Getting Near to the Earth at The Grounds of Alexandria

Alexandria is an industrial suburb of Sydney and located 4km south of Sydney CBD. Once Alexandria comprised of terrace houses but those houses were demolished for industrial buildings and warehouses. The residential area remains at the northern side of Alexandria.

One thing that drew me to visit Alexandria is a cafe called The Grounds at Alexandria in Building 7A, 2 Huntley Street. I alighted at Green Square Train Station and walked about 20 minutes to reach this cafe. 

Outside Green Square Train Station

Alexandria Industrial Estate

Once I arrived, I realised that it's not merely a cafe but a community compound. The compound comprises of restaurant, function room, cafe, food stalls, flower shop, phone shop, market, barn. Basically the visitors will not run out of things to do here, whether eating marathon or just simply taking pictures.

I went there in the mid of summer. It was freaking hot and humid to eat outdoor amidst all the greenery. And the place was full with people like the whole Sydney just flocked there.

Hello, The Grounds!

Another entrance

The arch of The Grounds

I told you, many things here!

The alley is so green

The Potting Shed Restaurant

The flower shop

Flowers

Rainbow roses

The phone shop

Function room for wedding, bridal shower, birthday party

The dining area

Another part of the dining area

You can get your salad, sandwiches or burgers here

Or your pizza here

Donut cart

Nutella filling

Bakery and Pastry

Place for your coffee fix

And free live music (you can donate if you wish to)

Finding the seat was definitely the problem, especially when I was alone. Other than that glitch, I found my experience in The Grounds was excellent. The food is good, the coffee is even better, the live music is so excellent, the atmosphere is so so so great!

The Grounds also offers many photogenic spots for instagram posts. You can be in frame or not, it doesn't matter, because the photos will turn out to be just beautiful!

The spot where everybody just takes pictures

The barn

Goat

Hens

Pinky pig and golden hen are BFF apparently

Children's playground

Old school truck as photo props

You can climb and take picture here, so cool!

Every Saturday and Sunday, The Grounds Market is opened from 09:00 a.m. to 03:30 p.m. and it showcases many innovative products that produced locally. I always love visiting markets and this is for sure an appeal for me.

The sign

The market is located at another warehouse building outside the cafe compound

It is at another side of the cafe

The market

The same cafe with different set up, I love this one even more

Jewellery stall

Many other stalls

Another live music

Photo spot again

I was surprised to see even the washrooms are set up according to the theme of the place. Visiting the washroom has never been so pleasant.

The stables for the visitors

Bye, The Grounds!

Love is in the air,
Little Feet

My Food Trail in Launceston

The bad thing about traveling alone is the fact that you only have one stomach to taste everything along the way. So, this time round in Launceston, I concentrated my food journey on cafe.

Because I love coffee. So. Much.

Delicacy Cafe

A little cafe and providore at the corner of Charles Street and Canning Street that sells coffee, sandwiches, pastries and many other delicatessen items. The baristas are friendly. The coffee is dense and bitter. It tasted better because I enjoyed it amidst the lush green Prince's Square.

This little sign is not prominent, but don't worry there is a sign put up at the intersection to remind you this cafe is here

My other half

Banjo's Bakery Cafe
Banjo's Bakery Cafe is a franchise chain that has stores in Tasmania, Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales. The main selling point of this place is the pies. You'll find rows and rows and rows of pies freshly baked from the kitchen. I tried black pepper beef pie and scallop pie (which apparently is one of the speciality in Tasmania) and both are yummy!

It is located in the city centre of Launceston at Brisbane Street

Pies

Pastries

Sandwiches

Curried scallop pie

Black pepper beef pie

Aroma's Fine Food
Located at the corner of Charles Street and Frankland Street, this little establishment is always packed in the morning. It has a breakfast menu for the diners to order and two big shelves full of pies, pastries and cakes for quick options. I chose to get a lorraine quiche which is pretty delicious. However, the coffee has a slight hint of acidity.

The corner cafe

Caaaaaakes

Pies, quiches, wraps, breakfasts, salads

Indoor dining area

Outdoor dining area at the back

My breakfast

Cafe Mondello
Cafe Mondello serves all day breakfast, cakes, lunch and coffee. People starts to flock here from the opening time at 8:00 a.m. for a very good reason. Good coffee and good food, indeed. I did not order anything from the breakfast menu but just got myself a blueberry muffin and a cup of flat white. It was not a mistake for sure. The muffin was the full of blueberries and it tasted so so so so so gooooood. The coffee is good as hell too!

Cafe Mondello is located at 242 Charles Street

Little cafe with big popularity

Simple muffin and a cup of no-art flat white

Dig deep and find the treasures!

Amelia Espresso
It's a cute little cafe at the corner of Cameron Street and George Street that sells coffee and some pastries. The interior of the cafe is wood-based and it seems like a dedicated place for coffee, judging from the lack of food items there. The coffee is super bitter and I love it!

Amelia Espresso

The counter

Seating area

For coffee lover

Bar seats facing the street

Sweetbrew Cafe
This is my favourite cafe and there's definitely no mistake of choosing this place to treat myself a birthday breakfast. The breakfast menu is extensive and unique. The seating area comprises 1 small room, 1 big room, 1 front outdoor seating and 1 outdoor seating at the back.

I ordered a portion of steamed egg with organic spelt toast and butter, confit shitake and shimeji mushrooms, tempura black fungus, miners lettuce and green sauce. It is an amazing birthday breakfast. With a cup of flat white, it's just perfect.

Front outdoor seating

Order at the counter, pay and get your table number, find your seating place, enjoy and wait for your food

The cakes, all seem tasty

Small room

Big room

I love the backdrop so much

The rear outdoor seating

Sweetbrew, located at George Street

Don't you love the table numbers?

Cocobean Chocolate
This small chocolate boutique at George Street was founded in 2008. The chocolates sold here are made at their kitchen in Kings Meadow. The couverture is sourced from Swiss company Felchlin. I bought a slab of dark chocolate and cocoa nibs.

Cocobean Chocolate

My guilty pleasure

Other cafes that I missed

Belaroma Cafe, besides Cafe Mondello

Bryher Cafe, closed on Tuesdays

M&B Cafe, coffee bean sourced from Toby's Estate

Love is in the air,
Little Feet