South Australia’s specialty coffee scene looks very different to the one that existed a decade ago. Roasters like Elementary Coffee are outgrowing their Young Street premises.
Cartel Coffee Roasters are all about paying fair and fostering long term committed relationships across their supply chain. They are constantly pushing the envelope in terms of transparency and sustainability.
Cartel Coffee Roasters
If you’re a coffee lover you’ve probably heard of Cartel Coffee Roasters. They are a small, family-run coffee shop that specializes in pour-overs and coffee beer. They are located in the hippest part of town, Kinning Park, and their coffee is roasted on site. Their staff is very friendly and helpful. They also have a great selection of food, including gluten-free sandwiches.
Their story started when Jason and Amy Silberschlag were looking for a career that would allow them to socialize with their community while providing them with a decent salary. They were unable to find a job that fit their qualifications, so they decided to start a coffee business. They hoped that it would be a fun, lighthearted, and somewhat fantasy-like endeavor, but they quickly realized that running a coffee shop and roasting their own beans was no easy task.
Cartel Coffee Lab was founded on the idea of fostering community through coffee. They believe that every cup of coffee tells a story and is the culmination of the hard work of farmers, importers, roasters, and baristas. They source their coffees from suppliers who ensure sustainable farms and fair wages. They also strive to improve the quality of their products through innovation and cooperation with their producers.
If you’re in the area, stop by and try some of their delicious drinks. They have an excellent selection of cold brew, and their espresso is really good. Their prices are a little high, but it’s worth it for the delicious drinks!
Ocean Grind
Since 2013, Torquay-based Ocean Grind has been roasting and supplying coffee to homes, cafes and businesses along the Surf Coast. The cafe is a popular place to visit and the team are passionate about their product. Their coffee is made using high quality beans and the menu features a selection of tasty food options from Yam Daisy Blends and That Place Patisserie. The team has a strong sustainability ethos and recently ditched single-use cups. Instead, customers receive a discount if they bring their own reusable cup and there is a donation-based mug library for those who forget. There are also a variety of home coffee-making equipment available for purchase, including stovetop percolators and Aeropresses.
6sense keeps track of 0 – 9 employees at Ocean Grind.
Elixir Coffee
Coffee has a complicated history. From a revered beverage to the elixir of gods and a catalyst for rebellion, it has been banned, demonized, and lauded. But, despite its controversial past, there’s no doubt that coffee continues to excite and inspire us. From the enchanting aromas to its powerful health benefits, there’s something magical about this drink.
According to the company’s website, Elixir is a new type of beverage “extracted with sound waves.” The beverage was created in Sydney, Australia, by entrepreneur Lee Safar, and launched in Los Angeles at Copa Vida Coffee in Pasadena in early June. Safar has been coy about explaining how the drink is made, and Eater was unable to reach her for further explanation.
Despite the mysterious process of creating the beverage, Safar says that the method isn’t important and that the most important aspect of Elixir is how it tastes. She believes that removing the technical process allows consumers to experience the beverage without any preconceived notions, which will lead them to a more authentic experience. The company offers four different single-origin coffees. Their staff favorite is their Juan Vergara from Ecuador, which has notes of jasmine, starfruit and fruit punch. They also offer their Dandy Blend, a coffee from Ethiopia with flavors of chocolate and caramel. Elixir also has a chaga-infused coffee, which is caffeine-free and features medicinal mushrooms that can improve immunity and reduce stress.
Padre Coffee
Founded in 2008 by Marinus Jansen, Padre Coffee began as a coffee stall at Melbourne’s South Melbourne Market. Since then they have expanded to open locations across the state, with a focus on efficient service and expert staff. A definite crowd-pleaser, this is the place to head for your takeaway latte as you power through a morning of shopping, or to pick up some beans for home.
The Brunswick East location embodies the brand’s down-to-earth approach to coffee. A built-to-order Slayer V3 espresso machine dominates the counter, backed by a selection of grinders and Padre’s seasonal range of single origins. The cafe also offers a plethora of brewing equipment for those looking to expand their at-home arsenal, with advice on navigating brew methods from the team.
Aside from focusing on building a transparent and sustainable supply chain, Padre also works with the community to create projects that benefit their farmer partners. Their Good Coffee Doing Good campaign aims to provide year-round profits for farmers by connecting consumers directly with their producers.
Aside from their own retail offerings, Padre Coffee distributes to an extensive network of café partners and a large number of retailers nationally. The business was acquired by private equity firm Liverpool Partners in 2022, which saw the company merge with long-established specialty roaster Seven Miles Coffee Roasters. Founder and Director of Padre, Marinus Jansen, remains with the company as its director, alongside the existing management team and the entire staff of both businesses.
Dawn Patrol Coffee Roasters
The team at Dawn Patrol Coffee Roasters have a unique cellar door approach to coffee. They operate a tasting room at their location in McLaren Vale (in a former tractor shed) that is open seven days a week to the public and offer guided coffee experiences. They aim to educate customers on the nuances of various varieties, growing regions and processing methods while maintaining high quality and transparency.
Founded in 2014, Dom Ossa and Nick Suggitt are passionate about changing people’s perceptions of specialty coffee. The company has grown from their original shed in Kangarilla to a large shed in Chandlers Hill, sharing space with Watkin Wines. They roast their beans on-site and distribute them wholesale to cafes throughout Adelaide, while also hosting tasting sessions at their location to demonstrate the complexities of coffee and help educate consumers.
We are excited to have this special lot of coffee from Burundi available! This coffee is from the Nyamugari washing station, located at 1792 msl in Gishubi, Gitega Province in central Burundi. The lot is comprised of washed and natural process coffees. This is a balanced coffee that will delight however you brew it, with notes of apricot and caramel. This coffee is the perfect example of how transparency and traceability can make a big difference!
Hark Coffee
Hark Coffee was founded at the end of 2018 by Sam McKay and Theo Engela (who co-owns Chaffey Bros Wine Company). The pair were already involved in Adelaide’s cafe scene, and saw a trend towards light-roast coffee as being the next big thing. But light-roast wasn’t to everyone’s taste, and Sam was looking for a point of difference that would attract dark-roast drinkers to their business. A fluid-bed roaster – preferred by aficionados – was the answer.
The pair’s café and roastery are located on Duthy Street in Malvern. They offer a range of coffee beans, including those from Brazil, Peru, and Papua New Guinea, via Victorian supplier Southland Merchants, which cultivates personal relationships with farmers. They also stock the Australian-built, Aussie-made grinders that they use to make their own blends and single-origin coffees.
In addition to their coffee, Hark also produces bean-to-bar chocolate. Theo uses the same roasting process for cacao as he does for his coffee, aiming to highlight the farming practices and processing methods of cacao growers through the flavours in the final product.
A new collaboration with local brewery Shapeshifter Brewing Company has seen a coffee-flavoured beer launched. The Shot in the Dark Coffee Stout is a full-bodied stout made with a blend of coffee from Hark, and it’s available at selected retailers.