Despite being open for less than a month, Milk Crate in Civic is already making its mark on our lively café scene. Its vibrant, colourful design has brought some much-needed life to the courtyard in front of Pilgrim House, and it’s fast becoming popular with Canberrans with its unique, simple concept.
For owner Hakan Demir, who already has an established presence in Sydney’s café scene, Milk Crate is an expression of his own style and outgoing personality. The fit-out, which features an exposed brick bar and rustic timber walls, is fresh and modern, and smaller details like the rustic steel pendant lights and bright blue coffee cups add to the café’s charm. But perhaps the most important feature is the new circular folding door, which runs the width of the café and allows it to spill out into the courtyard and provide a social, friendly place for people to gather.
Milk Crate’s coffee is sourced from Sydney’s Drumroll Roasters, with the beans dark-roasted to create a stronger, bolder flavour; and they also offer a great single origin Turkish coffee (which is more mellow than most – so go easy on the sugar!). For tea drinkers, a range of artisan teas from T Totaler are sure to entice, with flavours such as French Earl Grey, Chai Yoga and Coconut Lemon Splice.
The cafe menu, which is constantly being updated, is influenced by Hakan’s Turkish heritage and chef Aaron Fain’s American background. The all day breakfast menu includes a New York Style Bagel, which is lovingly made in-house – and today’s butter-glazed cinnamon bagel is served with a luscious strawberry cream cheese. There’s also the Istanbul Roll with sucuk, poached eggs and grilled haloumi; and the Kayseri – a golden toasty with layers of soft pastirma (cured beef), tomato and kasari cheese.
A range of delicious lunch options are also available, such as the Turk Burger served with American-style ‘home fries’. The kofte-like lamb patty is juicy and heightened with the addition of herbs and spices, while the caramelised peppers and onions add depth to the home fries. Paired with one of Milk Crate’s fresh pressed juices like the ‘Vote Green’, it makes an unbeatable lunch!
If you’re just passing through for a quick snack or mid-morning treat, be sure to pick up one of Milk Crate’s house-made pastries such as the intruiging Tahini-Pekmez Scroll (which is the Turkish answer to peanut butter and jelly). Their muffins are also proving popular, with people flocking from all corners of Canberra to get their hands on one – and with flavours like Nutella swirl, you can hardly blame them!
In addition to the café, Milk Crate also provides catering for corporate and private functions. To see what’s on offer, head over to the Milk Crate website or pop into the café to have a chat with Hakan.
