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WORLD LOCALS

DISCOVER SYDNEY

Shirene

Hidden Gem Cafés

#Cafe hopping is slowly becoming my next favourite activity in the daytime, hunting for the best new go-to spot in #Sydney. This is a great passing-time activity, or Instagram food blog activity to do with your best friend and you may find yourself becoming a regular at a cafe you didn’t even know existed a week ago. For me, there’s always just something about overpriced drinks in takeaway cups and aesthetically plated food that never holds me back from spending an upwards of $20 without even flinching. We’ve scoured over Sydney to find a variety of brunch cafes- from serving your typical bacon and egg roll dishes to sweet Chinese tea cakes, with all of them guaranteeing a second visit from us. I’ve tried to include a bunch of different #cafes, #bakeries and even #street-side #stalls that would be perfect for a #brunch vibe on your solo trips, or even with friends. In saying that, they are all located in various areas, starting in the #CBD, and going #North, #East and #West- all in convenient locations too.



Paddock Cafe, Surry Hills


This cafe we stumbled upon by accident on a rainy galentines day, in the back streets of Surry Hills. It is located conveniently next to Surry Hills light rail stop and very close to UNSW if you’re looking for a quick bite before or after class.


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Chicken and waffles are my literal go to at any cafe, and seeing them on the menu was a pleasant surprise for me. My friends ordered a chicken burger, and a bacon and egg wrap- all of which didn’t disappoint. The serving portions were big enough that one of my friends was able to take away some of her meal, along with mine- for a cheeky afternoon snack. The chai lattes were served aesthetically and complimented the meal perfectly. This cafe is nice and quiet, perfect for a rainy day vibe cafe, to catch up with friends, or even to pull out a good book and snuggle in.


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Top Impression Bakery, Rhodes


I had been searching for a new bakery/ cafe to satisfy my craving for Hojicha latte when we stumbled across this bakery in Rhodes. Inside, it was aesthetically pleasing- with the gorgeous displays of bread inside sliding door boxes to keep them fresh.


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Their croissants are super flaky, and to be honest, I’d recommend trying everything at least once there. I have not yet quite accomplished that, however, I will be back for their bread (and hojicha latte)! Their drinks are served either hot or cold and are a delightful pick-me-up, or kickstart to your day. This bakery is in Rhodes Central, which is very close to Rhodes station, and is situated right at one of the entry points, so it would be hard to miss.


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Tea Journal, Chatswood


I would be lying if I said this wasn’t my go-to place on a regular day, as I religiously visit this cafe at least twice a week, and a lot more during exam season. Whether it’s because I’m craving a sweet and light brunch meal and some hojicha latte, or to cram for my upcoming finals, this cafe never disappoints. It is tucked away behind the station and thus is a little quieter. It is what I would describe as ‘chill vibes’ and even sell tea leaves and gorgeous porcelain fine china for you to take the ‘Tea Journal’ experience to your very home.


They have a great variety of cake flavours, all of which are moist, fluffy, and decorated beautifully for those instagram stories. However, my absolute favourite thing about this place is that they offer soy milk in their lattes for absolutely no extra charge, and not having to pay the price of being lactose intolerant for once!



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The Fruitoligist, Bondi


I had been hearing about the place for ages, and had never really considered an açai bowl as a brunch food until recently. Being located a close 4-minute bus ride away from Bondi Beach, it would typically be my go to snack after a tanning and swim session at the beach. However, we decided to switch it up this time and get it as our ‘brunch on the beach’ - with the only challenging being to eat it before the seagulls did. There are a large range of options to create your perfect bowl, and there is enough variation to change it every time, however my personal favourite would be to get extra peanut butter every time.



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