contessa balmain

it’s absolutely no surprise how a place that is something of an icon in the balmain cafe scene has outlasted so many prime ministers these past 14 years!

you’re greeted by connie, who’s like the big mama of the premises, every guest that steps in whether she knows you or not is welcomed like family with her cheery disposition. coupled with the meticulous detail from manager, andrea - it’s a formula for success.

the casual cafe / restaurant “brings a slice of new york" to the urbanites of balmain, full of life as it hosts a mix of local area workers, students and families. the menu is inspired by owner, marco’s italian roots and passion for travel.


spicty chipotle beans & chorizo - on toasted organic sourdough with fried free range eggs, guacamole and fresh tomato salsa. so filling and a larger portion than i thought it would be. i liked the bean:chorizo ratio in this.

seasonal fruit salad was great. the fresh bursts of juicy orange, apple, strawberry, rock melon, orange bound together by dollops of natural yoghurt, topped with berry compote and drizzles of coconut shreds!

short black & seasonal fresh fruit frappe beautiful intermission drinks of hot and cold weaved in throughout the two stunning dishes.

i was not expecting it to be so busy on a monday and there was a constant stream of people couples, groups, takeaway offers with people hanging out the verb waiting for their orders! that speaks volume and says to me that this is definitely a must-see if you’re ever in the area!

contessa balmain is a funky and very stylish cafe. boasting indoor and outdoor seating combined with friendly staff and great service  creates an awesome dining experience.

we were lucky enough to be invited out to try the menu and let us tell you, it did not disappoint. we had the opportunity to try 3 dishes during our visit. the chicken parmy, the chicken tortilla and the nutella french toast.

the chicken parmy was cooked to perfection and served on a bed of crunchy golden beer battered chips. the sauce was full of flavor and not too overpowering. the grilled chicken tortilla was cooked perfectly, topped with the blend of fresh tomato and guacamole and a hint of spice, it was enough to keep the flavors interesting. finally we had the nutella french toast. perfectly cooked using brioche bread, it was not heavy at all and topped with just the right amount nutella, it left us feeling satisfied rather than feeling sick.

all in all the dishes were well presented and very cute. as well as having the flavor to match the presentation. we can't wait to go back and try the rest of the menu.

totally heart this cafe in balmain! i can see why it's jam packed on the weekends especially. the food here is flavoursome and hearty, the thing is... it is filling without that sluggish feeling, and a good portion size.
the service was slow and the cafe inside echoes quite badly. so trying to compete with the music and other diners can be a challenge if you are trying to hold a conversation, especially if there happens to be a screaming child. that aside, it's still worth the visit, and if you're lucky enough to get one of the tables outside and it's a sunny day, then you've hit a winner.
we came here today for lunch. i ordered the spaghetti con gambari and my lunch buddy got the spicy italian meat ball melt. we tried eaxh others meal and they were both quite delicious.
the menu was simple and not too crowded with choice, which made choosing easy. this is a noteworthy cafe in sydney.

had a bloody mary and the mushroom risotto. they were kind enough to accommodate my request to add chicken. the food was delicious. would definitely come again

love this place! as a local this is our go-to cafe and we never leave disappointed. food is great (chicken tortilla is delicious) and service is even better (staff are very friendly and relaxed). highly recommend!!

great little neighbourhood cafe in balmain serving up a wide selection of breakfast and lunch items along with good coffee. contessa is licensed so they also offer up a boozy breakfast option for those looking for something with a bit more a kick. it's a busy venue on weekends and for good reason too!

bianca: happy 2017 folks! i’ve been an admirer of contessa balmain for a little while now. granted this has all been through some social media stalking, thanks to their rather photogenic cheeseburger. i’m not your typical saturday morning active-wear type of girl. you won’t find me slurping freshly squeezed juices or lapping out of an acai bowl. i’ll leave that to alex.

went to sus out this qaint coffee shop in balmain. i had a nutella donut $5 plus lge coffee. atmosphere was nice. their food looks amazing and i wanted to try a burger but i am mega full! next time..

along the bustling darling street in balmain is a not so hidden gem, but one that has been shining bright for over a decade under marco’s ownership. from the moment you walk in, you can instantly tell you're in for a treat. the cool and unpretentious new york-esque decor is striking and stylish and the openness of contessa gives it a really relaxed vibe.

contessa balmain has been in balmain for 24 years and 13 years under the current owner. what i notice first is the incredible friendliness and hospitable nature of the owner and staff. truly felt welcome and had a fun time! that really makes for a great atmosphere. i'm a rarity at giving a 5 for a cafe, but this deserves it. the place has had a recent reno and styled much like the city cafes with the bronze pipes and hanging lights and little green flowers in vases on the table.
the menu is extensive and has 4 icons to highlight the menu, cocktails, good, coffee. starting with a cocktail (we are on holidays :), ordering a bloody mary and a bellini mimosa, what an awesome start to the day! sort of feel like we're in nyc! in regards to food, we took some advice from the staff and went for the nutella brioche, corn fritters and breakfast burrito. though you could order eggs, burgers, pastas and more if that takes your fancy.
the breakfast burrito was a huge wrap filled with scrambled egg, chorizo, cheese, sauce and topped with guacamole, this was great! also shared the corn fritters, which were less doughy than most places, which is a good thing. you can actually taste the corn kernels. we chose bacon to accompany it, though you could get salmon or chorizo if you like. then the mother of all sweet things, brioche french toast with nutella, toasted oats, coconut and this was insanely amazing. i'm not normally a fan of french toast as it's too eggy, but this was just right. although i might need to run around the block a few times to work it off, it was worth eating! i then also got a little 'froggacino'. what is this, you may ask?? but a baby cino that looks like a frog! i loved it, even as an adult. all round top place and thanks for great service!

we are kindly invited to contessa balmain. we popped in on a saturday lunch time and the cafe was pumping, full of customers!

we started with a few fun drinks. we had bloody marys and froggicinos, what's a froggicino? it's the cutest little milk beverage. suitable for children who don't  want to miss out a cappuccino like mum or dad have. with a cute chocolate smile and marshmallow goggley eyes, this tiny frothed milk treat contains no coffee. perfect for the young ones.

the bloody mary was so spicy! an absolute kick to the senses, i would recommend a virgin mary as a great morning beverage to really wake you up for a non-alcoholic breakfast beverage.
it worked a charm!

the spaghetti con gamberi was the star of the day, this spag alone is worth the 1.2hr trek to balmain. generous amount of sauteed garlic prawns, succulent by the way, and the sauce... if you have to pick anything from contessa this is it. diet later.

the smoked salmon omlette was yummy, but not as yummy as the spag. came with 2 slices of sourdough, which i couldnt finish. in all seriousness after i had a bite of the spag i was ready to trade my dish for sams spag.

nutella french toast was satisfying and rich. its actually not that bad for your waist line considering the amount of nuts used for topping!

busy coffee shop. located on darling st, this place is always busy with either people getting takeaway coffee or sitting down to eat. it’s quite a small cafe but very open, tables spill into outside.

what a bloody beauty - sitting on balmain rd is @contessabalmain - home of the 'deluxe cheeseburger' 💪

100% house made beef pattie, hickory smoked bacon, caramelized onion, american cheese, american mustard, house made tomato relish, on toasted brioche w/ beer battered fries and an old school pickle 🍔 🍟

tasty! i think the brioche made it a little too rich with the sweet tomato relish - but that crispy bacon was 👌 definitely a top cafe burger. thanks to the connie, the contessa kitchen team and claire for inviting me 📜👏

the nutella french toast with crispy oats, pepitas and coconut was delicious! the frogacino is also a great take off of the kids babycino.

love this amazing cafe in balmain. as i walked in i felt the warmth. the staff were unbelievable and made us feel welcomed. the coffee was on point and on a hot day i highly recommend the affogato. the food is beautifully presented with lots of flavour. if u would like to treat yourself have the nutella french toast, it was absolutely mouth watering and well worth breaking a diet for. fabulous experience!!!

love coming here on a sunday for brunch. awesome, american style menu with an italian twist. generous servings, yummy coffee. wait staff are friendly and tentative.