There are some cafes that just get it. Sure, the food is good. And yeah, the coffee is smooth and strong. And hey, maybe they even have that fun-flavoured matcha latte you saw online last week. But it’s more than that. These cafes are a good time, every time, because they’re master curators of experiences – whether that’s a hotcake haven with service as cheery as its sunshine-yellow walls, or a low-key neighbourhood haunt working to create a sense of community.

Read on for what made the list of essential cafe all-rounders in Good Food’s Essential Sydney Cafes and Bakeries of 2025. Presented by T2, the guide celebrates the people and places that shape our cafe and bakery scenes and includes more than 100 venues reviewed anonymously across 11 categories, including icons, those best for tea, coffee and matcha, and where to get the city’s best sweets, sandwiches and baked goods. (These reviews also live on theGood Food app, and are discoverable on the map.)

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Angus

Finally, Angus (formerly Agnes) is open on weekends – a blessing for inner-west commuters, who can now enjoy the morning sun with a matcha latte, sweetened with spoonfuls of poached rhubarb, at the graffitied intersection of industrial and suburban Marrickville. The food, as the crowd, is pleasantly unpretentious: sandwiches on fresh slabs of house-baked focaccia, soba breakfast bowls using locally sourced produce, and a pastry counter which empties by noon.

Must order: Poached turmeric chicken sandwich with herbs, rocket, fried onions and aioli.

69 Meeks Road, Marrickville, angusmarrickville.com.au

Cafe Cressida

Chef Phil Wood and Lis Davies are the couple behind Cressida, which is fundamentally a nice place to sit on a coffee and read the paper. Cushioned seats are upholstered in marigold stripes, water is poured in Maison Balzac glasses, and Wood will send the best version of eggs any way you like them. There are also house-baked carrot cake muffins, dippy eggs and soldiers and a very popular chicken sandwich. Also open for dinner.

Must order: No one ever expected “Woollahra cafe” and “great breakfast congee” would be next to each other in a sentence, but here we are.

118 Queen Street, Woollahra, cafecressida.com.au

Cherry Moon General Store

There’s a certain storybook charm about Cherry Moon. It’s the lone cafe on a pretty, tree-lined street, with mismatched wooden chairs and a blazing wood-fired oven at its heart. The queue on weekends passes shelves cluttered with house-made condiments, toward a pastry cabinet filled with fairy biscuits and sausage rolls. Order an almond chai with a sourdough brioche cinnamon bun – they’re surely the best in town.

Good to know: Inspired to bake your own sourdough? Starter is for sale in the fridge.

77 Nelson Street, Annandale, cherrymoongeneralstore.com.au

Edition Coffee Roasters

The dark tones, sheer curtains and recessed seating, inspired by Japanese mountain homes, create a sense of calm amidst the high energy of Haymarket. This is a refined, all-day brunch experience. Order the black garlic butter udon with an oozing onsen egg and butterflied king prawn, smoky-sweet from the grill, or skip straight to dessert if you can’t resist the sound of miso banana bread with tangy yuzu curd.

Must order: Edition’s house-roasted single origin coffee or a creamy hojicha latte.

60 Darling Drive, Haymarket, editionroasters.com

Happy Alley

Happy Alley is a playful remix of artisanal bakery and fast-food restaurant, and there’s nothing else like it in Sydney. Follow the queue as it weaves around crowded communal tables (yes, that chicken schnitzel sandwich tastes as good as it looks; yes, you should order the cinnamon-spiked raspberry matcha), towards the main attraction: cookies – thick, soft and fresh-out-the-oven – in flavours including salted choc-chip. It’s indulgent, it’s joyous and you’ll be back.

Good to know: Expect slim pickings within an hour of closing.

13 Bay Street, Rockdale, instagram.com/happyalley_

Happyfield

Did you ever see those towering piles of pancakes in John Candy movies and think, “gee, I wish I could order a stack like that in Australia”? Well, at Happyfield you can, plus eggs your way, hash browns and sausage-filled muffins. The brick and sunshine-yellow dining room is always pumping, and we’re looking forward to spin-off diner Happy Shop opening two doors down later this year.

Good to know: New York-style “chopped cheese” sandwiches and beignet doughnuts have been promised for the new digs.

96 Ramsay Street, Haberfield, happyfield.com.au

Haven Specialty Coffee

It doesn’t matter which of the five Haven locations you visit: over the past 10 years, owners Kit Tran and Herman Chiu have become masters at creating that signature cool, calm vibe. The coffee is roasted in-house and served batched, cold-brewed, as a silky espresso, or poured over ice. The Asian-inspired brunch menu at Rosebery improves on the classics, adding peanut butter to scrambled eggs and curried chicken to congee.

Must order: Chilli scramble with roasted peanuts.

Multiple locations; havencoffee.com.au

Jack Gray

Jack Gray is a coastal-hued cafe in the sleepy Sutherland suburb of Gray’s Point, where brunch staples get a glow-up. Warming bowls of winter porridge are pretty with poached rhubarb, bruleed bananas and dusted cardamom. Bacon and egg rolls are rich with roast apple and tomato relish. On Friday nights, the chilled spot shifts gears, serving slow-cooked pork burgers and cucumber watermelon margaritas on the tree-lined terrace.

Best for: Post-brekkie walk to Swallow Rock Reserve’s tranquil river views.

110 Grays Point Road, Grays Point, jackgray.com.au

Kepos Street Kitchen

As you approach Kepos Street Kitchen you can already see the sizzling pans of shakshuka and pots of rose tea being ferried out the front door. The footpath tables are often packed with people and the falafels are the main drawcard – chef-owner Michael Rantissi makes them lighter and fluffier than most, loaded with fresh herbs and broad beans.

Must order: “Mum’s favourite brekkie” with falafel, pickles, hummus, radish and a soft-boiled egg.

96 Kepos Street, Redfern, keposstreetkitchen.com.au

Misc. Parramatta

Deep in Parramatta Park sits Misc, a cafe-restaurant hybrid that’s as elegant as it is big, with 300 seats both inside and outdoors across two dining rooms. The Mediterranean-leaning menu is a whopper too, best enjoyed with a group so you can order enough small plates to cover the table. Meanwhile, weekend breakfasts are a major drawcard for shakshuka with wood-fired pita and hotcakes flavoured like a jam doughnut.

Must order: At least one pasta is always worth trying, such as spaghetti twirled through prawns and fermented chilli butter.

Little Coogee, Parramatta Park, Byrnes Avenue, Parramatta, miscparramatta.com.au

Noon

Beware a gimmicky coffee, unless it’s the tahini latte from Noon – an addictive concoction with warming notes of cinnamon, toasted sesame and molasses. It’s the go-to order at this crowded brunch spot, where the menu leans Middle Eastern and the decor has contemporary ’80s charm. Healthy dishes, such as avocado on hemp seed loaf, are on high rotation, but the crunchy hash brown with its mysterious “dippy thing” sauce is a must.

Must-order: Potatoes and pork carnitas with fried egg, crispy buckwheat and Aleppo pepper hollandaise.

18 Raglan Street, Manly, goodgoodcompany.com

Paramount Coffee Project

It’s a lobby cafe, made seriously cool. Since 2013, PCP has served specialty coffee and consistently delicious brunch fare within the light-filled ground floor of the former Paramount Studios headquarters. Menu staples such as fried chicken waffles – coated in a gravy of salty-sweet maple bacon – have stood the test of time, while seasonal newcomers including yuzu shokupan French toast keep things fresh.

Good to know: The specialty coffee, from Seven Seeds, is great, but you can also get matey with a strawberry yuzu spritz from CBD bar PS40.

80 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills, paramountcoffeeproject.com.au

Serva

Serva, a bright orange cafe in the Northern Beaches, is where owner-chef Miles Ackermans shows off his vast range of pickles and preserves – sold retail, or served in sandwiches, toasties, muffins and salads. Join his growing group of customers-turned-mates, and start swooning over umami-rich mushroom toasties, laced with kombu butter and served with zucchini pickle and blueberry chutney; and marvelling at the meaty, crunchy, melty Reuben sandwich with apple and celery kraut.

Good to know: Need a last-minute birthday gift? Pick up a pickle jar and locally crafted ceramics here.

538 Sydney Road, Seaforth, servasyd.com.au

Soulmate Coffee

The bright mid-morning energy of this Newtown corner cafe spills onto the street, making it as fun for people-watching as it is for a meal. The breakfast burger is generous and filling, lox bagel light and fresh, and service is always with a smile. Those game enough to try something new should order the liquorice bread – topped with salt flakes and a side of butter, its texture is closer to cake than bread.

Good to know: Arrive well before noon on weekends if you want to try their black sausage sanga.

12/39 Phillip Street, Newtown, soulmatecoffee.com.au

Superfreak

A Johnny Cash record is playing, the air smells of freshly brewed coffee, and a spoonful of butter is slowly melting into your salty-sweet bowl of rhubarb porridge. As sunlight warms the soft-to-touch banquette seating, it’s hard to imagine a better place to spend a lazy Sunday. The menu is health-forward and on-trend but it’s the sweet dishes, such as sticky, caramelised crumpets and lemon crumble cake, which shine brightest.

Best for: Aesthetic afternoon tea and a moment of morning zen.

333 Enmore Road, Marrickville, superfreakco.com

The Shop & Wine Bar

Things come and go at Bondi, but this all-day cutie has been feeding locals since 2004. Maybe its “homey” vibes are the secret to its staying power – with a handful of tables (inside and out) and an efficient, barely-there kitchen, it makes regulars feel like they’re eating at their own tiny apartments. Joking. Kind service and a well-rounded menu keep the cafe busy throughout the day: eggs and strong coffee in the morning; salads and sandwiches after noon; and glasses of wine at happy hour.

Good to know: Happy hour is 4pm to 6pm, with drinks from $9.

78 Curlewis Street, Bondi Beach, theshopandwinebar.com

Tento

Brewing tea, brewing coffee, brewing dashi. The mastery of each skill at Tento makes it one of Sydney’s most singular operations, but it’s the little things that up the ante. Bittersweet black-sesame lattes served in their own handmade ceramics. Sake and chilled reds offered alongside long-simmered ramen. Cold brew? Espresso? Pitch perfect. Then there’s the ochazuke list, packing brothy rice, add-ons and all-out comfort, whatever the time of day.

Must-order dish: Ochazuke setto with house-made tofu, eggplant katsu and pickles.

3/8 Hill Street, Surry Hills, tento.com.au

Tita

Tita doesn’t take herself too seriously: kitschy plastic tablecloths and purple-hued ube pastries are all part of the Filipino-inspired brunch experience. Dishes are familiar, but fun. French toast travels to Manila, where it’s dowsed in maple condensed milk and served with purple whipped cream. Brekkie muffins, made with soft pandesal dough, are some of Sydney’s best, stacked with juicy longganisa (pork sausage) patties.

Good to know: Check social media for regular specials.

4/359 Illawarra Road, Marrickville, instagram.com/tita.carinderia

Valentinas

Valentinas is the dog-friendly, diner-themed darling of the inner-west brunch set. The menu is deliciously uncomplicated: buttery pancakes with self-pour maple syrup; neatly wrapped burritos with cheesy scrambled eggs; and grilled cheese sandwiches, butter-crisped and golden, best dipped in tomato soup. The maple cold-brew coffee is so good it transcends seasonality, while the cinnamon sugar-dusted snickerdoodle cookie is unmatched.

Good to know: An all-day diner, in this economy? Don’t let the awning signage fool you, Valentinas closes at 3pm daily.

132 Livingstone Road, Marrickville, valentinassyd.com

Good Food’s Essential Sydney Cafes and Bakeries of 2025, presented by T2, celebrates the people and places that shape our excellent cafe and bakery scenes and includes more than 100 venues reviewed anonymously across 11 categories, including icons, those best for food, tea, coffee and matcha, and where to get the city’s best sweets, sandwiches and baked goods. Download the Good Food app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store to discover what’s near you.