York Lane (YOLA)

Nestled in a small laneway just near Wynyard station, it's a place you'd be lucky enough to pass by if you take the right exit from your commute. It's also a place you'd need to slow life down a bit and make time to enter this little hole in the wall. Hop on out of the chilly laneway and join me on this exploration of my usual cafe and one of my creativity nooks, York Lane aka YOLA.

Location: York Lane, Wynyard, Sydney, New South Wales 2000 Australia

This place is run by the main man himself Dieter. Most mornings you can catch him dancing between taking orders, taking payments, serving up coffees, and making breaky orders for those dining in. Despite all of this multitasking, Dieter loves nothing more than connecting with people and welcoming humans to sit at the bar front row.

This place feels special to me. When I visit, I feel like I'm one of the lucky ones to be in the know about this place. At a glance, you'd think it's a small bar, and actually, you'd be right. In the mornings it's a cafe, and in the evenings it's a bar. Dieter says that he's made a concerted effort to ensure the place doesn't feel too much like a cafe and allows him to transform to bar mode quickly. I'd say that's the biggest charm of the place.

However, there are items on the menu that would make you think they are a bar also in the mornings. I didn't get a chance to snap a photo of their drinks menu, but there was definitely a coffee with the optional shot of liquor!  

The Space

Whilst the place has a modest footprint, it feels both cosy and spacious with the split-level layout.  When you first step into the place, it feels like someone's secret hideout. You're then immediately invited to step a few steps down further and be personally greeted by Dieter at the bar where there's even a stool for those who are socially outgoing enough.

It's not a sterile place with plain shelves, you can see Dieter's life and personality carefully laid out throughout the place. Take a look around and see cycling paraphernalia, a mixture of Japanese beers on tap, a wide array of spirits dotted all over the wall, a karaoke machine still on from last night's party, footy balls and bikes. You could get lost by simply just taking the time to soak in every little bit of character of this place.

Although cosy, you never feel cramped and you always have enough space for yourself or your mates if you have company. The tables are small enough that when you do catch up with a friend, it immediately gives you that closeness that is deserving of time spent with someone you value enough to have met for coffee.

The Coffee

My usual is a regular long black. I've started fasting over the past few months and it's prompted me to explore black variations of coffee. Dieter immediately starts grinding fresh coffee ready for a long black the moment I drop in and say hi, before taking my seat.

Long blacks here are made with care and hot enough to hold temperature over a prolonged enjoyment of the coffee. Equally though, it's not so hot that I can actually enjoy a few sips immediately without my lips falling off. Coffees are served in nice quality ceramics that are nice to hold and retain warmth.

I've also had great iced long blacks on warmer days and also some tasty flat whites during some mornings I feel like it. There's a nice ebb and flow of customers who come for both coffee to have in and takeaway. This is definitely a place where you should have coffee to stay and take a moment.

The Creativity Nook

This table right here is my favourite creativity nook. Whilst it's not tucked away in the corner, this is one of the best seats in the house. The bulk of the cafe and other patrons sit behind you and you get to peer out into the laneway. From this space, I have written many journals, drafted short stories, iterated drafts and read many pages of various books I am churning through.

The view from this seat is not what you'd find on a postcard, but it presents so much character and sometimes not much at all which gives you peace to focus. It also happens to have the words "BELIEVE" randomly plastered onto the opposing wall. This is the perfect nudge to keep striving for whatever you're focusing on.

Dieter says I should actually try sitting right at back facing outwards, so I can get an aperture of all the happenings within the cafe. One I will need to try out at my next visit.

You are welcomed into this space with a small wooden round table and short wooden stools which faces the laneway. The table is the perfect height for typing (for me at least) away on a laptop/iPad and its edges are rounded so you can comfortably lean into it. The table also isn't so large that you feel bad that you're taking up an entire table by yourself. It is wide enough for books, a device and your coffee, again without feeling cramped at all.

The window you get to peer out from in itself has character. The steel frame shows signs of time and wear from the weather. The window gives you a nice shield from the windy lane and gives you a vantage point into the world. If you take a moment, you'll peer out to see an ebb and flow of commuters heading to work, delivery drivers passing by, smokers finding little spots, cyclists gliding past and sometimes watching tradesmen trying to figure something out with a clear look of confusion on their faces. These are all things you can easily miss if you never took a moment to just be present and observe. Two things you can easily do from this spot in York Lane.

My final thoughts

This remains an absolute favourite cafe of mine. It’s a place filled with unrestrained character and welcomes you with a coffee, a beer, a cocktail or even karaoke. It’s a place nestled in the heart of the CBD so it’s a place you can pass by on your way to work or after work for drinks. The vibes of the space, the energy that Dieter brings and the great coffee makes it a place worthy of visiting.

So drop in someday, morning or night, take life slow and smell the smell of freshly ground beans and focus on something that matters to you.