One of the most romantic cafes ever.
No need for all of the complexities or drama of a a rom-com.
The two of you meet here.
Everything goes perfectly after that.
* * *
Theeca is a breakfast and lunch cafe.
It is literally on the border of heaven and purgatory -
but the cafe itself is on the heaven side.
The building itself is a long thing triangle where Oxford Street and Burton Street come together at a 30 degree angle.
Oxford Street is grungy commercial awfulness.
Traffic, convenience stores, bars, hole in the wall chintzy restaurants, and a shopping mall with an Aldi and a good gym.
Burton Street is Turn of the Century Darlinghurst with art centers, theatres and housing for creatives that you can't afford.
The intersection on the Burton Street side is 1920's Sydney goes Paris.
Staircases leading downhill in two directions along with balustrades and balconies.
A neo-baroque wrought iron fountain.
Elaborate woodwork gingerbread on classic cottages.
The cafe is on this magical side.
Most of the seating is outdoors on the sidewalk that looks over all this.
The beauty of the location draws a small crowd.
If it is too cold or wet to eat on the sidewalk,
The interior of the cafe is in the basement of the triangular building.
Imagine a basement of an inn in the Netherlands in the 1600's.
The decoration comes close to this.
Because the cafe is on a hill, the basement actually has narrow window views out of the neighborhood below.
You see the cottages, and the fountain and the fresh air.
Beams of sunlight provide rays of warmth on the opposite wall.
Imagine a Dutch 17th century painting of an interior.
All that would be lacking is the hanging rabbit and the arrangement of vegetables.
* * *
How is the food?
We opted for coffee and pastries - even though the kitchen offers cooked breakfasts.
The pastry option is a standard alternative at any Sydney breakfast cafe.
I did a flat white, an orange semolina cake and a Persian cake.
The love of my life did an almond milk latte and a croissant.
The coffee was par for the course - the bland latte-like drinks you get in the US.
The pastries were meritorious.
The two cakes were not at all sweet. The taste was subtle. The execution was solid.
The Persian cake which was flavored with pistachio and cardamom was of particular merit.
Two pastries and a coffee, and I would have been good to go till the late afternoon.
My wife with just a coffee and a croissant ran out of gas earlier and needed a refill.
* * *
But for romance ...
The Theeca was hard to beat.
Bring your hopes and dreams.
If you already sealed the deal last night,
Bring your phones.
Take pictures of yourselves celebrating your wonderful good fortune over breakfast.
The setting will be as beautiful as your love. read more