Tucked in the west end of Rundle Street is a hidden gem where the subtle floral aroma of rosewater wafts onto the street and rich meals cooked for hours on end invite you in. But there’s something even more special about this new cafe, and that’s the uniquely open-armed reception that owners and life partners Zach and Zara give each and every one of their treasured customers.
At Sweet Rose Cafe, this dream team offers something Adelaide doesn’t always slow down long enough to notice: genuine care and a willingness to get to know everyone who walks through their door.
I was lucky enough to sit down withf both of them for a chat, and to my delight and surprise, our conversation was punctuated by near half a dozen pedestrians who stopped to say hi to Zach and Zara.
Between them, Zach and Zara hold two PhDs and a master’s degree. They’re also balancing work outside of Sweet Rose, raising two children, and running the cafe together.
And yet, they chose to open a cafe.
When asked why, Zara simply says, “Everything. I enjoy everything about it. This is a dream.”
It’s a decision that surprises many, but makes perfect sense once you step inside. For them, Sweet Rose is a return to what they’ve always loved.
“For my whole life, I wanted to open my own cafe or a restaurant,” Zara says. “I love to cook Persian food and serve it for my friends. And they’ve always asked me, where can we go to have this kind of food?”
Now, Sweet Rose Cafe is the answer.
From the moment you walk in, it feels different. You’re greeted properly. There’s eye contact. A conversation. And, more often than not, you leave feeling like you’ve gained two new friends.
“When people come here, I want them to feel better,” Zach says. “Some people are stressed, they have challenges. But while they’re here, they feel better.”
“If I want to explain our culture simply,” Zach says, “we serve our customers like our family.”
“In my home country, we serve our best things at home,” Zara says. “We are not keeping anything to ourselves. If it’s for us, it’s for our guest. We give the best we have.”
That same thinking now shapes everything at Sweet Rose, from the way customers are welcomed to the care and hour upon hour poured into each dish.
Zach and Zara are very keen to let their food shine above all else, and for good reason.
The cafe’s aim is to introduce Persian flavours just as you’d experience in Iran, to a wider audience here in Adelaide.
“We realised people don’t know much about Persian culture,” Zara explains. “So we decided to provide something people enjoy, but also something different. Something that represents our culture.”
That includes everything from saffron-infused desserts to slow-cooked Persian dishes that take hours, sometimes more than half a day, to prepare.
“Persian food is very hard to make,” Zara says. “Some dishes take four hours. Some, like the lamb porridge, take over 12 hours. I’ll often close the shop, go home, then come back to check it.”
The name, Sweet Rose, reflects their heritage. Rosewater is a staple across Persian cuisine, from tea to desserts, while saffron, one of the world’s most prized ingredients, features heavily in their offerings.
“We wanted something that represents our culture,” Zara says. “Rose is one of the most important elements for us.”
The menu brings that philosophy to life in a way that feels both generous and deeply personal. Alongside all-day brunch staples like smashed avocado, omelettes and focaccias, Sweet Rose’s Persian specials are where the cafe really sets itself apart.
There’s herb-packed Ghormeh Sabzi, rich lamb stew, Persian meatballs, halim lamb porridge, and a Persian big breakfast that folds in elements like feta, walnuts, honey and Turkish bread. Then come the sweeter signatures: saffron pudding, saffron cake, rose panna cotta, and teas served with flavours like rose, cardamom and orange blossom. There’s also Faloodeh Shirazi, a semi-frozen Persian dessert made with delicate wheat starch noodles in a sweet syrup, traditionally flavoured with rosewater and lime for a refreshing finish.
Even the drinks reflect that same attention to detail, with fresh juices, smoothies, and a Rose Special Tea that ties the whole experience back to the cafe’s name.
Eight months in, the response has been overwhelmingly positive. Customers have embraced the flavours, the freshness, and perhaps most of all, the feeling.
“I had a really nice compliment from a customer when we’d just opened,” Zach says. “And I felt like, ‘okay, we’re doing well’.”
But it’s never been about chasing reviews or recognition.
“We’re not doing this for comments,” he adds. “It just happens if you do it well.”
What they are building on Rundle Street is something harder to measure, but easy to feel, and if you’re after a hidden gem with heart, Sweet Rose Cafe is exactly that.
Sweet Rose Cafe
Where: 3/186 Rundle St, Adelaide
When: Monday – Saturday 7am – 5pm
Sunday 7am – 4pm
For more information, click here.
