Thanks to the roaster of the roastery Mecca, that I visited a few days ago, on my Sydney to-do list was written: “Ferry to Manly – coffee @barefoot on wentworth st and walk from bower st to shelly beach”. Sean, from the specialty coffee place Neighbourhood in the district Surry Hill, also gave me this recommendation and asked me to greet the Barista Fergus. So I made an ferry trip last Sunday to Manly!

Conveniently, my first hostel (I will tell you a little bit more about this in my final Sydney guide with all tips in the overview) was just a short walk away from the ferry dock. The excursion to Manly worth it alone already because of the great view you have during the ferry trip – my photographer heart beat faster as we passed the Opera House, the Harbor Bridge and Sydney’s North…

Arrived in Manly, I went straight to the café. I hadn’t breakfast till yet and also I also reserved the enjoyment of the first coffee of the day for this place. Because of two large windows, Barefoot was a wonderfully bright Place on this day. I ordered a breakfast with avocado, fried tomatoes and mushrooms – and a flat white of curse.

The walls of the square café decorate some beautiful tiles. In the middle of the room is a large table, where during my visit a few guests sat – it quickly turns out that, despite the many tourists in Manly, those guest were regulars. In my opinion, this can always be interpreted as a good sign.

The relaxed atmosphere in the room, the people who breakfasted and talked about their weekend, and my delicious coffee – that was the perfect mix for a Sunday morning. Because I immersed deep into a book about the coffee culture of New South Wales, which was lying in the cafe, it was already noon when I went to the beach.

Barefoot Coffee Traders

18 Whistler St
Sydney NSW 2095

During the next two hours I sat down at a shady spot, read something in my travel guide, and watched the other beach visitors. For an afternoon coffee, I decided to visit the second place of the Café Barefoot on Whistler Street – the owner told me about this place in the morning and I I had become curious.

To my delight, I reached the café as long as it was open. An experience that I had to make fast here in Australia, is that most coffee places close already around four o’clock. A girl in another cafe explained me a few days ago: “Australians are morning coffee lovers”.

After a short conversation with the two baristas about other café tips for the next city on my journey plan (Melbourne) I made my way back to the ferry. Really a nice trip out of the big streets of the metropolis, was my day in Manly for me. For a comparison with Bondi Beach it is still too early as I was not there yet, but in a bit I will tell you, which beach I better liked!

Barefoot Coffee Traders

18 Whistler St
Sydney NSW 2095