visit for brekkie!

I really enjoy my morning coffee and finding a place that makes good coffee brings a smile to my face ... Exchange certainly does not disappoint. One of the best coffee spots in Adelaide, it's always bustling with activities. Lunchtime menu although limited is delicious ... And I love the fact that the cafe is tucked away from the main street

Cute little corner cafe in the city! Really busy on Sundays so we didn't receive a table straight away but the staff were friendly and amazing, great service, awesome coffee and even better food! I had the Huevos Rancheros, too spicy for breakfast but perfect for brunch! ❤️

This hidden Gem of Adelaide deserves more recognition. The staff were all so lovely and polite and their service was excellent ! Their food were unique, healthy and they were flavourful. This was my first visit and I had the roasted butternut pumpkin on sourdough with hazelnuts and it was to die for! Their hot choc was amazing ( not to sweet yet so rich). Overall this place is a must try! Perfect and amazing!!

The Exchange Speciality is a cosy yet minimalist coffee joint located at the East end of Rundle Street. I tried their famous drip coffee and paired it with a selection of their French toast (topped with strawberry mousse and pistachio nuts) and it was a delicious combination of sweet and savoury. They also have a variety of pastries and desserts if you're looking for a quick bite. Read my full review for more photos on

Best coffee I've had in Adelaide hands down, great little place tucked away from the main street, will definitely be heading back when I'm in town

One late Sunday morning, I found myself entering a bustling and almost full Exchange Speciality Coffee for brunch with a couple of friends. We were seated on a communal table and perused the menu. At first glance we all looked at each other and wondered if we should quickly make a sneaky escape as there did not seem to be any enticing egg dishes on offer (exactly what we felt like) but then my friend's eye caught a chicken quesadilla dish served to the customer next to her and she was sold. After a second look at the menu I decided to order the Kangaroo Island poached eggs on sourdough toast, adding sides of avocado and haloumi.

As a caffeine addict from Melbourne when I venture outside my own city I scour for a top shelf double espresso. The exchange didn't disappoint, really nice flavours in the cup that I'll return for in the coming days. The only thing is the Soy texturing was slightly off the mark....<br/><br/>The exchange is a really open and warm space to enjoy a quality coffee, staff were really nice and attentive. Worth the time to check this place out.

Great service, friendly staff, could have more choices for food but what we had was delicious. Will come back. <br/>The place can be a bit tight. <br/>Coffee was nice. Similar to what is in melb but not the same :) <br/>

Coffee was great. Service was fantastic and food was delicious. A bit tight for room if I came with a pram but that's coming from a dad with an infant. <br/>Food menu limited but still some nice choices. <br/>Overall good experience and will return.

Excellent service!!! And Exchage Specialty Coffee has great quality of coffee. I've been to many coffee shops. It is my favorite coffee shop so far

Located on a back alley just off Rundle Street, this is a place where regulars come for their coffee fix.<br/><br/>They have a good selection of coffees and beans. Definite try their filtered coffees with their specialty beans which continually change. The awesomely friendly baristas will definitely assist you in choosing the right one for you.<br/><br/>The atmosphere is super relaxed. Definitely come here to enjoy good coffee with friends or even sip a filtered coffee while studying. Good place to hide from the bustle of life.

They deliver exceptional coffees all time! Chilling interior and great atmosphere in the cafe. Friendly and professional staff. Small menu but I had the poached chicken sandwich which has great flavours and love in it. Highly recommended :)

Great coffee with reasonable price, one of the best in Adelaide. Good and considerate service. Limited space makes you feel a little squeezed though.

One very tasty sandwich; we tried both of the meat ones between us. Bread was delicious; sauce or dressing on both was divine. You could tell a lot of love went into it. Not bad for $14. Would go again for sure.

PART ONE: "THE AMBIENCE"... I came to ESC on the recommendation of a friend. I'd had a hard morning on excel so I really needed a pick me up. The first thing I saw was a cute dog sitting outside with a guy who was alone but didn't care because he loves a good coffee. I instantly knew this place had class. Everyone there seemed to understand that this minimalist place was trendy in a way that gave everyone a bit of a quirky but cool vibe like they all had interesting back stories and could be from an episode of 'Friends' (a hit TV sitcom from the 90s/early 2000s starring Jennifer Aniston and Ross Geller.)<br/><br/>PART TWO: THE WATER.... My only comment on the service is that they gave me SODA WATER which in my eyes is a complete GAME CHANGER for the East End. My parents got a SodaStream for Christmas so boy do I know that water isn't worth anything unless its carbonated.<br/><br/>PART THREE: THE FOOD....My friend had recommended the Frankie sandwich but I got the Wallace. About six suits on their lunch break ordered the Wallace in front of me so I knew it would be a fan favourite. I think the Wallace would be a classic sandwich for a Masterchef 'reinvent the BLT' challenge. It had just the right amount of gourmet mixed in with the familiar ingredients we all know and love. If it had been Masterchef then call me Matt Preston because that thing went straight down my gullet before anyone could have spun an emotional story about "why cooking means so much to me." I was completely satisfied with the zing and the creaminess and the 'mouth feel' of that sanga.<br/><br/>IN CONCLUSION: four and a half out of five tomatoes. A sleek, welcoming cafe to grab a bite to eat. Go for the free soda water.

Nothing too special in my opinion. Whilst other people have thoroughly enjoyed their time here, my coffee was very very sour to the point where I could not drink it after my third sip. What saved this review was the food, which wasn't amazing but it wasn't terrible. I will however come back in the near future to give this cafe a second chance.

Really good coffee, small but delicious menu we loved the Mex breakfast, the corn bread was really good. Complimentary sparkling water was a nice touch too.

Best hot chocolate in the east end! I had the Frankie chicken sandwich today and mentioned to my boyfriend we would share it - they brought it out on two separate plates. Lovely for them to put in the little extra effort. Love this place, and the very welcoming staff - will make it a regular spot :)

Took away their Granola ($14), which was beautifully arranged in a cup, topped with half a passion fruit, poached pear and sliced strawberry. I ended up emptying the cup into a bowl so I could mix everything together.<br/><br/>The granola was absolutely delicious. The best I've had in a while. It was a decent serving and kept me full for ages.

Love the coffee here. Definitely stronger and different than other coffee shops. Minimalistic design and pastries look absolutely delicious too.

Legit cafe. Definitely the strongest out of all the east end ones. Completely the opposite of a shitty ETC type place. High quality beans and unique food dishes. Best pancetta in the city.

With its doors opening this morning, there is nothing like venturing into a shiny new house of coffee. Located on Vardon Ave just behind Rundle St in Adelaide CBD, Exchange is a gem. From the slick, simple interior, and gleaming espresso machine, you can just tell these guys are serious about coffee. The fact that they are clad in tartan and beards solidifies the feeling even further.

Superb coffee and delicious, vibrant and fresh tasty food can be found at the little corner cafe on Vardon Avenue, Exchange Specialty Coffee in the east end of the CBD. Coffee on point. As for the food, the menu’s relatively small and succinct, but their offerings are delicious and packed with flavour and colour.

Probably the best cafe I've been to in Adelaide. <br/>I'm visiting Adelaide from Melbourne for work at the university. I've been planning my meals through zomato all week and exchange specialty coffee was my Friday lunch spot and I was not disappointed. The cafe is ultra modern and I feel like I'm back home. The interior is clean and chic with cool hipster music in the background. While the menu is small, it is done incredibly well. I thoroughly enjoyed the mushrooms with added haloumi. The plate was practically clean when I was done. The coffee was great and the added glass of sparkling water free of charge was an added bonus. The staff are lovely and I enjoyed our short conversation at the counter. <br/>If you're stopping by in Adelaide, make sure this is on your radar

Mexibreakfast was delicious!!!! Loved it, especially the corn salsa and pancetta. Left me wanting more. Enjoyed the coffee too of course! Wish it was open earlier on weekends.

Quaint cafe situated in Adelaide's pretty east end. I've walked past Exchange after hours on many occasions, and it's been on the hitlist since I first perused their tempting menu. <br/><br/>I ordered a mushroom and polenta dish, topped with rhubarb, sour cream, and dukkah. The haloumi was my own addition, because it's hard to resist the salty goodness of this wonderful cheese. Textures worked well, and I was satisfied with the serving size. Their menu is small, however they appear to mix it up a bit. When I entered midweek around 9.30am, most tables were occupied. Despite the crowd, service was efficient and friendly.

LOVE THE EXCHANGE! Really nice coffee, almost a nutty flavour, but still creamy! I really love the service in here and they are very welcoming compared to similar surrounding cafes. I love the atmosphere and simple layout! Thanks for great coffee guys!!

Ending 2015 with a blog post dedicated to one of my favourite places in Australia, Adelaide. I was fortunately enough to revisit this state and do what I do best aka exploring the food scene. The last time I have "toured" Adelaide was more than a year ago, more specifically in July. Despite not having a lot of time to indulge myself, I managed to get my hands on a good cup of coffee amidst the shopping chaos happening in Rundle Mall.

If you're sick of expensive, bogus coffee from b-grade, generic chain cafes, Exchange might just be the change you need. As the name suggests, coffee is their forte. The food isn't as masterful, but still decent and aesthetically pleasing. The interior architect is sleek, clean and minimalistic; you can sip away in a prime spot for East End people watching.

Great cafe, excellent coffee, wonderful food and efficient yet friendly service by Emily. We come here regularly and love it. Bring back the Rueben!!!

Great sandwiches here with yummy pickles! The bar seats enable the guests to look at the whole process of their filter coffee being made. Reasonably good range of specialty coffee but I wasn't impressed with them making mine with Aeropress without asking me first as I preferred V60. White coffee is always weak.

I ordered cured salmon. It has a really nice asian flavour. Overall i would say this place is average. Quite pricey in general. A meal would cost $13 and above. Would I come back? Maybe not.

Came here on a recommendation which I'm now passing on. Nice coffee and the pikelets were lovely. Perfect fluffy texture complimented by tangy lime butter and smooth rhubarb compote. Not too sweet... Just the way I like my slow, relaxed, brunch.

Great coffee and food! Good vibe to the place too! Went at 10AM and wasn't crowded but at lunch time it's difficult to get a seat. Would definitely come again.

Top quality tasting coffee and good size cup!The breakfast is great here as well, different and unique from most standard breakfast places in Adelaide. I had a really great breakfast which was french toast with caramelized figs, roasted hazelnuts and mascarpone which was very satisfying and delicious.

Sunday morning brunch is something that shouldn’t be messed with. So many good cafes in Adelaide are closed on Sundays which is an absurd farce that I am yet to come to terms with. We happened upon Exchange when the place we were heading to was shut (despite being listed as open online – not naming any names *ahem* Bambi’s Kitchen *ahem*) but it ended being a serendipitous blessing. I sipped on my Belgian hot chocolate while the others ordered coffees. Apparently the coffee was seriously good, securing my new coffee spot for work breaks in future. I ordered The Reuben, and the delicious sandwich was no disappointment. But then again generous servings of sauerkraut and pastrami on rye with cheese can’t really go wrong. My friend’s muesli also looked just as delicious, a good option for a lighter alternative. One thing that left me wandering was the absence of any eggs on the menu, despite it being a brunchy type cafe. Nevertheless, it was bustling and the service was excellent. Will definitely be returning for some of the crullers and donuts that I’d eyed up glistening in their glass cabinets.   Share this: Twitter Facebook Google

Nice, fresh cafe with great tea and coffee. The tea is presented nicely and the staff were really friendly. A bit noisy and crowded, though.

Adelaide never ceases to amaze me in regards to speciality coffee. Every time I visit, there is a place that knocks my socks off. Exchange Speciality Coffee in Vardon Place is tricky to find in the first instance but it is the type of place you will keep coming back to. The fit out of the cafe was like a dream, it is exactly the way I would set up my own cafe, should I ever have one...

This place is great, coffee is excellent and staff very friendly.<br/>Looking forward to the next visit and trying out the food.<br/>Very cool ambience also

I got sucked in by the words avocado and pancetta so it had to be The Wallace for me. A layer of avocado with a spread of chipotle mayo over the bitter rocket, cucumber, refreshing mint and cherry tomatoes. Crispy pancetta was littered throughout that gave a meaty crunch. I absolutely loved biting into the crunchy topped Turkish bread which broke into a soft center. I’m not a big fan of rocket or mint but THAT BREAD, I loved it too much to care – life is good. The Wallace ($14) W got The Earl which was layered with Barossa smoked chicken, woodside chevre, roasted spanish onion, lemon, rocket, mint on sourdough. It looked real pretty and he kept raving about the cheese – might need to try this next time :P The Earl ($9.90) Definitely a place I will hit up again to try more of their range even if it’s a bit on the pricey end. Who knew sandwiches could taste this good? Food: 3.5/5 Service: 3/5 Atmosphere: 3/5 Related posts: Press Food and Wine, Adelaide Fork On The Road, Adelaide

Very light mild coffee. Very popular cafe in CBD. Very nice presentation.

Classy looking establishment tucked away off the main strip and they do a quality coffee! The specialise in all types of coffees and love wha they do, which clearly shows. The place is always busy and obviously has a strong following of loyal locals. Food options are also decent with the Bircher doing the job - even though a touch expensive for the serving size.

Amazing french toast. This little cafe is beautifully outfitted, staff are lovely and the food and coffee is delicious ! i've had the french toast 3x in the last fortnight and its been perfect every time

Such a dope joint for all things coffee, and 'The Gloria' is a straight brunch game changer. Do it.

Excellent food, coffees, teas and service. Cannot fault it in anyway. Try it.

Perfect. Simple and cool fit-out. A nice and clean space. Coffee is top 3 in ADL. Staff are friendly and helpful and very attentive. Can not fault it.

Hands down the best coffee in adelaide. Absolute bangin shorties with both single origin and seasonal roasts always on offer and a solid selection of filters brewed with the aeropress. If you are into black coffee look no further. Tom and crew are always welcoming and combined with tasty offerings for breakfast/lunch and a good selection of mags to peruse make exchange a must stop when nearby. Try the Reuben sandwich too.. Aww yiss

ESC is excellent and a refreshing change from the painfully hip cohort of coffee places opening at the moment. <br/><br/>Both the coffee and food are beautiful and considered, without being pretentious or expensive. The glass of sparkling water with your coffee is a thoughtful touch. <br/><br/>The decor is wonderfully restrained (why do trendy cafés need to have so much clutter..?) and the service is perfect. I will go back again and again for The Gloria, The Herbie, the coffee, and the service.

Finally, good coffee in the East End!. This place serves consistently great coffee, what more do you need to know? (You can skip the brownies, however - they were pretty meh.)

Love the coffee and the waffles were fantastic!

Your new favourite cafe. Exchange lives up to their name - incredible coffee by Market Lane - with a selection of sandwiches on incredible sourdough and other delicious things. The fit-out is very cool and perfect to hang out in, this will probably be your new favourite cafe

If you appreciate quality coffee, this is your place. Their beans are sourced from the highest quality roasters including market lane, and this kind of coffee is worth travelling into the city every time.<br/>I have been to exchange countless times and never been disappointed. <br/>Limited but appealing menu, and the sesame nougatine is a must!

Consistently good coffee, friendly and efficient service. Delivers every time... Such a good addition to the burgeoning adelaide coffee scene.

I had the strawberry and blueberry waffles and my partner has the banana peanut and caramel waffles. I think the banana one tasted better and they were more generous with the toppings. The strawberry one was ok but they were a bit stingy with the strawberries and blueberries.

Real wake-me-up coffee and clean, minimalist decor. Sourdough sandwiches had fresh ingredients but the bread texture was rather stale and tough. Mostly windowsill type seating with one large 10-seater table

Exchange has a light and airy location off Rundle Street, which is enhanced by its simple decor. Cyclist-friendly, we found a table amongst the lycra-clad patrons and read through the short menu. I started with a local orange juice made in Lobethal (a bit disappointing that they don’t offer fresh juice, but good to support local) and ordered the Gloria plus bacon. I was impressed by the presentation when it arrived, everything beautifully stacked and dusted in dukkah and basil. The avocado was spread generously on both pieces of the toasted Turkish br

Anybody that knows coffee knows that Exchange Specialty Coffee does exceptional espresso and filter coffees. It’s also worth mentioning that they also serve meals here, and for the basis of this review, I’ll be judging them on the food.

With a similar vibe to East End Providore , Exchange is quickly emerging as one of Adelaide's best coffee places.  I know I'm not the best judge of coffee, but the day I went a group of five guys (yes, guys ) came in just for their coffee and a chat.  

The café has a rustic industrial feel with its exposed brick walls, graffiti and warehouse style crates which double as seats outside. If you are into brunch you will be in for a treat with their delicious range of goodies like smashed avocado and fetta and roasted pumpkin bruschetta.