The most creative, well-executed menu anywhere on the Lower North Shore. One plate has a dollop of burrata, which comes alongside spring lettuce, pine nuts and papaya.

Whether you hit up the Surry Hills, Barangaroo or North Sydney location, you're in for much the same thing: rich, flavoursome food that's wilfully ignorant of the boundaries between cuisines. The menu's real mainstay is Breakfast with the Sakuma’s – a log of miso grilled salmon, a 63-degree egg, smoked eel croquettes and radish salad.

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 – but a special mention has to go to the 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.

The breakfast menu here offers traditional congee, Thai egg dishes and a selection of toasts.

Lankan's morning meal is not your typical smashed avo with poached eggs. Even dishes that sound familiar aren’t really. The crisp fried egg roll, for example, is dolloped with fermented chilli sauce and pol sambol.

Andy Bowdy's chaotic, beautiful cakes will no doubt draw your eye as you enter his cafe. Do yourself a favour, though, and take some time to look at the concise menu, especially the sangas. Our favourite? The Alex B: a herb crumbed eggplant schnitzel, parmesan custard, passata, basil and melted mozzarella wonder.

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 honduran baleadas (similar to a Mexican quesadilla) show up regularly. 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.

White sesame-crusted chicken schnitzel 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.

Polished Italian breakfasts on a well-heeled street.

Mediterranean-influenced, vegetarian breakfasts and outstanding vegan doughnuts.