Soma

Mecca Coffee got its start in 2005, when Paul Geshos opened a compact espresso bar in the CBD. This spot arrived six years later, well after barista Sam Sgambellone had come on as a partner at Mecca.

Although the company is now headquartered in Alexandria, this site continues to produce some of the best espresso and filter coffee in town, along with a simple but polished cafe menu with as many options for vegans as for the omnivorous. So that’s bacon and egg rolls; strawberry and coconut yoghurt granola; and house-baked bread for breakfast.

Lunch includes brown rice with roasted beetroot, green beans and raita; and a soba salad with edamame, eggplant and cashew. The house speciality, a saffron, paprika and spiced shakshuka, is available all day.

Some of the in-house coffee explorations have moved over to the Alexandria roastery, but Ultimo still hosts various coffee classes, intensive coffee courses with Coffee Kaizen and sessions with international coffee luminaries.