In Short: Don’t be fooled by its name. The coffee and food is anything but Common. The focus is on familiar food like toasties and noodles but with a slight twist to give it its own signature touch.
Since I don’t know when, we have followed this team of cafe pros as they first started out at The Baron. Then when they opened The Tuckshop followed by Good Fella that sprung up just over 3 years ago, yep we were there, and continue to drop in almost everyday. Now, we’ve learned that these talented alumni are at it again with the Common and we’re here to try out a brew and lunch.
With a little more time on our hands recently, we spent some quality time at Common in Epping sipping a coffee, and grazing on their food offerings. Common goes with a vintage, pared back approach. A distinctive orange door opens into a space that fills with light.
A big common table dominates in the corner, with a few more tables and benches to laze out on.
While The Tuckshop and Good Fella do good things with Single O beans, the boys at Common have gone with another powerhouse Sydney based roaster in Mecca. A Filter Coffee delivers a smooth, refined cup that is light and aromatic. I love the peachy notes and it is definitely easy drinking.
If you are on a health kick or looking for a healthy start to the year like I was, Common’s Green Smoothie would be just the feel good drink you need. Made with coconut water, banana, spinach, pineapple, cucumber and mint, it contains your daily dose of fruits, vegetables and fibre requirement in one drink. With its green colour you may expect a grassy affair, yet, I was surprised by how delicious the drink was, filled with natural sweetness from the fruits.
On the food side of the house, if you are in a mood for something with a kick of Asian flavours, we would recommend the Soba Noodle Salad. The cold soba noodles were refreshing and perfect for a warm summer’s day. At Common the boys have paired the noodles with crunchy slices of fennel, cucumber and snow peas. With the addition of sweet citrusy honeydew, and splashes of tamari dressing, you have yourself a beautiful Asian flavoured salad that is healthy and scrumptious at the same time.
One of little Sammi’s favourite foods is pizza. Little wonder then that she zoomed in on the Pizza Toastie once she saw that on the menu. The toastie incorporated Neapolitan sauce, cheese and hot salami. Instead of a pizza base, the ingredients are encased in slices of rye. The salami packed a punch while the cheese was melty and stretchy. It had the flavour of a great pizza and definitely fills the tummy!
Common’s Avocado Toast is a more than just you run of the mill cafe staple. Slices of avocado are combined with a green mango chutney, sitting atop toasted rye bread. If you’re feeling a little more hungry, We’d recommend a side of poached egg, done to perfection with an oozy centre. I thought the chutney really allowed this avo to transcend the bog standard avo offering. It was zesty and smacked you in the face with its flavour. It really does bring the avo alive!
Epping now has a legitimately good coffee space to hang out at and what’s more they have a delicious array of easy eats to go with the coffee. As a newly opened venue, I am guessing that in time we may see more food offerings, or perhaps a change up to align with the seasons. We will definitely be following Common’s journey and now have an excuse to get off the M2 and drop in.
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