"Welcome to Five Senses Coffee"

Passion is an elusive quality … one of those things that can’t be taught, but which go a long way towards distinguishing a good café from an exceptional one. Fortunately for Sydneysiders, passion is one thing that Anthony Svilicich, joint owner of Le Monde Café, has plenty of.

Anthony teamed up with sister-in-law Renee Byrne three years ago to buy Le Monde in Sydney’s Surry Hills. Within just one year, coffee sales had doubled and Le Monde had firmly established a large and loyal clientele. This is no small achievement in the competitive café market, and speaks volumes about Anthony and Renee’s dedication, hard work and commitment to excellence in everything they do.

Anthony and Renee have surrounded themselves with people who share their passion and perfectionism. Head Barista, Brad, has worked hard to hone his skills and is looking to compete on the professional competition circuit in the near future. Samantha Miller recently joined the team as Head Chef and has a distinguished and coveted culinary background. Samantha has worked under James Privett at CBD Hotel and for the hatted restaurant Three Clicks West. Anthony describes Samantha as “experienced, passionate and creative, with plenty of drive” and his excitement about teaming his passion for coffee with Samantha’s passion for food is obvious.

Earlier this year, Anthony decided he would like to offer his customers a variety of coffees, along with a custom Le Monde blend. It was this decision that led Anthony to 5 Senses Coffee. True to his perfectionist nature, Anthony was determined to get the blend just right. He sipped and slurped his way through an abundance of Single Origin coffees, testing various combinations to create the perfect flavour profile. Anthony attributes Le Monde’s inclusion in the 2009 Coffee Guide (Sydney) to the development of his own custom blend.

Anthony has installed a second grinder which features a Single Origin Programme and is working hard at broadening his customers’ knowledge of coffee, encouraging them to explore their palates and distinguish different flavours in their coffee.

Renee and Anthony have invested in the best equipment for Le Monde, with a 3 group Synesso Sabre and Mazzer Robur grinder taking pride of place on the bench. While Anthony understands the importance of quality machinery and the best beans, it’s encouraging to hear him acknowledge that it takes someone with passion and a love of coffee to create something truly amazing.

The team at Le Monde take care over each coffee they serve, gaining genuine pleasure from making their customers smile. It’s amazing to watch them greet each of their regular customers by name … and by regular, I mean just about anyone who has come in more than a couple of times. There is a real warmth to the interactions between customers and staff.

Le Monde belongs to a rare class of café. It manages to combine excellence in coffee with a friendly and inviting atmosphere, guaranteed to lure you back time and time again. It’s obvious that Le Monde’s star will continue to rise.

Le Monde Café: 83 Foveaux Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010
Opening Hours: 6.30am – 4.00pm Monday to Friday; 7.30am – 2.00pm Saturday; closed Sundays and Public Holidays