These past few months, I have enjoyed getting familiar with two things Australians take very seriously, their coffee and brunch. Although getting used to the different, stronger coffee here took a couple of weeks, I have come to appreciate the strong coffee culture here and am proud to say I’ve branched out from my typical regular order at Dunkin Donuts. As a loyal New England coffee drinker, I had a hard time adjusting to the lack of typical drip/brewed coffee found in America. Instead, nearly every café here solely uses espresso machines to make espresso based drinks, such as flat whites, long blacks, cappuccinos, lattes and more. Occasionally there will be the odd location here or there that will make their own cold brew, but that’s the closet you’ll be able to find (unfortunately).
A quick adaptation to this new way of having coffee was necessary with a busy schedule of with classes, group projects, applying for co-op, and of course exploring and traveling on the weekend. After trying out a couple of different drinks, I’ve found skim flat whites and iced long blacks to be my favorite picks. Throughout the course of the semester, I’ve made an effort to experience as many different brunch locations as I could, in order to fully immersive myself in this strong foodie culture here. After a bit of searching, I’ve come across a few favorites in a variety of different neighborhoods. For a day full of exploring different areas of Sydney, be sure to start your day off right at some of these top brunch locations in my opinion.
Ultimo – Concrete Jungle
Located a street away from Spice Ally, Concrete Jungle is a trendy new cafe, serving delicious smoothie bowls, salads, sandwiches, and other various entrees. Their “Blue Majik” bowl is frequently featured on Instagram for its wow factor, and didn’t disappoint. Their floor to ceiling windows and intimate location size can make tables quite sought after on the weekends, leading to long wait times, but with Central Mall right around the corner, there are plenty of ways to entertain yourself while waiting.
Newtown – Brewtown
Recommended by a number of my Australian classmates, Brewtown is one of my favorite choices of this list. My friend and I went one afternoon to study and get some work done and enjoyed some fresh brewed cold brew and pastries. Located off of a side street off of the main street, King Street, in Newtown, we were pleasantly surprised by how big and spacious the interior was. Lit by bright, yellow Edison light bulbs hanging from the ceiling with vintage posters and paintings on the walls and beautifully crafted wood work walls topped with high ceilings, the ambience was very inviting and calming. The staff working were really sociable as well, making for an enjoyable visit. The pastries are made fresh upstairs in Dunmore Bakery and various selections are brought down for sale alongside their fresh ingredient menu of many sandwiches and salads. I recommend checking out the bakery upstairs for an even wider sweets selection and a calming break from the hustle and bustle of the first floor.
Woolloomoo – Smoking Gun
In search of a quality bagel, my friends and I ventured to an internet favorite, Smoking Gun, on our way to the beach a few days ago for a picnic beach lunch. Once we arrived, the smell and sight of the bagels alone encouraged us to get a table and have a late brunch/early lunch in store instead. With clever creations like “Jay-Z Cheated” and “You’re Just Too Good to Beetroot”, the sandwiches were unlike any of the sandwich shops I’ve ever been to back home, including toppings like lemon curd, pickled cabbage, and kimchi. Looking for an original egg sandwich, I ordered the “Morning Glory“, which came with bacon, a fried egg, and cheese. It came with an unexpected twist of BBQ sauce, which was actually a great addition to the sandwich. Although we got distracted in our plight for picnic food, Smoking Gun would still serve as a perfect option for takeout, along with a cup of their freshly brewer coffees.
Chippendale – Courtyard Café
One of my favorites I came across was actually on campus. I’ve written about Courtyard Café in previous posts, raving about their pizza and coffee options, however I more recently tried their breakfast option and was not disappointed. Their dishes range from simple avocado toast to chorizo with onion relish eggs, to acai bowls and varieties of pastries. Once again, another reason to check out Courtyard.
Alexandria – The Grounds of Alexandria
This was one of the coolest restaurants I’ve been to. Located in a somewhat industrialized and quiet neighborhood of Eastern Sydney, “The Grounds” made this location more than just a brunch spot. The multiple different businesses within the area are surrounded and covered by lots of vines, plants, and flowers. There is a petting zoo in the middle with a huge pig and multiple chickens. There is also a pretty park in the center with a fountain and an archway enveloped in vines of beautiful pink flowers. There are multiple food and shopping options, including The Café, The Potting Shed, The Garden, The Roastery & Wholesale, and the Bakery & Patisserie, and various other rotating popup carts/shops. If you go on the weekends, there will be a long wait. After we put our name in at The Garden, we walked around the market on the far left side of the area and sampled some of the fresh lemonade, local nuts, and chocolates for sale at the carts nearby. Once we finally sat down, we ordered some fancy juices and our big brunches. I’d say it was worth the 40-minute bus to get there.
Kirribilili – Celsius Coffee Company
Enjoy coffee and brunch along the water at Celsius, with tables and counters up along the floor to ceiling windows right on the harbor. The location itself is situated adjacent to the Kirribilli Wharf, making it convenient to get to and easy to take a beautiful ferry ride towards the Opera House back into the city. We ordered the pancakes, avocado toast, and egg sandwich and had no complaints.
There are plenty of other amazing brunch places to find in Sydney, but you just have to be willing to wait a bit for a table, especially on the weekends. Although I’ve thoroughly enjoyed visiting these places, I can’t wait until I have a Dunks ice coffee back in my hand!
