Paddington Social

Paddington Social is a charming café by day and a pop-up Thai kitchen by night, housed in a beautiful Queenslander in the heart of Paddington. The space boasts casual seating inside the light-filled café, more formal dining with navy velvet banquette seating, and al fresco dining on the verandah. The all-day menu includes scrumptious breakfast fare such as chia and oat porridge with house-baked granola, moscato poached pear, blackberry compote, and coconut yoghurt; a trio of forest mushrooms served with truffle crème fraîche and shaved pecorino on sourdough; and the highly recommended shakshuka—baked eggs in a rich tomato sauce with grilled peppers, chickpeas, eggplant, and chorizo topped with herbed feta and served with warm flatbread. In addition, there's a selection of freshly baked treats on offer, from chocolate and raspberry tarts to baklava croissants and Nutella brioche, best accompanied by a well-brewed cup of Campos coffee or Origin tea. From 5 pm, the café transforms into Lek's Thai Kitchen, serving authentic Thai fare from fish cakes and massaman-flavoured pulled pork curry puffs to sticky pork ribs, pad Thai, and flavoursome curries. There's plenty of vegan options, as well as One Plate Wonders—delicious Thai dishes served with rice suitable for solo diners. Nice to know—Paddington Social is licensed with Singha beer on tap, a concise wine list, and classic cocktails.