New Day Rising

With barely room to swing a cat, this tiny cafe is a great addition to the East Brunswick cafe line-up. While New Day Rising is a nod to the 1985 Hüsker Dü album, this mostly-recycled, diminutive space is more of a laid-back lounge-room than an angst-ridden punk garage.

Co-owners Nadia Mizner and Tom McGuigan turn out Five Senses coffees under the green tile splashback. With no counter to speak of, they’re pretty much in among the casual groups of cafe-goers grabbing a toast feast or house granola from the compact but satisfying vegetable-heavy menu while they pore over the papers.

Distinct for its cosy, homemade charm, New Day Rising has an inviting atmosphere where you can grab a table for one or more. It just goes to show that with a bit of enthusiasm and the right kind of attitude, you don’t need much else to make a little space the coffee haunt of choice.