Mar-2019
Cortado, Lawson
It was love at first latte at this cool little café in Lawson.
And with the simple, contemporary décor, the quality of the food and friendliness of the staff (and being next door to Bullaburra!) the love was always destined to last.
One of the first cafes to kick-start the coffee and dining renaissance in the village of Lawson, Cortado’s menu comprises sweets, snacks and light meals with a focus on seasonal produce and local suppliers.
The not-quite latte… a cortado coffee.
It’s named Cortado after the Spanish style of coffee – an espresso “cut” (the Spanish translation of cortado) with warm milk and served in a shorter-than-latte-size glass.
You can order one made with Mecca coffee beans (everyone knows Mecca, right? That Sydney coffee stalwart known for its single origin program, which assures direct contact with land owners).
Tasty bites… Brie and jamon croissants.
The small selection of light meals draws on the flavours of Cortado’s sister cafe in Blackheath – Hounslow – which has more of a restaurant feel to its fare. What you’ll find here are very Instagram-able but tasty bites – not your ordinary smashed avo, but food-stylist-formed rosettes of the stuff, garnished with discs of radish and a crunchy Middle Eastern sprinkle; or baguettes with poached chicken, fennel and basil mayo; lush croissants with jamon and brie.
Restaurant feel … Not your ordinary smashed avo at Cortado in Lawson.
If you’re lucky, there’ll be a lemon polenta cake on offer – a moist and not-too-sweet wedge with a consistency that crumbles and dissolves at once in your mouth. But if not, then there’s a lovely glass exhibit of bite-size sweets to add a lip-smack to your macchiato.
And given the cafe’s owner Mike Rathge also has an Italian-French patisserie in Wentworth Falls – Weatherboard – it’s likely we’ll be seeing influences of this other sibling in the sweets department soon.
Lip-smackingly good… Lemon polenta cake.
Rubbing shoulders with some of the Blue Mountains’ best-quality foodie places all in the one spot on Staples Crescent (looking at you, Mesa Barrio, Black Cockatoo Bakery, Maprang Thai and Napoli Corner) it’s safe to say our love affair with Cortado – and Lawson as a whole – will be long-term.
DETAILS
- Address: 1/11 Staples Crescent, Lawson, NSW, 2783
- Contact: info@cortadocafe.com.au
- Web: Cortado’s Facebook page
- Opening hours: Mon–Fri 7am–3pm; Sat–Sun 7.30am–3pm
- Prices: Food $6–$14.50
- Cuisine: Café
- Licensed: No
- Bookings: Possibly when/if it becomes licensed
- Views: No
- Wheelchair access: Yes
- Cards accepted: All cards
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Totally agree. A mid mountains resident for 25+ years we’ve not had coffee This good since two front doors was demolished for the HIGHWAY to come Through.
Tom, nick, belle (the only ones whose names i know) are engaging and like all great baristas remember your coffee of choice after just a couple of visits.
Loving it!!
A breath of fresh air, a cafe, any cafe has been desperately awaited by the Lawson community for way too long. Cortado has delivered and then some. Great coffee. Great atmosphere.
With you on that one @Lynne and @Carolyn! Now we just need something in Bullaburra 😉 We did briefly recently with Ash’s Coffee Creative, but I think the highway had something to do with him and the antique store closing too… (Ash is now serving coffee at Faulconbridge Farm… on the highway again!)