Looking pretty is the norm rather than the exception in historic Berrima. Compared to most of the other cafes, you might say that the Berrima Farmgate Cafe looks like the plain Jane in a good-looking family. At first glance, the cafe, which feels tucked away although on a main-ish thoroughfare, doesn’t feel as though it has a lot of atmosphere and looks more like a takeaway shop rather than a cafe. However, take a quick look at Trip Advisor and it seems to be doing things right. I spot the Devonshire Tea up on the ‘take-away joint’ style menu on the wall, and take a seat in the larger part of the cafe under a rusty old farm gate pinned to the wall. There’s also the option to sit outside on the shady footpath, but it’s a bit chilly for me on a winter’s day. My scones have a creamy taste but they just won’t stop crumbling, so I end up with large pieces of scone on my plate that refuse to stay stuck together. The jam is very ordinary, erring towards the lower end on the quality scale, and there’s only enough for one scone or a very thin scrape on both. The cream is super-duper light, and I barely notice it at all! Spend your wait time checking out the random bits and bobs decorating the place.

Scones: 

Jam: 

Cream: 

Tea: A limited variety of loose-leaf teas served in a pot.

Price: $$

Overall: Simple decor and less crowded (the day I visit) compared to other cafes in Berrima.