Review Kafeine Balmain - Balmain

Great breakfast and coffee! Had a vanilla soy latte that was delicious, and also the salmon benedict (pictured). Would definitely come back next time I'm in Sydney - great spot.

It's hard to pick a favourite cafe around Rozelle/Balmain because there are just so many, but Kafeine is definitely up there! Consistently good food, with a menu that isn't just the usual suspects you find on most breakfast menus. On this particular visit I had the breakfast tasting plate, which was lovely! I particularly enjoyed the avo salsa on the fritter, it had so much flavour. I've also had the sambal eggs with roti, amazing...and the green eggs, also great. As you can tell, I'm a fan. The staff are also very diligent and on top of things, which is great considering it can get quite busy.

Great food, coffee and staff!! Always end up coming back. Mushroom goodness is so delicious!

Having a lunch in this place, quite busy and fast service aswell, they got alot of choice for menu and abit confusing to choose, this one in pics wassss taste goood, i like it so much, u guys can check their instagram aswell to have a look reference to eat

Easy to see why this place is so popular and always busy! Great coffee, will have to come back and explore the food options!

Fantastic coffee, tasty food and great service. Highly recommend 🤗🙌🏾

Kafeine is the bees knees! Robert is the most polite, courteous, and fastidious barista I've ever met. It's also no secret how good the food and coffee is because you can see a mile-long line of coffee drinkers lined up every morning. They also serve organic tea and are dog-friendly. Thanks for your friendly service Kafeine, we love you!

Brilliant coffee and fantastic fast service. They were open during COVID and always welcomed you with a cheerful hello regardless of lockdown. Beautiful spot, lovely people and great food!

Excellent food with amazing gluten free options!

I’m not really into this coffee.. <br/><br/>Quite bitter and overall it is rather strong! Probably my tongue was tired as this was the second coffee within 2 hours. <br/><br/>Guorium🧪 think it’s smoky and he likes it.

Pretty fast and cute cup. The coffee is a bit 'smoky' but I liked it overall. Coffee must be good if a cafe wants to survive in this cafe packed suburb. Their desserts seemed a little too boring. Xihuahua 🐶 knew this place from the more well known QVB shop. She interestingly had little to say about this one.🤔

Nice vibe, quick service. The corn fritter is crispy and got tangy of interesting combination of spicy, sour lemony taste with tomato relish and salsa. Definitely try before judge it! I probably will stick with traditional Aussie brekkie next time. Just because of personal preference. :-) will be nicer is the bacon can do a maple hickory style or crispy streaky style!

It was a pretty uneventful Sunday and we just happened to be in Balmain. We decided to try a cafe called Kafeine. The cafe itself was quite busy but we managed to get a seat there. I was actually quite surprised when I browsed through the menu. The menu consists of a few Asian ingredients here and there. When I checked with the people at Kafeine, they mentioned that they were all from Indonesia. Some of the combination was quite interesting and we decided to give it a go.

I haved dined here multiple times over the years and it has never failed to disappoint. I have had the eggs benedict with bacon and potato rosti a few times and it's always delicious. Most recently I had the peri peri chicken sandwich on turkish which had a great punch of flavour and was a perfect size for a light lunch. These guys also do great fresh juices. Service here has never let me down and pretty much everytime I've gone I haven't had to wait long for a table.

Love it here! It is great for all taste buds sweet and savoury and the service is really quick and the food is delicious! super friendly staff and really good ordering system.

First time in Balmain and I was told about Kafeine as an institution. It was very busy on a Sunday lunch but we got seats at a high seat table. The vibe is really cool and the food is healthy and colourful. The 2 dishes I wanted were not available so I went for a chicken bowl which was fine. Will go back for their iconic dishes!

My favourite place for brunch on the main strip of Balmain! The eggs Benedict is an absolute must and can’t go wrong with a perfectly made Campos coffee. All the staff are so polite and helpful, never had an issue with orders and always feel very welcome. Love this place and look forward to Sunday morning brekky!

How do I miss giving review for this balmain hot spot?<br/>I was around the area and wanted a great take away coffee, surely I came for this place.<br/>It used to be my to go place if I’m around the area.<br/>I saw lots of new staffs compare to friendlier staffs that I used to know. <br/>The old barista is not there anymore, however this new barista also not to bad.<br/>Still have old pictures that I uploaded from last visit.

We came for a quick lunch and tried the steak sandwich and grilled fish wrap. Both were really delicious. The steak was premarinated and not too tough, the onions were really tasty and the Dijon mayo yummy, I really could not fault it. The grilled fish wrap was delicious also, but slightly salty. Had a takeaway chai with soy which was pretty good too.

Can't fault this place. Fast service, lovely staff, a menu with variety and most importantly delicious food! Yummy vegan options too!! Would definitely recommend 😊

a very busy & popular cafe with locals & foodies alike, the menu is extensive & offers a range of classic & modern fusion inventive dishes. The dishes are all well presented especially the pancakes & french toast! So pretty with the various colours! Everything was absolutely delicious also - sweet and savoury. The soba noodle bowl with smoked salmon is delicious & healthy. The sambal eggs has a light kick to it but not overly spicy. Gonzalez breakfast is like a Mexican inspired dish only healthier & very hearty. The pandan & coconut pancakes were so yummy especially with the coconut sugar sauce poured on top. Coffees are good, milkshake is great & so thick - loved the espresso flavour. Staff are helpful and efficient.

If it were possible, I would have given 0 to this place! My friend ordered the sausage plate with 65 degree eggs and I went with their quinoa kimchi salad with 1 poached egg..everything looked so good when food arrived! I am happy, my friend is happy and very looking forward to having the yummy looking food into our tummy...until I realised a hair on kimchi! It was a shock of course! But it happens right! I wasn’t going to destroy my friend’s breakfast and I would try my best to make the best of it,so I accepted the change of plate offer of the waitress! It wasn’t even a minute later, another plate arrived! Another shock! Thank god I took the initial photo(which i uploaded here) of my first plate, and when I compared the next coming plate to old one, it was the same plates but different kimchis! So they just bothered to change the kimchi and serve me the same plate which was disgusted me but I wanted to give it a go with another clean dish! Of course I cancelled and my friend lost the appetite too, there was only one coffee he drank and when we mentioned the manager what happened, he wasn’t even courteous to offer the coffee on house! Not only the food but the manners as well is beyond shocking in this place! If you are a regular or thinking to pay a visit to this place, I recommend a detailed look what is put in front of you.

Yum!! The atmosphere at this cafe is great as it’s always bustling with people and the food... amazing! We ordered the salmon croquettes and honestly I could have eaten double! Not because there wasn’t enough but because of the amazing taste!!!

Had mango smoothie -really refresh <br/>Also had pulled pork & beef potato hash(not sure if the names are correct?) <br/>Location is good too - nice little village, nice experience.

Kafeine is located on the main street of Balmain and it is very easy to find. The interiors and decor are nice and relaxing. I ordered their 'Volcano Dog', which is probably the heaviest dish you could ever imagine, so don't order it if you're feeling something lighter. Although the dish tastes really yummy, with the perfectly baked croissant and everything worked so well together on the plate. They also serve very nice coffee and staffs were nice in general.<br/><br/>Feel free to follow me on instagram @pignic_ for more foodie adventures.

Nicely designed joint (love the windows) and friendly staff. You know this place is a local favourite when you see people streaming in from 7:00am. <br/><br/>Pretty decent menu. Price is like any other fancy breakfast place, so i won't complain. We ordered the mushroom on toast and the sambal scrambled eggs. We also got coffee to start.<br/><br/>Food arrived very quickly. The sambal eggs looked amazing, and the Asian twist (roti and sambal) is pretty innovative. The mushroom on toast is a little bit of a let down, the toast became soggy absorbing the mushroom juice. The tomato on top of the mushroom was actually cold, wasn't sure if that is how it was meant to be. Maybe should have tried French toast like many other instagrammers who visited this place.<br/><br/>Coffee is good enough. Might come back if we visit the area.

I had been meaning to go here for some time now, but both times (with a dog) and there was a wait. First time was too impatient so headed elsewhere, but second time we decided to wait it out. Staff were nice and took our number to notify us when there was next a table available outside.<br/><br/>We ordered avo toast, veg sandwich, and wedges. Sandwich was very fresh and light. I liked it but bf thought it was too bland. Avo toast was so tiny but nice with the fresh chilli. Great addition!<br/><br/>Overall, we weren't very full with our meal as the portions were so small, but the staff were friendly and it's still a good cafe.

Great location, friendly staff, amazing food. I've seen this cafe all over Instagram, so I had high hopes. I rang and was able to book a table which, in my eyes, earns them a 5/5 for that alone. The cafe was buzzing when we arrived and we were greeted warmly, then seated. I ordered a black tea and the breakfast board, my companion ordered a skim cap and the French toast. The coffee was amazing - I snuck a sip or three - and the tea was fragrant. My meal featured toast, perfect poachies, avocado, sliced fresh tomato sprinkled with fetta, and the tastiest corn salsa I've had. Couldn't fault it. The French toast looked divine, and we both left happy.

TRY THEIR SLOW COOKED BEEF WITH POTATOES!!! My friends and I accidentally came to this cafe, we're supposed to go to another famous cafe in the suburb, but google map led us to this one, so we considered it as a destiny and decided to eat here. We ordered 4 dishes to share, and they were all very delicious, especially the beef! We all loved it so much! Will definitely go back for the beef dish and try other dishes.

Kafeine is a really great cafe with great food and good coffee. It overall is a great experience but not consistent. My first experience was 5 stars but my next was very average.

Lovely food and great service. Staff were polite and welcoming and the food was simple yet tasty. Although the plating of my dish was impractical (breakfast board), it was still a nice meal; perfectly poached eggs and great coffee.

We shared the Summer French toast and Corn fritters and it was worth the hype. The salsa on the corn fritters and the lemon curd on the French toast was so goooood. Coffee was excellent too!

Extremely busy on the weekend but well worth the wait. Four of us dined here and we all loved it. I liked that their menu was creative and different to the norm.

Situation on the main st, kafeine is a gem. Plenty of parking short walking distance away. This place is very busy on a Saturday morning. We came across this place because of the positive reviews. our expectations were filled. The food was great and the service was quick. We will back again for sure

An extremely popular cafe in Balmain and it was certainly buzzing with customers on this early Saturday morning. Great coffee, they also do a cold drip. I got the coconut pancakes, light and fluffy, topped with maple syrup (not drowned), grapes, strawberries, banana, nuts and sees, pink flower petals and ice cream. An extremely good dish. Service was quick, not too expensive. Other items also looked really good and I would certainly go back again.

Quite happy with my lunch here today. <br/>Had the mixed Veg hash with smoked salmon, everything worked and was very tasty. <br/>Bit on the pricey side but I don't mind paying for quality which is what got! <br/>Looking forward to trying more items on the menu.

I had a very nice Saturday lunch here! I ordered the acai bowl which came with quinoa granola, coconut, kiwi, strawberries, grapes, passionfruit and chia seeds. Everything went well together and the acai blend was very tasty. <br/><br/>Although the cafe was quite busy, the food came out really quick and the staff were very attentive. It is a bit pricey, but overall, a good experience and I will return again when in the area :)

A local favourite and always busy. The food and coffee here is really good. We've been here a few times and will visit here again when I'm in the area.

Regular brunch spot in Balmain because of a friendly service and great coffee. My favourite has to be the corn fritters with bacon. Eggs Benedict with bacon or salmon is also my favourite. If you want something healthy you can always order the fresh juice as well.

We visited Kafeine on a busy Saturday morning and were put on a waiting list. We were seated after only 5 minutes and I ordered the breakfast board and a ginger, pear and ? tea. Both were divine! The breakfast board came with the potato rosti, the smoked salmon with corn fritters, eggs and hollandaise and also a chia pudding. I could not fault any of it. Everything was crunchy and flavourful or creamy and silky and it was amazing. My only complaint was to was hard to talk from the noise levels in the cafe....

I have been going to Kafeine for the last 4 years. I loved the food there but the last few time I was there the service was terrible. The waitress was rude and very impolite. I normally order fresh juice. This time my juice came out with dirty finger printed on the cup and the person was so lazy didn't even use the juice cup just grab any cup instead. Disappointed. I have to look for somewhere else now 😔.

In Short: Cosy cafe in the heart of Balmain. Focus on healthy shakes and juices, slow cooked specialities and excellent Campos sourced coffee. <br/><br/>Between Ryde and the city via Victoria Road there are just a few cafés worth the spend. We took a 5 minute diversion off Victoria Road and ambled into Balmain, a suburb that’s on a peninsula with houses and apartments attracting premium dollars and harbour views aplenty. Curiously though, it has never been a renowned for its gastronomical traditions. In terms of cafés, it’s an interesting dynamic with those that thrive based on their tenure and have garnered a loyal, steadfast following. Kafeine though, is a newer cafe and sits in the centre of Balmain on Darling Street and its fit-out is chic, with a touch of Bohemian. There’s dark floorboards, a striking blue tiled counter and gold fans whirling away.  On a Sunday afternoon there’s a healthy turnover of customers but it never feels like a café bursting at the seams. We settle down and get a debrief from little Coco and Viner Sammi on the pool birthday party she attended that morning. During that time our drinks make it onto the table.

Chewsday adventures took me to Balmain where @kafeine_Balmain stuffed my belly with yummy foodz for lunch 🍽<br/><br/>El Loco: pulled pork, guacamole, black bean, jalapeños, swiss cheese and greens w/chips 🍔<br/><br/>Oh my kafeinated heart!! This was one of the nicest takes on a pork burger I've tried! The rough avocado guac, the heat of the jalapeños and the crunchy capsicum pieces worked beautifully. Good job guys 👊<br/><br/>The beef ribs and potatoes were so delicious! I almost forgot about the burger. The poached egg could have been cooked a tiny bit less - but still the surprise packet of the day <br/>

Consistently great coffee. An interesting menu with healthy options. Friendly service. Buzzing vibe and busy all the time. A neighborhood spot that I enjoy a couple of times a week.

Came to Kafeine for a weekday brunch with a friend. We were seated immediately and did not have to wait long for our food at all. We both ordered an acai bowl, this was my friends first time trying acai! I have had a few acai bowls so I did have something to compare it with. I wouldn't say the acai bowl here is the best I have had (culture bean and coffee tank take that out) but I was still satisifed. The acai itself wasn't too runny, like some I have had and I did like the addition of kiwi fruit on top. I think what let me down was the granola mix that was chosen for this bowl. However, I really cannot complain because it was very refreshing. The cafe has a great feel to it too and all the meals that came out looked great!

This is a Balmain hot spot. You will always see people waiting for a table on a weekend, however, it is never more than 5 mins and is worth your time and more. The corn fritters are by far and away the best I have tasted anywhere. For those looking for a healthy option they have you sorted as well. The baristas continually pump out quality coffee and people will be in and out grabbing take away brews. There is seating both inside and out and if you are flying solo grab one of the quirky seats at the window or on the communal table out the back and just people watch. Price is the same as other cafe and brunch spots in Balmain.

Kafeiene serves up fresh and simple yet delicous food. I had the breakfast board which was very satisfying, especially the toast dipped into the perfectly executed 65 degree egg.<br/><br/>The chatter of happy customers fill the small cafe with an atmosphere fit for a perfect Sunday brunch.<br/><br/>Would definitely come back to try the other tasty dishes.

My third visit to Kafeine in Balmain :) This time is for my Birthday Brunch. Mr.P wanted to treat me for lunch here :) Arrived on a Sunday ard 11am and the place was already packed with people. Thankfully the last table at the edge is empty ;P It's like meant to be since Mr.P and I will be taking pictures of the foods for quite a bit of time and we don't like many eyes starring at us hihi..

NOT a good experience, we ordered the breakfast board for $18.90 which generally comes with only one piece of toast. I think this is not enough given the price. In our case the piece of bread was tiny and thin (probably the last part of a loaf, certainly not in comparison with what other customers were getting. So we asked about it and we were given a normal size of toast, only to find out later we were going to be charged for it. It took way to much discussion to make sure it wasnt going to be charged (while holding up other customers). Also, the bathroom is below standard; it takes minutes for the water to come out to wash your hands, and for a while you think you are stuck with soap on your hands as you dont know whats going on. Then all of a sudden water comes out, and you will be lucky to catch it if you havent given up by that time. Great to have a green focus however this issue should be fixed, or at a minimum a note or explanation of the issue should be provided so you know you have to wait around for a while for water (while other customers are also waiting to use the facility).

We go to Kafeine for the coffee and they do it well. <br/><br/>On most occasions we take away, but sometimes we'll take a seat on the banquette seating at one of the tables along the wall, and have a pastry as well. <br/><br/>It's family-friendly with a selection of books and drawing paraphernalia at the front of the cafe to entertain the littlies while you enjoy your coffee in peace.<br/><br/>Service is friendly.

Very popular local cafe in Balmain. I chose the poached eggs on sourdough toast ($9.9) and soy latte & my friend had the breakfast burrito ($13.9) and soy cappuccino. The burrito was good & they would definitely get it again. The poached eggs on toast were a little firm but still nice and gooey, as I personally prefer . The coffees were both good. We would reccomend a visit to this cafe !

Balmain is the place to be, popular with people all over the main strip it's a cool buzz... This cafe has not only the best #campos coffee but a great menu packed with unique meals and lots of #glutenfree options. The corn fritters were so tasty with a beautiful relish and the best breaky I've tasted in a long time!

Regular coffee stop when in Balmain and on this day there was time for breakfast. Had a good experience with the store in the CBD and expected the mothership to be the business. Looking for something a little lighter I opted for the corn fitters. What a great plate! Light and fluffy with a hint of chilli and dress with a fantastic chutney it was really delicious. A fruit salad was also ordered. Quality fresh fruit with a sweet yogurt this also despite being so simply, was very nice. Balmain prices here for sure but great food. It does get pretty noisy inside and it's always busy but this is for good reason it would seem.

Had their chicken wrap and a fresh juice, which came to less than $20 for lunch. A pretty good deal. Great atmosphere in this cafe. The food tastes really fresh and the chicken wrap was very good and slightly toasted.<br/><br/>Two of us walked in on Friday for lunch, no waiting.

Cute spot to eat, good coffee. Had a constant stream of customers and staff are friendly. Will be back for French toast and the amazing juices!

Stopped by on the weekend for a quick brunch. <br/><br/>Place was packed when we got in around 10.30am. We put our names down as we wanted to eat here. Just under 5mins and our name was called. <br/><br/>For drinks we got the chocolate & coconut with lime milkshake - both tick of approval! <br/><br/>For meals we got the eggs benedict with bacon and the pancakes. Both dishes very tasty and great presentation. Staff friendly and attentive even when its busy. <br/><br/>One of my fav cafes in Balmain!

My family came here for an early lunch mid week but as people are on holidays it was really busy. But they managed to fit our group of 8 on a large table at the back. Even with the craziness inside, the staff were friendly and the wait for the food wasn't that long.<br/><br/>We ordered the French toast (nothing special), my corn fritters weren't too bad but I prefer mine to be more crispy than soggy, my husband went for scotch eggs which was different but he wasn't a fan even though I had a taste and it wasn't bad. My mum loved their salmon paradiso and my SIL shared sirloin steak sandwich on sourdough but it looked dry. I also tried their Acai purple berry frappe which was refreshing and filling.<br/><br/>We are hardly ever in this area, but if I was to come back I want to order something else and their chips which looked great.

Everything we ordered was yum, the highlight definitely should be the Scotch Eggs, pretty unique as don't see it often on menus, the texture and taste was unique too, totally worth a try. The Salmon Paradiso was lacking a little bit flavour, and the pulled pork benny tasted slightly too sweet. However both still pretty enjoyable dishes. Also like they offer quite a few interesting fresh juices to choose, so I went for their Famous Green juice (as said on the menu), tasted not bad. All in all, check this place out if you are in the area.

This cafe is very busy over the weekend, staffs are all very friendly and well trained. Love their chai latte, the fragrance from chai tea smells amazing! I had pulled beef with potato hash and tasting platters.

Kafeine is a stand out amongst the bustling Darling St cafe scene. The vibe is funky yet relaxed with exposed brick walls and reclaimed dark wood benches. It is also noisy so little ones fit in well here. They are made very welcome with highchairs and an awesome little toy corner near the front counter.

As good as expected! Very busy cafe on weekends. We certainly enjoy the breakie. Salmon paradiso is one of the best. Definitely highly recommended.

Hip Asian crew running a cafe that ticks all the boxes when it comes to food trends. My salted caramel slice was delicious as was my cacao spiced chai. Our only regret was not coming for breakfast so we could try the sticky black rice porridge or acai super bowl, both of which sounded amazing. They also have a great selection of salads that include vegan options.

Service is a hit and miss sometimes, but the food always exceeds expectations. Lovely coffee too, a nice little cafe to pop into for a quick bite to eat with a girlfriend

This place is my favourite cafe in Balmain! The food is always fresh and consistent, the coffee is superb also. Probably one of the best cafes in Balmain. Hence, there is always a crowd, and at certain times, a table can be hard to come by. Highly recommended. <br/>

Terrible service, uncooked food. Kafeine used to be a great café but I think it has changed hands in the last year or so and now the service leaves a lot to be desired. The last time we went there for a breakfast meeting, our food took about 30 mins to arrive and the chicken was still uncooked inside. The hash browns were a strange grey colour. When we complained about the uncooked chicken, instead of apologising the waiter offered to "cook it some more". We said no thankyou and ordered some banana bread instead. This took another 10 mins to arrive and was cold. When we left they actually tried to charge us for the frozen chicken burger! This incident occurred about a year ago and I would have let it go but a friend went there on the weekend and got takeaway coffees and there was a cockroach in her hot chocolate! This café is disgusting - never go there.

Prompt Service and Good Food. I enjoy eating here regularly. The staff are very polite and friendly. They are very prompt with taking orders and serve our food very quickly.<br/>The food is very enjoyable and well presented.<br/>I will continue to frequent this cafe on a regular basis.

Good food and friendly service.

Love this place! Always such great service and warm and friendly staff serving healthy, delicious and very well presented food. A lot better value and much higher quality food than that second rate cafe across the road from them, Cafe Berlin.

Generous serving, good flavour. Nice decor and good range of food on the menu. I had the fish wrap and there was a generous amount of fish in there and great flavour to it. The green juice was refreshing. My friends had the coffee and said they're pretty good there. On the pricier side but I would return.

Could be better, could be worse. The tonic coffee is a cool concept and pretty tasty.<br/>Service is quick, efficient, and friendly.<br/>Eggs benedict with the potato rosti was only average, and quite expensive for what it was. <br/><br/>Overall, I gave it a thumbs up because it's a good place to catch up or to study (free, fast wifi with outlets!), and because you can sense that the staff have a passion for their cafe. They also have a large menu offering, so maybe I just chose the wrong dish...

Great looking food that's well below average. The beautiful decor and friendly staff will draw you in, but the amazingly presented food is disappointingly average.

Favourite place in Balmain. This place is a little expensive but the food is fresh and the coffee and juices are just so amazing. It's always quite busy, at times service can be a little slow but it is to be expected. I love their corn fritters, absolutely amazing. Also love the a atmosphere of the cafe!

Only Cafe open after 3 in Balmain!!!<br/>Friendly staff, interesting menu, bit expensive (but I guess we are talking Balmain...) was very busy but didn't have to wait long for food and drinks and juice came out almost straight away. Big ups!

Very disappointing food and service<br/>two of us went for breakfast and our food came out 10minutes apart.<br/>Scrambled eggs were in edible and over cooked. When I told the waiter he was really unaccomodating and offered us 10% off which really wasn't sufficient for a $19 breakfast.<br/><br/>Such a shame.

Great coffee, great food and love the guys who there. Always a pleasure coming to Kafeine.

Cramped and slow service. Used to be good but has gone to the dogs now. 4 of us were here and the staff put another 4 people on our table. It was a 6 chair table!!!