There are cafés, and then there are places that feel like someone’s entire life story distilled into a menu. Ca Phe Mai, the new Vietnamese café and wine bar that opened recently on New South Head Road in Double Bay, is firmly the latter — and it has quickly earned a spot on Good Food’s 100 Essential Sydney Cafes and Bakeries of 2026.
The venue is the work of couple Cindy Mai and Ed Loveday, and the story behind it stretches back well before either of them was born. Mai’s great-grandmother arrived in Australia as a refugee and went on to build the family’s hospitality presence through bakeries and restaurants across Sydney and Melbourne, passing her skills and passion down through the generations. Mai’s parents opened their own restaurant in Canley Heights, and Cindy herself opened her first restaurant in Strathfield at the age of 24. Ca Phe Mai is, as the duo put it, four generations in the making.
Loveday brings his own depth of experience to the partnership. He has spent two decades across some of Sydney’s most respected dining rooms, including Bar Brosé, ACME and The Passage, and is responsible for the venue’s wine list — a tight selection of small growers and low-intervention drops, including a Vietnamese sparkling rice wine from Sông Cái.
The food is where Cindy’s heritage takes centre stage. Daytime at Ca Phe Mai means Vietnamese coffee, breakfast bánh mì — including a version with crispy pork — and a playful take on a lemongrass pork sausage and steamed egg muffin. The anchovy toast with baby cucumber and spring onion has also been drawing attention. But it’s the pho gà that regulars keep coming back for: a signature chicken broth built from a family recipe passed down through generations, prepared daily.
Then there’s the ca phe muoi. Mai and Loveday developed their own version of this salted Vietnamese coffee — inspired by a discovery made during travels in Vietnam — and it’s already shaping up as a fixture of the Double Bay caffeine circuit. Made with Single O espresso, condensed milk and salted coconut cream, it pairs well with the venue’s banana bread served with Vietnamese coffee butter.
The 30-seater transitions seamlessly from a morning café into a low-lit wine bar, with the evening programme running Wednesday through Saturday. Cocktail options include a passionfruit and dragonfruit margarita and a fruit-forward blend of vodka, watermelon, green chilli, lime and chilli salt. Pastries on the menu come from Tenacious Bakehouse.
The venue is tucked into a back-alley space within the Forum Workplace precinct, entered via Kiaora Lane. It’s the kind of spot that rewards those who know to look for it — unhurried, personal and rooted in something real.
Ca Phe Mai is open seven days for breakfast and lunch, with dinner service Wednesday to Saturday. Find it at Shop 1, 377 New South Head Road, Double Bay (enter via Kiaora Lane or Manning Road).
Published 24-July-2026
