Jardin St James - Sydney

Best coffee in Sydney. Jardin St James alternate their coffee offerings regularly which are high quality and brewed to perfection by their talented barista. The food is great value for money and the setting and service is superb. I've introduced many friends to this cafe...More

Was at Jardin today, but didn't find all the French food from the other reviewer a few post below. Only had a sandwich or some pastry available. We got some nice coffee and a great scenery. Sandwich was good and service was excellent but was hoping to order a little more.

If you haven't been to Montmarte, Paris-take a trip to Jardin. St. Mary's Cathedral replaces the Basilique du Sacre Cœur, the Museum Station replaces Abbesses Metro....so come along, drink one of the best coffees in Sydney or champagne and/or enjoy a quick snack or lunch with a taste of France and Australia. If you're lucky, you'll see the court lords wearing short wigs, too!

Sydney is not lacking in fine coffee, but Jardin St James stands out for its smooth, luscious Colombian coffee. The cafe also serves crispy, delicious proper French pastries. By that I mean small, flaky, buttery croissants and pain au chocolate, rather than the super-sized, soggy excuses for pastries you so often encounter. Their baguettes are delicious-really crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, with generous fillings of chicken, pulled pork or beef. The setting is lovely-in the grounds on the oldest church in Sydney; the Francis Greenway designed St James. You can sit and people watch or admire the Hyde Park Barracks (also designed by Greenway) and the plethora of other interesting sites in this historic part of Sydney. I highly recommend Jardin St James, it is an elegant respite in the bustle of Sydney.

We were here for a celebratory long lunch and our dining experience at Jardin was really pleasant. We were greeted warmly and settled comfortably in one of the outdoor tables. The staff and the food were authentic French. We ordered a Tuna Nicoise salad, Croque-Madame, salmon en cocotte, Gratin Dauphinois and desserts. The outstanding dish of the day was definitely the salmon en cocotte! The salmon skin was crispy and it was served in a le creuset mini cocotte. The dreamy creamy potato gratin was an excellent side dish. This is a good French cafe and we found the service and food was outstanding!