Best Cafes in Surry Hills

Depending on when you visit, Surry Hills can feel like two totally different suburbs. During the week it's an extension of the CBD, where suits hurry by and takeaway lunch spots barely get a break. But when the weekend comes around, the pace slows down and sit-down cafes such as Reuben Hills and Cuckoo Callay are populated with chatty groups of friends. As such, there's a diverse range of options here that suit almost any occasion.

Reuben Hills

Coffee backed by a 15-country coffee research trip.

61 Albion Street, Surry Hills

Paramount Coffee Project

New beans and new international roasters every four to six weeks, plus an inventive menu.

80 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills

Single O Cafe and Sideshow

It's a leader of the coffee scene, but the affordable meals are just as much of a drawcard.

60-64 Reservoir Street, Surry Hills

Devon Cafe

You'll never get bored of the inventive, ever-changing menu.

76 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills

Neighbourhood

A tiny hole-in-the-wall operation serving some the city's best coffee.

16 Buckingham Street, Surry Hills

Artificer Specialty Coffee Bar & Roastery

A minimal fit-out matched with a minimal menu.

547 Bourke Street, Surry Hills

Cuckoo Callay Surry Hills

mac'n'cheese croissants and cocktails for breakfast.

413 Crown Street, Surry Hills

Suzie Q Coffee & Records

Inspired by the music of yesteryear, with records to take home a slice of Woodstock.

1/18 Hutchinson Street, Surry Hills

Sample Coffee Surry Hills

This nifty little spot knows its specialty coffee.

118 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills

Veneziano Coffee

A part-cafe and part-workshop for experts and budding barista amateurs.

352 Bourke Street, Surry Hills

Meet Mica

Innovative brunch dishes by an ex-fine-dining chef.

5 492-500 Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills

Orto Trading Co.

Like a greenhouse, but without the humidity.

Shop 7 38 Waterloo Street, Surry Hills

Verd Surry Hills

A fast-food salad bar.

3 118 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills

Kentaro

Kentaro is Oratnek spelled backwards – a nod to its sister venue in Redfern. You can get Oratnek’s signature katsu sando here (“worth the 15 minute wait”), but there’s also hard-to-find Japanese classics such as omurice. It’s restaurant-quality fare, set within an industrial fit-out.

616 Bourke Street, Surry Hills

Shift Eatery

This cafe makes eating vegan easy.

Shop 4 241 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills

Joe Black

More than your average cup of Joe.

27 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills

Kawa

A menu lengthy enough to please even the fussiest of diners.

346-350 Crown Street, Surry Hills

Bangbang Cafe

Burgers and more.

113 Reservoir Street, Surry Hills

Kwila

Breakfast classics and vegan pies in an industrial alcove.

7 46 Foster Street, Surry Hills

Shenkin Surry Hills

Home-style Israeli cuisine to shake up routine.

290 Crown Street, Surry Hills

Blacksmith Surry Hills

Polished wood and greenery bring the outside in at this spacious Mona Vale spin-off.

116 Chalmers Street (Corner Rutland Street), Surry Hills

Haven Specialty Coffee

Specialty coffee tailored to your exact preference, plus a boundary-pushing menu.

30-34 Chalmers Street, Surry Hills

Cafe Con Leche

From the food to the coffee, this one is all about Colombia.

104 Fitzroy Street, Surry Hills

Cre Asion

A tiny macaron and tea specialist.

21 Alberta Street, Surry Hills

Humble Bakery

A bakery from the Bodega team. Visit for baked-bean toasties, jam doughnuts, sausage rolls and quince danishes – with a Mimosa or Bloody Mary on the side.

50 Holt Street, Surry Hills

Cafe Rumah

Malaysian-inspired brekkie goodness.

71 Campbell Street, Surry Hills

Mensch Bagels

This Surry Hills bagelry is inspired by the bagels of New York icon Russ & Daughters. Owner Mike Samaha spent three years perfecting his recipe. The result? A small-but-mighty bagel that's crusty on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. Go for a classic filled with gravlax and cream cheese, or try one of the heftier steak or schnitty numbers.

475 Crown Street, Surry Hills