Of course Clayton Wells, the wunderkind behind Automata, also has game at breakfast. At his daytime eatery, we're into the blue swimmer crab and XO chilli omelette with garlic rice.

Bill Granger didn't invent avo toast, but he's certainly responsible for popularising it. Ditto for ricotta hotcakes. His breezy, licensed cafes (also in Darlo and Surry Hills) are still some of the best places in Sydney for a daytime meal, regardless of tastes or dietary requirements.

Even in the age of food designed for Instagram, Little Jean's artful platings stand out. The thing is, each creative dish tastes as good as it looks, whether you opt for a buckwheat crepe with seasonal fruits; or comforting dukkah eggs with hash browns.

Health-focused food doesn't usually taste this good, nor have a sense of humour about itself. Try the Breakfast with Gwyneth: two fried biodynamic eggs with sauteed quinoa, kale, spinach, garlic and chilli. Or maybe a beautiful fruit plate.

For bagels and all kinds of pickled, cured and smoked New York deli-style dishes.

If you're looking for something to disrupt your egg-and-bacon routine, this Middle Eastern restaurant is just the ticket. Breakfast is available Sundays only, but it's one of the best in town. Try the Baalbek fried eggs. Three eggs are cooked so that when poked the yolk erupts over tahini, lamb and flatbread.

This architecturally striking cafe has food to match the sophistication of its surrounds. Order the classic avo on sourdough, made here with cucumber ribbons and "everything bagel" seasoning. For the less health-conscious, there's also a killer fried chicken waffle with maple bacon gravy.

The three owners of Shuk serve the kind of meals that they ate with their families in Israel. Which is to say, a modern interpretation with a few global influences. Great – but we still love the classic shakshuka or slow-cooked lamb with hummus.

For inimitable breakfast ramen with a buttered-toast broth, bacon and eggs.

Central and South America are the jumping off points for this unusual menu, where unfamiliar but entirely delicious dishes such as "choripan" (an Argentinian hot dog, essentially) are the stars. Also, the fried chicken is a classic.

Former fine-dining chefs lighting up Bronte and Rosebery with light, fresh and zingy takes on familiar breakfast dishes.

Pan-fried barramundi with crispy skin at 8am? Done. Or maybe grilled octopus with charred eggplant and za'atar flatbread? Easy.

Bottomless mimosas and cured salmon with labneh and dill on weekend mornings.

Straight from the oven to your plate.