In Short: Intra Coffee is located in one of Canberra’s most beautiful suburbs, Campbell. Their coffee is outstanding and their menu is well thought out, uncomplicated, delicious, and topped with super friendly service. Whether you are looking for a place to just chill out, get some work done or get some take-away, Intra Coffee has you covered.
The honour being the first café and eatery to be opened at the fast developing Campbell 5 precinct goes to Intra Coffee. For an ex-Canberran, it was a challenge navigating the maze like precinct to find Intra. My tip, turn off Anzac Parade onto Constitution, making sure you’re in the left lane and immediately make a left onto Anzac Park and you will be very close!
Intra popped up on Coco and Vine’s Instagram feed very recently, so I popped it on our must visit list for this trip down to Canberra. On a crisp, cold morning we stepped into Intra and were instantly blown away with the fit-out.
Co-owners Nick Wood and Sean Baker have been inspired by the Japanese minimalist functional style and this is clearly visible in the décor of Intra Coffee. It’s clean and simplistic with a monochromatic colour scheme. The polished concrete beams and metal chairs exude class and refinement. Grey distressed walls contrast with the white ceilings and black wood furniture that is strategically placed to create a clean, spacious, yet comfortable atmosphere for customers. From the high-stooled bar with a row of power points, for those who want to multitask, to the long bench at the front of the counter for customers awaiting their takeaway orders, you can tell that Intra Coffee has definitely placed their customer’s needs first. The aim is clearly to deliver the ultimate experience in casual café dining environment.
My favorite part of the café has to be the dramatic black wood counter topped with a contrasting white coffee grinder and coffee machine. Its behind this counter that the barista works his magic and delivers some of the best coffee to be found in Canberra.
A creamy cappuccino gets me going. I love how silky smooth the cap is with the heady injection of coffee flavour for a nice hit. There’s notes of milk chocolate and berry, but the acidity is subtle and barely tingles on the palate. It’s a beautiful coffee that is just too good to savour slowly. If you’re like us, you’d down one and order another one straight away!
The minimalist and clean philosophy at Intra Coffee does not only apply to the café decor, but also to the food as well, as the focus here is simple, uncomplicated food with classic flavor combinations that work so well together. There is only a handful of items on the menu, but they are all popular ones and all have a distinctly Intra Coffee difference in every bite.
Jamon ham is a prized ham from Spain and boasts of a rich, meaty, melt in your mouth flavour. With Intra Coffee’s Jamon Ham Roll, you’re not in for your regular ham and cheese sandwich. There are generous pieces of paper thin, ruby red, perfectly marbled Jamon ham, served with pickles and cheese, then sandwiched between a soft hamburger bun. With each bite, you get the nutty, sweet, and salty flavours of the ham, which work oh so well with the sharp, slightly crunchy pickle and creamy flavours from the cheese. Portion sizes are spot on too!
Intra Coffee also has two types of Jaffles on their menu. The humble jaffle is one on my favourite food inventions, you get all those yummy fillings packed into a toasty pillow and never have to worry about it spilling out onto your Sunday best! Because Little Coco and Viner Sammi loves eating pizza, she was determined to try Intra’s Pizza Jaffle. Inside, there’s salami, cheese and tomato, all working to delivery on that pizza promise. It’s almost like eating a calzone. It definitely is a crowd pleaser and her parents did not mind a couple nibbles at the jaffle as well.
As for me, I love my Asian flavours, especially Kimchi with its spicy, sweet, vinegary pickled notes. Not to mention a healthy does of lactobacilli, found in most fermented foods. That why I absolutely had to try Intra Coffee’s Kimchi Jaffle. With each bite, you get the flavours of the delicious spicy vegetables, pickled to give it a zing and buzz, mixed with melty cheese. When the filling is this good, jaffle is definately the way to go, as you’d never want to risk wasting any morsel of it.
Washing the sandwiches down with a warming bowl of Miso soup, you can taste the sweet, salty, umami flavours in every sip,but it’s never overpowering. Its a delicate flavoured soup with pieces of tofu and Wakame seaweed, which completely fits in with Intra Coffee’s clean and simple food philosophy. Served with toast, it could be a delightful meal if you are looking for a something light and comforting.
If you are not quite in a mood for sandwiches, perhaps Intra Coffee’s Granola with poached pear and seasonal fruits might be more up your alley. Served in a beautifully blue speckled bowl, an array of colorful fruits are presented on top of a bed of delicious crunchy granola. The fruits don’t just add colour, the sweetness from the strawberries and the tartness of the blueberries, along with soft, spicy flavours from the perfectly poached pear, make this equally as delicious to eat as to look at…it also helps that it’s just so healthy too!
I couldn’t leave Intra Coffee without trying one last coffee. I had to taste the pourover and I’m sure glad that I did. Presentation was immaculate with the beautiful amber liquid sitting next to a cute ceramic cup in keeping with the Japanese aesthetic. I loved the intensity of flavour from the Ethiopian beans. A sip revealed the floral notes and the bright mouth feel with flavours of blueberries.
You can tell that a lot of thought and love has gone into Intra Coffee, and the owner and team are dedicated to delivering the best possible café experience. Despite only having been opened for a short while, it’s style and service are sure to see it make a mark on the Canberra coffee scene for years to come.Watch this space.
Bianca@forfoodssake says
Everything looks so dainty and well thought out. Love love love the homewares! The cups!!!! Gorg!