Creativity & Coffee: Inside Up South Bondi with Cherry's Goods

Some cafés grow slowly into their neighbourhood.

The regulars start to recognise the baristas. The baristas remember their orders. Before long, it becomes part of people’s routines.

For owner Cherilynn Yap, the journey into hospitality didn’t begin with years of café experience or a long-term business plan. It started with curiosity and a willingness to figure things out along the way.

When Cherry first stepped into the café world, she had no formal experience running a venue. The original plan was simple: learn as much as possible and see where it goes.

Almost six years later, Up South has become a staple in the local Bondi community. 

A Business Built on Curiosity

One of the things that defines Cherry’s approach to the business is experimentation.

In the early days, baked goods were outsourced from a local bakery. But as the café grew, curiosity kicked in.

“One day I just decided to try baking myself,” she says.

That decision slowly shifted the direction of the menu and opened the door to more creativity in the kitchen.

The Social Media Effect

If café culture used to be driven by word of mouth, today a lot of it happens online.

For Cherry, social media has become a way to keep an eye on what’s happening globally. With trends moving quickly between cities and countries, it’s easier than ever to see what people are drinking, experimenting with, or lining up for.

For café owners trying to grow their presence online, her advice is straightforward: passion matters. Her success on social media was built on the fact that she’s chronically online and genuinely enjoys it.

Her piece of advice for cafe owners trying to grow their business online was simple. 

“Make sure you enjoy it”, and to “hire a professional if it’s not what you enjoy.”

Where Does Coffee Fit In?

While known for her matcha creations, Cherry says coffee still plays an important role in her menu.

“As much as I love my matcha, I still love my morning coffee".

One of Cherry’s recent iced experiments was inspired by a visit to Korea, where the “iced lattes really stood out”.

After a few rounds of trial and error, she reached out to the Black Market team. We suggested one small tweak to the recipe, and “it was perfect right away.”

Exclusive to UpSouth Bondi, see 'Sydney's best iced latte' below.

Working Towards the Same Goals 

For Cherry, working with Black Market Coffee is about more than just the product.

“It’s the service and the people,” she says. “We have the same goal, and it's fun. You’re not just working for yourself, you’re working towards the same goal”. 

In hospitality, partnerships like that matter.  You want to be surrounded by people who are pushing boundaries and inspiring you to do the same. 

From learning how to run a café from scratch to building a loyal community in Bondi and online, Cherry’s journey shows how far curiosity and experimentation can take you.

And whether it’s a matcha creation or an iced latte, the approach is the same: keep trying things, keep learning, and create something people want to come back for.

If you’re in Bondi, stop by Up South and see it for yourself.

You might just find the best iced latte in Sydney.