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Sydney Unleashed

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Social Hideout, Waterloo

Social Hideout, Waterloo

Waterloo is a busy, inner-city suburb which is growing at a rapid rate. With the increase in population comes a bunch of hip new eateries for locals to enjoy.

One of the suburb’s most colourful would surely have to be Social Hideout…it may in fact be Sydney’s most inviting café. The interiors are utterly dazzling and filled with a whopping 17,000 flowers, indoor hanging gardens, greenery and flower walls. It’s the perfect inner-city sanctuary where you can escape the grind and forget about all your problems.

But what about the food? It too is aesthetically stunning – we didn’t spot a single person not taking snaps of their food as it hit the table. Each dish is uniquely colourful and really enhances the decor (and vice versa). The menu features hints of influence from both Japanese and Mediterranean cuisine with a playful take on some traditional elements.

For breakfast, the Avocado Smash is hard to fault. With poached eggs, cherry tomatoes, Danish fetta, dukkah, basil and target beetroot on sourdough, this one had us licking the plate clean. For something more colourful, the Bright Purple Taro Hotcakes are the pinnacle. With pink pitaya, black sesame, mango cubes, berries, mint and vanilla ice-cream, topped with a vibrant taro sauce, these are plastered across Instagram feeds everywhere.

An honourable mention goes to the Red Velvet Benedict – an exciting upgrade from your usual Eggs Benny – with poached eggs, pulled pork, kale and asparagus and the addition of red ingredients, pomegranate and beetroot hollandaise served on a red-velvet croissant, to which it owes its name.

For lunch, served after midday, there’s the Drunk Ragu with slow-cooked, perfectly tender beef ragu and pappardelle in a deliciously rich tomato and red wine sauce. Another highlight is the Lil’ Bao Bao filled with pulled harissa Moroccan lamb, kale slaw, cucumber and zesty lime mayo. There’s even a Shnoop Doggy Dog bowl and a Puppacino – yes, they are pooch-friendly too.

Drink-wise, there are plenty of cold options and juices, smoothies and shakes to satisfy while the coffee is roasted by local favourite, The Grounds, so you know you’re getting a good quality brew. We found Social Hideout to be quite an amazing café. The combination of great food, stunning interiors, and friendly staff make this place a true floral fantasy oasis – a must-visit!

Social Hideout
Shop 4/5, 25-33 Allen St, Waterloo
Open until 3:30pm daily

Sydney Unleashed is one of Australia’s premier entertainment publications exploring the latest in lifestyle trends. From Sydney’s finest restaurants, cafes and bars to the hottest in gadgets, products, and home entertainment, Sydney Unleashed is your one-stop lifestyle platform.