Honey Cafe

Public holiday. Newcastle. Go to Saluna, line out the door. «What about One Penny Black?» He says, «Yes! Let’s head there.» It’s well past coffee o’clock and as we walk up Hunter Street Mall to OPB we notice there’s a new mural. Introducing, Honey.
First we look at each other with disappointment thinking OPB has closed. Thankfully they’ve just relocated to a larger space up the mall. Phew. But this morning’s coffee adventure is a lesson in not being charmed by a cool street art mural and a hip logo and brand. Kids, this doesn’t mean the café it represents is going to be equally grand. Rookie error.
But first, context. The Internet tells me that a) the owner of Honey is 18 (so, instantly I actually want to take my hat off to the young chap and want to be enthusiastically cheering him for just giving it a go) and b) that they only opened in March. This gives you some concessions in my book, yet there’s improvements to be made.
On this Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday when their customer numbers weren’t that much more than what I’d see on a regular Saturday in the space’s One Penny Black days, the service fell to pieces. Shattered. Observing diners around us, those that had been waiting a lot longer than us, were still waiting after our order arrived. Even at the point our coffees and avocado on toast arrived to our table we’d been waiting close to an hour. Communication was lacking.
It is possible that given the public holiday status their usual staff weren’t working and if this was the case I can see how it made a difference. That said, communicate that you’re understaffed when I make my order instead of «there’ll be a wait.» Give me a ‘why’ and I’ll be a little more forgiving of said wait.
The coffee (Botanica) was good but borderline cold upon delivery to our table. Our food all but forgotten and in the end we asked for the banana bread to be take-​away (our group had finished all other components by this stage) twice.
For $ 27.50 (including a bottle of water) it kind of feels like there should have been better service included in that price tag. The avocado on toast ($ 12) was two basic slices of white loaf with half an avocado and a small slice of lemon. Probably closer in value to $ 8, in my opinion. Perhaps I’m being too harsh but upon reflection I’m not offended enough to never go back. Honey, I want to come back and cross my fingers it’s a better experience.