Two Chaps is one of the best things you’ll find behind a garage roller door. The cafe has a strong following among vegetarians and pastry lovers, and for good reason — everything on the menu is vego and the kitchen bakes all its own bread and pastries. 

If there’s one place in the world that challenges Australia’s dominance in the brunch game, it’s New York City. The Big Apple’s take on the hybrid meal is decadent, lengthy and boozy. 

Nestled into the sleepy suburb of south Sydney’s Grays Point, Jack Gray is a cafe by day and a wine bar by night. Open for coffee seven days a week and drinks on Fridays and Sundays, the venue is an exciting opening for the Sutherland Shire.

The food menu at this quaint but beloved corner cafe in Stanmore is kept simple with just a few items that change between months and seasons — but one item always stays consistent, and that’s the Kimcheezey toastie.

Old Gold comes from the same team who created Sydney’s own specialty roasters, Sample Coffee. That means you’re almost guaranteed to get one of the best coffees in Sydney — but the team has gone far beyond simply serving a great flat white.

Originally from New Zealand, this increasingly popular coffee roastery has made its way into dozens of Australian cafes. It’s even set up nine of its own cafes and roasteries in New Zealand, Brisbane, Melbourne, Tokyo and (of course) Sydney. 

At St Kai, classic Japanese and modern breakfast flavours combine in a brunch-filled flurry. Discover masterful dishes like the donburi rice bowls tossed with ground Wagyu beef, an array of pickles, the secret house sauce and a fried egg.

A visit to the local shuk (Hebrew for marketplace) in the Middle East is a sensory overload of the best variety. Mountains of fragrant spices waft exotic scents from hessian bags; plump fruits and vegetables are piled sky-high in handwoven baskets.

Hidden behind Enmore Road in a sleepy backstreet, Soulmate stands out in the stacked Inner West cafe scene. This Phillip Street spot is a go-to for good coffee and loaded sandwiches. 

Coffee and bagels are the heroes at Good Fella. Single O beans are treated with love by baristas who perform to Bella Vista locals. And we really mean perform — the bar is at the centre of this local fave.

Kosta’s Takeaway is a self-proclaimed no-bullshit cafe. The local hole-in-the-wall spot is located next to a smash repairs in the heart of Rockdale and serves up some of the best sandwiches in Sydney with low fuss.

Sydney’s Queen Ester — part Israeli cafe, part falafel bar — wholly matches Newport’s laidback beach town vibes. Have a swim or surf down at Newport Beach and then stroll over to Queen Ester’s for a damn tasty lunch surrounded by friendly locals.

Happyfield is a relatively new addition to the local brunch scene, but it has already become one of the best cafes in Sydney. It takes inspiration from the classic American diner with bright yellow interiors and a menu packed with US staples.

Looking to start your day with something a little different? Head to the southern end of Newtown’s King Street where you’ll find fresh and unexpected ingredients being piled onto Brickfields bread or between soft, fluffy milk buns at Rolling Penny. 

The Marickville cafe combines classic diner aesthetics and southern dishes with the best of Australian cafe culture to create one of the most-hyped brunch spots in Sydney’s Inner West. 

Since 1998, Maggio’s Cafe in Cammeray has been pumping out traditional Italian pastries and cakes to devout customers who keep coming back for more. Foodies know this as a destination get some of the city’s best cannoli and ricotta cheesecakes.

A.P. Bakery has built a cult following among Sydneysiders. Having now found a home on the rooftop of Paramount House Hotel, the team has been winning over locals with its bread, pastries, pies, soups, toasties and egg rolls. 

This Sydney cafe, located just a five-minute walk from Parramatta Station, fuses Middle Eastern influences with modern Australia eats — resulting in hearty, flavour-packed brekkies, brunches and lunches. 

The brainchild of James Sideris (Butter Boy Bake), Rollers Bakehouse is one of the very best cafes in Sydney. Expect brilliant brews of coffee (with bottomless filter coffee available) as well as some outstanding pastries.

We’ve gone ahead and made the decision — Sandoitchi is the best cafe in Sydney. Let us explain why it tops the list. For one, the katsu sandwiches are sought out and worshipped as well they deserve to be.