Established last year by friends John Lepouris, Davide Crespi and Hoky Michael, Against the Grind was inspired by the cafe culture of the east, in particular Potts Point where they all met.

“We wanted the cafe to be cool and a little grungy, different to all the other offerings in the Mosman and Neutral Bay area,” John said.

Despite only being open for six months, the new venue has already garnered a legion of fans, with the cafe currently going through 65 kilos of coffee beans per week.

Alongside the usual flat whites and cappuccinos, Against the Grind serves up a quadruple shot coffee called the ‘brutale’ (Italian for brutal) which includes two shots of Campos Superior blend espresso and two shots of Campos single origin.

“You would be surprised how many people come in at 7.30am and say, I need a brutale,” said John.

Or if you’re looking for something a little less intense, and also want to sleep that night, you can order a magic coffee.

“We’ve introduced the magic coffee from Melbourne, which is a double ristretto three quarter flat white,” said John.

“It’s meant to be the perfect ratio of coffee to milk.”

The food offering is also unique, with the cafe menu simply listing ingredients, allowing customers to build their own breakfast.

“Because we didn’t have the space for a proper kitchen, we decided to make the menu like an assembly line,” said John.

The one page menu includes a selection of breads, sourced from Chippendale’s Brickfields bakery, as well as Pepe Saya butter, Italian cold cuts sliced to order and extras, such as eggs, artisanal cheeses, vegetables, dips and relish.

“This way customers can get exactly what they want, plus they can switch and swap ingredients for something completely different each time,” said John.

The most popular combination is the Brickfields sourdough with poached eggs, prosciutto and organic smashed avocado, says John.

Although additions such as the spicy nduja salami paste, the house made kimchi and the fresh buffalo mozzarella are also popular.

Located just a few doors down from Military Rd, Against the Grind has been given a stylish Scandinavian fit-out, with a curved timber wall feature, as well as leather stools and hanging ferns.

One of its most unique features is its open plan design, with no counter tops separating staff from customers.

“We didn’t want the cafe to have any barriers. We want people to come in and feel like they are having a coffee with friends,” John said.