Photo courtesy of FOOKPHOTO.COM via Shutterstock.
Over the past few years, the cities of Australia have been experiencing a coffee boom. Great cafes are cropping up across the country, even in the smallest of towns, such as the sleepy Tasmanian city of Launceston. But one of the finest coffee hot spots in Australia is Sydney.
With no offense intended towards Canberra, I’m never surprised when non-Australians assume Sydney is our capital city. Big, bustling and beautiful, Sydney is overflowing with picturesque sights to see and iconic places to visit. While as a native Melbournian I am bound to take sides and argue my home town’s case as coffee capital of Australia, I’m the first to admit that Sydney has an excellent cafe culture.
Head to these top cafes in Sydney to indulge in that Australian coffee staple, the flat white:
Photo courtesy of Baker Bros.
Baker Bros.
Right in the heart of the CBD, on bustling York Street, Baker Bros. is sleek, cool and well versed in the art of the espresso. Run by two Italian Sydney boys, this little cafe also doubles up as a wine bar, so it’s perfect right before, and right after, an inner-city work day.
Photo courtesy of The Grounds of Alexandria.
The Grounds of Alexandria
Housed in a repurposed industrial space, The Grounds of Alexandria is one of the city’s finest coffee shops and fine food purveyors. With an onsite roastery and even a so-called “Coffee Academy”, the people at Grounds of Alexandria truly know their coffee. Though they also boast a beautiful, relaxed bar and event space, the place is particularly special for breakfast.
Photo courtesy of Brewtown Newtown.
Brewtown Newtown
Another brilliant Sydney micro-roastery, Brewtown Newtown offers up rich, creamy coffee and some rather fabulous breakfasts and lunches in its vibrant space. Located in the inner-west suburb of Newtown, the site also hosts the lovely home wares and clothing shop, O’Connell Street Merchants, so you can make an outing of it.
Photo courtesy of Paper Cup.
Paper Cup
If you’re looking for great, simple coffee and pastries in Sydney’s inner west, then Paper Cup might just be the place for you. A sweet little space in the suburb of Stanmore, this cafe’s name is not the only adorable thing about it. They also do a pretty fantastic $10 take-away breakfast deal of a coffee and “morning roll”, with combinations like ham, scrambled egg, tomato relish and pecorino cheese.
Photo courtesy of Bootsdarling.
Bootsdarling
Nestled in a cosy, ramshackle space, Bootsdarling has a great atmosphere and even greater coffee. Take a book and settle into a comfy seat at this little Darlinghurst cafe. The bircher muesli and a latte can’t be beaten at breakfast time, either.
What are your favorite choices for cafes in Sydney? Please share in the comments below.
-By Gemma King
Jessica Festa is the editor of the travel sites Jessie on a Journey (http://jessieonajourney.com) and Epicure & Culture (http://epicureandculture.com). Along with blogging at We Blog The World, her byline has appeared in publications like Huffington Post, Gadling, Fodor’s, Travel + Escape, Matador, Viator, The Culture-Ist and many others. After getting her BA/MA in Communication from the State University of New York at Albany, she realized she wasn’t really to stop backpacking and made travel her full time job. Some of her most memorable experiences include studying abroad in Sydney, teaching English in Thailand, doing orphanage work in Ghana, hiking her way through South America and traveling solo through Europe. She has a passion for backpacking, adventure, hiking, wine and getting off the beaten path.
