On this sunny morning Old Gold is bustling with orders for single origin coffees and croissants from Leichhardt patisserie Penny Fours. It’s Friday, so staff dress code is loud shirts and “sexy bartender aprons” resulting in staffer Shea’s resplendent palm tree print, and head chef Graeme Alexander, former owner of Little Lord in Camperdown, looking almost fluorescent in a blue, green and red tropical number. Alexander, already a devotee of Sample Coffee at Little Lord, which he sold in January, and at Two Chaps in Marrickville, where he was head barista, is in the kitchen. The colourful swet potato Russian salad. Credit:Edwina Pickles Fashion statements abound further, including a dapper bespectacled man wearing socks with Birkenstocks and a short brown dachshund sporting a gingham neckerchief. Old Gold is pet-friendly with dogs allowed on a leash in the front foyer area or communal table space out the back. It’s also keen on keeping its thriving indoor pot plants alive with vigorous watering of rosemary, agave and croton specimens in Inartisan pots on the front step. With a chill in the air, a cheese toastie is ordered. It’s spectacular comfort food, filled with Maffra cheddar, bocconcini and pecorino, supplemented by house-made pickles and ham. An oozing lip-smacking delight, with escaped cheese framing each segment like crunchy golden lace.

Just as fab is the Hot & Cold, whipped up by Alexander and better known as a mortadella, salami and bocconcini sandwich. This, along with the Sweet Potato Russian Salad, a pink-tinged mini Alps with beetroot, poached egg, dill, pickled celery and Dijon mayonnaise, is a hotly popular menu item. The Hot & Cold, served on a baguette from Thoroughbread in Kirawee, mingles sharp and luscious meaty flavours on extremely soft and crunchy bread. An accompanying flat white, made using Sample Coffee’s Sweet Tooth brand, is beautifully strong and creamy. The Hot & Cold sandwich with mortadella, salami and bocconcini. Credit:Edwina Pickles If there were hotel rooms upstairs I’d book in immediately, to be here for all daily meals and coffee, while soaking up a sweetly cared-for chocolate-coated history in the middle of town.

The lowdown

Main attractions: Deeply handsome and architecturally designed cafe with industrial bones, distinguished coffee and soul-fillingly lush toasties, sandwiches, pastries and salads. Must-try dish: The three-cheese toastie: a sumptuous, straight-talking melty wonder. Insta-worthy dish: The Russian potato salad, soft fat potato chunks in a beetroot-stained Dijon mayo topped with a nicely wobbly poached egg. Drinks: Sample Coffee, $4-$4.70; Teacraft Assam Breakfast (black), Yunnan (red), Cloud & Mist (green), peppermint, chamomile, $4-$4.50; Ecuadorian by Birdsnake hot chocolate, $5/$6.20, Venezuelan by Black Gold; Sodas: triple orange, ginger, passionfruit, $5; sparkling water, $3 Prices: $3-$15

Hours: Mon-Fri, 7am-3.30pm In the neighbourhood BRICKFIELDS 206 Cleveland Street, Chippendale A go-to corner cafe with dedicated fans, this bakery is known for its excellent breads and pastries, and top-notch Mecca coffee brews. They’re ramping up production to provide extra loaves to the cafe, including freezable sliced loaves, and working on making deliveries available straight to homes in coming weeks. SNEAKY POSSUM 86 Abercrombie Street, Chippendale