Brunching in Sydney
With the vast majority of cafes in Sydney offering an all-day menu featuring dishes suited to either the morning or afternoon, you don’t have to sacrifice your precious beauty sleep to enjoy your go-to breakfast favourite.
For all the other must-try foodie spots in Sydney beyond brunch:
celsius Coffee co. | Kirribilli
As far as waterfront dining goes, Celsius Coffee Co. in Kirribilli is certainly up there, with the whole cafe suspended over the water you can’t get much closer if you tried! Its location in the Kirribilli Commuter Terminal Wharf makes it super convenient and easy to get to also, with ferries leaving from Circular Quay heading directly to Kirribilli every half an hour and the journey only taking less than ten minutes - and it’s not a bad journey by any means either, as you’ll pass the Sydney Opera House on the way. The cafe itself is definitely on the smaller side, and there really are only a couple of tables which are positioned right by the window (like the one pictured below), so be prepared to wait. In regards to the food offered, Celsius Coffee Co. offers an all-day menu dominated by breakfast-style dishes, though does also feature a few more lunchtime-friendly savoury options.
View Celsius Coffee Co.’s menu.
Commuter Wharf, Holbrook Ave, Kirribilli NSW 2061
Open 7 Days 7.30am - 2.30pm (Saturday & Sunday open from 8.00am till 3.00pm)
WHAT WAS ORDERED:
CELSIUS WAFFLE with berries, maple syrup, toasted nuts and peanut butter cream.
frothy | Surry Hills
Frothy in the heart of Surry Hills is a very small, rather inconspicuous cafe that is ideal for breakfast if you’re staying close by. The all-day menu features an array of crowd-pleasing breakfast staples, such as a classic bacon and egg roll, eggs on toast, breakie burger, Belgian waffles, smashed avo, chorizo or vegetarian omelette and, of course, an eggs benny. So, although admittedly the cafe’s interior or food is unlikely to ‘wow’ you or make you want to reach for your phone and start gramming the place, it’s simple food done right, and sometimes that’s all you really need to begin the day.
View Frothy’s menu.
441 Elizabeth St, Surry Hills NSW 2010
Open 7 Days 6.30am - 6.30pm (Saturday & Sunday opens at 7.30am, & Sunday closes at 3.00pm)
WHAT WAS ORDERED:
EGGS BENNY Brioche, spinach, house made hollandaise, two poached eggs and ham.
TWO POACHED EGGS with toast.
SCRAMBLED EGGS with bacon and toast.
Bills | VARIOUS LOCATIONS
With a handful of locations scattered around Sydney, namely in Surry Hills, Darlinghurst, and Bondi, Bills is a much-loved, well-known brunch spot among locals. Founded by and named after Australian restaurateur and food writer Bill Granger, Bills, like all of his restaurants, in Sydney and abroad, aim to reflect the spirit of what many believe to be ‘Australian’: sunny, easy-going and generous. Bills serve breakfast till midday every day and lunch from midday onwards, though a range of 'classics’ can be enjoyed at all hours, including my (and many other diners) two personal favourite dishes - ricotta hotcakes with banana and honeycomb butter, and scrambled eggs and sourdough toast. Plus, the Bills in Surry Hills and Bondi do serve dinner also from 5pm each day.
View Bills Surry Hills’ brunch menu and dinner menu.
Outlets in Darlinghurst, Surry Hills, and Bondi
Operating hours vary based on location
WHAT WAS ORDERED:
FULL AUSSIE Scrambled eggs, sourdough toast, cumin roast tomato, bacon, herbed garlic mushrooms, pork, chilli, and fennel sausage.
SCRAMBLED EGGS with bacon served on sourdough toast.
RICOTTA HOTCAKES with banana and honeycomb butter.
THE FENWICK | BALMAIN
Despite the size of Sydney Harbour, surprisingly there are actually few places which offer waterfront dining, though The Fenwick in Sydney’s Balmain East is one of those rare places. Located in an historic stone building, originally built as a tugboat store in the 1880’s, The Fenwick is one-of-a-kind in every way. Conveniently located right near a ferry stop, The Fenwick is an easy ferry trip from Circular Quay or Barangaroo and offers truly unbeatable city and harbour views, all in a historical setting.
View The Fenwick’s menus.
2-8 Weston St, Balmain East NSW 2041
Open 7 Days 8.00am - 5.00pm & 6.00pm - 11.00pm (Sunday closes at 10.00pm)
WHAT WAS ORDERED:
EGGS BENEDICT with bacon.
SCRAMBLED EGGS on sourdough toast with bacon.
Cuppa Flower | Waterloo & MASCOT
Hands down one of the most instagrammable brunch spots in all of Sydney, Cuppa Flower, a cafe that doubles as a florist, delivers on every level. Although a wait is expected, especially on weekends, tables do move fairly quickly, and it is well worth the wait - you'll realise this when you first lay eyes on their oh so heavenly pancakes. The pancakes I speak of are super impressive, in both looks and taste, and come served on a rustic-style wooden board with a homemade mixed berry jam, ricotta cheese, honeycomb crunch, mascarpone, and maple syrup. Notably, the two times I have visited Cuppa Flower it has been to the one located at Waterloo and in the morning for breakfast, though beyond their all-day breakfast menu, they do also have a dedicated lunch menu available from 10am - 2.30pm.
View Cuppa Flower’s menu.
Outlets in Waterloo and Mascot
Operating hours vary based on location
WHAT WAS ORDERED:
RICOTTA PANCAKE served with Cuppaflower homemade mixed berry jam, ricotta cheese, honeycomb crunch, mascarpone and maple syrup.
CUPPAFLOWER BENEDICT Beetroot and potato rostis, two poached eggs, avocado and hollandaise sauce with bacon.
LE MONDE cafe | Surry Hills
Situated along Foveaux Street near Central Station in Surry Hills you’ll find Le Monde Cafe - if you’re not looking for it, it’s easy to miss otherwise. Offering both indoor and outdoor seating on the footpath, Le Monde Cafe serves breakfast all day - think zucchini fritters, feta scrambled eggs, truffled poached eggs, and matcha hotcakes - and lunch from midday onwards - think pastas, sandwiches, and salads. Whilst I visited I ordered the matcha pancakes, admittedly mainly for how colourful and photogenic the dish looked when I was scrolling through Instagram prior. So, though I can’t complain about the presentation and I did enjoy it, for the most part, I learned matcha simply isn’t for me - serves me right for ordering a dish based on looks.
View Le Monde Cafe’s menu.
83 Foveaux St, Surry Hills NSW 2010
Open 6 Days Monday - Saturday 6.30am - 4.00pm (Saturday opens at 7.00am till 2.00pm)
WHAT WAS ORDERED:
MATCHA HOT CAKES with mascarpone cream, fresh fruits, toasted grains and coconut espresso.
Cuckoo callay on crown | surry hills & Newtown
Like nearly every cafe in Sydney (and certainly the ones featured on this list), Cuckoo Callay, on Crown Street in Surry Hills and Newtown offers an all-day menu, meaning you can still go out for a late breakfast slash brunch even after a sleep in, which suits me well. Cuckoo Callay’s clear sense of fun and quirkiness is reflected in the names of each of the dishes on the cafe’s menu, which dishes named I’m So Bondi It Hurts, Get Ur Shiake On, I’m Just Bananas Over You, Udon Know Me, and From Brussels With Love, to name only a handful. Beyond the food and the usual selection of cold juices, tea, and coffee, I noticed on the menu you can enjoy an hour worth of bottomless, either mimosas or peach bellinis with any main dish for just $20, which I thought was really reasonable, especially considering one would set you back $15. Though I did also notice, in slighter finer print under ‘bottomless’ that you’re limited to four drinks per hour, but still, probably couldn’t get through too many more anyway…probably.
View Cuckoo Callway’s Surry Hill’s menu and Newtown’s menu.
Outlets in Surry Hills and Newtown
Operating hours vary based on location
WHAT WAS ORDERED:
FLAT AS A PANCAKE Lemon and white chocolate hotcake, spiced sour cherry jam, honey and vanilla yoghurt, macadamia crumble and fresh berries.
FRESHLY SQUEEZED APPLE JUICE
Fika by cuppa flower | chippendale
Part florist, part all-day cafe, Fika by Cuppa Flower, as its name denotes is the sister of Cuppa Flower and is a bright, cozy, incredibly colourful little space that can be found in the new, ultra-modern development known as Central Park in Chippendale. The first thing you’ll notice is just how visually striking the cafe is, from the blue panelled walls, the floral mural, the red velvet banquette to the stunning, sculptural pendant lighting. Plus, the gorgeous bunches of fresh flowers by the door and the array of decadent, unique cakes that fill the glass cabinet near the counter are stunning also. Though Fika by Cuppa Flower, I am pleased to report, is not too all looks, as the souffle pancakes, which I was excited to try for the first time and was the primary reason for my visit, were delicious; beautifully fat and fluffy and melt-in-the-mouth.
View Fika by Cuppa Flower menu.
Shop 3/7 Central Park Ave, Chippendale NSW 2008
Open 7 Days 7.00am - 5.00pm (Saturday & Sunday opens at 8:00am)
WHAT WAS ORDERED:
ORIGINAL SOUFFLÉ PANCAKE with seasonal fruit, maple syrup and whipped cream.
AÇAI SHAKE Frozen mixed berry and fresh banana with apple juice.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS:
Cook & Archies in Surry Hills
Indigo in Double Bay
The Boathouse (Kisok) in Rose Bay
Concrete Jungle Cafe in Chippendale
STILL ON MY LIST:
The Dining Room at Park Hyatt in Circular Quay
Q Dining at Pullman Quay Grand in Circular Quay
Ripples in Milson’s Point
Cafe Monstera in Mosman
Baby Coffee Co. in Waterloo
Social Hideout in Waterloo
Bread & Circus in Alexandria
Gibsons Street Cafe in Redfern
Three Williams in Redfern
Two Sis in Pyrmont
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