The Erskineville version of Shenkin is the OG of these family-run eateries that have been popping up around Sydney since 2007. Now running five cafés and two dedicated espresso bars, Shenkin offers a winning combination of speciality coffee and rustic, home-style meals that take inspiration from the owner’s Israeli background. The spot on Erskineville Road is fully licensed and offers breakfast and lunch inside their spacious, family-friendly premises.
Kick your day off with their signature big breakfast that replaces sourdough with pita bread, adds tang to your eggs with a dash of labne, and matches salmon and avocado with a zesty Israeli salad. Embracing a vegetarian diet for lunch won't be a problem with the shakshuka. This popular dish takes gently poached eggs and lets them swim happily in a seven-hour slow-cooked sauce of capsicum, tomato and garlic. Add cauliflower, eggplant and halloumi or chorizo to your side of pita, and you’ll be on one hell of a flavour ride.
Coffee fiends on the go should remember to bring a reusable vessel for 50 cents off their daily caffeine intake.
