Leisurely Coffee - Halal Café Gilbert Street Adelaide

At the former Paddy’s Lantern location, coffee is once again flowing. Come for the “barista’s breakfast,” which includes a strong coffee trio, handmade dumplings, a croissant with soft-shell crab and scrambled eggs, and halal bao buns with “beef bacon” and egg.

Leisurely Coffee, which took over the former Paddys Lantern location on Gilbert Street, finally opened its doors to the public this morning.

Paddys was a bare-bones coffee store that was always friendly and welcoming (and damn good coffee). With a fresh new kitchen and clean lines, Leisurely Coffee has a more contemporary air. The front has been remodeled to accommodate more customers, and light from the sawtooth windows illuminates the sweeping counter. The room has the feel of a neighborhood hangout, with plants, a store component, and a communal outdoor table.

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The reliable Synesso espresso machine that has served Paddy’s so well for over a decade remains the focal point, in the ethos of “if it ain’t broke…” It’s been spruced up and is now partnered with three Anfim grinders that rotate between two mixes and single sources. Ona Coffee, an ACT roaster, also offers filter and batch brew options.

The “barista’s breakfast” combines a single-origin espresso, a flat white, and a dose of batch brew, all served with sparkling water to cleanse the taste.

Ona, a Canberra-based roaster, provides the coffee on the pour, which is available in all of the usual espresso styles as well as filter options such as pour-over and batch brew. The first cup of batch brew costs $4 and refills cost $3.50 after that.

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There are vegetarian and meat-filled dumplings on the menu, as well as a croissant with soft-shell crab and a cold noodle dish (also vegetarian), but the beef bao buns are the star of this first menu.

Ibrahim and Michael collaborated with Aus Star Meat to develop a unique brisket that would be suitable for Leisurely’s halal guests while simulating the taste of bacon.

“All of the Muslim community came out to taste the halal bacon bao bun,” adds Ibrahim.

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Despite the cramped kitchen, the team whips up inventive brunches like a croissant filled with softshell crab and chili scramble (served with a green apple and papaya salad on the side); a buckwheat and zucchini noodle salad with lotus root, pickled carrot, avocado, edamame, and a poached egg (you can add teriyaki chicken or go vegan); and a halal take on the classic egg and Market Street delivers fresh pastries every day, while Skala Bakery provides bread.