There are seemingly endless options out there if you’re looking for the best breakfast in Sydney, with the city’s cafe circuit exploding in recent years. It used to be that Melbourne was considered the gold standard when it came to hearty breakfast and brunch places in Australia, but the harbour city has well and truly caught up, propelled along by pioneers such as Room 10, Single O, and Happyfield.
With so many great cafes in the city, it’s hard to know where to start. We’ve got your back with this round-up of our 12 favourite breakfasts in Sydney: when you’re craving something solid and energising.
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Single O
Single O is unimpeachable as far as coffee in Sydney goes. The reliable Surry Hills cafe has always been a go-to for anyone who regularly requires an exceptionally crafted coffee: made with Single O’s reliable selection of coffee beans.
But it’s more than just a quick stop for anyone loading up on fuel for their home coffee machines.
Single O also does some of the best breakfast and brunch in Surry Hills. Some favourites from the all-day menu include simple fried or poached eggs on toast with chives, avocado on caraway seed rye with achiote cashew cheese, and the excellent blue eye cod with prawn, dill and mandarin puree.
Address: 60/64 Reservoir Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010
Contact: (02) 9211 0665
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday (7 AM – 3:30 PM); Saturday – Sunday (8 AM – 3 PM)
Room 10
Room 10 was one of the pioneers that forced Sydney’s cafe scene to step up when it first opened in Potts Point back in 2010. The laneway cafe has, for over a decade now, remained one of the most obvious reference points when it comes to Sydney breakfast recommendations.
Why? The magic is mostly in those breakfast sandwiches, all indulgent and invariably perfect when it comes to starting your day in carb-fueled heaven. With the Mecca coffee always going down a treat, it’s no wonder this place is still drawing queues despite the competition.
Address: 10 Llankelly Place, Potts Point NSW 2011
Contact: 0432 445 342
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday (7 AM – 3 PM)
PIÑA
Room 10’s daily overflow has become a bit of a pain point for Potts Point locals looking to inhale one of the iconic cafe’s reliably excellent breakfast sandwiches or the superb breakfast omelette wrap.
Owner Andrew Hardjasudamra attempted to address this by opening Pina directly opposite the cafe on Llankely Place, with a menu built on top-quality produce and breakfast dishes that are a bit more premium than what Sydney is used to. Pina has now become even more popular than Room 10, and anyone strutting down the narrow eat-street can easily expect to find a crowd out here waiting for tables each morning and afternoon.
One of those perfect weekend brunch places, Pina’s not-insubstantial menu broaches everything from scrambled eggs (with just about every add-on you can think of) to exceptional pastrami, salad bowls, and a brekky roll that’s fast become a personal favourite.
Pina just may be the single best option for breakfast and brunch in Sydney.
Address: 4/29 Orwell Street, Potts Point NSW 2011
Contact: 0432 445 342
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday (7 AM – 3 PM)
Happyfield
From Chef-Owners Chris Theodosi and Jesse Orleans comes this bee-yellow love letter to the humble North American diner, situated in Sydney’s Inner Western suburb of Haberfield.
A locus for brunch in Sydney (with a wide array of regulars, ranging from the obsessive foodie to unperturbed Westie locals) Happyfield’s popularity, since it opened in late 2020, can’t be chalked up to any one silver bullet.
Sure: Orleans’ authentically Canuck pancakes are the toast of social media, and the venue’s signature ‘McLovin Muffin’ is from an altogether tastier, more thoughtfully assembled universe than anything you’ll order at Maccas; but truthfully, it’s how all of these dishes play together with excellent coffee, interiors, and service across the board that have made Happyfield a breakfasting destination that lives up to its name.
With enough planning, you can even make reservations: a welcome relief, considering that Happyfield has traditionally been a ‘first come, first served’ establishment.
Address: 96 Ramsay St, 72 Dalhousie St, Haberfield NSW 2045
Contact: (02) 9716 5168
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday (7:30 am – 3:30 pm)
Valentina’s Sydney
Opened in 2022 by the folks behind Grumpy Donuts, Valentina’s Sydney is an all-day cafe that channels the vibe of classic New York and L.A. diners, with a little more design budget. Burgundy, deep sage, and timber tones make for a sophisticated space, while the menu is packed with American diner classics.
If you’re looking for a morning bite to eat, the sausage, egg, and cheese English muffin is the breakfast hero. Thick, diner-style pancakes dare you to stack ‘em high, and a slice of pie feels like an obligation. It’s a welcoming cafe that nails the details from the Artificer coffee to the Grifter beers.
Address: 132 Livingstone Rd, Marrickville NSW 2204
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday (7 AM – 3 PM)
Blackwood Pantry
From goat cheese and smoked cheese to fresh fruit, mixed berries and salted caramel, you’ll find just about every staple breakfast ingredient used to great effect at Blackwood Pantry. As the best spot for breakfast in Cronulla, the local favourite has steadily built a loyal following with dishes like truffled chilli scrambled eggs, grilled WA octopus salad and miso avocado toast.
In fact, demand has been so consistent over the years that Blackwood Pantry is finally ready to expand in 2022, with sister venues Blackwood Bondi and Blackwood CBD set to open later this year.
Address: 5/33 Surf Ln, Cronulla NSW 2230
Contact: (02) 9544 4857
Opening Hours: Monday – Firday (7 AM – 3:30 PM); Saturday – Sunday (7 AM – 4 PM)
Shuk Bondi
What started as a modest neighbourhood eatery in residential North Bondi has become one of the biggest names in Sydney’s circuit of Eastern Suburbs breakfast and brunch places. Shuk is an Israeli powerhouse, maximising Middle Eastern and Mediterranean influences through crowd-pleasers like shakshuka, salad aravi and roasted beetroot quinoa.
It’s hard to ignore Shuk’s presence too, with no less than five venues across Sydney including the standalone Shuk Bakery opposite Bondi Beach to restaurants in Chatswood and Elizabeth Bay. Shuk is one of the few local businesses that has managed to expand so extensively without compromising quality.
That being said, the most consistent we’ve found is still the original in North Bondi with its charmingly local vibe and homely food.
Address: 2 Mitchell Street, North Bondi NSW 2026
Contact: 0423 199 859
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday (6 AM – 4 PM)
Three Blue Ducks, Rosebery
There was a time when Three Blue Ducks was referred to as one of Sydney’s quintessential cafes, with the original Bronte venue considered somewhat of a flagship for the city’s beach dwellers. Competition may have pushed the brand into the background, but there’s no denying what co-owner Darren Roberton and his team have built.
Today, Three Blue Ducks Rosbery location is more of a lunch and dinner spot, but it returns to its breakfast roots on the weekends with a great range of offerings. Simple, fresh, delicious and produce-driven dishes are the forte at Three Blue Ducks.
Address: 1/85 Dunning Ave, Rosebery NSW 2018
Contact: (02) 7251 8662
Opening Hours: Tuesday – Friday (12 PM – 9 PM); Saturday (8.30 AM – 9 PM); Sunday (8.30 AM – 3 PM)
Fika Swedish Kitchen
While Manly’s emblematic Corso has its fair share of destination-worthy eateries, the hub for Sydney’s Northern Beaches crowd isn’t quite as bustling and varied on the food and drink side when compared with somewhere like Bondi Beach. Fika Swedish Kitchen is an obvious exception here, uniquely focusing on Scandinavian flavours served up with good quality coffee to start the day right.
There’s no extensive menu at Fika Swedish Kitchen, but reliable favourites include the hearty Swedish meatballs or sour cream and herb herring open-faced sandwich, served in an Ikea-like space that looks like it would fit right in somewhere like Byron Bay.
You can find a Fika Swedish Kitchen in Bondi as well, but the original in Manly is still the best.
Address: 5B Market Place, Manly NSW 2095
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday (7 AM – 2 PM)
Two Chaps
Two Chaps is among the best-known cafes and brunch spots in Sydney’s Inner West, with a kitchen defined by its dedication to sustainable produce and vegan-friendly fare.
Marrickville locals hit the place up for its best-in-class sourdough goods, but it’s pretty much a rite of passage among brunch spot-obsessed Sydneysiders to take some time to explore Two Chaps’ extensive breakfast menu.
Light, healthy and delicious favourites rotate by the season but expect options like a pepper berry smoked eggplant burger with grilled halloumi, a fried brown rice bowl with two fried eggs, and crowd-favourite hash browns with green goddess sauce, grilled kale and zucchini served with two pasture-raised poached eggs.
Address: 122 Chapel Street, Marrickville NSW 2204
Contact: (02) 9572 8858
Opening Hours: Monday – Thursday (7:30 AM – 3 PM); Friday (7:30 AM – 3 PM, 7 PM – 9 PM); Saturday (8 AM – 3 PM, 7 PM – 9 PM); Sunday (8 AM – 3 PM)
Indigo Double Bay
I guess we have to get at least one Double Bay option in this list of the best breakfast options in Sydney. The most reliable of which is Indigo – more than just a place for a quick breakfast burrito and cold-pressed juice.
The atmosphere here is never dull, with a magnetic all-day breakfast menu that includes dishes like the beefy croque madame with roasted honey black forest ham, cheddar cheese, and garlic & truffle bechamel, topped with a fried egg. There are healthier options of course, but few can beat the quintessentially French breakfast staple after a dip at nearby Redleaf Beach.
Address: 6/15 Cross Street, Double Bay NSW 2028
Contact: (02) 9363 5966
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday (6:30 AM – 3:30 PM); Saturday (6:30 AM – 4 PM); Sunday (7 AM – 4 PM)
Paramount Coffee Project
As part of the hip Paramount House precinct in Surry Hills, Paramount Coffee Project (often abbreviated as “PCP”) has nudged out local competition to become the front-runner when thinking about breakfast in Surry Hills.
Why? Try literally anything on the menu, from the pitch-perfect egg and bacon roll to the signature crumbed eggs served on New York rye sourdough with mustard braised ham hock, kale and mustard dressing.
Address: 80 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010
Contact: 0481 148 439
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday (7 AM – 4 PM)
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