In Short: Bar Emilio’s in Drummoyne combines fantastic milk based coffees and espresso with a jam packed menu. All food is prepared by Emilio and his team. For a quick sandwich on the run, I recommend the haloumi sandwich. If you can linger a little longer, you can’t go past the beef burger.
Inspired by the laneway culture in Melbourne Emilio Paneetta has created his own little piece of Melbourne in Drummoyne. Bar Emilio’s occupies a lane adjacent to the Da Vinci centre on Victoria Road.
Emilio has taken what was once a run down food outlet and transformed it and the laneway into a pleasing and welcoming space with good coffee and selection of house made meals.
On most mornings which usually start around 4:30am, Emilio and his team of 1, can be found preparing the sauces, dressings, and salads for the day. To see what comes out of the tiny preparation space is just amazing. With just a sandwich press, and hot plate, diners can feast on amazing burgers, steak sandwiches, lasagnas and health bowls.
We start out lunch by downing a Flat White. Here at Bar Emilio’s they have kept it local. He sources his beans from Chatswood based roaster Grand’Cru. We love that in Sydney, cafes can strike up a relationship with roasters and really dial in a flavour through using a blend, that delivers milk coffees that pleases. I loved the chocolate notes of my flat white, and the nice strength of the coffee. It was creamy and smooth with a satisfying sweet caramel finish.
We got in before the lunch rush, so it was only a few minutes before the food started to pile up on our table. Sammi of course, found the best looking Beef Burger ever! The patty is a house made patty, which is cooked to perfection. Caramelised and crisped outer, and tender and slightly pink in the middle. It is encased in a soft bun and accompanied by perfectly melted cheese, a bbq mayo, caramelised onions and freshened up with cos lettuce and sliced tomatoes. It was satisfying for our little one, and the big kids were able to sneak in a couple bites as well and it was truly enjoyable.
Breaking up the meat options was a Haloumi Sandwich. This was my choice as halloumi is one of my favourites! Usually a haloumi with its salty, briny overpowers all other flavours yet with this sandwich at Bar Emilio’s I was a big fan of the balance! I am guessing that the haloumi was a milder flavoured cheese, and it worked really well with with roasted pumpkin, beetroot hommus. The ingredients are wedged between two slices of linseed bread and really adds hit of texture.
For the meat lover it is hard to go past the Steak Sandwich. Tender fillets of scotch filled was complemented by caramelised onions, garlic aioli and melted cheese. Like the beef burger the combination of perfectly cooked meat with melted cheese is just the perfect combination. The leavened texture of Turkish bread absorbs the juices of the steak and combined with the aioli is delicious.
Finally, I get to witness the team put together a The Bean Salad. It’s a bowl filled with vitality and textures. A bean mix is accompanied by wedges of tomato, edamame, corn, sweet potato. It’s bursting with flavour with the sweet potato providing the fuel and the injection of protein from the beans ensure that the reserves that may have been depleted by vigorous exercise prior to a visit to Bar Emilio’s is replenished.
We departed Bar Emilio’s incredibly satisfied and delighted. Another reason to be excited by the experience was that, I know now that when I cross the Gladesville Bridge and drive through Drummoyne, I can count on Bar Emilio’s to sate any coffee cravings I may have. A welcoming smile and a menu that has got a lot of love put into it, makes a cafe that definitely worth dropping into if you’re anywhere near Drummoyne.
*Coco and Vine dined as guests of Bar Emilio’s and AGFG However, all opinions and photos are our own.
Leave a Reply