Axil Coffee, a Melbourne-based specialty coffee roaster, will open its first Sydney cafe at 365 Crown Street, Surry Hills, on November 7, 2025. The launch coincides with the return of team member Jack Simpson from his participation in the 2025 World Barista Championship in Milan.
Since its founding in 2010, Axil Coffee has earned seven Australian Barista Championship titles and one World Barista Championship win. David Makin and Zoe Delany, who met at the 2006 barista championships, built the company on the principles of consistency and quality, which now drive staff training, direct green coffee sourcing, and wholesale coffee supply.
Jack Simpson’s participation in three successive World Barista Championships reflects Axil Coffee team’s championship culture. For the past 15 years, the husband-and-wife founders have kept the business independent and locally-owned.
Designed in partnership with ST Style, the 50-seat café will offer competition-grade coffee and multiple blends for customers to compare, ensuring variety for all tastes.
The space also includes a dedicated brew bar designed to deepen customer engagement with producers, processing methods, and tasting notes. The concept brings competition-style tastings into the café setting.
The Crown Street location will hold regular cupping sessions, barista workshops, and industry training events. It will also operate as the company’s wholesale hub for New South Wales.
The company presently supplies coffee to multiple cafés in Melbourne and has recently expanded its reach across Australia, working with other passionate café owners. Axil Coffee’s café will operate from 7am to 4pm Monday through Friday, and from 8am to 4pm on weekends.
“We’re bringing the same approach to Sydney that we use in competition and training. The café gives us a base to support our wholesale partners across NSW while creating a space where people can experience coffee served at competition standards,” said Makin.