Best cafes in The Hills: Cafe kings and queens of the brunch scene revealed
The Hills District’s cafe scene is the envy of Sydney. But who are our real culinary leaders? See who makes the cut in our list of the cafe kings and queens of the Hills.
Hills Shire
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They’re the kings and queens of The Hills district who have worked hard to make a name for themselves in an ultra-competitive brunch scene.
From the best cold brews and cult pie classics to those riding the ‘clean eating’ wave, The Hills' eateries continue to set the standard.
The Hills Shire Times takes a look at the movers and shakers behind some of the region’s top cafes and discovers some of the secrets to their success.
Christine Camilleri, The Burrow, Cherrybrook
Christine Camilleri said she owes the community, her staff, location and consistent quality of her kitchen’s food to her cafe’s success.
“It’s a real community venue – it’s not something you just walk past in a shopping centre.
“We know all our regular customers by name and their orders.
“It’s also accessible for older people because we’ve got really good parking and we’re dog and kid friendly.”
With Covid she said she couldn’t thank the community enough.
“I think we are a happy story. The community has been so good. I’ve got so many pre orders for Father’s Day and I think our location has meant lots of people are able to grab a coffee and milkshake on their walks.”
For Father’s Day, there will be various takeaway boxes including waffles, corn fritters and brekky options as well as fish and chips, ribs, and skewer boxes for lunch.
“My coffee sales and online orders have gone up. My dollars are down but I've still got my staff employed,” she said.
She said business for her actually went up once the 5km rule kicked in.
“You can't go anywhere so it’s almost like a break to get out of the house for a walk and coffee.”
While Camilleri said she really feels for other cafes doing it tough, she said her advice was to adapt and come up with new ideas based on demand.
She said making her own Spoonville (Spoon village with decorated spoons) outsider her shop to boost spirits has helped kids urge their parents to stop by the cafe on their daily walks.
Camilleri is also working with a retirement village to offer discounted coffees to residents desperate for a walk.
Asked if she had any final message she said, “Hang in there. And we’re still open so come say hi.”
The Burrow
132 Shepherds Dr, Cherrybrook NSW 2126
Rob Pirina, Glenorie Bakery, Glenorie
Rob Pirina started at Glenorie Bakery when he was 21.
Now at aged 37, he said he still loves what he does but he’s worried about how he’ll get through during the extended Sydney lockdown.
“I’ve never seen more difficult times than right now,” he said.
“We normally jump to the occasion like when we had floods and bushfires, but this particular lockdown has been the toughest in memory.”
While they’ve stayed open throughout, Pirina said sales have been hit particularly by the 5km restrictions.
“Glenhaven doesn’t have a very big population so not many people can come into our shop during these lockdowns.”
Pirina said he’s experimented with creating boxes and doing delivery drop offs at the weekends in suburbs like Hornsby, Box Hill and Penrith.
He said the collaboration with other companies like drop offs at Penrith Panthers Club has helped open business opportunities.
However, he said the 5km rules and now Penrith falling into an LGA of concern has meant he can no longer deliver to some customers.
“The delivery drop offs have just kept my staff employed,” he said.
Pirina said waiting for a Covid test result was the “hardest 24 hours of his life” when a running nose prompted him to get tested earlier this week.
“A Covid positive result would have meant I would’ve had to close my business and my 55 staff would been unemployed.”
During last year’s lockdown, Pirina started a new joint Bobby Bakehouse which has so far been a success.
Just weeks ago, he opened a doughnut cart for takeaway outside the Bakehouse which has been popular with people gifting friends and treating kids who are homeschooling.
Glenorie Bakery, Glenorie
4/930 Old Northern Rd, Glenorie
Bobby Bakehouse
238 New Line Rd, Dural
Jemma Vumbaca, Hidden Jem Café, Kenthurst
Jemma Vumbaca said what sets her cafe apart from stiff competition in the brunch game is the quality of her food and excellent customer service.
“I think my team and I genuinely care about our customers. The atmosphere I’ve built around the workplace is positive and happy. We’ve banned all Covid talk in the workplace so we can only talk about positive things,” she said.
“Obviously we take huge pride in our food. I’ve got an amazing head chef.”
Vumbaca said her cafe is launching a new spring menu this week.
“It’s very spring and summer, colourful food. We’ve got some new citrus waffles, salads and breakfast items.”
Vumbaca said she has also rolled out a range of hampers during lockdown including a waffle hamper, cheese hamper and even a Father’s Day hamper.
On the current lockdown, she said she learnt a lot from last year and so it was quicker to get into action with takeaway.
“We kinda sat down and thought we can work with it and adapt where we can,” she said.
“I shared the shifts around to keep everyone employed. I said to my team we will do what we can and everyone was really supportive.
“We’ve had amazing support especially from Kenthurst residents.”
Vumbaca said she started a pay it forward initiative which allowed people to send lockdown hampers to friends and strangers doing it tough.
Asked if she had any message to the community, she said, “I definitely want to say we appreciate all their support right now. We wouldn‘t be here without them and I want to thank my team – supporting me and checking in to see I’m doing ok mentally and working so hard to keep everything running smoothly.”
The Hidden Jem Cafe
10/4 Nelson St, Kenthurst NSW 2156
Michael Ico, Matt Stone & Nathan Hindmarsh of The Tuckshop, Glenhaven
Michael Ico, Matt Stone and Eels legend Nathan Hindmarsh are the faces behind popular Glenhaven cafe The Tuckshop.
They are also owners of Good Fella in Bella Vista
When asked what’s the secrets to their success, Stone said “quality and customer service.”
While business is still down from normal, he said being situated in the suburbs has helped with the extended lockdown.
“The community has been great – we are very grateful,” Stone said.
“Obviously having a good portion of our sales being takeaway (in normal times) had made it pretty easy to pivot into that.
“But it’s still not without its challenges. When it’s quiet, it’s quiet and when it’s busy it’s busy. It’s very weather dependent with Covid.”
The cafe also has its own “mini providore” stocked up with fresh bread daily from Providence Bakery, local olive oils, cheese, wine, beer and home coffee supplies from Single O.
The Tuckshop’s manager Ryan Viertel said they’ve also rolled out burger only nights during Covid which have been a success.
Viertel said being located right near Glenhaven Oval has also helped to attract some locals.
“We’re right near the park so we encourage people to get down here for takeaway.”
“A lot of the community have been really helpful and we are also trying to do what’s right by them and still stay open as the neighbourhood cafe.”
The Tuckshop
78 Glenhaven Rd, Glenhaven
Jack Xue and Gavin Gui, Youeni Foodstore, Castle Hill
Youeni Foodstore has been popular among Hills residents since it first opened in 2012 with Chris Starke at the helm.
While Jack Xue took over about three years ago, he’s still following the philosophy of creating delicious and sustainable food.
Manager Gavin Gui said they were always striving to promote clean eating with vegan, keto and high protein options.
“Our most popular meals are our nutritious buddha bowls and our gluten free pancakes,” he said.
Gui, who lives in Dundas Valley, said there has been about a 70 per cent drop in business since the start of the most recent lockdown.
“This time it’s been a lot harder than the first time last year.
“There’s a lot less people I think because of the 5km restrictions.
“We also rely on office people and locals to come for lunch.
Gui said they are still allowing customers to order from the full menu for takeaway during the lockdown.
Youeni Foodstore
2/250 Old Northern Road, Castle Hill
Roky Gorgees, XS Espresso Kellyville
Roky Gorgees is the man behind XS Espresso chain and has a cult following of 52.5K on Instagram.
His North Kellyville cafe has attracted flocks of locals since it first opened shop.
Most have raved about the cafe’s shakes, pancake stacks, generous portions and coffee, according to online reviews.
Gorgees, from western Sydney, owns more than 14 cafes after starting out with a hole-in-the-wall coffee shop in Parramatta about six years ago.
In an interview earlier this year he said years of “hard work” and looking after staff like they were family got him to where he was.
“I’ve worked 7 days a week for six years,” he said.
“When you do something you love it trickles on, you take care of your people – they become family.”
For Father’s Day, the store is taking pre-orders for breakfast feast boxes filled with bacon, hash browns, falafel, halloumi along with decadent stacks of pancakes, waffles and marshmallows.
XS Espresso Kellyville
Shop 1/10 Hezlett Road, Kellyville
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