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Casual dining in Sydney

Must do

Centennial Parklands Dining
Manly Pavilion and wharf at Manly Cove. Image Andrew Gregory

New cafes

If you're keen to seek out great coffee, check out these hot spots sprinkled around the city. There's Bell Jar Coffee in Newtown, Sample Coffee Bar in Surry Hills, Barefoot Coffee Traders in Manly and Coffee Alchemy in Marrickville.

Sydney cafes

Dining at the Opera Kitchen below the Sydney Opera House. Image James Pipino

Sydneysiders love cafes. You'll find cafes that are coffee temples such as The Grounds in Alexandria and cafes that are also bakeries such as Bourke Street Bakery in Surry Hills and Black Star Pastry Cafe in Newtown. There are cafes by the harbour and by the beach, even at outdoor pools. One of the best locations is right by the harbour where you can soak up spectacular views from Opera Kitchen at the Sydney Opera House. Other Opera House fare includes dishes from Becasse Bakery and Justin North’s Charlie & Co, amongst others.

North of the bridge, reward yourself with lunch after a few laps in a harbourside pool at Ripples Café or enjoy homemade scones and jam on the heritage verandah of Burnt Orange, an elegant 1920s café in Mosman. If you’re serious about your espresso, pop over to Barefoot Coffee Traders in Manly or continue along the peninsula to Clareville Kiosk, an airy cottage café on Pittwater.

Cafes in the eastern suburbs offer plenty of choice – favourites include the Crabbe Hole near Bondi Icebergs, fish and chips at Neilsen Park’s kiosk, and Three Blue Ducks near Bronte Beach. In the inner west, discover the talented baristas at Campos Coffee in Newtown, brunch with motorbikes at Deus Café, or give into temptation at Adriano Zumbo’s patisserie café in Balmain.

Harry's Café de Wheels

Eating a tiger pie at Harry's Café de Wheels, Woolloomooloo. Image Pierre Toussaint

This Sydney icon has been serving tasty pies and peas from a caravan café in Sydney’s Woolloomooloo since 1938. A favourite of late-night revellers and celebrities alike, Harry’s is now classified by the National Trust of Australia. Why not try Harry's signature pie, the tiger, a beef pie served with mushy peas, mash and gravy.

Café at Fort Denison

Catch a ferry from Circular Quay to Fort Denison Cafe, located on a small island in the middle of Sydney Harbour. This historic site offers magnificent habour views and a contemporary Australian menu that’s just right for sharing with friends over a long, leisurely lunch.

Café on Fort Denison, Sydney Harbour. Image Hamilton Lund

Best of Bondi cafes

Work up an appetite in the surf, go for a run along the beachfront promenade or follow the clifftop walk from Bondi to Coogee before indulging in a delicious breakfast at one of the many cafes at Bondi Beach. Find them along Campbell Parade, Curlewis Street and Bondi Road.

Bondi beach. Image James Pipino

Cafés by the beach

Sydney beaches are likely to have as many great cafes as they do great waves. Popular cafes are Crabbe Hole Cafe at Bondi Beach, Jellyfish Cafe at the North Steyne end of Manly Beach, Bacino Bar at Dee Why, Pilu Kiosk at Harbord and Ham at Cronulla.

Fish and Chips at Bondi Beach, Image Pierre Toussaint

Cafes

Sydney's tourists and locals pile into the multitude of cafés lining the city streets and surrounding suburbs. With some of the best coffee in the world and some of the best food, too, Sydney's cafés are a culture all of their own.

If Italian cuisine is on your menu, head to "Little Italy" Leichhardt which runs the length of Norton and Marion streets. The central Italian Forum is dotted with outdoor restaurants, cafes, cake shops and Italian delis to keep any lover of Italian food and coffee happy.

Crown, Burton and Liverpool streets in the trendy Darlinghurst and Surry Hills boroughs are lined with an array of restaurants and cafes. Look out for Coco Cubano and Cafe Fellini, both gems of the cafe scene. Kazbah in Balmain is constantly winning praise for its heavy Middle Eastern-style breakfasts. Likewise, watching a colourful crowd in Newtown and sipping coffee from a cafe window seat on King is equally appealing. One of those places only usually found by local or passers by on foot, Perry Lane is a café and art space in Paddington that also serves some great organic egg breakfast dishes.

Famed for its delicious pies, Harry's Cafe de Wheels in Woolloomooloo is an institution for late-night revellers and people grabbing pies and peas on the run.

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