A Reuben featuring kangaroo pastrami and lemon myrtle mustard can now be part of the daily commute for North Sydney residents and workers, with the opening of Lowkey just two minutes’ walk from the train station.

The slick coffee bar and bakehouse is the second venture from the team behind popular Kirribilli cafe, BTB.

“We’d always talked about opening a smaller venue,” says Adam Brcic, who co-owns both spots with Cameron Votano. “Then this space came up and we thought it had so much character.”

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Unlike many cafes around North Sydney, where office buildings and shopping centres dominate, Lowkey is hidden away, down a pedestrianised alleyway. You can knock back an espresso at a stand-up table, Italian-style, or take a seat and gaze at the outside world through floor-to-ceiling windows. The minimal design features handsome carpentry and a giant bunch of native flowers delivered weekly by a local florist.

As at BTB, native ingredients rule the menu. But, at Lowkey, head chef Toby Cutler (ex-owner of Salvage, Artarmon) has turned his focus to baked goods and sandwiches – all made fresh in-house every morning.

Sweeten up your commute with a brioche doughnut piped with strawberry-gum jam and wattleseed custard. Or try a refreshed version of the classic Baker’s Delight-style bacon and cheese roll with redgum-smoked passata.

“We’re big advocates of educating ourselves and other people about the power of natives,” Brcic tells Broadsheet. “We love seeing people try things they’ve never tried before. Ultimately, we’re hoping to see more natives in more cafes, and the ingredients made more readily available.”

To that end, the toastie menu offers pepperberry pork belly with rosella-pickled onions and burnt apple and Geraldton wax sauce, as well as that Reuben featuring kangaroo pastrami and lemon myrtle dressing.

The drinks menu delivers a native adventure, too. Switch up your regular hot drink for a cascara tea, which, Brcic explains, is “made from the cherry of the coffee plant, which we dry, then brew, just like a normal tea. It’s honey-sweet but with a coffee flavour, and we serve it over sparkling water.

“It’s also part of our commitment to sustainability because it’s a way of making sure more of the coffee plant is used.”

Another option is the wattleseed chai, which the team spent “a year perfecting” at BTB. On a chilly morning, order it warm; in summer, try it over ice.

Lowkey
Shop 7/2 Elizabeth Plaza, North Sydney

Hours:
Mon to Fri 7am–2pm

lowkey.sydney
@lowkey.northsydney