Solid place for tea & coffee in Central Park area. The most interesting sandwich here is the miffuletta! It does get a bit too cheesy for me but I definitely enjoyed the layering of deli meats, cheeses & salad. Definitely a fun experience from the traditional sandwich.
Visited 3/5/19
Started with a refreshing burratta followed with an rather interesting pasta, topped with smoked feta. Then for protein we had a whole roasted chicken with bits of crunchy pickled onions and a charred lamb rib, don't let the black outside fool you, it's cooked perfectly with a hint of smoke. Finished with a delightful strawberry cheesecake with lemon myrtle.
This place is great.
I like the ambiance. The place is very clean. The staff is very friendly and didn’t have to wait long alrhough it was a busy Sunday morning.
The coffee was excellent.
I ordered the signature dish: curry scrambled eggs with sausages and English muffin. I added a side of mushrooms. There was nothing wrong with it. I just didn’t like the taste. The eggs were cooked perfectly. The muffin was toasted as it should, with a bit of butter on top. The sausages were also cooked really well. I just didn’t like the flavour of the curry eggs and the smokiness of the sausages was a bit too overpowering for me. It’s just my taste. There was nothing wrong about the food.
I recommend to give it a try. It was a really nice place.
Piccolo to start with, it was a great coffee.
I ordered barramundi with eggplant purée and for main, you can choose 2 side salad on the menu.
So basically this is like salad bowl/plate with extra protein, in this case I choose barramundi.( you can choose lamb and other stuff from the menu)
Then, barramundi was cooked perfectly, crispy skins, well seasoned.
Cauliflower salad was great!
10% surcharge on Sunday and public holiday.
A1 Canteen is the casual sibling to owner Clayton Wells’ Automata across the road. It’s housed in the ground floor of the Old Rum Store building.
Maybe it wasn’t the best option on a cold rainy day, the dish was a bit cold. the fish sort of lacked in taste a bit, but the salads were great.
Part of the Old Claire Hotel a very nice looking cafe and not crazy busy which is good. Had a normal scrambled eggs with an extra egg and a side of harissa tomatoes. The scrambleds were so flavoursome beautiful consistency and served on some of the nicest fresh bread I’ve had. Came with two massive pieces which I asked for some butter and jam on the other piece which was obliged. The tomatoes were disgusting and inedible for me and shouldn’t be on the menu but that was poor ordering by me.
The plates here are designed to share which is a good thing as you want to taste as many as the dishes you can. The dishes are creative, burst with flavour and you are left wanting more. I love the emphasis on seasonal ingredients. We loved it so much that we tried the breakfast menu a few weeks later. How can you resist ordering green eggs and ham? The grilled mortadella and fried eggs sandwich was sensational! #sydneyeats #chippendale #modernaustralian
We came here as a group of 5, and ordered the banquet option. All of the items did not disappoint at all! Truly enjoyed the fish, and chicken dish. The desserts were divine as well. Definitely worth checking this place out.
All the food we consumed was delicious, we had the curried scrambled egg with LP sausages, the XO scrambled eggs with crab (divine!) & the muffuletta. The coffee was excellent too. I couldn’t really fault the food, the service was acceptable however I didn’t give the restaurant a 5 as the decor lacked ambience. The decor was fine, but didn’t have personality. It may be in keeping with its name but I would have preferred something more unique to match the calibre of food. The best brunch dishes I’ve ever had in Sydney. Keep up the good work!
I’ve heard great things about A1 Canteen, especially now that it has one hat, and was keen to try it. I enjoyed the food overall but was really impressed by the grilled octopus (I’m usually not a fan of octopus) and the yellowbelly flounder. They were flavourful and cooked to perfection.
I like what they’re doing at A1. Good quality ingredients, simple combinations, done well. Across several visits, I’ve tried the coffee (always good), the salad sandwich (fresh and tasty but a little steep at $16) and the tomato toast with harissa, lime and smoked feta (a winner - perfectly balanced between spicy, zesty and sweet). Top marks to the staff who were all lovely and very attentive. Plus there’s a WiFi network so it’s a great place to hang out and do work.
Heard so many people recommending this place, as well as the Timeout. A bit struggled to give a rating as my first experience wasn’t about it s renowned curry eggs, but the vegan pasta. It was quite fresh but made me a bit unsure. So I went back again in a Monday morning and yes the curry egg was delicious. It s a very big area so service is a bit slow. Not ideal for a quick breakfast catch up with friends before work. And, please do note that their brunch finishes at 11:30am and beyond that will be lunch menu, which is slightly less exciting.
Had the muffuletta take away. First impression is that it's not cheap and does not appear that big for the money. However it is quite filling.
It is also quite good, and I did enjoy it, but probably not the best value for money
Was so excited to see down here and realise it was a sister restaurant to Automata (which I absolutely love).
Beautiful restaurant with beautiful food, a place you can come and spend hours in or for a quick bite.
My friends and I all enjoyed our dishes and the dessert and I’ll definitely be back to try a coffee, their pastries and the eggplant sandwich!!
Sandwich ninja
A great place for sandwiches, we came here and only tried the sandwiches and didn't have a chance to try the other stuff but from what we had ... We will return and try out the other stuff.
Sandwich was tasty and looks good, worth a visit.
Does My Bomb Look Big In This
+4
A1 Canteen is one of Kensington Street's more recent residents, opening up across the laneway from its older sibling, Automata, in June this year.With high ceilings and lots of natural light, it’s clearly aimed at day-times. At night it feels strangely corporate, with armed black office-style chairs, laminated bluish tables with curved safety corners, and stiff grey fabric banquettes, and an older, conservative blue plaid shirt crowd to match. An oversupply of white light directs my attention toward steel and concrete pillars, and the lobby stairwell of The Old Rum Store; so maybe a window seat looking onto Kensington Street would be best? The shiny open kitchen seems to be where the money has been spent, and affords you the opportunity to watch Head Chef Scott Eddington at work. On the floor, Manager Rachael Trewin is a star, with wine...
Headed to A1 canteen go breakfast as I read it’s opened by the same chef as Automata and I really liked the food there. A1 canteen doesn’t disappoint, the menu is a bit different from the norm and there is variety. I had the grilled mortadella & fried egg sandwich which was delicious. Drinks were a bit small in size though wished my iced coffee was bigger. Service was friendly
Nice open space and in a great area in the laneways of Chippendale. We came here looking for the trendy sandwiches we had read about in food guides and a little disappointed that they are only on offer during the working week.
We proceeded to order from their dining menu and came across quite fancy dishes. All enjoyable, tasty but a little on the pricey side for this part of town.
The price guide here said $40 for 2 people but we found we spent closer to $60 without drinks.
Nonetheless, a nice swish dining place with decent nice food.
Located on Kensington Street, a fairly recent addition to the food scene. It is the casual eatery of Clayton Wells who runs Automata situated close by.
Started with some coffee which is Single O Blend. It tasted fruity and may not be to everyone’s taste. It was decent enough.
The food is definitely much better! We shared a couple of the breakfast items. The Curried Scrambled Eggs, LP’s Sausage, English Muffin is a simple and well executed dish. There was a nice spice to the creamy scrambled eggs upon the toasted muffin and the two sausages tasted lovely. Grilled Mortadella + Fried Egg Sandwich, Fermented Chilli, Fried Shallots brings shaved mortadella in a soft bun topped with two sunny side up eggs. The chilli adds a spice kick to the dish.
When we were leaving they had some delectable baked goods sitting on the counter.
They also have quite a few interesting items on the lunch menu which definitely needs a re-visit to try!
A collective sigh of relief was exhaled throughout Sydney, as soon as A1 Canteen opened its doors to the public. Has ever a photo of a fried eggplant, provolone and romesco sandwich done the media rounds, the way Clayton Well’s did back in November 2017? It really doesn’t help when publications and PR alike, play the long game of peddling such Instagram-worthiness well over six months in advance. Cruel temptresses, the lot of you.
Helen | Grab Your Fork
+4
Sydney's new favourite eatery? It might well be A1 Canteen, the much anticipated venture from Automata's Clayton Wells. Initially slated to open in February 2018, A1 Canteen finally threw open its doors last Wednesday. It's a more casual offering for punters, open all day for breakfast, lunch and dinner including a takeaway window.
Great coffee. Friendly team.
It was a busy Saturday morning and there was a small wait. Food was yummy and interesting. We shared 3 dishes and added on some bacon and sausages. Love the curried egg sandwich, blue swimmer crab omelette and orange bourbon glazed ham.
This Canteen is well positioned and serves fantastic sandwiches. We were well greeted and seated by staff. The menu was diverse and interesting and their coffee did not disappoint either. We ordered the Muffuletta which tasted fresh like a deli, and the a lamb shoulder sandwich was the special which was tender and well seasoned. The open kitchen plan and the modern decor makes this the perfect place for that power lunch or meeting.
Friendly staff, cool location.
Breakfast menu was pretty diverse - we ordered the green eggs & ham along with a grilled mortadella and fried eggs sandwich with pickled chilies — pretty good stuff!
Coffee selection is quite good as well.
Good breakfast spot!
Stunning food and impeccable service delivered by Amy last night. I’m glad I didn’t read the reviews before visiting. I had a few moments where I had to close my eyes and just smile. Delicious food. The anchovy toast was divine. Had blood cakes and stracciatella as well. Mind blown with the mushroom caramel sauce. Highly recommend this place.
I like the sandwiches here, very tasty and pretty to look at! Highly recommended if you are after something different to try in this part of town. The service was friendly with nice atmosphere. It might get busy, so if you could, book in advance for larger groups. You can take away the sandwiches but be aware that you most likely will need cutlery to eat them.
Great vibe, food and service. Relaxed but relatively fancy. Good date spot, or just a spot to chill with family and friends. The curried eggs and the muesli are fantastic. It's a bit overpriced (especially the cocktails) but overall the spot is worth checking out.
Piccolo to start with, it was a great coffee.
I ordered barramundi with eggplant purée and for main, you can choose 2 side salad on the menu.
So basically this is like salad bowl/plate with extra protein, in this case I choose barramundi.( you can choose lamb and other stuff from the menu)
Then, barramundi was cooked perfectly, crispy skins, well seasoned.
Cauliflower salad was great!
10% surcharge on Sunday and public holiday.
Happened to walk in to the soft launch of A1 Canteen. Nice open relaxed but classy atmosphere. Service staff were attentive, though understandably for a first day, there was slight hesitations in answering questions on their part. We had the curried scramble eggs (breakfast menu before 11.30am) and the lamb shoulder with choice of two salads (from 11.30am). Both were delicious and satisfying. Also had a coffee which was ok. Green juice was nice but unfortunately not freshly prepared (bottled Nectar brand) which would have upped the experience. There was an unexpected 50% discount as part of the soft launch which made it really superb value.
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