Drink Sydney coffee. Discover the best coffee in the Sydney CBD and Surry Hills. Explore Sydney coffee recommendations. Read reviews of some of the best places to go for coffee in Sydney, Australia.
Where can you find the best coffee in Sydney? Sydney coffee has a fantastic reputation with top baristas plying their trade on every corner.
We've visited Sydney five times now from Dublin, Ireland and it turns out that the great reputation of Australian coffee is well warranted. There is nothing like a cup of Sydney brew coursing through your veins to shake off the cobwebs of jetlag.
Whenever I travel for work, I like to wake up a bit early and take a stroll through a new part of town. So many business travelers only see the inside of their hotel and office with a whirlwind car ride in between.
Taking some 'me' time on a business trip is what bleisure travel is all about. Identifying and trying new coffee places is a great way to direct that morning walking commute in a different direction each time.
Read on for Sydney coffee recommendations in the Sydney CBD, Ultimo, Pyrmont, and Surry Hills. Try a different Sydney coffee cafe for every day of the week. Even if you only have as little as one day in Sydney, make sure you find time for a delicious cuppa.
SIDEWALK SAFARI SPOTLIGHT: Interested in coffee-themed travel in general? Find out where to get a fantastic cup in:
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The Best Coffee in Sydney CBD
1. Parlour Lane
Parlour Lane is a top notch Sydney coffee roaster situated in the lobby of the old State Theatre building in the Sydney CBD. The interior is simply amazing with vintage theatre costumes on display and sumptous Art Deco accents. Try Parlour Lane's banana bread with a "skinny cap" (Sydney-speak for a low-fat cappuccino). I consider Parlour Lane to be the most Instagrammable coffee place in Sydney's CBD.
2. Pablo and Rusty
Another great spot to find some of the best coffee in Sydney CBD is Pablo and Rusty. Grab a seat outside under a shady umbrella and order the barista's choice tasting flight. You'll get full doses of coffee in three different forms: espresso, cappuccino, and a filter coffee made from single-origin beans.
3. The Grounds of the City
The Grounds of the City is another fantastic place to get coffee in Sydney CBD. The Grounds is located in a shopping arcade and you can sit 'outside' on the historic concourse or inside where you'll find a buzzing atmosphere with warm dark tones. Sit at the counter for breakfast on a Saturday and strike up a conversation with your neighbor. I met a couple from Perth who were returning from a vacation in New Zealand via Sydney. We had a lovely chat. The Grounds of the City offers a bottomless cup of filter coffee made from top-notch coffee beans. You can go savory or sweet for breakfast. I went sweet and ordered the hotcake which was simply enormous and delicious. The hotcake was covered in berries, figs, and a lemon marscapone.
4. Klink
If you like your coffee in a quirky location, try Klink. Klink serves up some of the best coffee in Sydney CBD in a former police station. Klink is a great option if you're in hurry and need to get your coffee to takeaway. You can go inside to order or place your order at the window facing the street.
5. Workshop Espresso
Workshop Espresso is another top choice for coffee in Sydney CBD. It's an ideal pitstop for caffeine at the midpoint between Surry Hills and Pyrmont. Spilling out onto the street, admire the classic architecture of the CBD while waiting for your order.
Sydney's Best Coffee in Surry Hills
6. Reformatory Caffeine Lab
Reformatory Caffeine Lab is not only one of the best places to get coffee in Sydney's Surry Hills neighborhood, it's also simply bad ass with a dark black interior and street art on the walls. The coffee at Reformatory Caffeine Lab was most excellently prepared. Opt for a traditional cappuccino while admiring all the science-y equipment in use like the addition funnel and frit used to prepare cold brewed filtered coffee. Reformatory Caffeine Lab definitely made me reminisce about my early career when I worked in a chemistry lab.
7. Two Good Eggs Cafe
You won't go wrong with Sunday brunch at Two Good Eggs Cafe. Both the coffee and food were excellent. The cappuccino was small but well crafted with a healthy dose of chocolate on top. Use your coffee to wash down a plate of poached eggs and berry pancakes.
8. Single Origin Roasters
Single Origin Roasters in Surry Hills was one of our favorite discoveries in Sydney. There are separate 'drink in' and takeaway locations standing side by side. We sidled up to the takeaway counter. It doesn't look like much from the outside and is almost camouflaged by the air conditioning repair shop next door. Up close, we admired the drip stations and other fancy equipment.
The baristas were super friendly and even asked us where we were from. When we told them we live in Ireland, they were like "Do you know Colin from 3FE?!" I wouldn't say we know Colin personally but he did judge me in a coffee throwing competition once. However, everyone who likes coffee in Dublin knows of Colin Harmon from 3FE. I was extremely impressed that these guys halfway around the world knew him too.
The baristas were super friendly and even asked us where we were from. When we told them we live in Ireland, they were like "Do you know Colin from 3FE?!" I wouldn't say we know Colin personally but he did judge me in a coffee throwing competition once. However, everyone who likes coffee in Dublin knows of Colin Harmon from 3FE. I was extremely impressed that these guys halfway around the world knew him too.
9. Reuben Hills
A cool morning breeze swept end to end through the open doors of Reuben Hills in Surry Hills when we stopped in. Reuben Hills serves a fine cappuccino and is also a great spot to sit down for lunch.
10. Bean Temple
We discovered the no fuss, Bean Temple in Surry Hills just a block or two from our hotel. Located across the street from the police station, you can't miss it. The coffee was fine and apparently they make a lovely toastie.
Sydney's Best Coffee in Pyrmont
11. Social Brew
Sydney's Social Brew is a great place to grab breakfast with coworkers or friends in Sydney's Pyrmont neighborhood. Go for a perfectly crafted flat white, a skinny cap, or even a long black if the fancy strikes. Sit outside on a small greenspace or inside while you catch a breeze through the wide-open window. Social Brew also makes a fantastic 'avo toast' that quintessential Aussie breakfast of eggs and avocado on toast.
Sydney's Best Coffee in Ultimo
12. Mecca
You might think that Mecca is the mecca of the coffee scene in Sydney. We enjoyed our stop here in Ultimo and a well-prepared latte. I do think it's hard though for any one coffee place to declare supremacy in Sydney. There are just too many darn good places.
13. Local Mbassy
You'll also love the atmosphere at Local Mbassy in Ultimo. Old fashioned and rusty gadgets line the walls with stylized black and white art in the back. Local Mbassy also featured a charming display of cronuts and other pastries to tempt those of us that just stopped in for a bit of caffeine. Definitely worth checking out.
14. The Pigeonhole Cafe
Our final discovery for some of the best coffee in Sydney was The Pigeonhole Cafe. Also located in Ultimo, this place was quite popular and we had to wait about 10 minutes to be served. It was worth the wait though because it gave me time to admire the bird motif in the interior and the coffee was well-prepared.
Sydney's Best Coffee Further Afield
15. Colombian Connection at the Carriageworks
The Carriageworks is a weekend farmers' market in the Eveleigh neighborhood of Sydney. As you'd expect, the venue is converted from an old carriageworks and retains a historic, industrial feel. Nestled inside, we discovered the Colombian Connection. They serve their coffee traditionally or for a little extra with almond milk. We enjoyed sipping our cuppa while strolling among the food and craft stalls.
Map of the Best Coffee in Sydney
Click on the image of the map below to open up an interactive version in Google Maps to help you plan your visits to the best coffee places in Sydney.
What are your opinions about the best coffee in Sydney? Let us know your Sydney coffee recommendations by leaving a comment below. We love using our morning coffee walks as a way to gently direct our exploration of a new city and make sure we don't fall into the hotel-office death spiral that can so easily happen on a business trip.
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