The best coffee in the Sydney CBD

A café by day pouring top-notch brews, Kahii transforms into a sexy bar worthy of your after-work knock-off when the sun sets. The sleek, Japanese-inspired café roasts its own beans, offering a house blend, single origin, cold brew and filter coffee. Good news: Kahii serves coffee until 5pm, so if you’re in an afternoon slump, you know where to head. 
Open on weekends? In the afternoon and at night on Saturday, closed on Sunday

Five Senses beans become skilfully pulled espresso shots on two shiny, white Synesso machines – the chocolatey, roasty Dark Horse Blend for your flattie, a rich, fruity, acid-forward Colombia Popayan Cincuenta for your doppio, and single-origin Ethiopia Ardi for filter orders. White coffees are balanced – no excessive milkiness – and black coffees are smooth with a nice bite to finish.
Open on weekends? No

These guys do a roaring breakfast trade and tap out some fine coffees too. They're using Gyspy Espresso beans and the baristas give you the smile you need on an early Monday morning.
Open on weekends? Yes

The space is beautiful but Skittle Lane is about more than Instagram-worthy interiors – these guys are manning two large steely silver La Marzocco coffee machines that pump out rich, gentle and very well made espressi. CBD workers know this too so there's a small line snaking out into the adjacent lobby.
Open on weekends? No

Want a killer coffee and an even better bite to eat? Beeline it to A.P Place – they’re the crew behind the legendary OG, A.P Bakery. You’ll find them on Barrack Street, pumping out hot brews alongside porchetta sambos, Tokyo-style egg and cheese sambos and loaded pizzas. See? Yum. Plus, coffee comes from Reuben Hills, so you know it’s going to be good.

Open on weekends? No

Owners Raf Bartkowski and Ernest Igual ruled the roast at Campos, and this is their own operation, which showcases not only some flashy gizmos and gadgets, but also their range of expertly blended beans. Win win.
Open on weekends? No

This good news is nothing got lost in transit when the first Sydney outlet of the celebrated Melbourne café opened up on York Street in early 2019. The food is good here, but the coffee's even better – regardless of whether you take it hot or cold, espresso-based or batch-brewed, quality is never in doubt. Have a study of the seriously detailed coffee menu, and you'll know you're in the right place.
Wi-Fi? Yes

A flashy font above the kitchen says 'Serving soul since 2012'. They’ve certainly been tapping out some of the city's best coffees since then. This café is also peddling two kinds of black gold: they also sell funk and soul records.
Open on weekends? No

Dutch Smuggler’s owners also run Sovereign Coffee Roasters, so specialty coffee is a big deal here. The café showcases its seasonal blend, weekly single origins and a striking range of cold brews: the “Cold Fashioned” with tonic water and orange peel, the citrus and basil “Lemonade Stand”, and the “Roots In Coffee”, which brings out the spiciness of home-made ginger beer. Get the mi goreng toastie, a genius collision of two great late-night snacks.
Open on weekends? Yes

This Strand Arcade coffee haunt is rarely without a queue, and for a good reason – the coffee is excellent. It's also all you'll find in the eggshell blue shop, along with plenty of gifts for coffee nerds.
Open on weekends? Yes

Mecca has been importing and roasting some of the best coffee in Sydney since 2005. It should come as no surprise, then, that these guys and girls also know their way around an espresso machine, too. There's not a whole lot of space at this King Street bolthole, but you're here for coffee, and a very good coffee you will get.
Open on weekends? No

They're roasting their own beans right there in Circular Quay, as well as at their outpost in Roseberry. The Milk Man house blend is super smooth and rich and if you like it so much you can take your own bag home.
Open on weekends? No

This welcoming coffee window in World Square is a little faux vintage, but when you are standing in a wind tunnel at the base of an enormous skyscraper some wood panelling, shiny brass and mottled mirror panels adds a heartening, lived-in look. You can’t drink in, but you can drink nearby.
Open on weekends? Yes

Set on the corner of one of the busiest intersections in the city, you'll find Workshop Espresso constantly surrounded by a throng of office types, desperate for a coffee and maybe a sweet treat to help them make it through the day. They're using their own Workshop blend from Toby's Estate, which is a little softer and sweeter.
Open on weekends? Yes

If you prefer your latte on the punchier side, make tracks to the Cross. They are using Mecca beans, resulting in a cuppa that's robust in flavour and a fraction smaller than your regular takeaway latte.
Open on weekends? No

Hidden in a laneway that runs alongside the Metro Theatre, Central Roasters is one of those cafes that you're unlikely to stumble upon by accident so it's worth seeking out. They roast their own beans here (on our visit it's a rich Colombian and Indonesian blend) and regulars will love the prepaid coffee card systems which will get you a free cuppa for every seven you drink.
Open on weekends? No

Right at the foot of the Barangaroo towers, the Precinct is the 'hip' café sibling to Toby's Estate. Slick interiors and fast-paced service is the name of the game. They do soy and almond milk for no extra cost; they use their own beans (the Woolloomooloo blend on our visit); and four working baristas means you get in-and-out fast.
Open on weekends? No

This place is a well-oiled machine – even with a queue almost out the door we're still served with a smile and walk away with our coffee in minutes. Said coffee is serious black gold, and uses the P&R house blend.
Open on weekends? Yes

Just opposite the QVB is this inconspicuous café. It's nothing fancy, but their beans are from Double Roasters, which means their coffee is big on flavour. Bonus: it's one of the cheaper coffees in the city (that doesn't taste like it) at $3.30 for a regular.
Open on weekends? No