The Best Coffee Shops And Cafes In North Sydney

When you think about Sydney’s coffee scene, lively inner-city neighbourhoods like Surry Hills and Darlinghurst spring to mind faster than the leafy Lower North Shore. But there’s a good – and growing – cafe culture north of the Bridge, and these are the top 10 places around North Sydney to grab a quality cup of coffee.

1. Celsius Coffee Co

Cafe, European, Australian, Gluten-free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Literally floating on Sydney Harbour at the Kirribilli ferry wharf, Celsius is one of the city’s most unique coffee shops. The chilli buttered eggs and Angus beef brisket burger are crowd-pleasers, but coffee-lovers squeeze into this postage-stamp-sized cafe for the uninterrupted water views from one of the window seats.

2. The Roots Espresso

Coffee Shop, Coffee

Located in the heart of North Sydney’s busy business district, The Roots takes its coffee seriously, serving a variety of single origins to go with their menu of inventive salads and generous sandwiches. The hole-in-the-wall coffee shop is also neighboured by a bar, The Roots Next Door – located, predictably, just next door – serving wine, cocktails and bar food by night.

3. Bay Ten Espresso

Cafe, Australian, Vegetarian

Stroll down the laneway beside the northern approach to the Sydney Harbour Bridge and you’ll spot this industrial coffee joint from the bike parked out the front of graffitied roller doors. Bay Ten has re-energised an old storage space just north of the Bridge with the aroma of speciality coffee, a simple menu loaded with baked goods and a dedicated following of cyclists and locals alike.

5. The Boathouse Balmoral Beach

Cafe, Coffee

The brains behind the Boathouse Shelly Beach and the Boathouse Palm Beach further up the coast rejuvenated this formerly ho-hum venue in 2013, and it’s gone from strength to strength ever since. The Boathouse Balmoral Beach – overlooking the sand from the picturesque Balmoral Boatshed – serves a light menu to accompany their coffee and fresh juices… just what you feel like during a day at the beach.

6. Cool Mac

Cafe, Australian, Vegetarian

Cool Mac isn’t your average Kirribilli coffee shop, adding a Japanese twist to your traditional bacon and eggs. Grab some ramen, rice soup, a sous-vide chicken sandwich, roasted eggplant benedict or the famous sriracha-sauced bacon-and-egg roll to go with your Campos coffee at this colourful Burton St institution.

7. 67 Union St Deli

Cafe, Australian, Vegetarian

Where to start describing the 67 Union St Deli, which is as popular for the fresh produce and homewares on sale as it is for the coffee and takeaway sandwiches. This homely two-level deli just down the road from the hustle and bustle of North Sydney serves a generous and affordable breakfast and lunch menu as well as consistent single origin coffee.

8. Sotto on West

Cafe, Coffee, American

This charming corner cafe is always well populated with coffee-lovers slurping away in the North Sydney sunshine, feasting on a mouth-watering American burger, fresh seasonal salads or a summery açaí salad. Just across the road with even more tables on the footpath, Eighty Ate also pours a nice cup of coffee.

9. Double Cross Espresso Bar

Cafe, Pub Grub

Double Cross is one of the stars of Crows Nest’s lengthy strip of cafes, with uber-friendly staff brewing quality beans roasted by Darlinghurst favourites Edition Coffee Roasters. The Asian fusion menu is also a highlight, dishing up burgers, brekkie classics and delicate desserts with a distinctly Asian flavour.

10. The Laneway Cafe

Cafe, Australian, Vegetarian

Cammeray also boasts its fair share of good cafes and Laneway is the pick of the bunch, with a breezy outdoor area extending a converted garage into one of the Lower North Shore’s coolest spots for a long lunch. The hearty menu complements the signature coffee as well as a cheeky tipple if you’re keen to extend your stay in the sunny courtyard.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.