Marmalade & Soul

This former pub's soggy beer mats and sticky carpet have given way to a stylish yet homely cafe decorated with knick-knacks from nanna's kitchen. They've kept the liquor licence though: all the better for impromptu champagne breakfasts. Chef Raymond Capaldi has had fun with a menu that combines traditional and modern, and luckily staff are more than happy to decipher dishes with names such as Chick 'O' Roll and M&S Honey and Oats Granola 'Bix'. More straightforward is a Veneziano Estate long black ($3.50), well rounded with smoky, spiced flavours and an almond finish. Sticky carpet out, Raymond Capaldi (Hare & Grace, Fenix) in, with a reimagined Chiko Roll (pastry-wrapped chicken mousse with roasted tomatoes and garlic jam): a North Fitz pub reborn as a food-focussed cafe.