Sydney’s having a pancake renaissance – here are 15 of the best

What a time to be alive. There are pancakes stacked 15 high, mega-pancakes the size of dinner plates and ones topped with sheets of butter for a theatrical tableside melt.Good Food Guide reviewersJuly 31, 2026Order brunch in Sydney, and chances are there’ll be pancakes on the menu – golden, fluffy, reliably delicious. There might have been a time when you overlooked those pancakes in flavour of more exciting culinary prospects, but that’s less likely in 2026, when the dish has become far more compelling, as we discovered when compiling the 100 Essential Sydney Cafes and Bakeries of 2026.We’re going bananas for pancakes. Dion GeorgopoulosTake the sourdough pancake at Pina, for example. More cake than most. So thick, some waiters claim you can’t finish one by yourself. Or the Japanese souffle pancakes, like those at Da Jian Chen in Burwood, so airy and light they could almost disappear in a single Pacman bite. Even crepes (yes, they count), come delicately presented with espresso marscapone, berry compote and brown sugar nut crumble (all made in-house) by the former fine-dining chef at Cafe Baby Finger (Camperdown).Don’t discount the old-school diner-style pancakes, either, because they have their own brand of special – served with paper-thin sheets of butter for a theatrical tableside melt, as at SIT (Marrickville); or pushed to the peak of cholesterol-thumping indulgence with bacon, fried eggs, coffee crumb, stacked up to 15 pancakes high at Happyfield (Haberfield).Angus in Marrickville.Dion GeorgopoulosRestaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox.Sign upAngusAngus is the sleeper hit of Marrickville cafes. It launched quietly as Agnes in 2023, then gradually changed its name, ownership and opening hours. The menu kept improving, strengthened by ties to cult-favourite Kirrawee bakery Thoroughbread and a commitment to deceptively labour-intense dishes.Did you know that making their bestselling crumbed fish sandwich requires three days of steaming fish, creating stock, making sauce and baking bread? That they cure the salmon to make gravlax for their Scandi-style brekkie plate? Or that they poach the rhubarb for each rhubarb matcha matte? No wonder it’s getting tough to score a table.69 Meeks Road, Marrickville, angusmarrickville.com.auA.P Bread & WineAll Purpose Bakery, co-founded by a group of mates including chef Mat Lindsay from Chippendale’s Ester, and baker Dougal Muffet, is staking bread and pastry claims across the city, one postcode at time.We love the hot rotisserie sandwiches at the newer outpost in Circular Quay, but this sandstone cottage near Oxford Street is where you can properly kick back with breakfast (oat pancakes; drunken eggs in chicken broth), lunch (hot chips and a green goddess salad) or dinner (a formidable bread basket, oysters and one of the coldest martinis around). Those pancakes come with whipped honey butter and a side of berries or bacon. Must order: Any of Muffet’s breads and pastries, many of which look like they could have been baked in an ancient French farmhouse.32 Burton Street, Darlinghurst, apbakery.com.aubills’ ricotta hotcakes.Nikki ShortbillsWhether you’ve scored a coveted booth seat at the sunlit Double Bay restaurant, or are seated at the communal table in Darlinghurst, Bill Granger’s four cafes (see also, Bondi and Surry Hills) have become the home of brunch in Sydney. From fluffy hotcakes flecked with honeycomb butter to soft, custardy scrambled eggs on sourdough; the late, great Bill Granger perfected breakfast staples. And, knowing our love of a weekend lie-in, he made them available all day. Since there’s no rush, follow your Single O coffee with a Korean chilli-spiked Bloody Mary.Best for: Best-in-class brunch classics.79 Hall Street, Bondi Beach; 433 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst; 16 Cross StreetDouble Bay; 355 Crown Street, Surry Hills, bills.com.auCafe Baby Finger owner-chef John Jeong.Edwina PicklesCafe Baby FingerTwo blocks from Parramatta Road, the mood is serene at Baby Finger, with simple decor and a cooling through-breeze. Owner-chef John Jeong welcomes every customer with a lilting “Helloo” and a menu that – from crepes with espresso mascarpone, berry compote and brown sugar nut crumble to fried eggplant and charred bush tomato curry topped with a poached egg – is not usual cafe fare. (They’re not pancakes, but hey, let’s not get pedantic.)Jeong also bakes his own focaccia, sourdough and brioche, and is the kind of accommodating guy who will still make scrambled eggs if you ask for it.Good to know: Cafe Baby Finger (named after Jeong’s habit of taking photos accidentally featuring his little finger) is also a top destination for anyone with a pram.Unit 27/12 Layton Street, CamperdownCafe LewiIt took three years for fine-dining chefs John and Leva Laureti to transform a suburban corner store into the elegant cafe of their dreams. People wander in from the street, lured by a counter display of desserts – none so beautiful as the miniature marjolaine, frosted with the flourish of a vintage wedding cake. The brunch menu convinces them to stay, making the tough call between salmon confit on a crunchy potato base with whipped avo, or the abundantly yolky, teriyaki breakfast bun. This one was worth the wait. Good to know: Dinner service has started on Wednesday and Friday nights, the former dedicated to steak frites. 8A Victoria Street, Lewisham, cafelewi.com.au Soufflé pancakes on the grill at Da Jian Chen.Dion GeorgopoulosDa Jian ChenDesserts don’t get much fresher, sweeter or more colourful than the Hong Kong-style egg waffles at this popular noon-to-nighttime spot. Oh, and they’re huge, so come with an appetite.Each one is made to order, rolled into a cone and filled with generous scoops of ice-cream, whipped cream, and your choice of sliced fruit, cookies or chocolate. It’s a daunting task, but don’t delay – the waffles are best warm.Too much? Jump to the counter next door and split a serve of impossibly fluffy souffle pancakes, a little eggy but not too sugary, piped fresh onto the grill, then drenched in sweet or savoury flavours. Brown sugar boba is a crowd favourite, or try taro for ever-so-slightly nutty notes.Shop 3b, 127-133 Burwood Road, BurwoodHappyfield’s “happiest meal” breakfast set.Jennifer SooHappyfieldTalk about delivering on a promise. Towering piles of pancakes. Sunshine-yellow everywhere. Golden Arches classics remodelled with tastier sauces and produce. This Haberfield hot-spot creates smiles on the faces of guests of all ages, even when there’s a wait for brunch-time table (which is just about a certainty on weekends). North American diner favourites are treated with love and respect, as to is the Single O coffee.Good to know: Spin-off diner Happy Shop is two doors up for New York-style chopped-cheese sandwiches and beignet doughnuts.96 Ramsay Street, Haberfield, happyfield.com.auYou’ll need friends to finish the pancake at Park St. Diner.Dion GeorgopoulosPark St. DinerIt was one of the most visible cafe openings this year: an American-style diner, walled in glass, on the corner of Park Street. There’s nearly always a queue, but it’s a worthwhile endeavour for those who find pleasure in pancakes the size of dinner plates, cheeseburgers with cartoonish good looks, and the liberal use of maraschino cherries (atop Coke floats and a wide range of sundaes – bring the kids).As is expected from The Grounds of Alexandria team, Park Street Diner emphatically commits to the bit, from themed uniforms to an ’80s pop soundtrack. If you can get on their level, you’ve got a fun morning ahead.252 Pitt Street, Sydney, parkstdiner.com.auThe signature pancake at Pina in Potts Point.PinaDon’t be deterred by the ever-present queues crowding the laneway – Pina is worth the wait. Service remains friendly under pressure, moving efficiently through the cafe’s blushed industrial interiors to deliver a vast menu of classic brunch fare, made better.Sourdough pancakes become supersized, with sweet or savoury toppings to choose from; a massive, crisp potato rosti is piled with chunks of cucumber and herb-flecked creme fraiche. And it’s all adaptable, with more than 15 sides, spanning haloumi to kimchi.Good to know: Pina is licensed, with a short selection of Australian wines.Shop 4/29 Orwell Street, Potts Point, order.pinapottspoint.com.auPancakes are topped with a sheet of butter at SIT.Dion GeorgopoulosSITFirst, there was Baba’s Place: a hatted Marrickville restaurant where Eastern Europe meets Western Sydney. Now, from the same team, there is SIT: a cafe with intentional eclecticism and Mediterranean-ish food, like Baba’s well-travelled grandchild with a penchant for freddo espressos.There are two absolute must-tries: the pot-set yoghurt with honey and walnuts, and the pancakes. The former is a textural joy so delicious you’ll question everything you knew about yoghurt; the latter, a perfectly cooked vehicle for maple syrup and a paper-thin sheet of butter that slowly, theatrically, melts in.387 Illawarra Road, Marrickville, comesit.com.auTheeca’s giant pancake topped with creme fraiche and a pool of house-made seasonal jam.Steven SiewertTheecaThere is a perpetual queue of cafe-loving pilgrims outside the handsome sandstone building that houses Theeca. Jump in and be rewarded with one of Sydney’s most charming brunch experiences, from the team behind neighbouring coffee shop Eef.The communal outdoor tables are a glorious place to tuck into perfectly folded, glossy omelettes and Theeca’s signature mega-pancake, dolloped with Jersey cow creme fraiche and organic blackberry jam. Come nightfall, it transforms into a soft-lit wine bar with seasonal pates and natural wine.1 Burton Street, Darlinghurst, theeca.com.auThe Naked BaristaTNB put Rooty Hill on the map for coffee-enthusiasts, nailing each brew with high-tech equipment and signature espresso blends, developed in partnership with Paradox Coffee Roasters. Staff have built a community of regulars with their welcoming approach and fresh (but accessible) takes on Filipino cuisine.It’s a stacked menu that takes you from an eggs benny with longanissa sausage and calamansi hollandaise, to a sisig linguine, swapping chopped pork for fried chicken. We like the three stack buttermilk pancakes served with cultured butter amd maple syrup. Visit when you’re in the mood for a good park and bark, you’ll want that second coffee.1 Rooty Hill Road South, Rooty Hill, tnbcafe.com.auTuckerThe Randwick original doesn’t feel like it’s more than 20 years old – the space is fresh, and the food has contemporary touches: gochujung aioli on a fried-chicken burger, and hulking sandwiches made with top produce. We might, partially, have Bill Granger’s legacy to thank – his influence seems ever-present, interwoven with Jewish culinary tradition, both here and at the newer Bellevue Hill location. Grab a table outside, splashed in sunshine, and devour a big plate of eggs – fried, scrambled with sides (we love the half-serve option) or on a breakfast plate with Israeli salad. The buttermilk pancakes with mascarpone and berry compote are grand, too. There are also ready-made meals – cottage pies, salmon risoni and soups – for home.30 Clovelly Road, Randwick and 98G Bellevue Road, Bellevue Hill, tuckersydney.comValentinas in Marrickville. Dion GeorgopoulosValentinasValentinas is the dog-friendly, diner-themed darling of the inner-west brunch set. The menu is deliciously uncomplicated: buttery pancakes with self-pour maple syrup; neatly wrapped burritos with cheesy scrambled eggs; and grilled cheese sandwiches, butter-crisped and golden, best dipped in tomato soup.The maple cold-brew coffee is so good it transcends seasonality, while the cinnamon sugar-dusted snickerdoodle cookie is unmatched.Must order: A side of fried chicken with your pancakes because you’re worth it.132 Livingstone Road, Marrickville, valentinassyd.comWe asked Valentinas if they could make us a stack of pancakes for the 100 Essential Cafe guide. This is the result. Dion GeorgopoulosCan’t see your favourite cafe? Chances are it’s in another category. Explore the full list of the 100 Essential Cafes and Bakeries of 2026 in the Good Food app. It’s available as a standalone subscription and is included in premium digital Sydney Morning Herald subscriptions. Download it from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.Good Food reviews are visited anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in the 100 Essential Cafes and Bakeries guide.More:Essential cafes and bakeriesFor subscribersBreakfastBest ofThe Naked BaristaValentinasbillsbills in bondibills, Darlinghurstbills, Double BayTrendsHappyfieldTheecaPinaPancakes and crepesA.P Bread & WineAngusCafe LewiCafe Baby FingerSitPark St. DinerTuckerDa Jian ChenFrom our partners