We’ve rounded up the top coffee shops in Sydney and its surrounds, from hole-in-the-wall spots to Insta-viral locations 

We Australians pride ourselves on our laid-back, fun-loving approach to life. However, there are a few instances where we draw a hard line. If the waves are firing, the wettie is on and the meeting can wait. If there’s toast on the table, there’d better be Vegemite to go along with it. And, perhaps most importantly, if coffee is brewing, it can’t be anything less than a high-quality, single-origin, fair-trade, artisanal roast.  

There’s a reason people around the world are obsessed with Australian coffee culture — it’s because we take our coffee seriously. From long blacks to flat whites, we’ve perfected the perfect smooth, light, caramel-y flavour.  

It comes as no surprise, then, that our cosmopolitan harbour city of Sydney is home to some of the most prestigious roasts – dare we say – in the world. Whether you’re looking for a hole-in-the-wall independent roaster or an Insta-worthy cafe experience, our experts at Westpac Concierge can guide you in the right direction. You can enquire about your eligibility for our 24/7 concierge services below and, in the meantime, read on for our roundup of the best coffee shops in Sydney. 

Coffee shops in Sydney that are all about coffee  

Artificer 

Best for: a caffeine hit in between indie shopping stops on Crown Street 

‘Artificer’ means skilled craftsperson or artisan, and that’s exactly how cofounders Dan Yee and Shoji Sasa approach their coffee roasting. With expert understanding of the effect of bean selection, roasting technique, and brewing method on flavour and feel, the pair serves coffee that needs no complement – it makes its own statement. 

📍 547 Bourke Street, Surry Hills 

Paramount Coffee Project 

Best for: budding coffee connoisseurs  

The brainchild of three coffee aficionados – Jin Ng of Paramount House, Mark Dundon of Seven Seeds, and Russell Beard of Reuben Hills – Paramount Coffee Project is a collaboration bound by a mission to serve high- quality coffee that’s ethically sourced. The menu features local and international producers on a rotational basis, ensuring roasts are always fresh. 

📍 80 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills 

Regiment 

Best for: gadget and machinery buffs 

Coffee gadget buffs will immediately recognise the impressive equipment at Regiment. With two Synesso MVP Hydra espresso machines, an SP9 (automated single-serve filter machine) on the counter, and a pair of Übermilks (pre-steamed coffee tools) on display, this coffee spot is well-equipped to serve the perfect cup of joe. 

📍 333 George Street, Sydney 

ONA Coffee 

Best for: the OG roast 

While ONA Coffee has multiple locations and supplies roasts to several coffee shops across Australia (including Celsius), its brick-and-mortar coffee shop in Sydney has all the qualities of an independent coffee purveyor one could hope for – from a deep focus on crafting the perfect blend, to creating a warm and welcoming ambience. 

📍 140 Marrickville Road, Marrickville 

Mecca Coffee 

Best for: people-watching (because it’s always busy) 

One of Syndey’s original coffee roasters, Mecca Coffee is well loved for its quality espresso and filter roasts. While its original location is on Sydney’s King Street, its more recently opened roastery and headquarters in Alexandria also draws an enthusiastic crowd looking to enjoy a delicious cup in a cool, industrial atmosphere. 

📍 67 King Street, Sydney 

Sample Coffee 

Best for: those who can’t decide which coffee to order 

As the name suggests, Sample Coffee offers a diverse collection of single origins served in a variety of brewing styles. While the company pays close attention to the unique nuances and flavours of coffee fruits and plants around the world, social and environmental responsibility are the most important part of its coffee practice, as evidenced by its 2019 B Corp certification. 

📍 Shop 1a, 118 Devonshire Street (corner of Holt Street), Surry Hills 

What is fair-trade coffee? 
When coffee is fair-trade certified, it means that it was produced in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. When you drink fair-trade coffee, you can rest assured that your coffee purchase directly supports farming families in developing countries with appropriate wages, community development, and environmental stewardship. 

Coffee shops in Sydney with beautiful views 

MCA Cafe & Sculpture Terrace 

Best for: a coffee break and view appreciation between exhibition tours 

Museum cafes can be hit or miss, but the MCA Cafe & Sculpture Terrace at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia is as worthy of a visit as the museum itself. With unparalleled views of Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House from its terrace, there is no better place to sit and sip your coffee while discussing your favourite paintings from the exhibitions. 

📍 4/140 George Street, The Rocks 

Celsius Coffee Co. 

Best for: lattes with a water view 

A wooden cabin sitting on stilts above the aquamarine waters of Kirribilli Wharf, Celsius Coffee Co. is as well loved for its homey atmosphere and harbour views as it is for its house blends by local producer, ONA Coffee. For non-coffee addicts, there are also several teas by New South Wales’s Tea Craft on the menu. 

📍 Shop 1 Kirribilli Wharf, Kirribilli 

The Crabbe Hole 

Best for: scoping out the surf (and surfers) while enjoying your coffee 

An outdoor cafe situated beside Bondi Icebergs ocean pool, The Crabbe Hole provides an opportunity to sip your flat white while enjoying a view of swimmers in the foreground and wave riders in the background. Attracting a constant stream of devoted locals seeking a caffeine kick after their morning swim and surf sessions, the coffee spot is a Bondi-beachgoer favourite. 

📍 Poolside @ Bondi Icebergs, 1 Notts Avenue, Bondi 

Showbox Coffee Brewers 

Best for: a post-surf pick-me-up 

Tucked away on a back street in Manly, this coffee spot is a haven for in-the-know locals seeking a caffeine hit that doesn’t require queuing with hordes of other beachgoers and tourists. Named after the iconic Seattle music venue, Showbox stays on theme – from drinks with band names to grungy black-and-white photos on the walls. 

📍 19 Whistler Street, Manly 

Coffee shops in Sydney with great food 

Reuben Hills 

Best for: an in-house roast 

With a micro-roastery upstairs and a coffee shop on the ground floor, Reuben Hills is fully independent. Its focus on sourcing, roasting, and serving quality coffee has grown a cult following; most customers here are regulars with a high-caffeine diet. Bonus: the cafe offers a delicious South American-influenced food menu inspired by coffee sourcing trips to the continent. 

📍 61 Albion Street, Surry Hills 

Black Star Pastry 

Best for: an Instagram-worthy coffee and pastry pairing 

We’d be lying if we said people go to Black Star Pastry for the coffee… While it does serve a wide variety of artisanal coffee drinks, the lattes and cappuccinos merely exist to complement the shop’s internet-viral cakes. Masterminded by renowned pastry chef Christopher Thé, bakes such as the signature Strawberry Watermelon Cake draw sweet-toothed tourists from around the world. 

📍 Shop 26 Ground Floor, 500 George Street, Sydney 

Social Brew Cafe 

Best for: a prework breakfast with colleagues 

While coffee is certainly the star of the show at Social Brew, it only makes up a small portion of the cafe’s elaborate all-day menu. In addition to a fully loaded list of espresso drinks, the menu also offers breakfast, lunch, beer, and wine. There’s something for everyone, making it the ideal destination for breaks with coworkers and friends. 

📍 224 Harris Street, Pyrmont 

What does a fair-trade label guarantee? 
A fair-trade certification stamp guarantees a fair price, environmental sustainability, fair labour conditions, direct trade, democratic and transparent organisations, and community development. Learn more about what each of these standards entails at Grounds for Change.  

Coffee shops in Sydney with cool aesthetics 

Skittle Lane 

Best for: the design- and aesthetics-obsessed coffee drinker 

Founded by coffee, design, and hospitality savants Jodie Foster and Dean Wooding, Skittle Lane coffee shops are as much about interior design as they are about coffee. With locations in Sydney CBD, Manly, and Bondi, the company has established a loyal following for its branded roasts, homeware, and coffee gear. 

📍 40 King Street, Sydney 

Room Ten 

Best for: secret-spot-down-a-hidden-alleyway vibes 

If you haven’t been to Room Ten before, you may need to do a few loops of Darlinghurst Road before you find it. Located on a small side street, Room Ten has all the qualities one could hope for from a hidden coffee shop – a cosy atmosphere, a collection of nose-in-their-newspapers regulars out front, and, of course, some darn good coffee. 

📍 10 Llankelly Place, Potts Point 

Edition Roasters 

Best for: a Scandi-Japanese coffee culture collision 

The beloved Scandi-Japanese aesthetic fusion enters the Australian coffee scene with Edition Roasters. The cafe’s minimalist, sleek interior design reflects the Nordic sensibility and is the perfect complement to the no-frills artisanal batch brews from Australia and Japan. The attention to detail is much appreciated by its coffee-geek customer base.  

📍 60 Darling Drive, Haymarket 

Coffee Supreme Brookvale 

Best for: coffee and merch fiends 

Coffee Supreme was one of the first speciality roasters on the Melbourne coffee scene, and has now entered the Sydney market at its laid-back suburban location in Brookvale. While guests come for the single-origin cold brews, they also line up for the popular branded merchandise, including T-shirts, mugs, and market bags. 

📍 11 Mitchell Road, Brookvale 

Dutch Smuggler coffee brewers 

Best for: architecture nerds 

Hidden in a contemporary architectural feature behind an otherwise nondescript office block, Dutch Smuggler impresses with its design flourishes and inventive drinks menu. In addition to serving high-quality small-batch roasts from A-grade beans, it also offers innovative coffee mocktails such as the ‘C&T’, made with coffee and tonic. 

📍 200 George Street, Sydney 

Porch and Parlour 

Best for: hanging with Australia’s cream of the ‘cool-kid’ crop 

When alternative milks and organic, local produce are the default fare, you know you’re in cool-kid territory. With its industrial, shabby-chic interior design and laid-back ambience, Porch and Parlour attracts a coffee-drinking crowd some might characterise as ‘hipster millennial.’ The organic wines and craft beers on the menu are the cherry on top. 

📍 17-18/110 Ramsgate Avenue, North Bondi 

Gumption 

Best for: a caffeine hit on the morning commute 

Centrally located in The Strand Arcade, Gumption brings the artisanal approach of Coffee Alchemy in Marrickville to the streets of Sydney. The space, designed by Smith and Carmody, is a cosy oasis amid the hustle and bustle of the city centre, making it the ideal place to pop in for some good vibes and good coffee on the way to work. 

📍 Shop 11 The Strand Arcade, 412-414 George Street, Sydney 

Why is it important to buy fair-trade-certified coffee? 
When you buy fair-trade coffee, you’re actively taking a stance against the inadequate wages and poor labour conditions that have historically plagued farming families in the global south where coffee is grown. Additionally, when buying fair trade you’re directly promoting coffee farming and production that’s environmentally sustainable. In short, if you’re a coffee lover who cares about people and the planet, buying fair trade is the easiest way to ‘vote with your dollar’.