Back Row West

Back Row West is a sleek spot on the sixth floor of the AON Building. The name is a nod to the area’s maritime history, when this part of Kent Street was referred to as Back Row West.

The cafe is bright and light, decked out in caramel-coloured wood panelling and a chain-mail-style wall. There are huge windows at the back with a great view over heritage buildings behind, and some sunny seating outside along Kent Street. There’s also a mini boardroom set up in one corner with a round table and AV equipment that can be booked for free.

The menu is short; there are less than a dozen options each for breakfast and lunch. Mornings offer healthy dishes; acai or avocado smoothie bowls; orange-blossom porridge; protein hotcakes; and (of course) smashed avo on sourdough. For lunch, the American cheeseburger is pink in the middle, served on a soft milk bun and oozing tangy pickles and Marie Rose sauce. Other options include a tuna poke bowl, gnocchi, lamb ragu and crisp-skin salmon.

Breads are from Sonoma or the organic Infinity Bakery and are reliably excellent, especially a crunchy potato roll filled with five-spice lamb, haloumi and kohlrabi.

There’s a huge juice bar with fresh fruit overflowing onto the counter, or you can go for a heartier smoothie, made with organic plant protein, bee pollen, activated buckwheat and cacao butter.

For something stronger try the Brisk Cucumber (apple, cucumber and vodka).