The Best Breakfast in Sydney
Breakfast is the closest thing we have to a national cuisine. That’s clearest on the weekends. You’ll find Sydney’s cafes crammed with diners, and more lining up to get in. Here, we’ve curated the places that are shaping Sydney’s breakfast landscape – as well as those that have nailed the classics.
Cafe
Happyfield
Walk past Happyfield any day of the week and there’ll be a crowd of people lining up outside. They’re here for pancakes drenched in 100 per cent Canadian maple syrup.
Restaurant
Iftar
Head to the family-run spot for awarma and egg manoush, honey-soaked Lebanese village cheeses, lamb skewers and a meze menu overseen by a mother-son duo.
Cafe
Angus Marrickville
Hit this breezy cafe-bakery for a monthly rotation of baked treats, from croissants to cookies. It’s hard to go past the hefty focaccia sangas, stacked with chicken, mortadella and more.
Cafe
Superfreak
Superfreak’s head-turning fit-out makes it a contender for Sydney’s best-looking cafe. But there’s plenty more to love – including a fresh, homely menu and a vinyl soundtrack.
Cafe
Pina
The larger spin-off to Potts Point institution Room Ten counts Neil Perry and Josh Niland, among its legion of fans. Think scrambled eggs and coffee – best enjoyed al fresco.
Restaurant
Mami’s Bondi
Visit this friendly Mexican restaurant in the morning for a big old breakfast burrito, chilaquiles and enfrijoladas (corn tortillas covered in a savoury bean sauce).
Cafe
Room Ten
Don’t be fooled by this cafe’s modest appearance – it can do plenty in its tiny kitchen. Omelette wraps, huge salad bowls and protein-packed sandwiches are all great choices.
Restaurant
Norma’s Deli
This Greek joint is part sourdough bakery, part grocer, part diner, part coffee bar – and it’s an ideal morning stop for taramasalata toast, silky folded eggs and plentiful platters.
Cafe
Cafe Cressida
Part Paris cafe, part LA hotel, this playful spot from the owners of Ursula’s in Paddington is here whatever time of day you need it. Come early for a classic big breakfast.
Cafe
Ca Phe Mai
It’s a big call to say something is a first. But we’re confident Sydney hasn’t had a venue like Ca Phe Mai. Most of the morning offering could be categorised as brunch classics with a Vietnamese twist.
Cafe
Ken’s Continental
Linger at a table below leafy trees over a continental plate loaded with cold-cuts, house-made pickles, olives and baguette, or a serving of fried eggs with black pudding and mortadella.
Cafe
Bills Darlinghurst
Bill Granger didn't invent avo on toast, but he’s certainly responsible for popularising it. Ditto for ricotta hotcakes. His breezy, licensed cafes are still some of the best in town.
Cafe
Kurumac
If you’ve never had Japanese comfort food for breakfast, hit this low-key cafe in the inner west. Onigiri with miso soup, congee with grilled salmon and roe, chirashi bowls.
Cafe
Edition Coffee Roasters Haymarket
Breakfast here blends Nordic and Japanese cuisines. That might look like fluffy scrambled eggs with charred avocado, salad and house-made Japanese milk bread.
Cafe
Boon Cafe and Jarern Chai
Thaitown’s destination cafe and Asian grocer seamlessly blends Thai and western cuisines into a style all its own. Dishes might include shiitake and crab congee and Thai-style baked eggs.
Cafe
The Corner Deli by Lox in a Box
The first dine-in venue from Bondi’s Lox in a Box is known for its signature salmon bagels. Head to the old old Cornersmith site to try it – or maybe a stellar brisket burrito.
Cafe
Paramount Coffee Project
Set within the Paramount Building, this architecturally striking cafe has food to match the sophistication of its surrounds. The menu leans classic brunch, so all bases are covered.
Cafe
Noon
The Chica Bonita team takes on brekkie at community-minded Noon. Find the usual breakfast darlings, plus creative morning plays showcasing excellent lesser-known suppliers.
Cafe
Circa Espresso
One of Sydney's first new-wave cafes is still going strong. The Ottoman eggs – poached eggs with crumbed eggplant and garlic labneh on house-baked bread – has been a staple from the start.
Cafe
Devon Barangaroo
Few places have had a bigger influence on Sydney’s cafe scene than Devon. It was one of the first in Sydney to eschew the standard of eggs and toast – and instead serve restaurant-level brekkie.
Restaurant
Misc
Parramatta Park’s lush Med-inspired eatery is all about communal dining. Build your own brekkie plate with focaccia, sujuk, smoked labneh and more. Or grab fancy pantry items for a picnic in the park.
Cafe
Reuben Hills
Reuben Hills’ breakfast menu is fitting for any occasion to start to the day, with options ranging from soft baked eggs to fried chicken burgers. Coffee is roasted upstairs in its micro-roastery.
Cafe
Blackwood Cronulla
The cuisine-crossing menu at Blackwood also exists outside the confines of time. Chicken schnitzel sandwich at 8am? Easy done. Or perhaps a prawn poké bowl with black rice.
Cafe
Valentina’s
From the team behind Grumpy Donuts, this flash spot serves the rich comfort food you’d find in a New York or LA diner. By that, we mean pancake stacks, fried chicken sangas and plenty of filter coffee.
Cafe
Queen Ester
Queen is all about the fresh, vibrant and comforting flavours found in homes and on the streets of Israel. Come for plates of falafel and hummus; or pita breads stuffed with fried eggplant, jammy eggs and salad.
Cafe
Fika Swedish Kitchen
What is fika? It’s a Swedish concept all about the ritual of taking a break, or maybe catching up with friends and family. At this seaside cafe, you can do just that.
Cafe
Cafe Monaka
Decked out in raw oak, this breezy spot is one of a few Sydney cafes serving traditional Japanese breakfasts, plus brunch classics. Artisan green teas from Japan are brewed here daily.
Cafe
Algorithm
Best brunch on Marrickville Road? This corner cafe is a hot contender. Come for plussed-up brekkies by a Quay-trained chef, pandan custard buns and a strong iced drinks offering.
Cafe
Quick Brown Fox Eatery
Set within a heritage-listed, 1840s-built stone cottage, Quick Brown Fox Eatery is one of Sydney’s most impressive – and constantly evolving – cafes.
Cafe
Two Chaps
Sustainable and made on-site is the ethos here, and the cabinet is loaded with sandwiches and doughnuts to takeaway.
Cafe
Cafe Lewi
Everything here is made in-house – granola, hash browns, sauces and sodas; as well as focaccia, milk buns and an impressive pastry line-up. And the coffee is always excellent.
Restaurant
Bantry Bay Grocer
The menu at this all-day spot features snack plates with pickled vegetables, deli meats and cheese sliced to order. Sandwiches stuffed with similar things make up more substantial meals.
Bar
Makaveli
The 28-seat venue has your morning cuppa covered from 6am every day. Plus, you’ll find turmeric lattes, iced matcha, and specials like Bloody Marys and collagen coffee.
Cafe
Buoy Kiosk
The people of the northern beaches know how they want their cafes: on the water, by the water, overlooking the water. Buoy Kiosk sticks to the brief.
Cafe
Jinius
Pillowy pastries, airy sourdoughs and other chewy baked goods. They’re all laced with Korean ingredients that constantly change with the chef-owner’s ongoing culinary experiments.
Cafe
Sit
House-cultured yoghurts are plentiful and there are snacky serves of fruit and cheese. If you’re after something more filling, plates of steak and eggs join silky rolled omelettes and pancakes.
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