sydneycafes.com.au
Cool & Friendly Cafe & Bar
Address: Shop 2, 143 Curlewis St, Bondi
Phone: (02) 9365 5588
Hours: Tuesday to Friday 7am to 11pm; Saturday 8am to 11pm; Sunday 8am to 10pm
With a warm vibe just like entering an old friend’s house, Bondi FM café felt immediately comfortable as soon as we stepped through the door. It’s a place that’s cool without trying, exuding a laid back atmosphere while paying enough attention to make sure everyone is happy.
We settled in with a cup of ‘the Little Marionette’ coffee, easily worth visiting Bondi FM café for that alone, initially installing ourselves in Bondi FM’s back yard which is borrowed from the neighbouring restaurant during the day. However with the sun rapidly heating things up (after three days of rain), we moved to a shadier outside area near the bar and DJ booth, better to enjoy listening to the live broadcast DJ spin some chillin' beats while we soaked up the relaxed vibe.
Bondi FM is the only radio-station-café combination in Australia, following the lead of "radio cafes" in places as far flung as Cape Town, New York and even somewhere in Serbia. It’s a winning combination and being only two blocks from Bondi Beach, is planted in a heavenly location to boot.
Just before starting our seconds cups of coffee, a fellow luncher came over to mention that a member of the Wu Tang Clan had wandered in. I later asked if they have a lot of celebrity walk-ins and was informed that they’re mostly visited by local musos seeking air time to plug their latest album, rather than a constant influx of out-and-out celebs. After all, the Bondi FM Cafe is the perfect radio station to promote your CD as the door is pretty much always open!
Constantly reaching thousands of locals and up to 4000 online listeners at any single moment, Bondi FM has been on air for almost a decade and a half. The café is a younger addition with the premises at Curlewis Street opening in July this year. Even more recently, the Bondi FM Cafe was granted a bar license, so they now offer a select range of premium wines and spirits for those evenings where you want a few quiet drinks with friends. Count them in as a member of the "small bar" craze that is improving life for many Sydneysiders.
Not only have they put heart and soul into the radio station, there is spirit and funk to be found in their menu as well. Chef Corby-Sue Neumann delivered plates piled high with funky falafel salad, Irie chilli, 88 (chicken salad) and the rock’n’rolla (big breakfast) - this is a chef who's passionate about the freshness and zest of her craft. It’s a passion your palate bears witness to, if the rate the food disappeared is anything to go by.
The unique mix of music, environment and food is one to be experienced first hand. If I lived in the area, Bondi FM Café would definitely be a regular haunt.
- text by Jane Louise & pics by Stewart Dawes.
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