Cornersmith,Annandale
Community is at the heart of Cornersmith,where neighbours trade homegrown fruit and vegetables for jars of pickles,marmalades and relish. Their produce,in turn,makes it onto a (very reasonably priced) vegetarian menu of cheese toasties,hearty salad bowls and ploughman’s plates. If tables are full at the cosy,light-filled cafe,you can borrow a rug,order your batch-brewed cup of locally roasted Sample Coffee to go,and have an impromptu picnic at the leafy park across the road.
88 View Street,Annandale,cornersmith.com.au
Eksentrik,Maroubra
From the chocolate brownie on your teaspoon to the big greeting from Joseph Kalitzakis (even if you have never been before),Eksentrik is the benchmark neighbourhood cafe. The shakshuka is generous,the butter is Pepe Saya,and the big breakfast is just that ‒ big. There’s everything from cold brew and prana chai to puppycino,and a Campos Superior blend caffe latte is rich and especially chocolatey. Eksentrik has grown into one of Campos’ biggest customers,and no wonder.
765A Anzac Parade,Maroubra,02 8540 2936
Corner Ramsay and Dalhousie streets,Haberfield,happyfield.com.au
Home Croissanterie,Balmain
If the bacon and maple syrup croissant doesn’t make your day,the sugar-dusted kouign amann will. Ben Lai started baking croissants as a hobby;now his light,bright little bakery has tables outside for its devoted followers,who worship at the feet of his roast potato pastry crowned with potato crisps. Eat in or take home,but you’ll need Single O’s Reservoir blend to cut the richness of that creme brulee almond croissant you weren’t going to have but suddenly had to.
418 Darling Street,Balmain
Kurumac,Marrickville
The glass shopfront opens to a minimalist cafe that celebrates Japanese food and cafe culture in equal measures. That means eggplant katsu sando or wagyu beef udon noodles with egg,and a perkySample Coffee piccolo latte. By doing things their way and nobody else’s,co-owners Eugene Leung and Dika Prianata,and chef Jun Okamatsu are shaping the future of cafes everywhere.
107 Addison Rd,Marrickville,02 8593 9449
Misc.,Parramatta
Anyone who bans avocado on toast for breakfast has our attention. But Misc. owner (andGoggleboxfavourite) Jad Nehmetallah says it’s too obvious a dish. (Though you could order avocado and flatbread separately,and DIY.) Take the scenic route through Parramatta Park to this always-packedcafe,lunch spot and event venue by the river, sit inside or out,and cover the table with bright,vibrant Lebanese-inspired pita breads,dips,grills,salads and Stitch coffee. Best thing? You get to walk it off afterwards.
Bynes Avenue,Parramatta Park,misc.parramatta
Padre Coffee,Paddington
With four different grinders and a Slayer V3 espresso machine on one side,and shelves of coffee gear on the other,Melbourne-based Padre Coffee roasters’ first cafe in Sydney looks like a schmick showroom. But this one-stop coffee shop also has a shared table and sunny courtyard in which to try the rotating blend of the day. Add a spicy rendang toastie or Tuga Portuguese tart,and book in for an espresso 101 home barista class.
241A Glenmore Road,Paddington,padrecoffee.com.au
Our Father,Burraneer
Jerome Manion used to drive past this corner site for years,thinking what a great spot it would be for a cafe. And it is. The bright,light,whitewashed room is the spot for maple berry pancakes and hot-honey chicken sandwiches,backed by a busy kiosk and sunny courtyard. Coffee is Single O,breads are Thoroughbread,bagels are Brooklyn Boy,the bacon and egg roll is already legendary (so much bacon!),and service couldn’t be cheerier.
182 Burraneer Bay Road,Burraneer,ourfathercafe.com
Pillar Brewers,Burwood
The brutally monochrome concrete fit-out of Pillar is not what you expect to find in a Burwood laneway,and the surprises keep coming. A serious passion for coffee (and specialty teas) unites Edwin Luo,Uel Lim and Nate Tong,and Skittle Lane Roaster’s finest is served in exquisite hand-made ceramics. And – surprise – breakfast could be a thick slab of shokupan toast with yuzu marmalade,or Basque cheesecake from the delectable 15 Cenchi crew.
Shop 1,Unity Place,Burwood,pillarbrewers.com
Pina by Room Ten,Potts Point
The staff will warn you about the sourdough pancake:it takes 15 minutes to make and it’s too big for one person to stomach. Order it anyway. It is the fattest,fluffiest pancake you’re ever likely to find,piled high with crispy bacon and soft,salty butter. Pina’s menu features severalamplified adaptations of brunch favourites like this,perfect to scoff while people-watching at dog-friendly outdoor tables,bubbled iced mocha in hand.
Shop 4,29 Orwell Street,Potts Point
Rollers Bakehouse,Manly
Some of Sydney’s most beautiful pastries are at Rollers,a small Palm Springs-inspired cafe that continues to attract long lines well into its fifth year. The menu revolves around Wood and Co coffee and viennoiserie,with laminated sheets of buttery dough used to make everything from golden croissants to sausage rolls and quiche Lorraine. Watch out for limitededition weekend flavours,like cheesy patatas bravas,but be warned:you’ll have to show up early to score one.
19 Rialto Lane,Manly,rollersbakehouse.com
Salma’s Canteen,Rosebery
This new-wave canteen combines the culinary prowess of Kepos Street Kitchen with now-closed Enmore bakery Saga,creating food displays so beautiful you’ll wonder whether they’re real. The on-hand concierge explains some of your options:colourful salads,date-glazed leg ham and crispy-skinned smoked salmon to start;salted honey tarts,passionfruit palmiers and blackberry lime pavs for a sweet finish. It’s available to take away,but best enjoyed with a can of cold-brewed coffee on a sunny outdoor table.
Shop 2,797 Botany Road,Rosebery,salmascanteen.com.au
Soulmate,Newtown
Is there anything more quintessentially Newtown than oat milk cold brew coffee on tap? Sweetened with maple,Soulmate’s signature Single O blend is the perfect morning pick-me-up alongside a thick slab of chewy,still-hot licorice bread. It’s a delicious,if off-beat,addition to a menu of brekkie classics and house-made bagels. And if the food doesn’t capture your eye,the dreamy interiors will – minimalist timber and white,beaming with sunlight,and featuring work by Bundjalung artist Shal (Shaun Daniel Allen).
Shop 12,39 Phillip Street,Newtown,soulmatecoffee.com.au
Two Chaps,Marrickville
The in-house bakery forms the backbone of this cosy garage-turned-cafe,which churns out steaming loaves of wild-fermented sourdough,yuzu-glazed doughnuts and mushroom pies with thick,golden pastry. And they’re just some of the grab-and-go options. Come for a relaxed,sit-down brekkie (with your dog,of course – this is the inner west),to work through the produce-driven menu,featuring umami-rich mushroom congee and rhubarb-laden crumpets. Single O has your caffeine hit sorted with three specialty house blends.
122 Chapel Street,Marrickville,twochaps.com.au
Valentinas,Marrickville
Maple syrup,poured over stacks of fluffy pancakes,is the glue that binds people together at Valentinas. There’s a matching hint of sweetness in the Coffee Supreme caffe latte,too,served in old-school ’70s cups and saucers. The snazzy green-striped awning on the whitewashed building,the breezy welcome and the neighbourhood vibe turn first-timers into regulars. That’s if the grilled cheese sandwich with the tomato soup,and “slice of pie” of the day haven’t already.
132 Livingstone Road,Marrickville,valentinassyd.com
The winners of The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2024 Awards will be announced on October 23,presented by Vittoria Coffee and Oceania Cruises.The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2024 will be on sale from October 24,featuring more than 450 NSW and ACT venues,from three-hatted fine-diners,to suburban wine bars,regional chicken shops and food-court icons. Venues listed in the Guide are visited anonymously by professional restaurant critics,who review independently. Venues are chosen at our discretion.