Sydney is a vibrant, eclectic city, with an array of interesting and innovative cafes to breakfast at. Brunches are a local speciality, and few cities offer such a wide variety of types and tastes. Sweet or savoury, hot or cold, eating inside or out; Sydney has it all.
It has oft been said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. So you owe it to yourself to get out and discover some of these great brekkie venues.
What’s better than avocado, eggs, bacon, granola, coffee, smoothies, and everything in between? Here, we have provided you with 15 of the best places for breakfasts in Sydney. Happy brunching!
Social Brew Café is a casual café, with indoor and outdoor seating. They serve brunch style food, as well as excellent coffees and teas. The café is bright and vibrant, with a trendy and social atmosphere.
Their breakfast menu consists of standard breakfast dishes such as bread and butter, eggs Benedict, and eggs on toast.
They serve slow-cooked beans with poached eggs and chorizo, ricotta hotcakes with strawberries and pistachio butter, deli boards, breakfast roll with eggs, cheese, bacon, cheese, rocket and tomato. And then there’s their iconic mushroom and Parmesan bruschetta, and the double cheese, ham, and egg toastie.
Location: 1860 Pittwater Rd, Church Point, NSW 2105 Ph: 0435 027 068
The Waterfront Café is a picturesque café and general store on the beautiful waterfront of Church Point. This café serves classic breakfast options, as well as unique dishes. They serve a big breakfast, consisting of eggs, bacon, sausages, mushrooms, tomatoes, hash browns, and toast.
They also have bagels, scotch egg/salmon scotch egg roti, steak rot, deconstructed breakfast tacos, shakshuka, fruit salad, as well as fresh bakery options such as muffins and sourdough.
Joe Black Café is all about community, food, and coffee. The café is situated in the centre of Sydney, and they’re open from early in the morning to mid-afternoon. They serve classic breakfasts with a twist. We just had to include this place amongst our best places for breakfasts in Sydney.
The fabulously named Stormin’ Norman, which consists of onions, tomatoes, avocado, and poached eggs on sourdough, is delicious.
They also have various forms of eggs and toast, smashed avocado, cooked breakfasts, bolognese mince with poached eggs, creamy bircher, maple granola, ham, cheese, and tomato omelette and eggs Benedict.
Their menu reflects quality, with additions such as champagne ham, smoked salmon, bacon, and poached eggs available as add ons. For lunch, they serve sangas and salads, as well as brunch bakes such as muffins, brownies, banana bread, and croissants.
Location: 99 George St, The Rocks, NSW 2000 Ph: (02) 9247 3089
If you are tourist in Sydney, then the Rocks area to the left of Circular Quay is a must-see spot, crammed with history.
The beautiful building that houses the Rocks Cafe originates from the 1860s and has contributed to Sydney’s architectural scene. Their menu consists of European and modern Australian cuisine, including delicious breakfast options.
Their cake display is famous for the delectable treats on offer. They have an extensive selection featuring croissants, banana bread with ricotta and honey, smashed avocado, roasted mushrooms on sourdough, and grilled halloumi for breakfast.
They also serve their signature ricotta hotcakes with mascarpone, strawberries, blueberry compote, and maple syrup. Their classic dishes are popular too, including the eggs Florentine, ham Benedict, salmon Royale, and their soft breakfast burger with house relish.
Four Frogs became successful in 2013, when their location in Mosman opened. The restaurant was founded by four French friends who lived in Australia and wanted to bring French food and authentic crêpes to the country.
There are now three chains of the restaurant, and their success is phenomenal. They have an extensive menu of crêpes and galettes. Crêpes are sweet, and galettes are savoury.
They have ham and Swiss cheese, spinach and feta, bacon, egg and cheese, smoked salmon, cream cheese and chive galettes. They have many more, including french cheeses such as raclette. These are no ordinary pancakes – their crêpes are classic and delicious.
They have classic fillings such as butter and sugar with lemon, Nutella and fruit, as well as fillings such as flambéed oranges, caramel sauce, and coconut and Belgian chocolate. Four Frogs Crêperie is the perfect place to get an amazing, unique breakfast.
Location: 633 Bourke St, Surry Hills, NSW 2010 Ph: (02) 9699 1011 Check the website for additional locations
Bourke Street Bakery began in Surry Hills and has slowly become one of Sydney’s most popular breakfast spots. The bakery has twelve locations around the area, and the demand is high!
As well as excellent breakfasts, the bakery also offers catering services as well as baking classes. They serve morning pastries such as croissants, pain au chocolat, pain au raisin, almond praline croissant, pear danish and seasonal fruit danishes.
But that’s not all. They also serve muffins and cookies, like their chocolate and sour cherry cookie and mixed berry muffin. They have ginger brulée, and seasonal meringue tarts, as well as daily cakes and breads.
Their cakes include chocolate cake, carrot and walnut cake and flourless lemon cake. They have some incredible breads that are available on different days of the week.
These include their apple, raisin and cinnamon bread, the goats cheese, caramelised onion and thyme bread, and their amazingly soft brioche loaf, which is just perfect for your freshly brewed coffee.
With all of this, it’s no wonder this ranks amongst our best places for breakfasts in Sydney.
La Renaissance Pâtisserie is a pâtisserie and café which serves some amazing french pastries, cakes, and coffee for an indulgent breakfast in Sydney. The pâtisserie has a covered, botanical courtyard where you can enjoy artisanal pastries in peace.
They serve Zulu, which is a milk and dark chocolate mousse cake with a chocolate ganache centre and an almond base. What’s more, they serve a lemon tart, a fruit tart, chocolate éclairs, cheesecake, crème brûlée, mille feuilles and a coffee éclair.
They also serve baguettes, pies and savoury croissants which are perfect brunch options. This patisseries always has a fresh selection of morning pastries for you, from croissants and pain au chocolat, to pistachio swirls and almond croissants.
This gem is a little different to most of our other best places for breakfasts in Sydney.
Kurumac is a small, Japanese café serving comforting breakfast and lunch dishes. They serve dishes such as cod roe omelette, and Japanese-style toast with seaweed butter. It’s the perfect place to go if you’re craving something more flavoursome dishes, as well as strong, robust coffee.
They also have dashi scrambled eggs on toast, onigiri with tonjiru pork and vegetable soup, grilled salmon congee, and mixed vegetable tempura with green tea soba. The café is modern, light and trendy, with lots of indoor seating, and a cosy vibe.
This is a vibrant café in the centre of Sydney. It is small and unassuming, with outdoor covered seating available. However, the team at Playfair Cafe are well known for their breakfasts, and are praised for their menu. Amongst their most popular dishes is their ‘big brekky’ including eggs, toast, bacon, tomato, and mushrooms.
Apart from this, they have eggs Benedict, bruschetta, salmon and eggs, corn fritters with bacon and avocado and soft brioche French toast with poached pear, berries, ice cream and mascarpone.
They also have their classic breakfast rolls and wraps, along with their avocado, feta and lemon toast.
Editor’s Note: We have heard that the Playfair Cafe has closed. We will let you know when we learn more.As this is the case, check out this hot recommendation instead…
Location: 60-64 Reservoir St, Surry Hills, NSW 2010 Ph: (02) 9211 0665 See Website For More Locations
What began as a single origin (get it?) coffee roaster has blossomed into a coffee and breakfast empire with a number of outlets across Sydney.
Happily, expansion hasn’t diluted either the quality of the coffee roasted and brewed by Single O, or the team’s commitment to ethical and sustainable practices. In fact, they are so good at what they do that they were named Time Out Sydney’s Cafe of the Year 2022.
So apart from a particularly fabulous flat white, what can you expect for breakfast?
Of course, good coffee doesn’t come cheap. So if you want to save a few dollars, maybe you should buy a Coffee Machine for all those extra cups that you drink during the week. Click here for more information on the latest models.
We’re fans of the Blackened Corn Fritters with its zest yuzu avocado smash, although the Falafel Bowl is also a winner. If you want to go for a more traditional brekkie, no problem. Single O has an extensive menu of Sides and you can add these items to Eggs on Toast or their version of smashed Avo to create whatever you like.
Superb coffee and delicious food? No wonder Single O makes the cut of our top places for breakfasts in Sydney.
Location: Unit 2/148 Goulburn St, Surry Hills, NSW 2010 Ph: (02) 9283 9694
Two Good Eggs is a café that serves some delicious breakfast food. The café is unassuming and relatively inexpensive, but definitely deserves a spot amongst our best places for breakfasts in Sydney.
They serve toasted banana bread, muesli, double smoked ham and aged cheddar croissant. Then there are toasted sandwiches, breakfast burgers, and breakfast wraps. The café has a large selection of cooked breakfasts, too, which is always good to hear.
There are tons of vegetarian options, and a large selection of coffees. One of their top dishes is their avocado bruschetta with tomatoes, feta, pepitas, poached eggs, and basil oil. The café is bright and colorful, with lots of indoor and outdoor seating.
Location: The Rocks Centre Cnr Mill Lane & Kendall Lane, Shop 9/12-26 Playfair St, , The Rocks Centre, The Rocks, NSW 2000 Ph: (02) 9252 1196
The Fine Food Store is a family-owned café that serves wholesome and hearty food, which is always delicious. They have great coffee too, which is roasted in-house and expertly made. This alone put it up there with our best places for breakfasts in Sydney.
The cafe is fresh and modern, with vegetarian influences.
Their motto is ‘good food and coffee meets good vibes’ and it’s emblazoned on their mirror. They have been open for over fifteen years, and they are wildly popular.
One of their best plates sure their signature muesli. There is a carrot, ginger and rhubarb bircher, fresh fruit with lemon curd, Belgian style waffles with sweet toppings and a green shakshuka.
They also have their breakfast ‘smorgasbord’ for two, including eggs, polenta, salmon rillettes, black pudding and apple, rhubarb bircher, sourdough soldiers and a smoothie.
And let’s not forget the poached eggs, Italian butter beans, spiced chicken and waffles, as well as their famous brioche breakfast bun with egg, bacon, cheese, nduja, chilli jam and BBQ sauce.
Dare Cafe is rated as one of the top 50 restaurants in the whole of Sydney. They are known for their cozy and welcoming atmosphere and their excellent service and quality food.
If you dine here, you really should try their Belgian waffles, which can be sweet (with Nutella, strawberries, banana and ice cream), or savoury (caramelised banana, bacon and maple syrup).
They are known for their cooked breakfasts, which come with eggs, crispy bacon, grilled tomato, halloumi, sourdough, beans, hash browns and sausages.
If you fancy something healthier, their organic açai bowl may do the trick. The açai bowl is blended açai berries, granola, fruit, coconut and chia seeds.
Location: Shop 1/212 Riley St, Surry Hills, NSW 2010
Now here’s something a little different. A cool yet casual Korean cafe where even familiar sounding breakfast dishes have an Asian spin.
This is another part of the growing SOUL Dining group and, like its sibling venues – the food is filling and extremely tasty. In fact, this cafe already has a reputation for being one of the top places for breakfast in Sydney.
Here, the Avocado on Toast ($22) comes with white kimchi. It’s an addition which is – frankly – genius. However, the big draw is the KFC Hot Cakes ($24). This feature gnarly Korean fried chicken (KFC), drenched in sweet chilli sauce, balanced on top of buttermilk hot cakes. Honestly, it’s the perfect brunch option.
Oh. And make sure you try the salted-caramel/espresso hit of their Dan-Jjan Latte. It’s a winner.
Basket Brothers is defined as an antipodean café (Australian) driven by old-fashioned good service, food, and hospitality. The decor is bright, vibrant and brimming with plants. They are known for their big breakfasts, and delicious flavour combinations.
Give their organic baked granola with fresh fruit and sweet yogurt a try. Or maybe the oatmeal with taro and almond milk, or the eggs Benedict, herb and mushroom omelet, Moroccan baked eggs with chorizo or banana bread with butter.
However, they have some unique dishes that you have to try.
For example, their red velvet pancakes with pandan sauce and fruit and berries – wow! Then there’s their famous bacon and egg roll with tomato chutney and rocket, their pumpkin bruschetta with ricotta, tomatoes and pomegranate, and their smoked brisket hash in a smokey sauce with tomatoes, hash browns, eggs and sourdough.
Their menu is extensive and unique, and is definitely a must-try in the city. It’s definitely one of the best places for breakfasts in Sydney.
Bar Zini is an Italian restaurant that is popular at night, and a relaxed breakfast and lunch spot in the day. The café is small and cozy, with beautiful interiors, and high-quality ingredients and ethical trading.
They serve Italian-Australian fusion dishes, which are truly unique and undoubtedly worth trying, as well as inexpensive.
They serve their Sonoma sourdough toast with drunken sailor preserve, the tuga butter croissant with ham and cheese, their famous bacon and egg roll with sriracha mayo and cavolo nero with provolone, their halloumi roll with avocado and romesco and their spiced corn and zucchini pickle fritters.
This is a unique menu filled with quality produce. They also have their classic avocado toast with truss tomato, goats cheese, poached eggs, mint and za’atar and pomegranate.
We are completing our look at the best places for breakfasts in Sydney with The Rusty Rabbit.
The Rusty Rabbit is a franchised café which serves all day breakfast and brunch food. Their food is iconic and colourful, inspired by nature. They serve some unique teas and coffees and some delicious smoothies, juices, and dairy-free smoothies.
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Amongst their winning offerings are a breakfast wrap with bacon, rocket, eggs, and relish and their famous bircher, which is soaked in mango and mixed nuts with cinnamon. They also have granola, eggs on toast, eggs Benedict, beans and eggs on sourdough, avocado and feta, as well as their famous champ bowl.
They also have more unique options such as their pumpkin patch, which is smashed pumpkin on toast with spinach, feta, tomatoes and a balsamic glaze, and their rockmelon bruschetta with basil and avocado.
Additionally, they have dishes such as lamb kafta with eggs, pea-kachu (smashed peas and whipped feta and chorizo) and cheesecake pancakes. Need we say more?
Sydney truly is a delight with all its restaurants, cafés, and bars of every cuisine and style you could wish for. We hope you can indulge in some of these choices from the best places to get breakfast in Sydney.
When it comes to great places to eat in Australia, the list really is endless. There are so many different restaurants, cafés, and chains to try that you really are spoiled for choice. From Italian food, to Japanese food, to a good ‘ole rump steak, the food options are endless.
This is why I decided to set up my blog, Eatability, to share the best food and drink spots in Australia with as many people as possible. Hi, my name is Dylan Cole, and I moved to Australia five years ago from England, UK.
Through this blog, I will be sharing and recommending some of my favorite places you need to visit, such as where to find the best pizza in Adelaide, and the best bakery in Brisbane. Whatever food you are fancying, I have got you covered!
