A good breakfast always goes down better in a good location, and a literal stone's throw from the water in Warners Bay is bloody good as far as locations go. That's where you'll find Hippo Espresso, once a hidden destination known and loved solely by locals until those locals showered it with votes during the 2024 run of the Toby's Estate Local Legends competition. Now Hippo Espresso proudly stands as one of the most loved cafes in the entire state of NSW and owner Aaryn Algie, a hospo veteran of two decades, couldn't be prouder. So what landed Hippo Espresso in the top spot? It could be something in the menu. With a breakfast and lunch offering seven days a week, the menu highlights have to be the breakfast wraps with scrambled egg, hash browns, bacon, spinach and tomato relish; the beloved acai bowl with unlimited toppings; or the sizeable omelette that's described as an egg pizza with the lot by Algie. Come lunchtime, you can get a mix of Aussie and Asian-fusion treats ranging from steak sandwiches and bacon and mushroom carbonara to sticky pork belly bites and pork and prawn nasi goreng. Wash that down with coffee, smoothies, or frappes (that you can order as alcoholic if you're dining in). With variety like that, a top-notch spot by the water and a clientele that includes the likes of local Matildas players, no matter how you shake it, you're set for a good time at Hippo Espresso.
