Cafe profile: Sibling

Originally written for Clique Mag

Thanks to its low-rise buildings and wider streets, Gilles Street is a pocket of serenity just a hop, skip and a jump from the northern CBD’s bustling streets. Its newest edition, Sibling, is no exception to this urban tranquillity, offering a place to relax and escape the grind.

Sibling is the latest endeavour by creative couple, Caitlin Duff and Nathaniel Morse and an expression of the pair’s love of hospitality, which developed during their time working in Melbourne’s coffee shops.

“When I was younger, I told everyone all the time that I was going to own my own restaurant,” says Caitlin, “I grew out of that and wanted to be a singer, and that happened as well, but it’s always kind of been a hidden secret, a wish of mine, to own my own place”.

For the Duff family, Sibling is a home away from home. Caitlin’s sister Anny runs her sustainable clothing label, Good Studios, in Ensemble next door, while younger sister Rady works magic in the kitchen, and a photography studio for sibling Sia will soon be built out the back alongside fully-fledged recording studio.

“We basically live here,” Caitlin laughs, “It’s the family home now”.

Sibling’s fit out is bright and inviting, softened by subtle textures, from the wall’s rustic patina to the staff’s earthy green linen aprons, and natural light that streams through the shop front’s glass bi-folding doors.

The space is designed with friends and family in mind. A large communal table at the heart of the café lends itself to the comfortable coming together of people, while smaller, more intimate tables border the western wall and line the footpath out front.

“We’ve kept it as simple and minimal as possible, so we could fill it with things that we love,” says Caitlin, “the space is growing and it will keep evolving as we do”.

When it comes to the food, a simple approach to eating, that’s accessible to all, is at the heart of the debut winter menu.

“I wouldn’t have opened this place if there was any reason why we couldn’t have been locally minded, ethical, and conscious with what we did and what we do,” explains Caitlin.

“You’ll taste it, you’ll see it, you’ll feel it,” she continues, “it’s how it should be”.

With The Beigelry supplying the bagels, Dough/Market St providing the bread and pastries, and fresh produce direct from the Central Markets every day, everything is made using quality, local ingredients.

“I wanted to bring together the kinds of cafés we would visit when we were here,” says Caitlin, “to have a place where all of that could come together and be a big melting pot of Adelaide’s finest”.

This simple approach to fresh, feel good flavours culminates in the vegan bagel. Breakfast meets burger in a combination of crisp hash brown, pickles, roasted capsicum and rocket, stacked atop a bagel, and finished with smatterings of relish and avocado. Forget the bland meals of vegetarian’s past, this bagel’s layers of contrasting crunchy and smooth textures and sharp salty flavours packs a seriously delicious punch.

There’s nothing quite like a bout of crunchy toast and oozing cheese in the winter and Sibling’s kimchi grilled cheese doesn’t disappoint. The classic toastie with a fermented twist combines kimchi’s spice with the signature melt of gruyère cheese, sandwiched between slices of crunchy sourdough bread.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a café without the coffee and Sibling has hit the nail on the head, enlisting the expertise and beans of Monday’s Jarrad Sharrock to ensure delicious coffee that’s responsibly sourced and meticulously roasted every time.

Better yet, everyone can enjoy a piping hot cuppa, as the café stocks a range of milk alternatives including a unique edition, oat milk.

“Oat milk just loves coffee, they interact so perfectly together,” says Caitlin, “and you can really taste the coffee, which is perfect”.