The owner of a cafe under investigation by the Fair Work Ombudsman after he reportedly refused to hire a black barista has himself become the target of racist attacks.

The Forbes & Burton cafe in Darlinghurst was the centre of a storm on Monday when Brazilian-born Australian Nilson Dos Santos, 39, revealed the cafe's owner Steven He had denied him a job based on the colour of his skin.

Nilson Dos Santos. Credit:Channel Ten

"'But you are black, I don't think you'll be able to work in the shop. My customers are white and they don't like to have black people making coffee for them," Mr Dos Santos said Mr He told him at the interview.

Mr He defended his decision on Monday night, telling Channel Ten that most baristas were either white or Asian, saying he was just trying to provide his customers the best service.