67 Union Street Deli

Part deli, part cafe, part homewares boutique and part home (at least it feels like it), 67 Union St Deli at McMahons Point puts such a focus on welcome - especially to those with kids in tow - it's tempting to move in.

Owners Gareth Elliot and Emily Witte previously worked at Palm Beach's The Boathouse, and have brought a similar sense of low-key chic to their new lower north shore spot. They have painted the two-storey space bright white and filled it with large communal tables, flowers and potted plants, and stylish linen cushions and throws that also happen to be for sale.

Tucked into a little strip of boutiques and shops on a pretty stretch of Union Street, the two-geared menu offers all-day brunches on weekends and an expanded choice of takeaway salads and sandwiches in the week. A deli counter is filled with fresh produce.

Arriving on a Saturday morning, it's clear real estate is at a premium. Thirty-something couples and young families share space at the large tables upstairs and down, while others balance on stools or wood-topped milk crates (will the crate trend ever stop?) on the footpath at the front.

The all-day menu, listed on a blackboard behind the counter, where orders are placed, changes regularly. It is short but appealing: fluffy eggs with bacon and sourdough, bacon and egg rolls, avocado and heirloom tomatoes on toast, along with later-in-the-day options such as kale, cucumber and avocado salad, burgers and pulled pork with apple slaw. There is no kids' menu, but the kitchen will prepare a scaled-down plate of any dish on request.

With a menu this simple, the focus is on good-quality ingredients and presentation. A fruit salad arrives in a jar, first layered with sweet, thick yoghurt and pureed strawberries, with sliced fruit arranged sculpturally on top and a little pot of leatherwood honey on the side. A glossy brasserie bread brioche bun arrives in a basket (perfect for catching drips), stuffed with a fried egg, crisp bacon, rocket and aioli.

The ''fluffy eggs'', meanwhile, arrive scrambled, peppery and, indeed, fluffy, in a tiny frying pan on a wooden board with toasted sourdough and a generous pile of bacon alongside - so generous, in fact, we can't finish it. It is good, but a little awkward to eat, and we find ourselves eating eggs, bacon and toast separately. A plate of rye toast spread with crushed avocado, red and yellow heirloom tomatoes, and persian feta is a popular order, especially with an optional fried egg on top.

The Single Origin Roasters Reservoir blend coffee is very good, with Elliot at the La Marzocco turning out silky, full-bodied lattes. A single-origin bean is also on rotation, best enjoyed with an Aeropress filter.

Designing their cafe, the duo has made clever use of the old building's nooks. A small room with an adjoining half-wall off the main dining area downstairs is filled with toys and a blackboard for a playroom, while a window seat-sized hollow in another wall is turned into more seating with a tiny wooden crate for a table and an inviting, ''Yes, you can sit here'' sign. It might be even more appealing to kids than the playroom.

And just try to get them out the door without spotting those enormous jars of marshmallow and chocolate freckles on the counter. Good luck.

THE LOW-DOWN
THE PICKS BACON AND EGG ROLL; AVOCADO TOAST WITH HEIRLOOM TOMATOES AND FETA
THE COFFEE SINGLE ORIGIN ROASTERS
THE LOOK LOW-KEY, WHITE-PAINT-AND-WOOD CHIC
THE SERVICE PERSONAL, WELCOMING AND CHATTY