Sydney, ready yourself: Instagram brunch spot fave The Grounds Of Alexandria has just opened The Grounds Of The City, a hideaway in the heart of the CBD.
Located in The Galeries on George St, the second café was announced way back in 2014: owner Ramsey Choker took the time to translate that now-classic Grounds aesthetic to a CBD environment, and from what we can see, they’ve nailed it.
Without the room for the farmyard, market and florist that the expansive Alexandria space allows for, the CBD store zones onto fine hospitality with an old-school 1920s vibe inspired by Parisian coffeehouses. They turned to ACME&Co for the fit-out, which, in a word, can only be described as opulent.
Antique furniture, marble finishes, stained glass windows and beautiful bookcase-lined walls reminiscent of Gatsby’s library help create the retro atmosphere, but it’s the little touches, like a on-hand shoeshiner and a roving Tea Lady – armed with a trolley full of cakes and pastries – that really make it pop.
As for the menu, executive chef Paul McGrath devised breakfast and all-day menus that delve from standard fare like pancake stacks and omelettes to more gourmet options, such as lobster with roasted seaweed butter and steak frites. Yum. There’s a dedicated take away window for coffee, pastries and on-the-run meals, too.
New to the Grounds is the café’s barista bar where “coffee sommeliers” (which, btw, are not a thing) are on hand to talk through tasting notes of the multiple roasts on offer each day. Maybe they’ll take a nice snap of you and yr m8 for your gram, too.
They’re set to take reservations in the next few weeks, so you’ll be able to book in your next brunch/photo sesh soon. Get in quick fam: those likes are waiting.
Photo: Instagram.com/@_baozhen.zoe
