Best cafes in Rose Bay

Best cafes in Rose Bay, ranked

1. #1Lavie & Belle Bakery for butter croissants and French pastries

   $Outdoor seating🌳 Pannerong Reserve, 1 min walk

   Lavie & Belle Bakery sells French pastries from a cabinet on Dover Road, and the butter croissant is the first order to make. The chocolate croissant is the second, and the cabinet also holds eclairs, macarons and lamingtons for a takeaway box. The shop has only a few seats and gets busy on Saturday mornings, so a weekday visit suits a sit-down coffee. A pastry here can be eaten on the way to Pannerong Reserve, a minute away. It is open from 7am to 3:30pm, Tuesday to Sunday.

   Best for: Pastries, croissants and takeaway cakes

2. #2Mea & Amé for a long breakfast with a mocha

   $$Outdoor seating🌳 Percival Park, 2 min walk

   Mea & Amé suits a sit-down breakfast or lunch, especially with children. Ordering the classic pancakes means fruit and ice cream on the side, and the eggs benedict comes on a croissant with mushrooms and spinach. A regular says the mocha is the best they have had, rich and well balanced, and that is the reason to stay for a second cup. The menu has a kids' menu and vegetarian dishes, and tables sit outside under the awning. Percival Park is roughly two minutes by foot from the door. Doors open at 6:30am and close at 3:30pm, seven days a week.

   Best for: Breakfast, mocha and family lunches

3. #3Refill Xpresso Vaucluse for a fast, good coffee

   $🌳 Kimberley Reserve, 4 min walk

   Refill Xpresso Vaucluse is the coffee-first stop on this list. Coffee drinkers say the beans are good and the temperature is always right, and one calls it the best coffee they have tried in the east, at an honest price. Breakfast, brunch and lunch are served, with burgers, wraps and a tuna and avocado salad on the menu. Staff are described as friendly and kind. Kimberley Reserve lies roughly four minutes along the footpath. Weekday trading starts at 6:30am, Saturday at 7am and Sunday at 8am.

   Best for: Morning coffee and a quick lunch

4. #4Jezve Coffee for a Turkish breakfast with outdoor seating

   $$🐕 Dogs outsideOutdoor seating🌳 Lyne Park, 1 min walk

   Jezve Coffee is the pick for a Turkish breakfast, and the Turkish breakfast plate is the dish to order. Coffee drinkers go for the Istanbul coffee, and the menu also lists Turkish coffee and a turmeric latte. Diners describe the food as fresh, full of flavour and well seasoned. The outdoor tables take dogs, and staff stay warm and relaxed even when the cafe is busy. Lyne Park is a minute's stroll from where you sit. Hours run from 6am daily, with a 6pm finish on weekends and 5:30pm on weekdays.

   Best for: Turkish breakfast and long outdoor brunches

5. #5Bar Doppio for a flat white and a Tuesday dinner

   $$Outdoor seating🌳 Onslow Street Reserve, 5 min walk

   Bar Doppio is the place for a flat white. One visitor says it beats any they had in Sydney, and other diners describe the coffee as smooth and consistent. Breakfast is served until 3pm, with croissants and an egg dish, and dinner runs on Tuesday to Saturday nights with a steak and a salmon main. Onslow Street Reserve is about five minutes on foot. Service begins at 6am, with a 2:30pm finish on Sunday and Monday and a 9pm finish from Tuesday to Saturday.

   Best for: Flat white lovers and weeknight dinner

6. #6Dover Cafe for a strong coffee and breakfast outside

   $🐕 Dogs outsideOutdoor seating🌳 Pannerong Reserve, 2 min walk

   Dover Cafe is the strong coffee pick on Dover Road, and cups come with latte art. Diners have praised the eggs benedict and a pho, and a smoked salmon salad is described as filling and refreshing. A salad bowl of grilled meat with pickled carrot and herbs suits a bigger lunch. The menu has vegetarian options, and dogs can sit at the outdoor tables. Pannerong Reserve is a short stroll from the door. Weekdays start at 6am, weekends at 7am, and the cafe closes at 3pm.

   Best for: Strong coffee, breakfast and outdoor tables

7. #7Sugar+Spoon for a long brunch with the kids

   $$🐕 Dogs outsideOutdoor seating🌳 Lyne Park, 1 min walk

   Sugar+Spoon is the brunch for a slow morning with children. Order the eggs Benny on potato rosti, which diners single out, or the scrambled eggs. Baked eggs in tomato sauce come out in a cast-iron pan. The coffee is praised here, and a chai gets a mention too. The menu runs from all-day breakfast into lunch, with a kids' menu, and dogs can sit outside. Lyne Park lies across the road, a minute by foot. Hours are 7am to 4pm, with a 7:30am start on Sundays and a 3pm finish on Wednesday and Thursday.

   Best for: Families and a relaxed brunch

8. #8Rose Bay Cafe for a relaxed weekend brunch

   $$Outdoor seating🌳 Percival Park, 2 min walk

   Rose Bay Cafe is the relaxed brunch on Dover Road, built around eggs, avocado and a full breakfast with bacon and sausage. The Angus beef burger with fries and the house focaccia are the lunch picks, and French toast is on the menu too. Portions are generous, and customers praise the value for money. Tables sit inside and out on the footpath, and staff are friendly and welcoming. Percival Park is a short stroll from the tables. Doors open at 7am daily, and lunch runs until 3pm.

   Best for: Weekend brunch, value and outdoor tables

Compare best cafes in Rose Bay

The table below sets each pick side by side on price, brunch, outdoor seating, dogs, weekend trading and the nearest park.

How we picked best cafes in Rose Bay

Each cafe was scored on its reviews, weighted by how many customers reviewed it, so a handful of comments counts for less than a broad base. Rose Bay cafes were compared on their brunch menus, weekend trading, dog access and outdoor tables. The food and coffee notes from each cafe's own page were read to set the order of the picks.