“Have you been to Cafe Giulia?” Mel asks and when I say no but I’ve heard good things about it, she swings her Mini Cooper across a few lanes and zips up some side streets. “That was very naughty to do that” she says half seriously. Within a few minutes we’ve stopped near Cafe Giulia, famous around Sydney for their meals. “Why exactly is it so famous?” I ask Mel and she replies “The serves are huuuge and the service is wonderful and unpretentious, and that’s from everyone there”. A minor miracle has just occured and I check the ground for signs that hell has frozen over.
Housed in a renovated corner Butcher shop, it’s a large and long space with room out the back for a little courtyard. We’re greeted by a gigantic chalkboard menu and Mel goes through what is good. I have a feeling this a regular haunt of hers and I decide on the Breakfast Special (as a late riser, I love an all day breakfast). Juices are also said to be good so I order one of those. We order and pay at the counter and the staff are friendly – as the sticker on the chalkboard menu says “Campbelltown is for Lovers”.
Beetroot, orange, pineapple and passionfruit juice (left), Pineapple, mint, apple & ginger juice (right) $5.90
Our juices arrive and mine is sweet and delicious. Thankfully ice free and just full of fantastically fresh flavours and it’s a huge, fresh, frothy serve.
Breakfast Special $17.90
My breakfast special arrives and it’s a stack of three corn fritters, poached eggs, bacon, avocado, beetroot & onion jam and a yogurt sauce. The corn fritters are lukewarm (not because of excessive photo taking!) which is a bit disappointing (I like freshly fried corn fritters) and they more pikelety than other corn fritters I’ve had before. The rest of it is very filling though and there’s a lot of bacon and I particularly like the beetroot and onion jam.
Chips $4
The Rosemary and Sea salt chip serving is huge and they’re a tad more cooked that I like and a result a bit dry although this doesn’t stop me from polishing quite a few off.
Burger with bacon and egg $8.90
I don’t try any of Mel’s burger but she has trouble finishing it even though the bun goes untouched. A testament to it’s size methinks. It’s not fancy food, hell sometimes it’s cold, but with such friendly service and fantastic prices and ginormous serves I see why it has become such a hit.
So tell me Dear Reader, what is your weekend morning routine?
Cafe Guilia, Chippendale
92 Abercrombie Street, Chippendale NSW
Tel: +61 (02) 9698 4424
Open Tuesday to Friday 6.30am-4pm
Saturday and Sunday 8am-3pm
Closed Mondays and Public Holidays
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37 Comments | Add your own
Thanks for reviewing this cafe Lorraine! I drive past this place every day on my way to work – now I have to stop in and try it myself! Meanwhile, I’ve heard there is a great Spanish tapas restaurant very nearby – in a side street called Little Queen St and even harder to find…. Perhaps next time you’re in Chippendale….?
Prices don’t look bad considering what you get. I work in the area so might have to drop by sometime for lunch.
Thanks for the heads up about this place
Oh the juices look so fresh! And thanks for mentioning that they’re not full of crushed ice too – I hate it when I have to pay a few bucks more than the bottled juice only to be given with a glass full of ice and most probably half a glass worth of juice. And I’m a strong believer of good customer service too!
No kidding about the size of the meals. Massive. You could just have one meal a day if you ate there!
I LOVE this place. Next time, go for the apple tea and pancakes with strawberries and marscarpone. Fantastic! And the service really is great, this is the kind of place where I could happily spend all morning with the newspaper …. except that they need the tables!
I drive past on the way to work every day too. I wonder is the coffee any good? (By the way, your pics are terrific).
Oh near my place I will check this one out!
I get up, write and workout.
And is it sad when I saw chippendale I giggled?
Wow, those are pretty big servings! The price is pretty good as well…I’m pretty sure I’ve driven past this place a few times…sounds familiar.
The juices do look nice…and fresh..which is always a good thing. I’m not a fan of ice in juice…it tastes watery otherwise!
Another place I now want to go to…man, Lorraine…you’re making my life hard – I have no money, yet you’re reviewing all these places that I now want to visit!! Grrrrrr… and I mean that in a good way…I think!!
Thanks
Oh that’s a shame about the lukewarm fritters! Such things really do need to be piping hot. With some crispiness.
My weekend morning routine always includes getting up fairly early, eating a banana, hitting the gym, then coming home for a nice relaxing breakfast. Being sick now though, I’m rising very late and lounging around! I could get used to this.
Beetroot juice?!? Sounds like an intriguing idea! And I like the idea of serving corn fritters with bacon.
I usually bake fresh bread on weekends, mostly fluffy cinnamon rolls or an Italian pane al cioccolato.
The breakfast looks lovely, even if a little cool. I like the way it comes with two different sauces.
Wooo I love this place too! Me and my friends had salmon & egg, pasta, and salad that were quite huge as well. It reminds me of good old American diner!
There’s alot of cafes that I like, but I’m quite happy with The Sideway deli cafe just a street away from my place.
sounds like a great value place to eat. i’ve heard of this place reviewed before but can’t remember where, perhaps Good Living or some indie e-newsletter? i just had brunch at Cafe Sopra — such great food!
There are a few great places in my area… Bitton in Erskineville is always amazing and perfect for when visitors are in town. La Cachette in Alexandria is relaxed and good for a a quick brekky or grabbing some goodies to take home to enjoy, and Hudson Cafeteria is a great little place for good value bacon and eggs.
m definitely gonna visit here if i get a chance
Beetroot, orange, pineapple and passionfruit juice looking delish also mel’s burger 
hehe
The food looks good, but it’s a tad sad that the food is rather cold. I like my food piping hot, not matter what it is! (Unless it is ice-cream of course
)
morning schedule: coffee and catching up on google reader!
And boy, that first breakfast special really caught my attention with the corn fritters and poached eggs and onion jam and yogurt sauce. WOW!
i really like bobby’s cafe in redfern , the prices are great and the food is great… very close for a USYD-er.. so i tend to go there quite often.. across the road, cafe ella isnt bad if you want more gourmet food from a cafe.. definetly worth the try!
we use to live in chippendale on abercrombie street but never made it to this cafe! we frequented ‘little bit on the side’
That place looks quite nice. One of those stable places where you know you can get a decent feed.
Our morning routine varies a bit but we are also fans of the all day breakfast. Nothing better than eating poached eggs at 1pm
Who doesn’t love an all day brekky? Your breakfast special looks absolutely delicious! Shame that the corn fritters weren’t hot though
Weekend morning routine is usually get up, make a cup of tea, make some banana oats, drink a coffee (picked up by boyfriend!), blog, check blogs and news on the net then exercise
. Shame about the cold fritters!
With great service, that’s too bad that the food is kinda of so-so. The juices look very refreshing, though. Very interesting combination of flavours.
I think brunch is quite possibly my favorite meal…ever! After seeing those perfectly poached eggs, I’m off to make some of my own!
been driving past this place for the last 5 yrs to go to work, i’ve never realised it was there till i read this! checked it out on the weekend. didn’t like my beef burger. the juices were fresh and nice.
Oh how I love an all day breakfast! I can rarely go past the ‘big breakfast’ or bacon & eggs (always scrambled).
My weekend morning routine is a cup of tea or 2 with sugar (Equal on weekdays *sigh*), followed by soft boiled eggs with soldier toasts (it feels so wrong eating cereal on a weekend!), then dance class (Sat) or housework (Sun)!
I love a weekend breakfast! My favourite is Cafe Muse in Summer Hill. I love their French toast and their coffee is hard to beat!
They do great salads there! It’s a great little place.
you can’t go wrong with an all day breakfast. also, i love the hand-written chalkboard menu–awesome place!
The weekend ritual is hubby getting the papers and me a large skim cappuccino. The best bacon and egg rolls are from Eumundi Smokehouse at Eveleigh Markets Saturday and Marrickville Community centre markets on Sundays. I also had pretty good eggs benedict with bacon from Cafe Sofia in Erskineville. Also you can’t beat Cafe Campos on Missenden Road at Newtown (right near the Marly Hotel).
i’ve been here once and i love it. i left the place that time contentedly full and i was fascinated watching the chefs in the kitchen do their thing! each dish that came out of the kitchen was so delectable!
If you visit Giulia again, you must try the Belgian waffles. They are amazing. Very rich and sweet so i suggest sharing it.
Hi Robert-Oh wonderful! And thankyou too for the tip-I do love these insider tips!
Hi Simon-Prices are great, you don’t often see prices like that in Sydney! You’re welcome
Hi Trisha-Yes isn’t it annoying when they’re all crushed ice? Yes I think we’re so used to indifferent or rude service here in Sydney that when you get good service you are quite stunned!
Hi Julia-Hehe I think you could!
Hi SydneyGal-Ooh that sounds like a lovely breakfast! I love apple tea and pancakes with strawberries and mascarpone? Stuff dreams are made of! Hehe true!
Hi dennisk-Thankyou so much! Sadly I didn’t try their coffee (the juices were calling hehe
).
Hi Ashley-Wonderful!
Hi Blond Duck-Haha you are too funny! We are used to that name but I guess it is funny!
Hi Liv-yes they are
Yes I like to taste the juice and don’t like my drinks too cold anyway so I usually ask for no ice if I remember. Aww sorry! 
You’re welcome!
Hi Conor-It is isn’t it!
I love a fresh corn cake too. Wow you’re so disciplined! I hope you’re getting better? 
Hi Midge-It’s not bad at all especially mixed in with other juices. Hehe yes everything’s better with bacon
Hi Arwen-Hehe yes I am the sauce queen!
Hi Yas-Yes it’s definitely got that feel to it doesn’t it!
Oooh cool, will try and check that out. Any recs from there? 
Hi Simon-Yes I think a lot of mags and papers have covered it as it’s very popular. Yes it’s great there!
Hi bec-Wow you’ve got it sussed-I like it!
Hi nora-Wonderful! Yes the juices are really good I have to say
Hi ArtemisIII-yes and it wasn’t just because I was taking lots of photos!
Hi Sophia-Haha sounds good! Yes I bet you’d love that one!
Hi Amy-Oh cool that sounds nice, thanks for the recs!
Hi Kylie-Haha what a cute name!
Hi Esz-yes and I think they’re good for fragile people with hangovers
Yes I am too-I hate it when places stop serving breakfast at midday!
Hi Jacq-Indeedy!
I know, if they were hot I would’ve thought it was perfect! 
Hi Madelin-Oh so you are so good! I wish mine were as organised and disciplined!
Hi Palidor-I know, maybe it was a one off. I hope so!
Hi Faith-yes I love a good brunch. I love breakfast for dinner too!
Hi kewpie-Oh what a shame about the burger (I didn’t try that one)
Sorry to hear that but good that the juices were good.
Hi Zam-Yes me too! Breakfast after noon is so civilised! And yes scrambled eggs are my favourite too
You sound like you have a great routine there (and yes something more indulgent on the weekend is the go)!
Hi Anne-They’re great aren’t they! Oh cool, thanks for the recommendation!
Hi Christie-Ahh I should check out their salads
Hi grace-Yes you just can’t can you!
Hi Katrina-Ahh sounds like you definitely have brunch sorted out at your place! I like how hubby gets the papers too!
Hi Panda-hehe that’s wonderful! That’s the way we should all aim to leave a place
Hi Genevieve-Sounds like the pancakes and waffles are both mus trys! Thankyou!
i LOVE this place! =) glad that it found its way to your blog =)
i love their bagels, and always have to have a homemade soda!
we went there twice over the last few days. first day was fantastic. service was a bit slow but the people were so lovely that it didnt really matter. however, the second time, we got attitude from the guy on the till and we got a couple of omlettes that looked like they were nailed to a tree in a bush fire. very disappointing.
I love this place, and go every morning, sometimes twice a day…..I am very lucky to work around the corner. Stefan is such a lovely guy, so friendly too….I often get into big foodie conversations with him after I go down for a mid afternoon snack, then look at my watch and race back to work after I realize I have been out of the office for over half an hour
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