Best cafes in Neutral Bay

Best cafes in Neutral Bay, ranked

1. #1Ken's Kissa for a Japanese breakfast and lunch

   $$Outdoor seating🌳 Forsyth Park, 6 min walk

   Ken's Kissa is a Japanese-style cafe on Military Road, and the ochazuke is the dish to order. The spicy salmon version arrives as rice with hot broth poured over it. For something heavier, try the big Japanese breakfast, or the chicken katsu curry at lunch. Morgan's Coffee Roasters supplies the beans, and a strong flat white is the drink to ask for. Tables sit out on the street, and Forsyth Park is a six-minute walk away.

   Best for: Japanese breakfast and lunch

2. #2Rolland Cafe for a quick breakfast under cover

   $Outdoor seating🌳 Forsyth Park, 6 min walk

   Rolland Cafe on Military Road is open every day from 5:30am to 3:30pm, which makes it one of the earliest options on the list. The Egg Benny and the bacon and egg roll are the usual orders at breakfast. For lunch, the bahn mi on a crisp baguette comes with pork belly or lemongrass chicken. Most of the seating is outside under cover, so it works in any weather. A matcha latte is singled out as one of the best in the area.

   Best for: Early breakfast and bahn mi

3. #3Essence Coffee for a toastie and a strong house blend

   $🐕 Dogs outside🌳 Ilbery Reserve, 5 min walk

   Essence Coffee on Wycombe Road is a small cafe built around its coffee. The house blend is strong and full of flavour, and lattes arrive with milk art. For food, the sourdough toastie is the pick, and the fresh sandwiches are sized for lunch. It opens at 6am on weekdays and 7am on Sundays. Dogs can sit in the back area, and Ilbery Reserve is about a five-minute walk away.

   Best for: Coffee and a toastie

4. #457 COFFEE BAR for beans roasted in the cafe

   $🐕 Dogs outsideOutdoor seating🌳 Grasmere Childrens Playground, 6 min walk

   57 COFFEE BAR on Waters Road roasts its beans on site, and the coffee is the reason to come. The shop lists single-origin beans from several countries on a board, and one visitor found the head roaster happy to explain the beans and the brewing. Breakfast is a smashed avocado and scrambled egg bagel, or a tomato and avocado toast on dark rye. It opens at 7am on weekdays and has shaded and sunny tables outside.

   Best for: Coffee lovers

5. #5The Lounge for a home-baked quiche

   $🌳 Ilbery Reserve, 5 min walk

   The Lounge is a bright, casual cafe on Yeo Street that suits a weekday breakfast or a relaxed lunch. The quiche is baked in-house, and the savoury tarts by the counter are finished with tomato, mushroom and herbs. Coffee drinkers say the coffee is good, and one has switched to De Lorenzo beans for a smooth, strong cup. It opens at 6am Monday to Friday, and on Saturdays from 7am.

   Best for: Savoury tarts and quiche

6. #6Against The Grind for a flat white on the way in

   $🐕 Dogs outsideOutdoor seating🌳 Grasmere Childrens Playground, 5 min walk

   Against The Grind on Young Street is the stop for a flat white before work, and customers consistently praise the coffee. Vegetarian options sit on a menu that runs from breakfast through lunch. One diner liked a crab omelette and a mortadella slider for being filling. Sitting outside, you get your coffee in a ceramic cup, and the cafe opens from 6am on weekdays.

   Best for: Takeaway coffee and a morning meal

7. #75 Loaves 2 Fish for a family breakfast or lunch

   $$Outdoor seating🌳 Grasmere Childrens Playground, 4 min walk

   5 Loaves 2 Fish on Grosvenor Street is a light, open cafe with a street terrace, suited to families. The kids' menu is a practical plus, and the staff handle allergies well. One diner found the beef in the Bulgogi rice bowl tender and generously portioned. A four-minute stroll brings you to Grasmere Childrens Playground.

   Best for: Families and a casual lunch

8. #8At Neutral for simple breakfast dishes done well

   $$🐕 Dogs outsideOutdoor seating🌳 Ilbery Reserve, 6 min walk

   At Neutral on Rangers Road is a breakfast and brunch cafe where the simple dishes stay consistent. Try the bowl with mountain bread or the ham and cheese toasted sandwich. The latte art is a nice touch, and matcha can be ordered as a latte. Staff keep the line moving on a busy morning. Pups can come to the outdoor tables, and there is a menu for children.

   Best for: Breakfast and brunch

Compare best cafes in Neutral Bay

The table below compares price, weekend hours, brunch, outdoor seating and dog access for each pick.

How we picked best cafes in Neutral Bay

Each cafe earned its place on a blend of its score and how much feedback sits behind it. Each one was then read for its menu, its coffee, and what its own page says about breakfast and lunch. Cafes with a steady record in recent feedback moved up. Where a cafe's coffee or menu gets few mentions, it sits lower on the list.