COFFEE, CAKE AND COMMUNITY VIBES APLENTY AT SONNY’S BAKERY TAMWORTH

The regionally-focused Sonny’s Bakery is a must-visit when in tamworth thanks to thrill-seeking owners Anthony and Jess.

When Anthony Daniel and Jess Sfeir jumped out of a plane in June 2021, they had no idea it would be the start of them leaping into a whole new life. 

A surprise anniversary gift from Anthony, the thrill-seeking experience also gave the couple a chance to break free from Sydney’s COVID-19 lockdown. That was, until, lockdown kicked in again. They made a call to head further north, visit Jess’ parents in her hometown of Tamworth, and wait it out for a week. 

“That week turned into two, which turned into a month, which turned into three months – until now, almost a year later, we’ve moved permanently to Tamworth and are the proud new owners of Sonny’s Bakery,” says Anthony.

“It was a huge opportunity to live a whole new life, we were free to leave the house, go without masks the majority of the time and ultimately reduce our expenses. By September I’d been made redundant and Jess was able to work remotely, so when the opportunity came up to invest in a local business, we jumped at it.”

Diving into the unknown

From leaping out of a plane to diving into business ownership, in an industry neither Anthony or Jess had any prior experience in, the couple undoubtedly have guts. But they bring more to the table than sheer determination and seriously good Portuguese tarts – their combined business nous built over years working in real estate and marketing, an eagerness to learn and a hugely supportive family combine to create something special at Sonny’s. 

“People thought we were crazy, but everyone has to start out somewhere,” says Jess.

“Our mentality from day one was to jump right in, give things a go and learn along the way. I’d never baked before in my life, but all our parents love to cook, good food was always on the table in our homes, so I really believe it’s in our blood. 

“Now I’ve become weirdly obsessed with bread and pastries and regularly end my day scrolling through online forums about yeast and hydration. I also use YouTube and learn a lot from dad, who used to be a baker in Lebanon. He’s shown me the power of throwing a recipe out the window, being guided by taste and trialling different ingredients until we get it just right.”

Clearly, the system works. Sonny’s almond croissants and Portuguese tarts sell out daily, encouraging Jess to regularly increase bake numbers while adding to their delicious offering. Out front, Sydney boy Anthony is relishing the opportunity to connect with a regional community, chat with his regulars and master the perfect cup of coffee.

“Honestly, moving from the city to the country was a bit scary for me, at least to begin with – but working in a cafe was the best thing I could have done. I’ve met so many great people and get to chat about their life, listen to their stories and serve them a great cup of coffee,” says Anthony.

“We’re so happy to have a large loyalty base and, for me, it all comes back to the coffee. My passion for it has gone next level and I’m all about getting it just right. That means combining a good barista with a great recipe and understanding that multiple variants may change during the process, such as the weight inside a group head, how hard it’s packed, the extraction time, the heat it’s shooting out at and the coarseness of the grind.”

Of course, the quality of the beans is also crucial – but that’s not something Anthony has to worry about. Sonny’s Bakery has secured Tamworth exclusivity with Will & Co beans, a Bondi-based business that source their product from the finest coffee growing regions around the globe. As for the results, they results speak for themselves. Since taking on the business in October last year, Sonny’s has consistently grown in an uphill direction. 

“It hasn’t been easy,” adds Jess. “But it’s been a beautiful challenge, and one I’m so happy to experience in my hometown.”

“Our business philosophy is to do the simple things right,” adds Anthony. “We want to give our customers something consistent, from the coffee to the pastries to our bacon and egg roll, we want people to know that they can come to us for the same quality product time and time again.”

Visit Sonny’s website and Instagram
Photography Louise Brown Photography