Here’s where to get the best coffee in Sydney

If coffee is non-negotiable to your daily existence, then you’ll want to read on for the best beans in Sydney.

Coffee lovers understand the first question when one arrives in a new town is where to find the good stuff. Before a lack of caffeine impairs your judgement and panic sets in, get your eyes on this list. We’ve done a combover of Sydney and extracted the best places to get your nectar of the early morning gods. Deep breaths, it’s all going to be OK.

From Surry Hills to Marrickville, here’s where to get the best coffee in Sydney.

1. Single O

This much-loved cafe is invested in sourcing the best beans.

It’s all about single origins here, and yep, there are no surprises there given the name. Single O is deeply invested in sourcing the best beans that pass their litmus test of superior flavour, sustainability and ethical farming practices, so what goes in the cup is feelgood for more reasons than one. Their Surry Hills location is the OG O, but you can also find them in Carriageworks, Eveleigh and, surprisingly, three locations in Japan.

Address: 60-65 Reservoir Street, Surry Hills; 245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh

Opening hours: 7am-3.30pm Monday to Friday; 8am to 3pm weekends

2. Normcore Coffee

Ask Google and it will tell you Normcore is the number one coffee place in Sydney. But the accolades come from more than desktop reviews with the Aussie-owned and made coffee company stacking up plenty of industry awards. Roasting both single origin beans and blends, Normcore’s stated mission to make ‘Damn Good Coffee’ borders on the obsessive, which is music to the ears of the bean nerds among us. Find them in the city and also Ashfield.

Address: 209 Castlereagh Street, Sydney; 14 Brown Street, Ashfield
Opening hours: Sydney CBD 7am-4pm weekdays. Ashfield 6am-4pm weekdays; 7am-3pm weekends.

3. Rising Sun

Rising Sun is known for its quality ramen and coffee.

Perhaps not the most obvious location for excellent coffee given that Newtown’s beloved Rising Sun is better known for motorbike tinkering and ramen slurping. But don’t be fooled by the leather, grease and deep bowls of tonkatsu broth, the brews here wander into the realm of perfection and plenty of time is given to ensuring good cups.

Address: 1C Whateley Street, Newtown

Opening hours: 10am-3pm daily.

4. Edition Coffee Roasters

There are no blends at Edition, instead, the focus is squarely on unadulterated single origin beans roasted and extracted with precision. A seasonally rotating menu keeps the flavour fresh and intriguing in the cup. Now with four loctions in the city, you’re never too far from your daily edition.
Address: 60 Darling Drive, Haymarket
Opening hours: check website for hours of different locations

5. Sample Coffee

This much-loved cafe is invested in sourcing the best beans.

Roasting their responsibly sourced beans to highlight the nuances of flavour, Sample exists for the joyful ritual that accompanies your daily cup (or three) of coffee. Their ethos is a rounded approach that looks to both fairness for producers and fun for consumers. Swing into their St Peters or Surry Hills outposts and relish the moment.

Address: 1.03, 75 Mary Street, St Peters; Shop 1A Devonshire Street, Surry Hills

Opening hours: St Peters 7am-2pm weekdays; 8am-2pm Saturday. Surry Hills 7am-3pm Monday to Friday

6. Paramount Coffee Project

Rotating through local and international coffee roasters and with one of their founders being Russell Beard of Rueben Hills, you can expect high-quality, consciously selected brews at PCP. For more than a decade the formula of good coffee and a chic space has kept coffee lovers going out of their way to get their fix, so much so, that there are now two Paramounts Coffee Projects caffeinating the good people of Los Angeles.

Address: 80 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills

Opening hours: 7am–4pm Monday to Sunday

7. Primary Coffee

Primary Coffee’s seasonal blend is complemented by Sungold Jersey milk from Warrnambool.

Inside the brick facade Primary Coffee’s minimalist interior holds space for an uninterrupted appreciation of the bean. Roasting their beans and bagging them for take-home enjoyment, this petite shopfront has become so popular it now sprawls out onto the footpath. They also have a strong merch game, so keep an eye on Instagram for drops.

Address: Shop 1/ 9 Ward Avenue, Potts Point

Opening hours: 6am-2pm Tuesday to Sunday; 6am-12pm Monday

8. Coffee Alchemy

A lifelong obsession with flavour has led those behind Coffee Alchemy to create award-winning brews with pizazz. Go for bold with Goodness Galileo, extra bold with a cup of Hairy Chest or the Paracelsus Punch, all of which are bestsellers and produced by way of established relationships with producers. Coffee Alchemy is the HQ and roastery, but you can also grab a cup from Gumption in The Strand and Micro in Barangaroo.

Address: 2/87 Sydenham Road, Marrickville

Opening hours: 7am-2pm Monday to Friday; 8am-3pm Saturday; 9am-1pm Sunday

9. Regiment

Regiment is popular with both office workers and visitors.

Specialty coffee sits alongside delicious cafe fare in this humming CBD spot. On the pour is brew from Melbourne roasters Veneziano and whether you opt for filter or single origin, it’s going to be a cup to savour.

Address: 333 George Street, Sydney

Opening hours: 7am-4pm weekdays

10. Black Market Roasters

Learn how to make beautiful coffee art with their Latte Art course.

A pandemic start-up, this Marrickville one-stop coffee shop and training facility is a place to sip and learn. Enjoy a tasting experience or go further with barista training for either professional accreditation or just to flex skills at home. Want to know how to get those pretty swirls on your cappuccino? Learn it here with their Latte Art course. You can also just enjoy the mastery of others and stop in for a coffee and lunch at either the Marrickville HQ or Newtown spot.

Address: 24 Cadogan Street, Marrickville; 86 Enmore Road, Newtown

Opening hours: Marrickville HQ 6am-2pm Monday to Friday; 7am-2pm Saturday. Newtown 9am-5pm Monday to Friday; 9am-7pm Saturday.

11. Reuben Hills

Surry Hills is alive with the burr of bean grinders and you’ll find some of the best grinds at this halfway-up-the-hill cafe. Reuben Hills takes a stand for coffee producers by ensuring fair prices for farmers. If you’ve ever wondered why your single-shot soy flat white costs so much these days, these guys give the answer by way of their transparent pricing. Check it out on their website and you’ll soon find your $6 coffee is much easier to swallow. Of course, that liquid gold is also deliciously nuanced and if you love to nerd out of flavour profiles, you can certainly lean into that here.

Address: 61 Albion Street, Surry Hills

Opening hours: 7am–3.30pm Monday to Friday; 7.30am–3.30pm weekends

12.  Barrel One Coffee Roasters

Barrel One sources some of the rarest fair trade coffee.

With five locations across Sydney, Barrel One is a clear stand-out in the specialty coffee world. Not least because its bright and playful red-hued branding feels more like it’s peddling an alcoholic beverage than a daily cuppa. It’s not just good looks, though, Barrel One has been ethically sourcing and carefully roasting beans since 2012, so there’s pedigree in each sip. Try their sparkling lemon cold brew and grab a tin of their instant coffee for your next camping trip.

Address: Various

Opening hours: check website for hours of different locations

13. Padre Coffee

This much-loved Paddington spot serves seasonal espresso blends and single origins in its modern space.

The Sydney outpost of renowned Melbourne roasters, Padre Coffee is serving the people of Paddington their daily grinds in a bright and bustling Five Ways concept store. It’s more than a grab-and-go joint, here you’ll also find retail coffee and homebrew equipment as well as coffee training and classes. And with Padre’s long-established responsible business model and mission to support and encourage a love for coffee, you know the beans here are the biz.

Address: 241A–241B Glenmore Road, Paddington

Opening hours: 7am-2pm Monday to Friday; 7am-3pm weekends

14. Skittle Lane

Since 2015, Skittle Lane has been brewing up good coffee and good design with warm hospitality. They’ve since spread from the CBD to the northern and eastern beaches with outposts in Manly and Bondi, while their Brookvale roastery keeps up with the demand and is soon to welcome drop-ins for a cuppa and a little retail therapy. If you can’t make it in-store, add a subscription to cart to be delivered to your door.

Address: 40 King Street, Sydney; 6a Loftus Lane, Circular Quay; 83/87 Pittwater Road, Manly; 121 Curlewis Street, Bondi; 2/8 Orchard Road, Brookvale

Opening hours: check website for hours of different locations

15. Only Coffee Project

Find top-notch brews at this stainless steel-clad bar.

Pared-back perfection happens at this stainless-steel coffee bar that doesn’t cater to tea drinkers or a roll-call of alternate milks. Stocking some beautiful beans and filter favourites, get along for that very serious cup of joe.

Address: 2/118 Willoughby Road, Crows Nest

Opening hours: 6.30am-3pm daily

Discover the best cafes in Paddington.