Sydney CBD cafes keep the city running, kickstarting our mornings with expertly crafted brews and delicious breakfast feeds. Should you find yourself seeking a quick bite or caffeine fix, choosing the right coffee spot in Sydney is key—after all, breakfast (and coffee) is the most important meal of the day.
Urban List has scoured the CBD to find the best cafes in Sydney amongst the hustle and high rises, from hole-in-the-wall espresso bars and cozy cafes to bougie breakfast joints and all-day eateries.
Here are the 15 best cafes in the Sydney CBD nailing the art of a good start.
Bar Mammoni
Shop 2 Loftus Lane, Sydney CBD
Image credit: Bar Mammoni | Instagram
Bar Mammoni is an all-day Italian eatery, deli and cafe in the Sydney CBD that does it all—coffee, pastries, pasta, paninis, salads, spritzes and more. Pick up a ciabatta brekkie roll on the way to work or stick into the fresh daily made pasta for lunch with sauces spanning pesto, cacio e pepe, beef ragu and creamy tomato vodka.
If you're hanging around from 3pm–6pm on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, Bar Mammoni's aperitivo menu provides snacks and spritzes all under $10, including Aperol, Limoncello, Hugo and strawberry spritzes, plus $15 negronis.
Why we love it: There's a $10 weekday pasta special from 11am–2pm that just can't be passed up.
Edition Roasters
Various Locations
Image credit: Edition Roasters | Website
Edition Roasters is a collection of slick Scandi-Japanese cafes in the Sydney CBD with outposts in Wynyard, Darling Square, World Square, and Mid City. The vibey venues are doused in dark tones, charcoal concrete slabs and horigotatsu recessed floor seating, creating a moody yet inviting space.
The menu straddles breakfast staples like airy souffle pancakes, miso banana bread with yuzu curd and a big brekkie with eggs-your-way and charred avo on shokupan, and all-day eats like king prawn udon, chicken karaage and miso bolognese pasta.
Why we love it: Editions Roasters does one of the best strawberry matcha lattes in Sydney—it’s earthy, but not too earthy and sweet, but not too sweet.
Lune Croissanterie
Shop N80.RT01 Metro Martin Place, 1 Elizabeth Street, Sydney CBD
Image credit: Lune Croissanterie | Instagram
Hailing from a cult following in Melbourne, Lune Croissanterie made its mark in Sydney in late 2024 when it opened two bakery-leaning cafes in the CBD and Rosebery. Famous for its buttery, flaky croissants—dubbed "the world's best" by The New York Times—Lune consistently draws crowds. The secret behind their success? Three days of on-site baking to create croissants that are truly worth the wait (and go great with their coffee offerings).
Why we love it: Lune’s monthly pastry drops are unmatched with creations like twice-baked birthday cake croissants, margherita pizza pastries and festive hot cross cruffins during Easter.
Industry Beans
38–40 York Street, Sydney CBD and 8 Castlereagh Street, Sydney CBD
Image credit: Industry Beans | Kitti Gould
Industry Beans is a modern Sydney CBD cafe that uses its own specialty roasts with cutting-edge techniques and state-of-the-art machines. Signature drinks include a fun bubble coffee (layers of cold brew, coffee-soaked tapioca pearls and house-made consoy—a creamy condensed milk and soy or oat blend), a vibrant blueberry iced matcha and a Melbourne-approved Fitzroy latte (cold brew infused with wattleseed and organic panela).
Why we love it: Brunch is served all day, so you can grab all the classics anytime like avo toast, toasties and English muffins drenched in coffee-spiked hollandaise, plus a bunch of pick-me-ups like almond croissants, peanut butter brownies and choc-chip wattleseed cookies.
The Grounds Of The City
Shop RG12, The Galeries, 500 George Street, Sydney CBD
Image credit: The Grounds Of The City | Website
Look for an emerald-green storefront off George Street and you’ll stumble across The Grounds of the City, the sibling venue to The Grounds of Alexandria and The Grounds Coffee Factory in Rosebery. Alongside excellent coffee, there’s fresh juices, smoothies and house-made lemonade, with alcoholic beverages served after 10am because it's 5 o’clock somewhere.
Breakfast runs ‘til 11.30 with fluffy buttermilk pancakes, a stacked brekkie burger, focaccia toasties and more. Lunch follows with wraps, burgers and salad bowls for takeaway, while the dine-in menu extends into dinner with small plates, pasta dishes and quality meat cuts.
Why we love it: The dimly lit 1920s-inspired fit-out feels like you’re dining in a downtown New York brasserie.
You might also like:
- The Best Cafes In Sydney Right Now
- The Best Spots For Breakfast In Sydney
- Sydney's Best Brunch Spots
This Way Canteen
Corner of Bridge and Phillip Street, Sydney CBD
Image credit: This Way Canteen | Instagram
On the foot of the Museum of Sydney you’ll find This Way Canteen, a hidden CBD bunker-cafe by House Made Hospitality Group (Promenade Bondi Beach, Island Radio, Tilda, Grana).
While mainly known for serving thick focaccia sandos at lunch packed with chicken caesar salad, beef cheek, spiced salami, crispy pork belly, falafel or Thai-style crumbed prawns, they also do a stunner breakfast menu filled with egg-focused faves, waffles, a loxy bagel and toast with DIY upgrades like spreads, smashed avo, bacon, grilled halloumi, roast tomatoes, chorizo, hashbrowns and more.
Why we love it: The weekly sandwich special means there’s always something new to try.
Haven
Various Locations
Image credit: Haven | Website
With heavenly contemporary interiors, house-roasted coffee blends, and comforting menus stacked with sweet and savoury gems, Haven truly lives up to its name.
Menu must-tries include the signature chilli scrambled eggs with peanut butter on sourdough, the coconut mango sago with tapioca pearls, the bánh mì and the Barangarooo-exclusive matcha tiramisu—a silky, spoon-slipping delight.
For drinks, there’s tea and coffee alongside one of Sydney’s best strawberry matcha lattes. Find them in Barangaroo, Haymarket, Darling Quarter and Rosebery, with a Green Square location coming soon.
Why we love it: The cafes’ stunning designs reflect thoughtful craftsmanship that immediately makes you want to stick around for a while.
Tessuto
32–34 York Street, Sydney CBD
Image credit: Tessuto | Instagram
Tessuto is an Italian cafe in the CBD that does some of the best breakfasts in Sydney. We’re talking carbonara scrambled eggs with crispy pancetta on sourdough, a loaded breakfast plate, roasted eggplant bruschetta and delish pastries like pistachio croissants and sfogliatelle.
Lunch switches to hearty mains, house-made pasta and heaped paninis that can be feasted on amongst the terrazzo and timber-clad venue or taken back to the office.
Why we love it: Tessuto serves dreamy Italian dessert-style coffees including a tiramisu latte with mascarpone cream, a double espresso, milk, cacao sprinkle and Savoiardi biscotti; and a Sicily-inspired picciriddu with a generous lick of pistachio cream, espresso and frothy milk in a pistachio-crumb-rimmed glass.
Sevens
77 King Street, Sydney CBD
Image credit: Sevens | Instagram
The baristas at Sevens know their way around a coffee machine, serving frothy flat whites to caps with real gusto using beans from one of Australia's most highly regarded specialty roasters, Ona Coffee.
The menu offers a selection of budget-friendly bites including loaded bagels from $10, $15 toasties and large coffees for under $7. There's both indoor and outdoor seating, with the option to take away too.
Why we love it: The care poured into each cup of joe is incredible, with the occasional latte art.
A.P Place
9 Barrack Street, Sydney CBD
Image credit: A.P Bakery | Instagram
One-fifth of the All Purpose Bakery Group, A.P Place is a weekday-only CBD cafe known for its artisan baked-in-house goods. You’re spoilt for choice here, from sweet pastries, savoury pies and triangular-shaped salt and vinegar hashbrowns (that taste as crispy as they look) to customisable focaccia pizza slices and overflowing sandwiches stuffed with house-made porchetta or roast chicken with pistachio pesto.
Why we love it: The street-side tables out front are ideal for people-watching while diving into your bakery haul.
Manon
55/455 George Street, Sydney CBD
Image credit: Manon Brasserie | Jiwon Kim
For a taste of Paris in Sydney, swing by Manon, an all-day French cafe and brasserie tucked inside the historic Queen Victoria Building. There's a dish for every mood, from pastries and breakfast plates to baguettes, larger mains, and desserts—did we mention they serve breakfast cocktails?
Embrace some Emily-in-Paris-style people-watching at the footpath tables or unwind inside while devouring French classics like a croque madame, steak frites or escargot meurette (snails, mushrooms and garlic bread).
What we love it: Manon's chocolat chaude is a dupe of Carette’s viral hot chocolate in Paris—thick Valrhona chocolate paired with a mountain of fluffy whipped cream to spoon in at your leisure.
Dutch Smuggler
Various Locations
Image credit: Dutch Smuggler | Instagram
Home to the OG mie goreng toastie, Dutch Smuggler is a trio of CBD cafes serving specialty roasted Indonesian coffee and unique toasties built on bold flavours. The team have gone gung ho with their toastie lineup, upping the humble grilled cheese’s game with fillings like beef rendang curry, kimchi and samjang, gochujang pulled pork, and nacho-inspired chilli con carne.
Why we love it: Dutch Smugglers' centrally located CBD venues in Martin Place Metro, Circular Quay and the QVB are super convenient for city hustlers.
Kahii
Kelco House, Lobby/364 Kent Street, Sydney CBD
Image credit: Kahii | KW Photography
CBD cafe by day and cocktail bar by night, Kahii is a Japanese kissaten a.k.a a tearoom that serves coffee and light meals. Expect Shizuoka-sourced matcha, pastries like sweet corn danishes and banana tiramisu, and top-notch dishes crafted by next-door sister venue Kuro, including a chicken katsu sando, beef curry and green tea soba noodles with the option to add on salmon sashimi. At night, Kahii transforms into a wine bar with lots of vino and snacky bites—making it the perfect city pit stop, any time of day.
Why we love it: The signature black sesame latte is perfect for caffeine lovers who want to try a new coffee combo, blending toasted nutty flavours with a subtle caramel sweetness.
Skittle Lane
Various Locations
Image credit: Skittle Lane | Instagram
For damn good coffee and a no-fuss menu check out Skittle Lane on King Street. With a strong focus on quality, seasonally selected and ethically sourced beans, SL offer a range of specialty roasted coffee with different brewing methods from espresso to cold brew, just tell ‘em how you like it.
As for food, they do a tidy edit of toasties and small goods, letting coffee remain the star of the show. Since establishing the CBD flagship, they’ve branched out to Circular Quay, Bondi and Manly, with a new spot in Brookvale opening in 2025.
Why we love it: Skittle Lane doubles as a lifestyle store, offering trinkets, merch and packaged specialty coffee—perfect for bean buffs who want to brew their own batch at home.
Parlour
QT Sydney, 49 Market Street, Sydney CBD
Image credit: Parlour | Website
Exuding old-warm charm with its dim candlelit ambiance, ornate details, mosaic flooring and schmick leather banquettes, Parlour brings a pocket of Paris to Sydney, located inside the QT Sydney hotel.
The sophisticated Parisian cafe is prepped for rendezvous anytime, open from 7am til late with stacked breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert menus offering plenty to choose from. The prix fixe set menu is also a steal of a deal for those looking to indulge in two to three courses.
Why we love it: The steak comes with unlimited frites on Tuesdays and there’s a Frenchy five-course bottomless feast on Saturdays.
Still hungry? Check out
- Sydney's Best Bottomless Brunch Spots
- The Best Restaurants In Sydney CBD
- Sydney's Best Restaurants Right Now
Main image credit: Haven | Website
Urban List Best Of: has our highest stamp of approval—curated lists of the very best recommendations for you to eat, do, see, buy, or book, carefully chosen by our Editors.