Meet Scale & Bloom, New Lambton's newest cafe name
You may have noticed a few changes at one of New Lambton’s much-loved cafes, a spot that’s changed owners and names over the years, but has always held onto its iconic record wall.
Formerly known as Sherwood, the cafe now has a new name, a refreshed fit-out, and a new menu. But what new owners Jasmine and Brett are most keen for people to understand is that the change is a good one.
Owners: Brett and Jasmine
Jasmine and Brett wanted to make sure they still kept the same vibe that loyal customers and locals have always known, even from the days when the cafe space was first opened under the name ‘Black Circle’, where the record wall the cafe space became known for, was first created.
Keeping an ode to the original music theme is even seen in the new name, Scale and Bloom. The scales stand for the music scale as well as scaling coffee beans for the perfect coffee. Then bloom refers to when a record starts to play.
“To us, Scale and Bloom is about representing the community, and then bringing together the things that we love most” Brett says.
Jasmine has long known the space, being one of the original owners behind the Sherwood brand. After the group grew to seven stores, she made the decision to step back and return to what she loved most, a single neighbourhood venue she could pour herself into.
She and her husband Brett, who bring more than 20 years of combined hospitality experience between them, now own and operate Scale & Bloom, along with a second location in Cardiff.
Scale and Bloom still has the same barista and kitchen staff that have always been in the space, people who work in hospitality would understand your team becomes much like your family, so continuing with the same staff into this new chapter was really important.
"We really wanted to go back to where we started," Jasmine says. "A more humble kind of beginning. When it was just a great team, making people happy."
The menu is where things get particularly exciting as Jasmine and Brett put a lot of thought into their sourcing, with the majority of all menu items being locally sourced and produced, from the coffee to the deli meat and fresh produce.
Alongside a strong coffee program, they also have a ceremonial-grade matcha they personally sourced from Japan now joining the lineup. You can be sure to find a mix of classic drink varieties plus a fair share of new trending cold drinks, such as iced strawberry matchas, tiramisu lattes, and even biscoff cold foam.
Scale & Bloom has built a lunch offering anchored by a selection of deli-style sandwiches that split the difference between Australian classic and Italian-influenced. A local favourite has also been brought back to the menu, the ‘HelliBelly’, an American style take on a classic bacon and egg roll (the local tradies’ favourite).
Their Deli toasties are also known to take off, like the Reuben, made with sourdough sourced from a local baker around the corner and meat from Darby Street Meats, sold out three times on its first day.
"We didn't want to change what people knew and loved about us," Jasmine says. "We wanted to create a space that feels elevated, but still holds onto that welcoming neighbourhood vibe”
To kick off this new chapter, new customers can also follow the cafe on socials and show their profile in-store for a free coffee.
Scale and Bloom also have an app ordering platform, so you can order ahead on your lunch break and skip the queues. For a limited time, Newcastle businesses can also use the code U10 on the app to receive $10 off their first online order.
Photo credit: Daina McKay
