Sydney Brunch Guide: The Best Cafes and Weekend Breakfast Spots Across the City

Sydney's cafe and brunch culture is world-class: the city's combination of extraordinary coffee (the Sydney specialty coffee scene has been internationally influential since the early 2000s, with Sydney roasters like Single O, Campos, and Five Senses establishing the Australian third-wave model that has spread globally), outstanding fresh produce (the proximity to the Hawkesbury Valley and the Hunter), and a deeply embedded weekend outdoor dining culture (the harbour city climate is ideal for alfresco breakfasting for most of the year) has created a brunch landscape that consistently ranks among the world's finest. Surry Hills and Newtown are the epicentres of Sydney's cafe culture, but quality breakfast destinations are distributed across the city from Bondi to Manly to Balmain.

Surry Hills — Surry Hills is Sydney's undisputed brunch capital, with an extraordinary concentration of outstanding cafes within a compact walkable precinct. Devon Cafe (Devonshire Street) is one of Sydney's most photographed brunch destinations, with creative brunch dishes that have set the standard for Sydney's contemporary cafe menu. Paramount Coffee Project (Commonwealth Street) occupies a converted heritage building and provides both exceptional coffee and a brunch menu that draws on the best of Sydney's food culture. Reuben Hills (Albion Street) has a dedicated following for its Central and South American-inspired brunch menu and outstanding espresso. The Saturday morning walk from Surry Hills to the Crown Street farmers market and back via a cafe is a Sydney weekend ritual.

Bondi Beach — Bondi is Sydney's tourist brunch destination, but the quality of the Bondi cafe scene is genuinely high. Trio (Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach) is the Bondi classic: the weekend queues are long but the ocean views and the French-influenced brunch menu justify the wait. North Bondi Fish (North Bondi) provides outstanding seafood-led brunch in a spectacular ocean setting. The Bondi Farmers Market (Campbell Parade, Saturday mornings) plus a cafe visit creates one of Sydney's finest weekend morning experiences.

Newtown and Glebe — Newtown's King Street provides a more eclectic and alternative brunch scene than Surry Hills, with Gigi Pizzeria's weekend brunch, Bloodwood's inventive brunch menu, and the extraordinary LP's Quality Meats brunch providing outstanding options. The Grounds of Alexandria (nearby in Alexandria) is Sydney's most Instagrammed brunch destination, with a market garden setting and large-format brunch dishes served in a converted industrial building.

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