Pieno

WORST SERVICE! Came here for lunch on a weekday with a friend and ordered the ‘lunch special’: wagyu burger. The special said it came with a drink (alcohol) but the waitress DID NOT make it clear that you can only get the special IF you get the alcohol as well. She only asked if we wanted a drink, to which we replied no (could’ve meant the usual coffee order etc). Nothing else was mentioned or communicated to us. When we went to pay, the bill came up to be something different. When we said we ordered the special, the same waitress just said «i asked if you wanted a drink and you said no. You didn’t order the special». Turns out she gave us a random beef burger on the menu, not the wagyu, without even telling us!!! No apology, and made it seem like it was our fault when she never told us she was going to order something else for us without informing us!
If this isn’t the worst customer service ever i don’t know what is. We both ended up paying (more) for something we didn’t order. Imagine if we had allergies to something in that burger! We are never going back and suggest that other Unilocalers stay away from such a deceitful place too.
The food: beef burger– was mediocre ²⁄₅. Does not justify $ 20. Plenty of other options in Surry Hills for burgers with better service and you won’t be deceived.

It’s a beautiful place, however our coffees were burnt, breakfast was cold, poached eggs cooked right through and orange juice lost in transit.
Unfortunately a swing and a miss.

Got to Pieno at 2:50pm, got the menu at 3:15. Rude waitress with unkept hair made it look like she’s doing me a huge favor. I ordered the toast with mushroom; 3:40 went up to the front and asked for my order. Clearly she did not place it. Asked me if I still want it and I said no which she snapped and said «ok». No apology. I left and went to place in front.
Manager/​owner — I love that you have your Sunday off, but when the cat’s away the mice play. Please hire people with strong work ethic.

Food and atmosphere are excellent. Came by for some breaky. The service is a bit slow and slightly less friendly than most places on Crown St.

The coffee here was good, and the food was also good. We especially enjoyed the blueberry gridle cakes, which were very large and equally filling. The atmosphere was nice, especially the outdoor section where you can be minimally heated by an overhead heater. The service was so so, a nice server but slow service. However I definitely enjoyed my meal here.

This place is always pumping for breakfast especially on Saturday! Service can be a bit hit n miss when it’s a full house but value for money makes up for it! Order the pancakes for a big treat! Big brekkie helps get you going and keeps you going! Always a good standby! Breakfast is better then lunch!

Great place. The atmosphere is really good and always busy :). Food is served in good sized portions and the options are very healthy :). I went for the Quinoa chicken salad. Nice and light and perfect option for a Sunday brunch. Would go back here again. The team were friendly and service was pretty quick.

Food was rather standard fare, a 3.5 I’d say. I got the bacon, egg, and tomato chutney breakfast roll. Service was good and attentive. It gets the additional half star for being an awesome location — it was great having brunch in the sun. :)

Terrible service and food. After first having to bring our own water to the table and catch the attention of the angry waitress. We were made to wait over an hour for our food which got «lost». The owner was understanding and discounted our bill. The staff here definitely need customer service training.

There are lots of really great things about Pieno. First the coffee is excellent. Flat white is strong and in a decent sized cup. The staff sre super friendly. We come once a week and only get coffee but the barista/​owner remembers us and notices if we are away. The music is interesting and varied. The setting is lovely

Good coffee, nice escape off crown street.
What bean? Not quite sure but ordered a strong flat white which had good body and nutty finish.
The big breakfast is big and the spicy tomato chutney rocks. The bacon and egg rolls and granola with fruit looked great too. Came with the cycling club after a ride and the split bill is never a problem.

Not impressed by Pieno on a recent visit. Stopped by here with my sister, sat at a free table, thinking it was actually associated with the Winery (next door). More fool us. There seemed to be enough staff, but they were all slouching about in a disinterested manner, wearing shitty stained clothing underneath their dirty black aprons. Come on, where is your self respect? Don’t get me started about the state of the toilets. I was appalled. I mentioned it quietly and politely to the staff, but nothing was done in the half hour I was there. And it wasn’t a busy period. It should have been addressed immediately. My sister ordered a plate, over-​burdened with rocket and thick hard toast she found it difficult to cut with the cutlery. I wasn’t game. I had seen the toilets. And the physical, grotty appearance of the staff. It didn’t give me any confidence that the kitchen would be any better. This place only gets one star for the pretty drinks I saw on the tables. I hope they were nice. This place is in a great location and they have some stiff competition next door from The Winery. I don’t know about you, but if I owned the place, I would step up my game. Significantly.

Good enough breakfast but they have a lot to compete with in the area. Amazing potato rosti, the rest is as good as anywhere else with nothing stand out.

Best place in Sydney for breakfast, great seat area and service with a smile… What more do you need.
Plus they open early 6:30am.

Why is this place always so busy?
My guess would be because it’s so obvious. They have lots of seating and it’s right next to the Winery, Thomas Dux, Madame Char Char and Zushi. I think it’s just easy to find and gathers up brunch-​goers who couldn’t get a table somewhere else.
That might be a bit harsh… the brunch here isn’t bad, it’s A-​OK. Service here is quick, but in a sorta «rush you in, rush you out» sort of way. It’s good if you’re on the mission to eat and go. Not so good if you’re interested in relaxing and enjoying a long weekend brunch with friends.
So yes, overall food is fine and location is convenient, but lacking atmosphere and character like so many of the great spots in the neighbourhood.

I love the tunes they play here — bit of Bob Dylan, bit of jazz… all pretty laid back. Inside there’s quite a buzz on a Saturday morning as the kitchen and coffee staff are busy but lovely nonetheless.
My scrambled eggs on sourdough with a side of mushrooms was nice enough. The side portion was huge especially for $ 3 extra — more of a field of mushrooms than a serving.
It was quite a chilled place to dine on a sunny morn especially with a baby in toe. Despite the location I didn’t feel out of place and was more than welcome as opposed to some places that frown upon little one making a fuss and a mess.
Soya mocha was good and hot. The chocolate isn’t ultra cocoa but it is certainly better than the sickly sweet powder used in a lot of other cafes.
Have child seats.

For a quick and tasty weekend breakfast you can’t go by Pieno for value and generous servings. I am so happy that we absolutely loved the food and also the coffee, and due to the generous portions we had to spend the rest of the day walking it off.
The atmosphere is always great, and the waitresses are quick and efficient, with fast service and no fuss ordering. The menu isn’t overly large, but what they have on it certainly hits many taste buds, and is Italian based with great vegetarian options.
I would have to say that the service can often feel rushed, but as they’re so busy it’s probably not the best place to set up your laptop and finish off some weekend work. It’s very busy, so respect the waitresses have to move tables quickly.
Great for groups, and great for children too, it’s a good all-​rounder café.

It is a Saturday morning in Surry Hills. I have all intentions of being at The Winery for my first drink by midday. But first I need to fill my tummy with a decent feed. There are so many options to choose from but Pieno has me coming back as a regular.
The courtyard/​laneway seating really shines when the sun is out. The air is fresh and the noise from Crown Street is somewhere in the distance. People are happy. It is a Saturday morning after all and the prospect of a whole weekend ahead is enough to keep everyone smiling. The service is prompt, friendly and charismatic. Orders are placed and everything is right in the world.
The Café Latte ($ 3.30) and Mango Smoothie ($ 5) arrive. The coffee is good but the smoothie is underwhelming. It tastes more like a thick milkshake with a dash of added flavour. Maybe the mangoes weren’t ripe? Whatever the problem, honey is added and it begins to taste like something worth drinking.
Two Eggs on Toast ($ 7) with a side of Tomato Chutney ($ 3) and Feta ($ 3) leave me feeling very satisfied and confident in their poaching ability. My fellow dining companion had no complaints either.
If it is getting closer to midday as opposed to early morning breakfast time, opt for the Bruschetta with Sweet Peppers and Oven Roasted Tomato ($ 9) or the Grilled Haloumi Salad ($ 14.50). Neither will disappoint.
By the time you have finished eating, midday will have rolled around and the doors to The Winery will have opened. Perfect.

Sunday afternoon. All remnants of Saturday night are gone, with dreaded Monday morning looming closer. I really need a coffee. Maybe a chocolate & pear muffin too.
Surry Hills is not short of quaint cafes but few have the summery laid-​back atmosphere present at Pieno. Especially on weekdays and Sunday afternoons where a quiet calm washes over Reservoir Place and locals come in to have quiet catch-​ups or read a book in contented solitude. This is the Crown St «after-​hours» that few see but a time that I love. Helps that the food and coffee ain’t bad either. I especially like the fruit loaf for a light snack, with loads of butter :)
Outside the above hours, it gets crazy busy so i try to avoid peak periods unless I’m catching up with friends who specifically ask for this place.
So next time you are in my neck of the woods on a lazy afternoon, stop by for a coffee. And maybe a chocolate & pear muffin…

I have been to this café quite a few times and it always seems busy. In instances like this I kind of wish I could drink the milky lattes and cappuccinos as the I would expect a fair amount of milk. In some way while those coffees require a little more effort, they provide alot of cover for mishaps along the way.
Yes that is right… for those of you who have read any of my other café reviews, I am talking about too much milk in my dbl mac. The flavour of the coffee was not all that bad. A little over espressed maybe, but on the whole, the atmosphere and the service made the experience enjoyable.
If I was in the area though, and wanted an outstanding coffee, compare my review of 13b.
Café Summary
— — — — — — — —
Passion for Coffee — ⁷⁄₁₀
Coffee beans — 5 Senses
Crema (1=burnt, 10=velvet) — ⁷⁄₁₀
Special coffees avail? — N/​A