Dishing Up

Unlike Messina and N2, Cow & The Moon offers paired back, simple, Italian style gelato. In 2014, this small cafe and gelateria was named the world’s best gelato, trumping Italian competitors at the Gelato World Tour title in Rimini, Italy.

The strawberry and balsamic is perhaps their most ‘out there’ flavour but offers a really refreshing mouthful.

Tucked away at the very top end of the Queen Victoria Building, The Tea Room provides pure escapism from the cities hustle and bustle. Although I have walked in, I would recommend booking a table to avoid disappointment.

High tea is served daily from 10am and includes a number of sandwiches, pastries and scones. Sadly, due to the location, clotted cream is not served.

Why is there no clotted cream in Australia?

The import of dairy to Australia is highly restricted which is why some cheeses have sky high costs. Clotted cream, can rarely be made from cows who live outside Devon and Cornwall in the UK as the grass they eat gives their milk a higher fat content which provides the best milk for the clotting process.

If you enjoy Netflix binges and cookery shows, you may have seen Adriano Zumbo’s Just Desserts. All his pastries are works of art, right down to his zumbarons, including a buttered toast flavour.

I would recommend sometimes proceeding with caution, after once eating one of his creations flavoured with miso that wasn’t my cup of tea, but would absolutely recommend trying at least a few zumbarons.

Two words. Watermelon. Cake. I know I mentioned this place in my Newtown Food Map, but it’s so good it deserves more than one mention.

This bakery, secured my love of watermelons for eternity.

Andy Bowdy is another one of Sydney’s creative geniuses. His cakes, pastries and trifles SCREAM decadence. Think toasted meringue, chocolate, fruit, and HUGE cakes.

After becoming an Instagram sensation and basically selling out every food market, Andy set up Saga, his permanent cafe in Sydney.

Messina = life to most Sydney-siders. Whenever any friends ask me for recommendations, Messina is my none negotiable. If I tell you to visit Messina and you don’t? Well, I start to question whether we are actually friends.

Each week Messina has a selection of incredible specials and you can keep up to date with what’s available on their Instagram, alongside a range of other delicious flavours. My personal favourites are the salted caramel and white chocolate and the pandan and coconut.

But Messina is more than just gelato, so, so much more. You can buy their fabulous gelato cakes, or visit the Messina Creative Department for a dessert degustation or even go to a class. I’ve done just about every Messina experience going, and next time I’m in town will do them all again.

Messina = life!

Katherine Sabbath is an icon of Australian cookery and her Instagram is the literal proof in the pudding. Her cake and dessert designs are wacky, colourful, unique, and super special.

I had the absolute pleasure of attending a class with Katherine at The Essential Ingredient in Rozelle and learnt how to make a full English breakfast to go on top of a cupcake. If you’re a local and you haven’t been to one of her classes yet- What is wrong with you?! And if you’re just visiting Sydney then definitely try and get a class with her.