Meet Scale & Bloom in New Lambton
So what's on the bill at Scale & Bloom New Lambton? You probably still recognise all of the faces, but there have been a few changes at one of your local much-loved cafes, a spot that’s been a favourite in the area over the years, and has always held onto its iconic record wall.
Formerly known as Sherwood, the cafe now has a new name, a refreshed vibe, and a new menu. The cafe has had a refresh in both style and a return to its early days of a local living room venue.
Owners: Brett and Jasmine
Owners Jasmine and Brett wanted to make sure the rebrand kept the same vibe that loyal customers and locals have always known, even from the days when the cafe was under the name ‘Black Circle’, where the record wall 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 the scale for their measured approach to food and measuring beans for the perfect cup of coffee. Then bloom refers to when a record starts to play, and the espresso blooms just right.
“To us, Scale and Bloom is about representing the community, and then bringing together the things that we love most, music, food and people,” Brett says.
Jasmine has long known the space, being one of the original owners behind the Sherwood brand, part of the early days back on Parry St and being instrumental in its growth in the Newcastle scene. 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 30 years of combined hospitality and venue experience between them, now independently 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 spent a lot of time in the test kitchen and put a lot of thought into their sourcing, with the majority of all menu items being locally sourced or made in house, from the coffee to the deli meat, pickles and fresh produce.
After a recent trip to Japan, they have sourced and added a ceremonial-grade matcha to their impressive lineup, alongside their strong coffee program. 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, beetroot 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 ‘HellBilly’, 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 high quality Sonoma sourdough and meat from Darby Street Meats, which has always been a local favourite.
"We didn't want to change what people knew and loved about us, like our bacon & egg rolls and our breakfast offering," 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, for the month of July 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 locals can also use the code NEW10 at checkout on the app to receive $10 off their first online order.
Photo credit: Daina McKay
