Just like Sydney’s Bondi Beach, Kath Ebbs is effortlessly cool in their own right. The queer actor, advocate, host of Conversations with Kath and content creator – arguably one of Australia’s OG Instagram influencers who now has more than 80,000 followers – is proud to call Bondi home. Follow along as Ebbs takes Time Out Australia on a tour of their happy beachside bubble, including showing us the top places for coffee, swimming, sandwiches and people-watching.
Gertrude and Alice
Romanticise your morning by dropping by Ebbs’ second home, Gertrude and Alice, for Bondi’s most “elite coffee.” According to Ebbs, this hybrid bookshop-café is “the best hang-out spot in all of the land.” Every inch of the shop is stacked with new and secondhand titles that weave their way around a communal table. Bondi’s not known for its thriftiness, but if you’re willing to do a little digging you can find a bargain here. PSA: Literary doggos are welcome here and even have their own Gertrude and Alice hashtag on Insta. We always suspected they could read.
Bondi Beach and Flat Rock North Bondi
There’s a joke that Bondi Beach is famous for being famous, and in some ways it’s true. Deservedly or not, the one-kilometre stretch of fine vanilla sand has become an epicentre of Australian beach culture, and is where you’ll find Ebbs soaking up the sun most weekends.
Kath Ebbs’ insider tip: Beat the crowds at busy Bondi Beach and instead, scurry north to Flat Rock. This hidden gem at the north end of Bondi (near the boat ramp) – or what Ebbs calls “Where the blue boats are” – is where the locals go for a quick dip. Getting in and out is quite literally a sport, but once you’ve shuffled along the rock shelf, you can plunge straight into the refreshing, deep water. Warning: The rocks can be slippery so take caution and enter at low tide.
North Bondi Outdoor Gym
“Bondi’s oldest art exhibition, open 24 hours for your viewing.” It’s not your cookie-cutter alfresco art installation, but North Bondi’s outdoor gym is one of Ebbs’ top places to people-watch. Bondi locals really are their own breed and you’ll see plenty of buff and sweaty bros braving out the midday sun to ensure their biceps are suitably big.
The Shop and Wine Bar
If you haven’t spent enough time people (and dog) watching, then try to snag a footpath table at this buzzy café and wine bar. While the kitchen is pretty much the size of a walk-in wardrobe, the food that comes out has big flavours and you can tell it's been cooked with love. Ebbs recommends sharing the poached chicken sandwich with chilli jam and cheddar, and the miso carrot salad with hummus, avo and mixed greens; two dishes that have achieved cult-like status among Bondi locals.
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