Social Hideout won’t stay hidden for long as one of Sydney’s most Insta-worthy cafés.
With seventeen thousand flowers suspended from the ceiling and stuck into feature walls, it’s no wonder Social Hideout has been dubbed one of Sydney’s most Instagrammable cafés.
Social Hideout Waterloo is the second location, following the 12 year success of the original eatery in Parramatta. Owner Nader Issa is taking brunch to the next level with food and décor that can only be surmised as EXTRA. Issa’s vision for Social Hideout Waterloo is that the food and decor enhance each other.
The suspended flowers from the ceiling and floral feature walls are the creation of well-known wedding planner and event stylist, Anna Wang. With bursts of pink and purple from indoor hanging gardens, pastel green walls and glowing L.E.D signs with neon hues, Social Hideout Waterloo is not your ordinary café.
The menu follows suit and features Bright Purple Taro Hotcakes ($20.90) with pink pitaya, black sesame, mango cubes, berries, mint and vanilla ice-cream, topped with a vibrant taro sauce. This weird and wonderful dish has become their main attraction and is plastered across Instagram feeds. Helping to make their Instagram success is chef Sunil, whose menu features hints of influence from both Japanese and Mediterranean cuisine with a play on traditional breakfast options.
The closest you’ll get to a traditional breakfast is The Habib ($17.90). This dish is comprised of za’atar saffron poached eggs, beetroot labneh, pomegranate, portabello mushrooms, radish, avocado and sourdough. The dish looks like a party, smeared pink labneh sprinkled with a confetti of pomegranates. Adding to the theatrics, the yellow saffron makes the eggs glow neon like the surrounding L.E.D lights. While it might look overwhelming, beyond the visual, you’ll find a humble flavour combination of eggs, mushroom and avocado toast.
If you feel stifled by the categories of food considered suitable for normal breakfast, try the Lamb and Cheese Pot of Gold ($19.90). This dish comes with three kinds of cheese mashed up, slow-cooked pulled lamb, house beans, shiitake mushrooms, herbed tomato puree, labneh and sourdough. It’s basically a hearty Irish stew that you’d expect to dive into on a cold winters day. While the depth of flavour is rich and meaty, the verdict is still out on whether this belongs on a brunch menu.
Other breakfast items include twists on a classic French toast – The Green Frenchy ($20.90) and a twist on eggs benedict – Red Velvet Benedict ($19.90).
To finish the meal, there’s a butter cookie which has Audrey Hepburn’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s mural printed on white icing. We suggest you dunk Audrey’s head into your coffee which has been roasted by local favourites The Grounds ($4). If you’re after something more refreshing, their Morning Glory juice ($8.5) with mango, peach and passionfruit will cool you down.
In such a competitive brunch scene, Social Hideout stands out by providing a bold menu and bright décor. If you need to step up your Instagram game, check out Social Hideout for a colourful experience. See the full menu here, or head to their website for more information.