Adelaide Coffee Guide: Leisurely Coffee Featuring ONA Beans & Must-Try Ube Toast

 My Adelaide journey is coming to an end, and today I want to share the café that served as my “grand finale.” It’s Leisurely Coffee, located at 219 Gilbert St, Adelaide SA 5000.

Interestingly, Leisurely wasn’t even on my original café list. While I was in Adelaide, a follower recommended it in the comments. Once again, the wisdom of the crowd proved right. I looked it up and saw how popular it was — and more importantly, I noticed that Leisurely regularly features beans roasted by ONA Coffee.

At that moment, I thought: Well, doesn’t this perfectly make up for my decision not to visit Canberra?

If you’re a coffee lover in Australia, ONA needs no introduction. Choosing their beans as a house staple is simply a smart move.

Like most Australian cafés, Leisurely opens early and closes around 2 p.m. Australians flock to cafés in the morning and around lunchtime, and this place was absolutely packed — nearly every seat taken.

A Community Café with History

The Gilbert Street location was formerly a modest neighborhood café called Paddy’s, beloved by locals. When Leisurely took over, they renovated the space and upgraded the kitchen, giving it a more modern feel while still preserving the community atmosphere. There’s now a retail section and outdoor seating, making it more spacious and welcoming.

One detail I loved: they follow a “don’t replace it if it’s not broken” philosophy. The three-group Synesso espresso machine behind the bar has been serving coffee here for over a decade, dating back to the Paddy’s era. It’s been repainted, but it’s still the crown jewel of the café.

The Coffee Experience

Right at the entrance, there’s a sign proudly announcing that many of their key offerings use ONA beans — which immediately raised my expectations.

Their menu clearly indicates which beans are used for black coffees and milk-based drinks. While their regular selections rotate occasionally, they also collaborate with smaller local Adelaide roasters, which you can see displayed on their shelves.

When I visited, their house blend featured ONA’s Maple — an espresso blend that can stand shoulder to shoulder with their iconic Raspberry Candy.

What impresses me most about ONA is their roasting consistency. Take Raspberry Candy, for example. Even though the blend composition may appear unchanged, the ratios are adjusted each harvest season to maintain a consistent flavor profile year after year. No matter when you drink it, you get the same experience.

That feeling of “let the professionals handle it — you just enjoy” is such a luxury. Isn’t that the highest level of mastery for a roaster?

Maple itself is a blend of Ethiopian Lekempti natural G4 and Ethiopian Kaffa washed G2. Some people might be surprised to see G4 beans in a blend. Natural-processed coffees do tend to have higher defect rates than washed coffees, and G4 naturals may retain fruit sweetness but have slightly lower clarity.

Even so, Maple absolutely delivers in the cup.

I ordered it as a flat white, and honestly, it feels like it was made for milk. Smooth and rounded, with notes of citrus cream, caramel biscuits, and toasted nuts. Balanced, approachable, and incredibly comforting.

A Bright and Lively Long Black

I also tried a single-origin Ethiopian washed heirloom espresso from Peninsula Coffee, a small local Adelaide roaster. I had it as a long black.

The acidity was electrifying — bright and lemon-like, instantly refreshing. Then came notes of maple syrup and a touch of black tea, almost like sweetened tea. The sweetness wasn’t heavy; it felt juicy, as if the acidity itself created a mouthwatering effect.

Whenever I visit a café, I love chatting with the baristas about the beans. This time, to help me understand better, the barista literally peeled the information card off the hopper and showed it to me. (And by the way, that thing on the card wasn’t gum — it was just old Blu Tack. 😂)

The Toast That Surprised Me

Australia does many things well. But sweetness? I just can’t fully embrace it.

So why did I order their signature toast?

Because it had a “Special” tag on it.

As a Libra, I’m weak when it comes to anything labeled “special edition.” Curiosity wins. Price? Didn’t even look.

This Southeast Asian-inspired toast introduced me to something new: ube ice cream.

Ube is a purple yam from the Philippines and an essential ingredient in Filipino cuisine and desserts. It has a natural sweetness with a unique nutty aroma — somewhere between vanilla, coconut, and toasted nuts. It’s far more interesting than plain vanilla ice cream.

And visually? That vibrant lavender-purple color is completely natural and absolutely eye-catching.

The toast was topped with brown sugar boba, mango, shredded coconut, cornflakes, and condensed milk. But here’s the key — the owner is Chinese, and he adjusted the sweetness. The moment I tasted it, I knew: this was not “Australian sweet.”

For someone like me who doesn’t love sugary desserts, it satisfied my curiosity while remaining pleasantly balanced. Even those who usually avoid sweets could handle this.

If you let the ice cream melt slightly into the toast, the texture becomes softer and more elastic — almost chewy in a satisfying way.

All in all, after finishing this plate, I felt like I didn’t even need to eat the next day. 😂