The Cooks Larder – 1/21-23 Old Barrenjoey Road Avalon

On a wintery afternoon I venture out to the Northern Beaches to escape the cold and search out a good coffee. Unfortunately my first choice closed its doors at 2pm. I, along with the half dozen or so people who walk by the cafe hoping for a coffee are disappointed. Luckily just up the road on Old Barrenjoey Road Avalon is The Cooks Larder. The Cooks Larder is part restaurant, part cafe and part providore. It has a very rustic homely feel. An open kitchen and open barista add to the open ‘living’ concept.
My cappuccino is delivered by the friendly barista. The coffee delivers an initial burst of acidity but it isn’t overbearing on the palette. The milk is a nice temperature and it is smooth and creamy. Perhaps the coffee could be a little stronger to overcome the creaminess of the milk, nevertheless it is a coffee that will appeal to many.
I am little too late for lunch and as I glance to the blackboard I am filled with a little regret that I lazed around too much at home. The seafood soup with blue eye trevally, tiger prawns and clams sounds delicious. A confit duck with braised red cabbage, green beans and walnuts sounds sophisticated!
I sample the banana bread. Not all banana breads are made equal. The banana bread at The Cooks Larder is gently spiced with cinnamon and balances out the sweet banana flavour, chunky pieces of walnut add texture. It’s a luxurious banana bread. At $5.20 it is pricy and small serving size is a small disappointment but good things do come in small packages.

Service is friendly enough but the ordering process is a touch fragmented, especially if you are looking at the cakes on offer before ordering. We ordered a cappuccino, and tea, but the tea never arrived. The issue was quickly remedied after calling out to a waitress. As we had arrived at 3, and with a closing time of 4, we felt a bit rushed at 3:45pm as the staff started cleaning up.

The Cooks Larder is a well laid out cafe with lots of seating. In summer, the outside tables would be perfect to take in the afternoon sea breezes. After a breakfast or lunch, you can peruse the warm at home dinners that are available for purchase.

Recommendation : On a Sunday afternoon, it is one of the few cafes on the northern beaches with good coffee that is open much past 2pm. The warm village atmosphere is preserved at The Cooks Larder which is armed with an interesting menu. If you’re up this far north on the peninsular, check it out!