Rolador, 1 Beaumont St, Hamilton, Mon-Fri 6am-4pm / Sat-Sun 7am-3pm
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Many an early morning train trip to the big smoke has been made better by a quick detour to Rolador, Beaumont Street’s number one coffee shop. Every day around sunup, countless commuters shuffle over to the roller door in the wall and order their favourite brew to take with them on the long ride to the city. However, if you venture beyond the hole in the wall you’ll get to enjoy a myriad of other things that Rolador do just as well as their fantastic cups of joe.
Eating at Rolador is like dining in your grandmother’s garage; welcoming, comfy, and wholesome, not to mention the 50s and 60s dining settings dotted about the narrow space, or the sideboard full of vintage trinkets on display, or the red retro lights slung from the ceiling above a small community of hungry diners eating their food with antique silverware. Serving breakfast and lunch seven days, Rolador’s kitchen makes a mean meal in such a tiny space, serving simple food done exceptionally well.
If time isn’t on your side, and a cup of the good stuff won’t suffice to see you through your exceptionally busy morning, grab something from the ‘Snack’ side of the menu. The muffins are baked daily and served with warm butter, or there’s crunchy pieces of toasted sourdough, multigrain, or Turkish bread slathered with strawberry jam, peanut butter or vegemite. Maybe, a slice of house made fruit and nut loaf is more to your taste. Otherwise, try the smoked ham and cheese croissant; a baked croissant with butter and jam; or, perhaps a slice of gluten-free banana bread served with citrus and pistachio ricotta.
Personally, though, when we go out for breakfast we like to make sure that time is nothing more than mere construct to ignore and exploit as we see fit. Thus, the last time we both ventured behind the colourful painted mural on the outside wall and into the cosy comforts of nan’s Rolador workshop, we did so with plenty of time to spare.
We sat down at a chrome and white laminate table on a section of timber bench scattered with blue cushions that runs almost the entire length of the room. The ‘Specials’ board above the kitchen reads ambitiously of many things, including grilled salmon served with a salad of strawberries, feta, mixed greens, roasted almonds and balsamic glaze, which would be a superb way to start the day, except that, instead, I was keen to eat the berry bircher muesli with a chocolate milkshake and a flat-white, while my dining associate was craving eggs on toast with a loving spoonful of house made chilli jam, and a glass of orange juice.
Now, of course, everybody – at least around the northern end of Beaumont Street – knows that Rolador is famous for their strong, darkly roasted brews, but did you know that they’re also capable of producing an outstanding chocolate milkshake? Served in a crucial aluminium tin with just the right amount of froth and the classic taste and texture of creamy milk chocolate. Come for the coffee and stay for a milkshake; 5 Stars.
For such a tiny kitchen Rolador pumps out some great breakfast options. The ‘brekkie burrito’ sounds super yum packed full of scrambled eggs, bacon and rocket, topped with fresh avo and tomato salsa. The coconut porridge sounds healthy and delicious as well with loads of chopped up fresh fruit swimming in an old-fashioned bowl full of oats and toasted coconut. A bit like the berry bircher museli featuring oats and nuts and seeds and strawberries and blueberries and slithers of pear and orange and yoghurt, which I ate with salubrious, nourishing joy.
It would be fair to say that my time-affluent dining associate got a bad case of food envy… but, then again, so did I, as her simple eggs on toast had more taste and sophistication than a writer with a laptop in a coffee shop. Served with a spoonful of house made chilli jam that packs a sweet punch, and some fresh spinach on the side, the eggs were fried golden yellow, which ran all over the softly toasted multigrain sourdough.
There’s way more to explore at Rolador than just coffee. Buy some time and venture inside, before your next commute.
QUICK BITE
- What: Rolador, 1 Beaumont St, Hamilton, 4969 1786. Wheelchair accessible.
- Owners: Ryan and Doris Ngo
- Chef: Brendan Orr
- Drinks: Coffee (Felici by Di Bella Coffee), Tea, Milkshakes, Smoothies, Juices, etc.
- Vegetarian: Yes
- Bottom Line: $ ($50 for two, with drinks)
- Do Try: Eggs on Toast (with chili jam), Coffee, Chocolate Milkshake