Imagine you went to see Nanna one day and, to your surprise, she'd opened a cafe in her living room. That's about the same feeling you get when stepping into one of Camperdown's newest cafes, Little Lord. For owners Graeme (ex-Two Chaps) and Jax Alexander, the granny-esque decor is just their style; most of the furniture came from their own home. Opening at the tail-end of 2015 at the former address of Pigeon Ground Records and Clothing, the duo have re-imagined the space into an airy cafe. The 22-seater leaves a spacious impression despite the tiny interior, with roomy seating available, from a comfy couch and chair to a full dining table setup. Every item in the place, including the china, is a throwback. The inner west location was a no brainer for these Newtowners. "Plenty of areas in Sydney have great coffee and food, but the inner west has that unbeatable combo of high quality cafes and really nice people," says Alexander. Simply put. Simple, local goodness is the name of the game here — and it all starts with the coffee. Little Lord is serving up only the best from Sample, and with Head Barista Jos Eastwood (ex-Cafe Shenkin) behind the counter, patrons are sure to get consistently great coffee out of this crew. With a kitchen consisting of only a toaster and a sandwich press, the menu is simple as well. The three cheese toastie ($10) optimises the simplicity of the menu; the buttery brioche is filled with a combination of creamy bocconcini, sharp cheddar and Grana Padano, and packs a tasty, peppery punch while also being incredibly gooey. The gammon and egg toastie ($13) is a fan favourite — and for good reason. The perfectly poached egg and fried gammon is served on crusty sesame seed ciabatta and the homemade charred pineapple relish adds freshness to the entire dish. This star condiment is so loved by patrons that they've starting making huge batches of the stuff. The seasonal, monthly menu is especially vegetarian and vegan friendly, as well as friendly to those who just want to eat good food — all of the meat and eggs are ethically and sustainably sourced from Feather and Bone and the organic bread baked by Two Chaps. Little Lord is committed to the inner west at every turn, making this little cafe already feel like an old-school local joint that even nanna would approve of.
