NearMeBest cafes in Ultimo
Last updatedCornerstone Cafe UTS leads this list of Ultimo cafes because it covers breakfast, lunch and dietary needs in one place. The picks below are ordered by a score that weights each average by how many reviews sit behind it, then by food, coffee and location. Each section says what to order and one practical fact. The table at the end compares price, brunch, outdoor seating, dogs and weekend hours.
Quick picks in Ultimo
- Best for breakfast and dietary needs: Cornerstone Cafe UTS, with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dishes marked on the menu.
- Best for coffee: Quarry Street Coffee House, where customers describe the coffee as smooth and well made.
- Best for a big lunch: Fork and Grind, with generous portions on weekdays.
- Best for ube drinks: One Shot Specialty on Broadway, with a savoury brunch menu.
- Best for a slow brunch: The Q on Harris, where the coffee is roasted in-house.
Best cafes in Ultimo, ranked
#1Cornerstone Cafe UTS for a wide menu and dietary needs
$Outdoor seating🌳 UTS Alumni Green, 1 min walkCornerstone Cafe UTS is the most complete cafe on this list, with breakfast, brunch and lunch under one roof. It sits inside the UTS precinct on Jones Street, with indoor and outdoor seating. Order the breakfast wrap if you want something hot before class, or pick a bagel to take away. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dishes are marked on the menu, and customers with dietary needs say the staff help. The walk to UTS Alumni Green takes about a minute.
Best for: Breakfast and brunch with dietary options
#2Quarry Street Coffee House for a smooth coffee and a relaxed morning
$🐕 Dogs outsideOutdoor seating🌳 Quarry Green, 1 min walkQuarry Street Coffee House is a small coffee house open every day from 6am to 3:30pm. Customers describe the coffee as smooth and well made, and the window lists batch brew, a Tanzanian coffee and cold brew. Kids can order from their own menu, and dogs are welcome outside. Quarry Green is close enough for a coffee and a stroll after.
Best for: Coffee with dogs and kids on the outdoor tables
#3Fork and Grind for a big lunch on a weekday
$🐕 Dogs outsideOutdoor seating🌳 Mary Ann Street Park, 1 min walkFork and Grind is open on weekdays only, serving breakfast, brunch and lunch until 2:30pm. Order the veggie fritter burger, which comes on a soft milk bun, or a chicken Caesar salad with crunchy breadcrumbs on top. Portions are big and prices are reasonable, which suits a workday lunch to take away. Tables sit outside under trees, and dogs can sit outside with their owners. Mary Ann Street Park sits a minute from the door.
Best for: A big weekday lunch under trees
#4One Shot Specialty for ube drinks and savoury brunch
$$Outdoor seating🌳 UTS Alumni Green, 3 min walkOne Shot Specialty is on Broadway and is open seven days, with a menu of savoury brunch and lunch. Regulars come back for the ube latte, and the matcha has its fans too. Savoury plates include XO crab udon, a truffle carbonara bowl and a grilled chicken salad with a poached egg. Visitors describe the back garden as tranquil, and the kids' menu suits families. Allow about three minutes on foot to reach UTS Alumni Green.
Best for: Ube lattes and savoury brunch in a back garden
#5The BnG Cafe for a big breakfast and a dog-friendly table
$🐕 Dogs outsideOutdoor seating🌳 Quarry Green, 1 min walkThe BnG Cafe is on Quarry Street and is open every day until 3pm. The big breakfast is the dish customers order, and they say it is generous and good value. One visitor rates the iced coffee highly, and the juice is well made. Pups are fine at the outdoor tables, and there are toilets on site. Its owner is often praised for friendly service.
Best for: A generous breakfast and a dog-friendly table
#6The Q on Harris for a slow breakfast and roasted coffee
$Outdoor seating🌳 MacArthur Park, 2 min walkThe Q on Harris is a roastery and neighbourhood cafe on Harris Street, with coffee roasted in-house. Breakfast and brunch are the focus, and one visitor praises a chicken and rice plate with red sambal and free crackers. Indonesian dishes sit on the menu, alongside a ham steak and egg sandwich. The tiled room is calm and has quiet background music, which suits a book or a coffee alone. MacArthur Park, in Haymarket, is a two-minute walk away.
Best for: A calm breakfast with coffee roasted on site
#7The Pigeonhole Cafe for a weekday coffee and fresh muffins
$🌳 McKee Street Reserve, 1 min walkThe Pigeonhole Cafe is a small neighbourhood cafe on Wattle Street, open Monday to Friday until 3pm. Customers praise the coffee, and one singles out the iced long black. Muffins are baked fresh each day, and the banana and chocolate muffin is the one to try. The sandwich board on the counter changes, and a Korean steak sandwich is on it at lunch. It is closed at weekends, so plan a weekday stop. McKee Street Reserve is a minute away on foot.
Best for: Weekday coffee and fresh muffins
#8Mr Jones Cafe for fresh juices and a quick weekday lunch
$🌳 Quarry Lane Streetscape, 1 min walkMr Jones Cafe on Jones Street opens on weekdays and closes at 3pm. The menu includes fresh juices and smoothies, and one visitor praised the lasagna served with salad. Customers say the staff are warm and the service is quick, which suits office workers in the area. The coffee comes from Double Roasters in Marrickville, and the latte art is lovely. The Quarry Lane Streetscape is only a short stroll off.
Best for: Fresh juices and a quick office lunch
Compare best cafes in Ultimo
The table below sets out price, brunch, outdoor seating, dogs, weekend opening and the nearest park for each pick.
| Cafe | Price | Brunch | Outdoor | Dogs | Weekends | Nearest park |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cornerstone Cafe UTS | $ | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ | UTS Alumni Green, 1 min |
| Quarry Street Coffee House | $ | ✓ | ✓ | Outside | ✓ | Quarry Green, 1 min |
| Fork and Grind | $ | ✓ | ✓ | Outside | ✗ | Mary Ann Street Park, 1 min |
| One Shot Specialty | $$ | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ | UTS Alumni Green, 3 min |
| The BnG Cafe | $ | ✓ | ✓ | Outside | ✓ | Quarry Green, 1 min |
| The Q on Harris | $ | ✓ | ✓ | – | Sat | MacArthur Park, 2 min |
| The Pigeonhole Cafe | $ | ✓ | – | – | ✗ | McKee Street Reserve, 1 min |
| Mr Jones Cafe | $ | ✓ | – | – | ✗ | Quarry Lane Streetscape, 1 min |
| Cafe Queenz | $ | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ | Quarry Green, 2 min |
| Stitch Coffee Broadway | $ | ✓ | ✓ | – | Sat | Minogue Reserve, 3 min |
| 80 Bar & Cafe | $$ | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✗ | Mary Ann Street Park, 3 min |
| Jones Street Cafe | $ | ✓ | ✓ | – | Sat | McKee Street Reserve, 2 min |
| Babi’s Kitchen (formerly Cafe 10) | $ | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✗ | UTS Alumni Green, 1 min |
| Chambers Coffee @ 646 Harris St | $ | ✓ | ✓ | Outside | ✗ | UTS Alumni Green, 2 min |
| The Little Roaster | $ | ✓ | – | – | ✗ | UTS Alumni Green, 1 min |
| Local Mbassy | $$ | ✓ | ✓ | – | Sat | Quarry Green, 3 min |
How we picked best cafes in Ultimo
A weighted score sets the starting order, counting each average against the number of reviews behind it. Next, every cafe was tested for breakfast and brunch on the menu, weekend hours, and what its own notes say about food. Criticism appears only where several reviews agree.
Best cafes in Ultimo: FAQ
Which Ultimo cafes are open on a Sunday?
Sunday breakfast is available at The BnG Cafe, which opens at 7am and shuts at 3pm. Cornerstone Cafe UTS is open from 8am until 2pm, and One Shot Specialty runs from 8:30am until 4pm.
Which Ultimo cafe serves lunch on a Saturday?
Cornerstone Cafe UTS is open on Saturdays until 3pm, and The Q on Harris closes at 2:30pm on Saturdays.
Which Ultimo cafes open before 7am on a weekday?
Cornerstone Cafe UTS and Fork and Grind open at 6am on weekdays. Quarry Street Coffee House is open from 6am every day, so early coffee is easy to find.