Single O Surry Hills ★ 4.6
Specialty coffee anchor on Reservoir Street, Surry Hills, Sydney. Coffee flights, simple breakfast bowls, the city's longest-running specialty espresso bar.
Order: Filter flight with a sourdough toastie.
History
The flat white emerged in Sydney and Auckland in the mid-1980s as a refinement of the cappuccino: less foam, more milk integration, served in a smaller cup. Sydney's Single Origin Roasters (Reservoir Street, 2003) and Toby's Estate (Pyrmont, 1997) refined the modern Australian espresso style around it. Howard Schultz adopted the flat white at Starbucks in 2015, sealing its global travel. The drink remains the morning anchor of every Sydney cafe.
Common allergens: Dairy
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 18-20g freshly ground specialty coffee (medium-light roast, espresso fineness)
- 150ml whole milk, cold
- Filtered water for the espresso machine
Method
- Brew a double-shot ristretto: 36g espresso yield over 25-30 seconds.
- Pour the cold milk into a stainless steaming jug, filling to one-third.
- Insert the steam wand just below the surface, full steam, until you hear a soft tearing sound; then submerge fully and heat to 60-65 degrees Celsius.
- Tap the jug on the bench to release large bubbles; swirl until the milk is glossy.
- Pour the milk into the espresso from a height of 5cm; lower the jug close to the cup as the cup fills to bring up the micro-foam circle on the surface.
- Aim for a thin 5mm layer of foam, no peaks; serve at once.
Tip from the editors. The flat white needs micro-foam, not cappuccino foam: a thin glossy texture you can pour latte art with, but with less air than a cappuccino.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Where to eat flat white
Flat White in Sydney
Reuben Hills ★ 4.5
Latin American brunch and roastery on Albion Street, Surry Hills, Sydney. The Colombian arepa, huevos rancheros and single-origin filter coffee.
Order: Huevos rancheros or the Colombian arepa.
Paramount Coffee Project ★ 4.5
PCP on Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills, Sydney serves rotating roasters and a Pasi Petanen-trained breakfast menu inside the old Paramount Studios building.
Signature drink: Single-origin espresso
Mecca Coffee ★ 4.5
Specialty roaster at the Cannery in Alexandria, Sydney. Paul Geshos's roastery has supplied Sydney's specialty cafes since 2007; tasting flights at the bar.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Colombia, Kenya, Indonesia
How they serve: Espresso, Filter, Whole bean retail, Subscription
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