What’s in a break? Sugar and Spice Cafe

What is what’s in a break?

It is the patch of cyberspace where I share with you my favourite places, my favourite foods and favourite things (who am I, Oprah?) from my 80 minutes of break-time (aka rest-pause) a day.

Let us begin with where I spend majority of my breaks (and all my pre-work city time)…

Like Boston had Cheers, Brisbane has Sugar and Spice. It is a place where everybody knows my name…and better still, my order.

I’ve frequented this delightful little coffee shop (situated on Adelaide Street, near Anzac Square) twice daily for about three years and it has become a warm, comforting place of refuge from the cold hell of retail.

The core staff, there currently are four, are all lovely, entertaining and always up for a chat. They also have possibly the best memories I have ever born witness to. During a morning rush there could be 40 people (that’s insane considering it’s size) loitering about at any one time; of these 40, 35 would be regulars and what each one drinks is emblazoned on every member of staff’s mind.

The food and coffee is also delicious which is quite possibly the biggest draw card. Nothing says good morning like a fresh slice of corn toast slathered generously with butter washed down with your favourite coffee. When feeling rich aka on payday, I also recommended a bacon and egg wrap. They make me happy. They change their specials daily so I encourage you to be adventurous and take the staff’s advice when they give it (which is how I discovered the wrap).

The soundtrack is also awesome, but I think that has more to do with the sweet musical tastes of the core-four baristas. One miserable pre-flood morning (we live in Queensland…too much rain makes us sad), they decided to crank some Bohemian Rhapsody…I was encouraged to sing along. I cannot describe the joy of a coffee shop sing-a-long adequately, nor can I advise you to try to start one enough.

The thing I enjoy the most about Sugar and Spice is that on a shit morning I can walk in, give them a wave, pay and keep walking to the end of the counter without uttering a word and know that my coffee will be perfect. They also will try their damndest to make you leave happy…and you do.

I also enjoy that the kind of coffee I drink is named after me (well not originally…but it is now). Some would say this is mildly narcissistic…I would agree.