Mei Quong Tart was one of the most recognised figures in Sydney during the late 1800s. He was an entrepreneur and philanthropist – and most importantly, he opened Sydney’s very first cafes. Yes, we owe our fantastic cafe culture to a Chinese immigrant who spoke with a Scottish accent.

We know a lot about the life and works of Mei Quong Tart because he was so prominent and well-respected. He had a string of successful businesses – and you can still see some of the facades of his cafes around Sydney today. He also had a social conscience at a time when that wasn’t in vogue – he treated his employees well and hosted suffragette meetings.

His life was tragically cut short in a botched robbery but his legacy lives on in cafes and tea rooms across the city.

https://newstories.net.au/mei-quong-tart-the-entrepreneur-who-started-sydneys-first-cafes/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.