Tell us a bit about your café?
Not many people know that Harrys Bondi started off as a little hole in the wall over 24 years ago, and back in 2015 it turned in to the Harry’s we can see today.
The goal was to create a friends and family friendly space where you could find a creative menu with plenty of sugar-, gluten and dairy-free options.
Why should someone come and experience your café over others in the area?
Harry’s is a family-owned café and has been since day 1, the most important thing in running Harry’s is for the customers to feel like a part of our family. We have loved seeing kids growing up, our regulars becoming families of their own and the community evolve. Bondi is an amazing neighbourhood, and the community means the world to us. We hope that you feel that when visiting our café.
What are you known for?
If you ask our regulars, they will probably say our house made almond macadamia milk our baristas make every single day. That in combination with our sticky chai, is probably our most talked about thing on the menu. But let’s not forget our blueberry and ricotta hotcake, that has been a best seller since 2015. It’s a winner!
Tell us something people don’t know about you or the café?
We roast our own coffee beans together with ECRE and have done since we opened, our Head Barista Kurnia is not only a coffee genius (Previous NSW champion to be honest) but also the one that makes sure our cups are well balanced, interesting and delicious every single day.
And Harry himself goes to the markets every week to source the freshest and best possible vegetables to make sure the food is super fresh and vibrant.
Owning a café is a very popular dream for many people. Was it always your dream?
Harry is a man of few words, but I managed to get some out of him.
Being brought up in the Eastern Suburbs, and spending most of his years in Bondi Beach his family has always had food and beverage connections. Both here in Australia and back in Greece. With hospitality in the family, you learn to love the industry and with Harry being a businessperson, owning restaurants and cafes has always been a dream.
It’s not the business you choose if you want to retire early, let’s say so. You have to have passion and love the tough times as much as the good times.
What’s been the biggest challenge?
2020 and 2021 kind of speaks for itself.
The not knowing, and not being able to plan to far into the future or be that safe place for your employees has been the hardest bit. We have an amazing community and as previously said the regulars has been the biggest support we could ever ask for!
Have you noticed your customers becoming more knowledgeable in food and beverage choices?
I think Bondi always have been, and always will be very knowledgeable in their choices both when it comes to food and beverage.
We always choose organic and locally produced when we can, and the feedback on that has always been very positive.
Have you noticed a distinct shift towards plant-based?
Definitely, we probably sell as much Alternative milk as cow’s milk if not more. The most popular alternative milk has changed in the last years, and Bondi is definitely a almond milk kind of place.
How do you think ADC performs?
When deciding to change any of our milks, beans or products we always do blind tests.
And ADC did not only win the taste game, but to add on it being locally produced was a game changer. Why not buy Australian if you have the choice? Easy for us.
