Escape the Daily Grind – Cassiopeia

Located just off the main shopping street of Katoomba, nestled between a yogi and a funeral parlour is Cassiopeia. At the bustling Katoomba cafe Cassiopeia, roast master Stu and barista Lachlan are serving up their carefully roasted range of seasonal coffees. Roasting their beans in house 4 times a week, the team is busy meeting the needs of local and visiting lovers of fine coffee.

Zac Suito, a local entrepreneur of Peruvian descent, has always loved good coffee, and has been roasting in the mountains for over 6 years. The green beans come from various co-ops throughout the world and reward the farmers for their quality product by attracting a premium price.

Taking from 3 – 6 months to arrive from their motherlands Kenya, Colombia and Brazil, the roasts are tested on a Saturday after their arrival. Roast master Stu roasts lighter than other roasters due to the product being of such high quality – including the awarded Panama Geisha Coffee grown in the highlands of the Boquete region in the Chiriqui Province of western Panama.

Creatives and suits alike can be found sunning themselves like lizards while imbibing their caffeinated delights. Taxi drivers with taste are seen stopping for their morning shot alongside a wave of parentals after the local school drop off.

Inside you might share your bench seat with the likes of international scriptwriters and directors, a daddy on a date with his daughter sharing milkshakes, life models and painters – a patchwork of the eclectic Blue Mountains community.

In the way of food for your belly, Cassiopeia is not a spot for the ravenous – the menu has been kept simple so as to make your quick stop just that. Choose from a selection of locally produced treats, such as giant biscuits and friands, or Hominy’s Fruit and Nut Toast and Crusty Yeasted Sourdough accompanied by a range of Princess Pantry’s seasonal jams.

Tea lovers haven’t been forgotten and can delight in knowing their tea options are 100% certified organic. And if you want your latte as a soy decaf – you can have that too – at no extra cost.

Whether you are looking for a recharge on your way to see the sights or a break from the daily grind, Cassiopeia may be the stop for you. However, with quality as their focus, you are made welcome to linger a while and simply watch the mélange of passers by.