Best Cafés in Sydney for Design Lovers

Sydney’s café culture is world‑class, and design has become just as essential as the flat white. This guide to the best cafés in Sydney highlights spaces where interiors matter as much as the coffee, from minimalist roasteries to retro‑styled bakeries and plant‑filled courtyards.

Best Cafés in Sydney for Design Lovers:

Paramount Coffee Project

Surry Hills

Photo credit: Paramount Coffee Project

Paramount Coffee Project fills its soaring industrial space with polished concrete, timber benches, and a striking indoor tree. The brew bar rotates beans from different roasters every few weeks, so the coffee menu is always changing. The all‑day menu runs from fried chicken and waffles to French toast and seasonal plates. It’s a reliable spot for meeting friends or settling in with a solo coffee and some work.

bills

Bondi Beach, Darlinghurst, Double Bay + Surry Hills

Photo credit: bills

The café that defined Sydney’s brunch culture. bills pairs bright, sun‑washed interiors and blonde timber with a glow that feels instantly recognisable. Each location reflects its neighbourhood, from breezy coastal Bondi to inner‑city Darlinghurst. Known worldwide for ricotta hotcakes and relaxed Australian hospitality, it remains the benchmark for Sydney breakfast.

Skittle Lane

Bondi, Brookvale, CBD + Manly

White marble counters, pale timber stools, and shelves of brewing gear give Skittle Lane its signature minimalist calm. Beans are roasted in‑house at Bondi and poured as seasonal brews across their five sleek Sydney outposts. The light‑filled spaces are designed with clean lines and subtle textures, creating a sense of effortless refinement.

Superfreak

Marrickville

Photo Credit: Superfreak

A Marrickville eatery that leans into its name, Superfreak pairs a deep green façade with warm wood tones, cork floors, and retro‑boho décor. The atmosphere is colourful and cosy, with records spinning from a well‑curated vinyl collection. Expect salads, sandwiches, and generous breakfasts with a subtle Scandi influence, all enjoyed in the company of a stylish local crowd.

Padre

Paddington

Padre’s Sydney flagship is a light‑filled corner at Five Ways, where clean lines, pale timber, and polished finishes create a calm, contemporary feel. Their signature blends, including the crowd‑favourite Lucky Boy are brewed with precision. Beyond the design, it’s a spot with a genuine community vibe, where locals and regulars gather as much for the atmosphere as the coffee.

241A Glenmore Road, Paddington

Industry Beans

Sydney CBD

Photo Credit: Industry Beans

A crisp white interior with timber seating gives Industry Beans the feel of a buzzy New York café. The coffee menu is detailed, spanning batch brew, cold brew, and bubble coffee, each with tasting notes and origins. You can pick up fresh pastries and layered cakes, or sit in for a delicious all‑day breakfast.

A.P Bakery

Surry Hills, Darlinghurst, Newtown, CBD

A Sydney staple that has set the standard for pastries and breakfast culture. Every croissant, loaf, and seasonal pastry feels intentional, perfect, but never fussy. Each venue matches its setting: the iconic Surry Hills rooftop has a breezy LA feel, while the Newtown outpost is a grungy neighbourhood corner shop where you eat streetside among terraced houses.

A.P has become one of those rare spots that defines how , and where, Sydney does breakfast.

Flora

Newtown

Flora is an all‑day vegetarian café nestled in a heritage building, where modern vintage decor meets plant-forward warmth. Sunlight filters through its leafy courtyard, highlighting textured timber furniture, vintage lighting, and earthy stone surfaces. Seasonal menus lean into fermentation and local produce, served in a space as thoughtfully crafted as the dishes.

206 Australia Street, Newtown

Chinatown Country Club

Haymarket

Set inside a clothing store with high ceilings and pared‑back white interiors, Chinatown Country Club feels as curated as it does casual. A huge Noguchi lamp fills the space, where Sydney’s best‑dressed come for unique teas, nitro matcha, and coffee. Plates are set on hand‑thrown pottery, with portable chess games often in play,

Haven Specialty Coffee

Barangaroo

All light and clean lines, with floor‑to‑ceiling windows and a pared‑back fit‑out. Coffee and matcha are prepared with care, and the menu balances fresh brunch plates with familiar favourites. Across Sydney, each Haven location carries the same soft, minimalist mood, polished without feeling stiff.

Mecca Coffee

Alexandria & Paddington

High ceilings, raw concrete, tessellated tiles, and blond wood communal tables set a striking tone in these industrial‑chic spaces. Mecca roasts on-site: expect rotating single-origin lots and house blends served with precision. The food is considered and seasonal, think chilli-scram eggs, pumpkin salad, or a well-crafted roll.

Algorithm

Marrickville

Monochrome interiors and polished concrete give Algorithm a sleek, minimal feel. Floor‑to‑ceiling windows keep the space bright, while outdoor tables add a casual edge. Coffee comes from Mecca, paired with baked goods and a seasonal brunch menu that balances sweet and savoury.

Edition Coffee Roasters

Haymarket

Photo Credit: Edition Roasters

A moody space of charred timber, concrete, and low seating that channels modern Japanese design. The atmosphere is calm and deliberate, with a menu that balances precise coffee, from pour‑over to cold brew, with Japanese‑inspired breakfast dishes. A venue that feels striking yet meditative, built for slow, considered mornings.

Moon and Back

Rosebery

Bright and modern, with exposed timber and soft industrial detail. Best known for its matcha and specialty iced coffee, the menu also features creative seasonal drinks and a selection of baked goods. A true haven for matcha lovers.

The Grounds Coffee Factory

Alexandria

Set in a former railway cafeteria, this industrial café doubles as a working coffee roastery, with overhead pipes shuttling beans through the space. The atmosphere has a Wonka‑like playfulness, part factory, part café. Alongside a menu of relaxed all‑day plates, the dessert trolley slides open to drawers of cakes, tarts, and macarons.

Valentina’s

Marrickville

A retro‑Americana diner with green booths, a classic bar, and a playful, old‑school vibe. Famous for some of Sydney’s best pancakes, Valentina’s also serves fried chicken biscuits, bottomless coffee, and seasonal twists like maple iced coffee. It’s an all‑day spot where the menu feels as fun as the fit‑out.

Single O

Surry Hills

One of Sydney’s original specialty cafés, Single O brings a warehouse‑industrial mood to a corner of Surry Hills that spills naturally into the street. A self‑serve batch brew bar lets you choose your bean and pour your own, while the breakfast menu reflects the same inventive, design‑driven spirit as the fit‑out.

Rollers Bakehouse

Manly

An LA‑inspired bakery tucked into a Manly courtyard, where cacti line the laneway and the light feels coastal. Inside, baked goods are displayed like art across the counter — inventive croissants and seasonal specials alongside coffee and cold brew.