First Look: Mecca Coffee’s New Shop Is a Cave of Design Wonders

The espresso machine sits atop a red marble bar quarried from a single block of dolomitic stone from the Pilbara in Western Australia. The earthy material palette of red brick, sandstone and river clay was inspired by the region, home to one of the oldest landscapes and some of the oldest continuous cultures on Earth. Recessed into the ceiling is a striking acrylic dome light custom-made by Domus Vim that shifts colours throughout service. 

Compared with the minimal Scandi fit-outs that have dominated the Australian cafe scene for the past 10 years, Mecca Coffee’s new cafe in the Oxford and Foley precinct in Darlinghurst looks like nothing else in Sydney. Designer Matt Woods (aka Killing Matt Woods) has absolutely killed it on the design front.

“Because we’re partly underground, we asked Matt to embrace the cave-like qualities of the site, to make it feel carved out, dug from the earth,” Mecca Coffee founder Paul Geshos tells Broadsheet. “And the materials had to feel like they’d always been there, drawn from the history of the area.”

Now in its 20th year, it was important for one of Sydney’s most influential coffee roasters to continue standing out. “Trends date,” says Geshos. “And we’re not building this for a season. We’re building it for another 20 years. We wanted the space to feel unmistakably like us, an extension of what we’ve built at Alexandria, rather than something that could be swapped out for any other cafe on the strip.”

In a full-circle moment, one of Mecca Coffee’s original cafe managers, Alex Kum, who helped launch the brand in the early days, has returned to lead the new shop. He brings a wealth of coffee knowledge to the space, which will serve as the roaster’s flagship. “It’s also our first ground-up build in more than 11 years, and will double as a hub for cuppings, training and education,” says Geshos. “It works harder than a cafe alone.”

The team is bound to have its work cut out. Because Mecca Coffee is now the only Sydney roaster with a presence on the strip, it’s set to be a powerful magnet for the surrounding neighbourhood. Try the outstanding blends, producer series single origins and a spiced cold brew in the diminutive 20-seat space, or spill out onto the new pedestrian walkway on Foley Street. Pastries by Iggy’s Bread will be added to the offering in the coming weeks.

Mecca Coffee joins Bourke Street Bakery co-founder Paul Allam’s pizzeria and the Amuro team’s new Japanese wine bar. Esca Group (Aalia, Besa) will open a Japanese Nikkei-inspired restaurant before the end of the year. 

Though the precinct has been marred by constant delays, and it took the shop three years to open, Geshos is happy to finally be serving Darlinghurst. “It’s unpretentious and it’s got real texture, old terraces next to new development, and a genuine mix of people,” he says. “It’s the kind of place where a cafe can become part of the daily rhythm of the street rather than just another stop on it.”

Mecca Coffee Foley Street 

Shop 11/90 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst (enter via Foley Street)

Hours:
Daily 7am–4pm

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@meccacoffee