We love delicious coffee and everything that happens around it
Born on Gadigal land / Sydney in 2011, Sample Coffee has always done things its own way: small by design, independent by nature, led by heart and never by trends.
We focus on rotating single origins, sourcing transparency, and making delicious coffee accessible at home – always with a relaxed and friendly approach to the specialty world.
We love coffee. That’s what first brought us to the industry. It can be nuanced, complex, and exciting; also, consistent and comforting. It can be so many things, but for us, it’s never boring.
Along the way, we fell for everything that comes with it: a nice morning ritual, alone or in company; a reason to take a break or keep going; an excuse to leave the house, or stay in it; a source of learning and a way of bonding with people and cultures…
More than 15 years later, we still feel exactly the same.
We’re here to explore the world of delicious coffee and share it with those who – like us – enjoy its taste as much as everything that happens around it. Or, actually, because of it.
Sample Coffee Surry Hills espresso bar circa 2012
Our story: sampling and sharing the coffee world since 2011
We opened our tiny Surry Hills espresso bar in 2011 with a simple goal: to let our customers taste (sample) delicious and diverse coffees from around the world. We focused particularly on rotating single origins and black coffee brewing styles, something not so popular back then.
In 2014, we opened our roastery and second cafe in St Peters. This space allowed us to curate and share the coffee menu of our dreams: a generous, weekly changing list of exceptional single origins, smooth espresso blends, and respectable decaf.
Over a decade later, slowly and organically, we’ve grown a circle of locals, homebrewers and wholesale partners who appreciate our coffees and the way we do business.
We still do things small, by choice. This helps us stay nimble, flexible and hyperconnected with every part of the coffee journey.
Why “Sample”?
sample (verb)
(1) to taste a small amount of food or drink to decide if you like it
(2) to experience a place or an activity, often for the first time
We called ourselves Sample Coffee because we wanted to be a ‘place’ for people to try delicious, diverse and exceptional coffees from around the world.
A place where anyone could experience the beauty, nuance and stories behind each cup.
A place where everyone, from first-timers to coffee nerds, could equally enjoy and fall in love with the different rituals around this drink.
A place to Sample Coffee.
Delicious coffee, honest business, no shortcuts. Always fun
What is delicious coffee? What makes it exceptional?
For us, it starts with choosing only traceable and top-quality green coffee beans. Then comes the roasting and brewing: we aim for consistency, balance, and transparency of flavour.
But it doesn’t stop there: we run the non-coffee side of our business with the same integrity and respect, aiming to create something positive for everyone involved.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
— Buying only high-quality lots through ethical importers
— Roasting lightly for clarity and expression
— Full transparency and accountability: we’re a certified B Corp
— ABA-certified home compostable packaging
— $0.20 per bag donated to social and environmental nonprofits
— Sharing knowledge so everyone can enjoy great coffee
What we do:
- Source and roast specialty coffee in our St Peters warehouse
- Brew, serve and sell our coffee beans and brewing gear through our cafes, online store and subscriptions
- Share our knowledge openly through online resources and community events
- Supply other cafes, restaurants, gyms and businesses through our wholesale service
- Produce co-branded coffee products, thoughtful swag, merch and group gifts
- Organise coffee carts for event catering and contract roasting
Our circle includes homebrewers and businesses in Australia (with the core in Sydney and Brisbane areas), Asia-Pacific (Vietnam, Thailand, Japan) and beyond (Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands).
What people say about us
Browse through our awards and media features or see what some of our customers say about us:
Our locations
Come say hi to our cafes and roastery in Surry Hills, St Peters, and soon Marrickville!
Contact
You can always write to us at [email protected]. And you can see what else we do via newsletter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Our manifesto
We use the word ‘we’.
We find the positive.
We’re always there to belay our mates.
We celebrate the underdog.
We recognise the next hold may not be the most obvious.
We celebrate the journey as much as the outcome.
We leave no trace, whether in a customer’s venue or campsite.
We give first and take only what we need.
We’re generous with our time, our knowledge and our beans.
When we have the opportunity to add value, we pass it on.
Feel like a coffee now? See our lineup