The Balmain iteration of the family-run café chain brings you that little closer to the heavens on their sun-drenched terrace balcony, where you can enjoy breakfast and lunch. Now running five cafés and two dedicated espresso bars, Shenkin offers a winning combination of speciality coffee and rustic, home-style meals that take inspiration from the owner’s Israeli background.
Once you’ve scored a stool overlooking Darling Street, kick your day off with their signature big breakfast that replaces sourdough with pita bread, adds tang to your eggs with a dash of labne and matches salmon and avocado with a zesty Israeli salad. Embrace a vegetarian diet for lunch and order the shakshuka. This popular dish takes gently poached eggs and lets them swim happily in a seven-hour slow-cooked sauce of capsicum, tomato and garlic. Add cauliflower, eggplant and halloumi, or chorizo to your side of pita, and you’ll be on one hell of a flavour ride.
If you’re all about the coffee, order a double shot of Shenkin’s blend, which balances bold caramel notes with stone fruit and smooth milk chocolate. And don’t forget to bring a reusable vessel for 50 cents off your daily coffee hit.
