Sydney’s Inner West is a treasure trove of diverse culture, art, and a thriving coffee culture. It’s no surprise that this region is home to some of the city’s most beloved cafes. From specialty coffee to innovative culinary creations, Inner West cafes offer an experience that’s nothing short of exceptional. In this article, we’ll take you on a tour of the top cafes in Sydney’s Inner West.
Coffee Alchemy, located in Marrickville, has a humble origin rooted in childhood memories of coffee cherries and an insatiable desire to create better coffee. It began with homemade experiments and a small commercial roaster, eventually expanding into a tiny cafe in a quiet suburb.
Over the years, Coffee Alchemy’s dedication to perfecting coffee grew, leading to the establishment of additional outlets like Gumption by Coffee Alchemy in The Strand Arcade and Micro Coffee in Barangaroo. Despite their unpretentious appearance, Coffee Alchemy has garnered numerous awards and titles in the Australian coffee scene, including Barista Champion, Cupping Champion, and “Best Coffee” in the SMH Good Cafe Guide.
The Marrickville cafe, now located on Sydenham Road, retains its commitment to exceptional coffee. Co-owner Hazel de los Reyes, a respected figure in the coffee industry, ensures a wide range of brew methods and meticulously sourced coffee beans are available. Coffee Alchemy offers specialty beans, including organic, hand-picked, and fair-trade varieties. Whether enjoyed in-store or taken home, their coffee is handled with expertise, appealing to coffee lovers seeking the perfect brew.
Ona Coffee, Marrickville
Ona Coffee’s Sydney outpost in Marrickville distinguishes itself from its Canberra counterparts by focusing exclusively on coffee. The cafe offers a variety of coffee blends, each with its own unique style and origin. Additionally, Ona Marrickville boasts a working list of premium-reserve coffees, which can be tasted by the glass. These reserve coffees are roasted and aged to perfection before being vacuum-sealed into individual doses and frozen.
The cafe’s minimalist yet welcoming space, featuring matcha-green paint and ample natural sunlight, allows the coffee to take center stage. The seating arrangement includes a long plywood island table that doubles as a bar, and the baristas work on a dedicated bench where their tools, including a striking black San Remo coffee machine, coffee bean dispensers, and Hario V60 coffee makers, are neatly arranged.
While coffee is the primary focus, the food menu, though concise, is carefully curated. Dishes include citrus house-cured kingfish smorrebrod, avocado with activated-charcoal labneh and togarashi on rye, rye waffles with rhubarb and orange mascarpone, as well as Short Stop doughnuts and Butterbing cookies.
In addition to the espresso bar at the front of the cafe, there’s a dedicated barista training room at the back. This space is primarily used for wholesale training but is also open to anyone interested in learning barista skills, from basic to advanced, including latte art.
Overall, Ona Coffee in Marrickville offers a coffee-centric experience, showcasing a wide range of specialty coffee blends and providing a space for both coffee aficionados and those eager to learn about the art of coffee making.
Two Chaps, Marrickville
Two Chaps in Marrickville is a café and bakery renowned for its sustainable approach to food production and consumption. With an ever-changing, produce-driven menu focused on seasonal ingredients and local supply, the cafe emphasises handmade bread and pastries using organic Australian flours. It’s also the birthplace of Sticky Chai, a raw honey-soaked spiced chai tea distributed Australia-wide. Two Chaps extends its culinary offerings two nights a week with a dinner menu featuring handmade fresh pasta and local cheeses.
The cafe’s interior exudes a raw charm, featuring wall-mounted bikes, an open galley kitchen, and exposed steel shelves adorned with flour bags. Fitted out in 2014 with second-hand finds and recycled materials, including a pre-loved oven and timber planter boxes, Two Chaps embodies a back-to-basics ethos. The Mediterranean-influenced vegetarian menu boasts daily house-made doughnuts, cakes, muffins, salads, sandwiches, and larger dishes, all made from scratch onsite. Despite the absence of meat, Two Chaps gained popularity without marketing itself explicitly as a vegetarian venue, challenging perceptions of vegetarian dining.
While the original founders have moved on, Two Chaps maintains its dedication to quality and innovation under new leadership led by Shana Meegan. The menu has evolved to include more elaborate dishes, such as subtly marinated tofu with savoury tapioca pearls and miso-braised cabbage. The café’s legacy lies in reshaping Sydney’s perceptions of vegetarian dining, emphasising the flavourful gains of meat-free options rather than focusing solely on absence. With a commitment to handcrafted excellence and sustainability, Two Chaps continues to redefine vegetarian cuisine in Marrickville and beyond.
Rising Sun Workshop, Newtown
Rising Sun Workshop in Newtown stands out as a unique venue, combining a community motorcycle workshop with an all-day restaurant and ramen bar. The space fosters a communal atmosphere where patrons can enjoy innovative dishes while observing motorcycle repairs nearby. The menu features signature ramen styles like the Light, Darkness, and Monk, along with izakaya-style snacks and a range of cocktails and beverages.
The venue’s concept originated from a crowdfunding campaign and has since become a permanent fixture, offering breakfast and lunch daily and dinner from Thursday to Saturday. Rising Sun Workshop’s culinary inspiration stems from Japan, incorporating intriguing twists into their dishes sourced locally from top-notch producers who share a commitment to ethical sourcing practices.
Famous for their ramen, Rising Sun offers three distinct flavors along with inventive breakfast options like breakfast ramen and Hokkaido milk buns. The dinner menu emphasizes sharing, featuring sundown sticks, gyoza, and an eggplant katsu burger. Beverage options include Young Henry’s Natural Lager, Cloudy Cider, a quality wine list, and various alcopops.
Whether you’re seeking a place to work on your motorcycle, enjoy a quirky dinner, or engage with the local community, Rising Sun Workshop offers a unique experience that combines culinary innovation with a communal spirit.
Sample Coffee, St Peters
Sample in St. Peters is an independent, family-owned coffee roasting company based in Sydney, Australia, with a mission to deliver an exciting coffee experience while being kind to everyone involved in its journey. They supply high-quality, consistent beans to wholesale and retail customers worldwide, offering gear, education, catering, and more. Their approach involves sourcing, roasting, brewing, and serving coffee they dream of drinking daily, emphasizing transparency and ethical practices.
Their second cafe in St. Peters is a backstreet warehouse space with a minimalist design, featuring a German-imported roaster in full swing, offering a lean and simple atmosphere. The menu changes every two weeks, offering options like pastries, granola, sandwiches, and house-made sodas or kombucha. The focus is on small-batch coffee beans and providing a range of brew equipment for home use, with an online community available to assist with home-brewing inquiries.
Sample Coffee prioritizes small-batch coffee beans in Sydney’s inner-west, offering a pro shop with brew equipment and a short, rotating food menu. The cafe aims to make coffee accessible while maintaining a commitment to quality and ethical sourcing practices.
Brewtown, Newtown
Brewtown in Newtown was established by a group of Sydney coffee professionals aiming to create a remarkable café in an industrial space. Their coffee blends tradition with modern roasting and brewing science, focusing on select rare coffees that meet their social and environmental standards. As the final link in the supply chain, they prioritize responsibility in getting the best out of each roast.
Located in a historic warehouse, Brewtown is renowned for its ‘brewnuts’ and house-roasted coffee. The café offers a diverse menu of beautifully plated breakfast and lunch dishes, featuring items like corn and zucchini fritters, corned beef hash, and baked polenta with mushrooms. The building’s upper level houses a retail section with artisan goods and a bakery serving daily delights like cinnamon scrolls and brownies.
Founded by Simon Triggs and Charles Cameron, Brewtown sources beans directly from plantations to ensure quality and fair working conditions for farmers. The food menu emphasizes quality produce in bistro-style dishes such as beetroot-cured ocean trout on rye sourdough and poached chicken and quinoa salad.
Sydney’s Inner West is a haven for cafe lovers, with each establishment offering a unique experience that reflects the local culture and culinary innovation. Whether you’re in the mood for an expertly brewed cup of coffee, a creative culinary adventure, or a cozy atmosphere to unwind, the Inner West has it all. So, the next time you find yourself in this vibrant part of Sydney, be sure to explore these top cafes for a taste of the city’s thriving cafe scene.