Giovanni & Co

Coffee comes first at this compact Oxide Street room, where the espresso is often rated the best in Broken Hill. It trades from early morning through to early afternoon on weekdays, with a shorter Saturday, drawing a steady crowd of workers and travellers. The kitchen keeps things Italian and unfussy: sourdough sandwiches, focaccia, toasties and soup, made to order rather than sitting under glass, with single-origin options on the bar. A small pantry section stocks niche local products for taking home. The fit-out is pared back and the service quick, the sort of place that has become a de facto meeting point in a city where good espresso was once hard to find. It suits an early start before heading out to Silverton or the Line of Lode.