HAM (Harry and Mario) - Cronulla - Sydney, Australia.

HAM - Harry and Mario

I'll give you guys a  break from my travel posts with more exciting posts about Seoul  to come shortly :)

Even though I live relatively close to Cronulla, I don't frequent the place for breakfast, lunch or dinner as I tend to have a lot of Asian food. I do go to beach for the occasional walk and jog here and there, but rarely eat there cause I find that it is either too expensive or I can make it at home, like the good old bacon and eggs.

Recently, Cronulla has garnered interest among the public, having been mentioned in a few newspaper articles about being the upcoming dining destination, with a number of new establishments opening up. This has suddenly sparked my interest in this place and now I want to try out these restaurants that have been mentioned such as the $10 hot dog, fries and slaw at Old Joe's Restaurant. Yum yum! It's just not all about the beach anymore as a number of great cafes, bars and ice-cream places have opened up.

HAM stands for Harry and Mario, the names of the two brothers/owners of the popular cafe in Cronulla. A small cafe located on the corner of Gerrale Street, not too far from the beach promenade. They are well known for their coffees, both owners having many years of experience in coffee making. The store is filled with customers from the early morning as the locals get their coffee fix.

The interior is modern and very chic. The atmosphere is very relaxed and laid back so you can sit down, read the paper and enjoy your food without feeling rushed.

The menu is on a number of blackboards behind the glass cabinets and finding what you want may be difficult, given the extensive menu . The options are aplenty and deciding on what to have can be confusing. From the usual coffee drinks, pastries, museli, cakes to the popular range of cured meats and paninis.

The muffins and a number of items are made by the mother of the brothers, so that's destined to be a winner.

The 'Cappuccino ($3.50)' is creamy and smooth. The coffee is hot, strong and flavours are bold. My type of coffee.

The 'Iced Coffee ($5.00)' is not for the weight conscious as their version contains a big scoop of ice cream. Refreshingly perfect for a hot day.

The 'Chicken Panini ($11.00)' is toasted to perfection leaving a nice bite and crunch. I didn't read the menu properly and ordered it without knowing there was alfalfa. I'm not a big fan of alfalfa as the taste does get overpowering but I did enjoy the other ingredients. That melted cheese was delicious.

'Raisin Toast' is how it should look and taste. Nothing more to be said.

The coffee here is fantastic and I will just come here for the coffee, but those cakes just looked amazing. That is next on my agenda. I need to try out more places and Cronulla is definitely on the list.

Where?
3/17 Gerrale St
Cronulla NSW 2230
Australia

Phone no: 02 8521 7197

Opening Hours
Monday - Sunday
7:00am - 6:00pm

Website
http://www.hamharryandmario.com/