Soma

When Paul Geshos and Sam Sgambellone opened Soma (formerly Mecca Coffee) in an old Gloria Jeans cafe in 2010, it was at the forefront of roasting science and coffee trends, acting as a hub for coffee experimentation and education.

Now with another two stores (both still called Mecca) and beans in some of Sydney’s best restaurants and cafes, it’s still pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and what’s good in the world of coffee.

The Ultimo 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.