If you have headed to Grafton to get your coffee fix this past week, its likely you will have had the luck of happening on brand-spanking new café “Ceremony”. Although chances are that when thinking of places to grab some food and caffeine, Grafton is the last place you would consider, exactly the reason behind its location.
Dreaming of opening a hospitality business since high school, coffee specialist Charles Williams saw the worn and torn Grafton and knew that he wanted to restore it to its previous glory. So after calling on close friend Connor Nestor, the pair decided to make their mark on the area often overlooked by bringing back a little community, alongside some top notch coffee.
The Space: Connor shared that “everything here, needs to be here. We like to keep things simple”. The café is masculine and industrial, which seems to be the trend among new cafes, however Ceremony avoids the often-monotonous interior tone with kooky illustrations by I Love Ugly’s Valentin Ozich and blown-glass spheres hung from the ceiling. When a minimalist creative and coffee connoisseur gets together, beautiful things happen people.
The Food: With a gym session for me, and a University lecture for Craig, we missed out on trying our any of the food. But the ummers and ahhers can rejoice in the fact that Ceremony keeps in simple with only 7 different options, with their brioche egg sandwiches, already gaining a strong following from those who appreciate a good breakfast Sammie.
The coffee: Serving up Wellingtons best, Flight Coffee didn’t disappoint and these kids certainly know how to serve up soy. Although I felt like a double shot would be in order for my next visit as it was a little on the weaker side.
The people: Super Rad. Walking in we were greeted with a warm smile, handshake and introduction that had us feeling like old friends returning to our regular haunt. The kind of friendly that makes you momentarily concerned that you have already met and just don’t remember. With community being the center focus of the café, these boys certainly walk the talk, with Connor being more than happy to chat with us about how Ceremony came to existence.
The vibe: With a modern record softly cracking out good tunes, design books stacked on a wall shelf, a roomy yet intimate space and pretty cool people, Ceremony has got good vibes in spades.
So if you’re in the Grafton area give it a gander, or if you’re not, it’s certainly worth the trip. Tip: Parking is plentiful for only $1/hour on Grafton Road, 2-minute walk from the Park Street Cafe.
