Sydney’s Freshest Coffee Spots You Need to Check Out

From Penrith to Cronulla, the 2014 SMH Good Cafe Guide highlights a wave of exciting new cafes opening across Sydney, with something fresh popping up at every turn.

From 16-hour cold drip to cronuts, green smoothies, and bacon-free breakfast menus, this year has once again challenged what we think makes a great cafe.

For the Sydney Morning Herald Good Cafe Guide 2014, our team of reviewers visited over 300 cafes, including 86 new entries across the city, searching for wonderful venues — some offering ocean views, while others are tucked away in parks, laneways, shopping arcades, and even basements.

It’s been great to see more cafes embracing specialty coffee and focusing on single-origin and single-estate beans, often served alongside a café’s house blend.

Great cafes are easier to find than ever in the CBD, with notable highlights such as Gumption, the second café from Hazel Des Los Reyes of Coffee Alchemy, and the first café in the city from specialty roasters Pablo and Rusty’s. Another favourite is the $1 espresso at the bar at Baker Bros on York St (see best CBD cafes on page 15).

There have also been standout openings all around Sydney. Melbourne’s St Ali launched its first Sensory Lab at Bondi Beach; Black Star Pastry opened a second and larger venue at Rosebery; Zetland welcomed Nan’s Place; Manly saw the arrival of Showbox Coffee Brewers and Fika Swedish Kitchen; and in the west, Henri Marc in Penrith and Glenhaven’s The Tuckshop have become firm favourites.

Specialty coffee bars with minimalist menus – or none at all – are on the rise. This year saw the introduction of Gumption by Coffee Alchemy, Sensory Lab at Bondi, the Reformatory Caffeine Lab in Surry Hills, and Smith at Parramatta from the team behind Circa.

One major trend in 2014 has been a push towards health-conscious menus. Thankfully, these are not the egg-white omelette types of the past but instead feature whole foods and seasonal produce, with many dishes naturally vegetarian or vegan. Some places have even embraced the paleo trend, offering coconut and almond milk for lattes and the increasingly popular “bulletproof coffee,” made with butter and coconut oil.

On the sweeter side, there’s the attention-grabbing croissant-doughnut hybrid, the cronut, which made its way from New York’s Dominique Ansel Bakery in 2013 to Sydney in full force this year. Brewtown Newtown, our 2014 Best New Cafe, serves a range of cronuts, from classic glazed to chocolate crumble, with the pastries now available at various cafés, including Ruby’s Diner in Waverley and Excelsior Jones in Ashfield.

We’d also like to highlight a refreshing trend: serving a shot of sparkling water alongside coffee. It’s a perfect palate cleanser, especially before an espresso. We’ve spotted it at Surry Hills’ Reformatory Caffeine Lab, Clovelly’s Top Hat Coffee Merchants, Coffee Bros in Mona Vale, Swallow Coffee Traders in Rockdale, and Camperdown’s Bion Societe.

Here’s a look at some of the hottest cafes across Sydney, from exciting new openings to well-loved institutions.

NORTH

Celsius Coffee & Dining

Kirribilli Commuter Wharf, Holbrook Avenue, Kirribilli, 02 9929 3338, anvilcc.com.au

The views at Anvil are nothing short of spectacular, even in a city as blessed with vistas as Sydney. Situated on the Kirribilli Commuter Wharf, it’s a café that makes you wish your daily commute was by ferry. Try the double espresso over coconut water and ice, the dark chocolate shake, or the tea of the month paired with buttered Arabian eggs or a “Smithie roll” (Barossa Valley bacon, egg, smoky house barbecue sauce on brioche).

Fika Swedish Kitchen (NEW)

5b Market Lane, Manly, 02 9976 5099, fikaswedishkitchen.com.au

Three Swedes opened this airy café to combine the best elements of Swedish culture with modern Aussie café vibes. It’s a perfect mix, serving Campos coffee alongside plates of meatballs with mashed potatoes, gravy, and lingonberry jam, plus Oboy chocolate — a Scandinavian version of Milo. “Fika” roughly translates to “a break for coffee and a bite to eat.”

The Incinerator (NEW)

2 Small Street, Willoughby, 02 8188 2220, theincinerator.com.au

Who could have guessed that the Willoughby Incinerator, designed by Walter Burley Griffin in the 1930s, would one day shelter people enjoying tapioca and coconut yoghurt or green smoothies? The elegant Art Deco building provides a stunning backdrop, while the Grounds of Alexandria coffee and the fried egg and pork sausage breakfast burgers (along with the Tim Tam shake) are sure to keep you coming back.

Showbox Coffee Brewers (NEW)

19 Whistler Street, Manly, 02 9976 5000, showboxcoffee.com.au

A standout this year, Showbox in Manly features a bacon-and-egg-free menu with a serious focus on coffee. Owner Bo Hinzack’s goal is to “avoid normal,” offering Mecca’s Dark Horse blend for white coffee, Reuben Hills’ house blend for black, and various smaller roasters for filter coffee. Don’t miss the “poke poke” – Hawaiian salmon sashimi on wild rice with a soft egg – and the buckwheat crepe with snow crab and crunchy Vietnamese slaw.

SOUTH

Grind

Shop 4, 15 Surf Road, Cronulla, 0403 844 533

Grind in Cronulla has long been a local favourite, and it’s well worth the visit for anyone serious about their coffee. Enjoy the antique coffee pots adorning the walls, the old-school train station rollover board listing the coffee options, and the laid-back atmosphere. We recommend the cold drip, served in a brandy balloon with a sphere of ice and a twist of orange peel.

EAST

22 Grams (NEW)

166-168 Belmore Road, Randwick, 02 9398 2277

The former High Street Café has transformed into 22 Grams, a café-roastery that’s become a beloved spot in Randwick. Their in-house Costa Rican, Ethiopian, and Kenyan blend is perfectly brewed into creamy lattes. House-baked pastries and seasonal salads are also worth trying.

Ruby’s Diner

173-179 Bronte Road, Waverley, 0404 379 585, rubysdiner.com.au

Ruby’s Diner in Waverley is a long-time favourite, and their expanded seating and new Steve Smith mural have made it even more inviting. Their menu focuses on health and wholefoods, with options like the raw breakfast salad, paleo-friendly “primal burger,” and indulgent French toast. Try the $2 piccolo latte or the “bulletproof coffee” made with grass-fed butter and coconut oil.

Shuk (NEW)

2 Mitchell Street, North Bondi, 0423 199 859, shukbondi.com

Shakshuka remains incredibly popular, and Shuk nails it with both a classic and a green version featuring zucchini, kale, and fennel. This Israeli and Mediterranean-themed café also offers beghrir pancakes, homemade challah and rugelach, green juices, and Bay Roasters coffee.

WEST

Brewtown Newtown (NEW)

6-8 O’Connell Street, Newtown, 02 9519 2020, brewtownnewtown.com

The closure of Berkelouw Books in Newtown was a sad moment, but Brewtown Newtown’s arrival quickly brightened things up. This café offers cold brew on tap, cronuts, and a café-bistro menu.

Henri Marc (NEW)

Shop 2, 438 High Street, Penrith, henrimarc.com.au

Henri Marc may be hidden down a laneway, but it’s well worth the search. Bringing Reuben Hills coffee to Penrith, it offers a creative all-day menu in a stylish industrial setting. If you’re not after caffeine, try their Sour Cherry Henri Temple.

In the Annex (NEW)

35 Ross Street, Forest Lodge, 02 8041 6536

This café in Forest Lodge is a hidden gem, perfect for a weekend breakfast. Enjoy dishes like the kale-and-egg roll with chilli relish or sticky braised eggplant with scrambled eggs. Owner Ed Santos serves beautifully balanced espresso, and the tea is from local brand T Totaler.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top