More than just coffee: The 20 best new next-gen cafes in Sydney

Let's hear it for cafes. They have kept us going in the darkest of times and the longest of days. They kept the coffee coming and looked after their locals.

And let's hear it for the new (and newish) generation of cafes evolving new ways of doing things, bringing a fresh attitude to our favourite daily ritual.

In this round-up of the 20 best new cafes, you'll find everything from a coffee roaster that serves nothing but coffee (no food), a working bakery that rolls as a cafe as well, and plenty of slashies that are part fashion store, part ceramics gallery and part cafe.

An American theme is emerging, with hoagies and pancake stacks to the fore, and the coffee-by-day, cocktails-by-night business model has never been so strong. But the real strength right now is from a whole bunch of next-gen cafe owners inspired by their Asian heritage to create small but highly detailed spaces that redefine how we use cafes in our lives.

All this makes cafes the answer to the question of where do you go when you're dying to catch up with mates but you don't necessarily need a six-course degustation or a cosy basement diner? Cafes, my friend. Whatever your question, a cafe is the answer.

Bar Lucio, Kensington

This traditional little corner coffee bar in the back streets of Kensington belongs to one of Sydney's best pizza bakers, Lucio de Falco of Darlinghurst and Zetland's Lucio Pizzeria. That means all those beautiful croissants and paninis have been baked in the pizzeria's wood-fired ovens. Caffe DM coffee is sweet and nutty, best taken on the sunny corner terrace with a Nutella-filled bombolone like a true Neapolitan.

Come for: Caffe del Nonno, a creamy icy-cold coffee invented in Naples.

12 Lenthall Street, Kensington, @barluciocafe

Black Market Roasters, Marrickville

How much do you actually know about the coffee you slug down daily? Jess Hol and Angus Nicol run coffee training for pros and ams in their rustic roastery warehouse, so book in for a guided tour through four different coffees, paired with four small dishes, and expand your coffee horizon. Or just go DIY and pull up a stool for coffee at the tasting bar.

Come for: the signature coffee-tasting experience.

24 Cadogan Street, Marrickville, blackmarketroasters.com.au

Cafe Deluca, Marrickville

This clean-lined, minimalist roastery cafe serves nothing but coffee (including house blend Sweet Spot, a blend of Colombian and Ethiopian beans). It's only available black or with full cream or oat milk, and only until 11am. The massive Probat roaster is on-site, and there's always someone behind the bar willing to talk all things coffee. And coffee.

Come for: Coffee, coffee or coffee.

5-7 Denby Street, Marrickville, delucacoffee.com

Cedric's, Sydney

Taiyo Shima's tiny corner space tucked inside the Regent Arcade does a very few things very well, as it fuses all the good parts of cafes with the vibe of a small neighbourhood bar. That means chicken and mushroom udon with deliciously chewy noodles, whisky-based cocktails, richly flavoured Stitch coffee, and vibrant, matcha-green cheesecake.

Come for: Japanese-style croissants, coffee and cocktails.

Regent Arcade, 501 George Street, Sydney, @seeyouatcedrics

Coffee Alchemy, Marrickville

"Tell David we're moving," said the poster on the old Addison Road site of much-loved and much-awarded Coffee Alchemy. Don't worry, Mr Beckham, you can get more of your favourite Goodness Galileo blend at Clare Lim and Hazel de los Reyes' new cafe and roastery (it's teal blue – you can't miss it).

Come for: a new roastery-cafe incarnation of one of Sydney's greats.

87 Sydenham Road, Marrickville, coffeealchemy.com.au

Effie's, Balgowlah

Little sister to the nearby Aggy's Corner, Effie's runs Skittle Lane coffee, croissants and lunch rolls seven days a week. The light, minimal interior is all set to segue into a lo-fi wine bar with good food in the evenings, so watch this space.

Come for: the sweetest spot to hang in Balgowlah.

281 Sydney Road, Balgowlah, @effies__

The Fold, Dulwich Hill

After cooking in grand hotels, Augi de Hoedt opened a little neighbourhood cafe, along with his two sons, pastry chefs Travin and Jason, of Potts Point's Franca Brasserie. By day, avo on toast sits next to coconut roti and crisp hoppers, dinners get curried, and cake is a constant, from a very fine carrot cake to that must-have clove-spiced Sri Lankan love cake.

Come for: Sri Lankan love cake.

403 New Canterbury Road, Dulwich Hill, thefoldsrilankan.com.au

Genovese Coffee House, Alexandria

In Melbourne since forever (OK, 1970), Genovese Coffee has moved into Sydney with typically Italian gusto. Note the retro-modern warehouse setting, gleaming on-site roaster, and racy Kees van der Westen espresso machine. Note also the prosciutto-filled panini, and ricotta cannoli.

Come for: the Melbourne warehouse coffee vibe.

1-3 Lawrence Street, Alexandria, genovesecoffeehouse.com.au

Happyfield, Haberfield

If the sunny banana-yellow signage doesn't make you feel happy, then get yourself a tray of soft, fluffy pancakes oozing with Pepe Saya butter and Canadian maple syrup, stacked with crisp bacon, or a burger complete with requisite yellow cheese. Coffee is Five Senses, and the place is so popular that just snagging a table will make you happy.

Come for: the gen-u-ine American-style brunch food.

96 Ramsay Street, Haberfield, 02 9716 5168, happyfield.com.au

Humble Bakery, Surry Hills

Freshly baked from the same tight-knit team as Argentinian grill-house Porteno (next door), Bastardo (on the other side) and Bodega (behind), this industrial working bakery and gelateria also has a large share table and stools. Play before-and-after as you watch the bakers roll, knead, pipe and slice, while digging in to the mushroom toasties, pig's head croissant rolls and pink-iced finger buns they've just produced.

Come for: the non-stop baking action and good smells.

50 Holt Street, Surry Hills, humblesydney.com

Moon and Back, Rosebery

It may look like a Japanese art gallery, but Elvan Fan and Carol Yu's ceramics store is also a working cafe with a wonderfully hand-made quality. Even the drippy icing of their signature chiffon cake is inspired by the thick, runny glaze of tea mugs from Denmark's Studio Arhoj. Park yourself on a bench with a coffee from Artificer, and try not to buy your way out.

Come for: the croffle (croissant-turned-waffle).

Shop 7, 2 Crewe Place, Rosebery, @moonandback.syd

Navy Bear, Darling Point

This little Bear is just as kid-friendly, pooch-friendly and idyllically situated as its siblings in Mosman, Clontarf and Kirribilli. Sit out by Rushcutters Bay or inside the historic Royal Australian Naval Association boatshed, with a good chicken sandwich, sashimi salad or chicken rice congee. Coffee is Vittoria's Bianco blend.

Come for: the park, the yachts and the sea.

Navy Bear, 1C New Beach Road, Darling Point, birdandbear.com.au

Picco Leo, CBD

Picco Leo is the Milanese-style cafe attached to Leo, the Italian charmer from LuMi's Federico Zanellato and Oscillate Wildly's Karl Firla. Expect spuntini (snacks), pasticcini (pastries), Roman-style pizza, Little Marionette coffee, and – slightly later in the day – batch-made, seasonally changing aperitivi and cocktails.

Come for: la dolce vita in the heart of the city.

2 Angel Place, Sydney, piccoleo.com.au

Pina, Potts Point

In May 2020, Andrew Hardjasudarma and Yuvi Thu opened a pop-up across the lane from their tiny-but-big-hearted Room 10. As happens, the pop-up went permie, with a clever but casual menu that straddles breakfast and lunch as happily as the two cafes straddle the laneway. There's a lot of laneway love for the tuna salads, cheesy wagyu pastrami bagels and great Mecca coffee.

Come for: laneway love, breakfast congee and peanut butter cookies.

Shop 4, 29 Orwell Street, Potts Point, @pinapottspoint

Sammy Junior, Sydney

Now there's a dilemma for our times – an espresso, or an espresso cocktail? Sammy Junior's coffee cocktail champion barista and barman Martin Hudak will deliver either or both. This swellegant, hiding-in-plain-sight, city-centre bar/cafe makes the simple social transaction of meeting over coffee and a snacky bite more special than it has to be. Go early, then return in the evening for the edited cocktail list.

Come for: coffee, cocktails and everything in between.

66 King Street, Sydney, maybesammyjunior.com

Skittle Lane, Bondi Beach

Fashion meets caffeine, as this white, light, minimalist cafe segues seamlessly into the equally minimalist Assembly Label clothing store next door. The name comes from the laneway adjoining the original CBD cafe, once used as a bowling alley by soldiers and sailors. This newer Bondi outlet shares the same full-bodied Skittle Lane coffee, and simple toasties, tartines and Tuga Portuguese pastries.

Come for: the organic crushed stone and clay Hasami coffee cups.

135 Curlewis Street, Bondi Beach, skittlelane.com

Soul Deli, Surry Hills

This brunchy, white-walled cafe and deli is also a showcase for Korean food, culture and ingenuity. Not only do Daero Lee and Illa Kim sell jars of house-made kimchi, there's an entire kimchi bar, a wall of Korean groceries, and a menu of rice bowls, house-made tofu and Koreanised cafe favourites, with coffee from local micro-roaster Dan Kim of Primary Coffee Roasters.

Come for: the smashed avocado and kimchi toastie.

185 Campbell Street, Surry Hills, souldeli.com.au

Soulmate Coffee, Newtown

Soulmate's curvy corner draws crowds for its sunny street seating, Philly-style deli hoagies, and cold brews of oat milk and maple. Inside is all curves and shadows as light plays against banquettes, counters, the bustling open kitchen and gleaming free-pour taps of batch brews from rotating international guest roasters curated by Single O.

Come for: the hoagies (subs stacked with hot salami and provolone).

Shop 12, 39 Phillip Street, Newtown, soulmatecoffee.com.au

Stix, Marrickville

David Allison used to run a business catering for Qantas first-class passengers. Now he's redefining the inner-city cafe behind a roller-door and feeding Marrickville with first-class produce from his own organic farm, from oyster mushrooms with truffle butter to creme brulee brioche.

Come for: the everything bagel croissant with smoked salmon.

18 Chapel Street, Marrickville, stix.com.au

Tokyo Lamington, Newtown

Owners Min Chai (N2 Extreme Gelato) and Eddie Stewart (Black Star Pastry) were all set to take Tokyo Lamington to Tokyo. Now, for obvious reasons, they're keeping things local. The bacon and egg onigiri and Single O coffee are worth a detour, but it's the lammos that take the cake, in themes running from fairy bread to Neapolitan.

Come for: the lamingtons of your dreams.

277 Australia Street, Newtown, tokyolamington.com

Don't forget old friends

A big thank you to our old cafe friends as well; the ones who had our backs right through the lockdowns and who deserve our love and support into the shifting sands of the future.

Hats off to Single O in Surry Hills for showing leadership on all things sustainable and ethical; and most recently, for creating Parachutes, Australia's first fully compostable drip bag of single-serve specialty grade coffee for those who demand good coffee on the run.

To our bakery cafes Berkelo, Brickfield, Bourke Street Bakery and Sonoma, who kept baking and brewing, toasting and roasting throughout.

To magical places with their own values and belief systems, such as Bread & Circus in Alexandria, proudly organic and tea-loving from day one. To Circa, for pioneering laneway coffee cool in Parramatta since 2010, and the sky-blue Ruby's Diner in Queens Park for pushing kombucha before we knew how to pronounce it.

To Reuben Lane and sister Paramount Coffee Project in Surry Hills for continuing to push the frontiers of how we take our brew, promoting diversity with guest roasters and their beans.

To Boon Cafe, for fusing Asia and Australia in cafe form; to The Grounds of Alexandria, for building a farm with a coffee roaster in the inner city; and to bills in Darlinghurst, where Bill Granger laid the foundation stones of Sydney cafedom in 1993.

And a big welcome to the new bills in Double Bay, 28 years later. Cafes that stay true to their principles and look after their people will always survive.