The cafe at No. 9 Ward Avenue, Potts Point, has closed in mysterious circumstances.

Jess noticed it yesterday (her pic’s on the left), though the details are obscured behind the door. By the time we went by today, under a dusty orange sky, even those had been folded away.

Our post about No. 9 was the busiest and most commented since we started Darlinghurst Nights almost a year ago. It opened in July and seems to have burned bright, but fast.

UPDATE (25/9/09): There’s a new sign in the window at No. 9 (first noticed by Lisa in the comments below), that says the cafe is just closed for renovations.

The latest issue of Delicious magazine (October 09) says No. 9 breaks the Sydney cafe mould. It quotes Lane Finlayson (operator of the cafe, formerly of Bills, Darlinghurst).

We didn’t want it to have that ‘Sydney look’ of clean lines and white walls. We wanted something a little more European. It could be a very small corner of a grand country house.

The article says a liquor licence is in the works, with plans to open for dinner, which could explain the temporary closure – though with a great review in Delicious, they must be disappointed to be shut for business.

Cafe 9, sorry, No. 9, at 9 Ward Av, Potts Point/Kings Cross opened its doors a couple of weeks ago.

Already, I can’t remember what used to occupy the spot, just up from the corner at Roslyn Street.

It is tiny inside but makes excellent use of the space with a mezzanine level.

It is intimate and feels like you are in someone’s fancy sitting room, with elaborately framed landscape and portrait artworks, a fire, a chandelier, an antique clock.

We just stopped in for (Genovese) coffee.

But I do like the look of the simple breakfast menu.