15 Best Coffee Shops in Sydney

Okay, you’ve just walked in. First impressions?
Alexandria has become a boom area for interiors showrooms and cafés, with industrial-chic Mecca Coffee leading the way. A short walk south of Green Square station, this split-level, high-ceilinged warehouse features zigzag-patterned, black-and-white tiled floors, white walls, communal blond wood tables, skinny stools, and succulents.

Who else was there?
As a Mecca for serious coffee drinkers, expect locals and coffee connoisseurs to drop by to refuel on quality beans.

The raison d’être: the coffee. How was it?
Mecca started in the CBD—where it has a café at 67 King Street—before opening its HQ and roastery in Alexandria. You can buy bags of beans to take home from the wall shelf display or sip a cup here, with seasonal house blends, espresso blends, and coffees sourced from Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Rwanda, and Ethiopia. Try the Nitro Cold Brew, a nitrogen-charged coffee with a foamy, Guinness-like head. There are also teas, juices, and wine.

Was there food, too, and if so, worth getting?
Mecca serves breakfast and lunch, offering wholesome plates and indulgent pastries. Tuck into poached eggs with bacon or smoked trout, sourdough with avocado, or fruity bircher muesli. Heartier options may include shakshuka, burgers, brown rice bowls, or soba rainbow salads.

How about the staff: what did you think?
The staff posse is passionate about beans—from roasting to brewing, cupping and tasting—and can talk you through their special feature coffee options.

Who should go here?
Mecca also has an Ultimo outlet (Soma at 646 Harris Street) and supplies many of Sydney’s best cafés. The Alexandria branch is opposite Mitchell Road Antique & Design Centre, a huge warehouse of vintage collectables, heaven for lovers of retro fashion and homewares.