Destination: The Grounds of Alexandria
Have you heard of the “destination café”? These are cafés where the coffee, food and, of course, atmosphere are an experience worth travelling long distances for – sort of like travelling to a theme park or a first-class museum. It’s a big ask, but a place like The Grounds delivers in spades. Like, real, actual spades as well as the metaphorical kind.
Just a couple of years ago The Grounds grounds (sorry, couldn’t resist) were a derelict heritage-listed warehouse on the factory-swamped corner of Huntley Ave and Bourke Street in Alexandria.
With presumably a whole lot of blood, sweat and tears, the place has been transformed into an eco-friendly hipster paradise. Sustainable, carefully arranged food, single-origin hand-roasted coffee, an in-house bakery that bellows “rustic and local” across the homemade-jam laden counters and more, so much more.
Cute vintage finds and artfully displayed vignettes grow like weeds in the massive courtyard that spills from the front of the bustling café.
Did I say bustling? What I meant was the busy, busy, busy, excuse-me-while-I-squeeze-past-you café. Yes, it would be so easy to hate this place if you hadn’t fallen utterly in love with it the minute your eyes met across its crowded room.
It’s the kind of dining experience that shouldn’t be even remotely accessible for anyone with a child under 27, but it is; it really is. There’s a picket-fenced playground (beware, not fenced enough – lots of walls to climb here) complete with a chalk-grafftied playhouse with a slide that sees kids whizzing out the window.
There’s even a rusty trike circa 1968 that has a front wheel so bent that even the most athletic of children will not escape before you’ve downed your latte from the coffee and pastry shack conveniently placed right next door.
There is also Kevin Bacon, the resident pig, and his trusty sidekicks the rooster, the chicken and the goat. Oh my, this set-up is any mum’s café nirvana – great coffee and something real and hearty to entertain the kids while you drink it.
You can order take away from inside and eat out under the substantial pergolas and hidden-places within the grounds, or bunker inside the café itself, where the kitchen is theatre and the crowd forgiving. But really, you’d be mad to go inside if you’re toting the kids – outside is just so darn wonderful.
Did I mention the BBQ, serving spit-roasted lamb rolls, chorizo sandwiches and a bacon and egg brioche with spicy tomato relish, all chargrilled in the backyard by burly boys with cheeky grins?
You can order right over the counter without taking your eyes off the little ones throwing coins in the fountain or dancing along the wide checkboard-floor spaces. There’s also a lemonade stand (“lemonade 5” says the sign – that’s dollars, not cents… ) and carts peddling goods baked onsite, organic fruit and vegies, the house-made jam and flowers arranged by Florals by Silvia, also in-house. This place is more a community than a café.
So, go, okay. I may be gushing, but that’s only because the second we left I wanted to go back. It’s a feeling I last experienced at Disneyland Paris, so you’ll forgive me for my over-the-top romance with this place. It’s all that and homemade sauce.
The only thing that would bring me back to earth would be the parking, oh dear god, the parking. It’s bad, really, really bad. So, you know, walk there if you have to…
(Editor’s note: see parking advice on the Grounds website here.)
The Grounds of Alexandria
Building 7, 2 Huntley Street, Alexandria,
Phone: 9699 225
Licensed
Open: Mon – Fri 7am – 4pm | Sat and Sun 7.30 am – 4pm
Website here, read the About section, it’s really interesting.
Café bookings advisable; courtyard come as you are.
Nearby: This cafe is close by to the excellent Sydney Park with it’s amazing playground and huge learner cycleway.
Reading this review and seeing these scrumptious photos makes me feel like casting my cares to the wind and leaping straight into the car.
Have you visited The Grounds?
When do you think it’s least busy?
Shall we meet up there for a coffee with the kids soon?
Happy travelling
Now that looks like a fab Ssturday out! Can’t believe I haven’t heard of it before!! I’ll be heading there soon for sure – if only this rain would go away!! X
Go Robyn, go! There is loads of undercover areas and the rain just might keep the crowds away for you… x
The trick is to park in Sydney Park and walk down. Your kids could even have a bit of a run around in the park before you head down for lunch.
Nice idea, Jess… next time! x
Such an interesting place! I was so surprised to see it was in Alexandria… It looks like it is in the middle of the country! Love all the pics, I will have to visit!
Love Bron’s shots. I’ve been there once for a PR event and didn’t take my camera (or kids) and didn’t really explore properly and have been kicking myself ever since. Delighted to have it up on the blog.
Hi Seana, I’m missing those cafes, sad lack of funkyness here, well not HERE but in this local.
X
I often have to visit a PR company next door to The Grounds. I can vouch for the fact that the parking is your worst nightmare. I’ve looked into the cafe from a distance and due to the crowds (hate the Easter Show kind of experience), I haven’t put a foot inside the picket fence. I guess I need to ‘man up’ and give it a go if it’s as good as Euro Disney. Great review from Bron xx
This looks like a fab place to take kids, and I love your idea that it’s more of a community than a cafe. There should be more places like that – places that provide an all round experience and other diversions apart from food and drink. Oh that the parking is bad – that’s a bummer. We live in a crowded world (ahem, except over here in Western Australia 😉
Hello.
Thank you for sharing this interesting and great article.
Thanks for information.
No problem! I’ve just read that they are now offering valet parking… amazing for a cafe to do that here in Oz, but sounds a great plan for this cafe.
Wow it sounds so lovely. Shame about the parking. Coming from a distance, that is an issue or me.
Carolyn
My adult son uses a wheelchair. Is there somewhere I can park to go to The Grounds?
Hello Iris, I’m not at all sure. Probably best to give them a ring. Their valet parking might be helpful. Or hopefully theu will have a space for you close by.