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Cafes with outdoor seating in Kensington

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Cafe YS9 leads this list for a relaxed outdoor brunch in Kensington. The rest cover a covered balcony, an early start, and campus cafes at UNSW where the tables sit on the lawns or in a bright ground-floor room. Each one has outdoor tables, and the weekend hours below show which cafes are open on Saturdays and Sundays.

Quick picks in Kensington

  • Best for a weekend brunch outdoors: Cafe YS9, for the big breakfast and a 2-minute walk to Raleigh Park.
  • Best for an early start: Cafe Jack's, which opens at 4:30am on Saturdays.
  • Best for a long sit outside: Bar Lucio, with its covered balcony and baked goods that change daily.
  • Best for a weekday coffee on the lawns: Home Ground Kiosk, where the cappuccino comes up most in praise.
  • Best for a sweet treat outside: XS Espresso UNSW, for the Biscoff crepe and thick shakes.

Cafes with outdoor seating in Kensington, ranked

  1. #1Cafe YS9 for a relaxed weekend brunch

    $$Outdoor seating🌳 Raleigh Park, 2 min walk

    Cafe YS9 on Todman Avenue suits a relaxed weekend brunch at a table outside. Order the big breakfast or the prawn patty burger, then an iced matcha. Regulars favour the iced matcha and the iced chocolate, and they say the coffee is consistently good. Staff are friendly and patient, and the food is fresh and generous at fair prices. Raleigh Park is a 2-minute walk away, so a stroll after brunch is easy. Weekend hours run from 7:30am to 3:30pm.

  2. #2Cafe Jack's for an early breakfast

    $$Outdoor seating🌳 Kokoda Memorial Park, 1 min walk

    Cafe Jack's on Anzac Parade opens earliest of these cafes, with outdoor seating and Kokoda Memorial Park one minute away. Order the Zucchini Breakfast or the Brekky Bowl, and add a milkshake, which several customers single out. The plates arrive generous and neatly presented, and the kids' menu suits families. Peak times bring a crowd, yet seats free up quickly. The cafe opens at 4:30am on Saturdays.

  3. #3Bar Lucio for a long sit on the covered balcony

    $Outdoor seating🌳 Wills Reserve, 3 min walk

    Bar Lucio on Lenthall Street is the place for a long sit outside, with a covered balcony that stays usable in the rain. Order the wood-fired panino or the mortadella focaccia, and try the avocado bruschetta. Serves are big, and the sweets rotate day to day. Coffee drinkers note a nutty, chocolatey finish that pairs well with the pastries. Wills Reserve is 3 minutes on foot. Weekday hours start at 6:30am and close at 3pm.

  4. #4Home Ground Kiosk for a weekday coffee on the lawns

    $Outdoor seating🌳 Merilyn Sleigh Lawn, 1 min walk

    Home Ground Kiosk on Science Road sits beside the UNSW sports centre, with outdoor tables on the lawns. Order the coconut chicken bowl, which diners say is substantial with subtle flavours, and a cappuccino. Its coffee tastes smooth and balanced, and the price is fair for what you get. The food is fresh and lighter than most campus options, though a touch dearer. The nearest park, Merilyn Sleigh Lawn, is one minute on foot. Hours are 7:30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

  5. #5XS Espresso UNSW for shakes and sweet breakfast plates

    $$Outdoor seating🌳 Michael Birt Gardens, 2 min walk

    XS Espresso UNSW sits on the ground floor of the Biological Sciences building, in a bright, open room with outdoor tables. Go for the Biscoff crepe, the XS stack or a thick shake. The shakes arrive piled with waffle, chocolate sauce, cookies and lollies, and visitors find them very sweet, so share one. Drinks come second to the food here. Michael Birt Gardens is 2 minutes on foot. It opens at 7am and shuts at 4pm on weekdays.

  6. #6Coffee On Campus for a quick outdoor bite between classes

    $Outdoor seating🌳 John Lions Garden, 1 min walk

    Coffee On Campus in the Ainsworth Building is the quick option on this page, with outdoor seating and a counter of sandwiches and wraps. Order the turkey sandwich or a sandwich or wrap from the cabinet, and an iced latte, which is made to order. Alternative milks are available on request. Speed is the draw, but several recent customers say the staff can seem abrupt and the food is pricey for what it is. John Lions Garden is a 1-minute walk away. It opens on weekdays from 6am to 2:30pm.

Compare cafes with outdoor seating in Kensington

The table below compares price, brunch, outdoor tables, weekend trading and the nearest park for each cafe.

CafePriceBrunchOutdoorDogsWeekendsNearest park
Cafe YS9$$✓✓–✓Raleigh Park, 2 min
Cafe Jack's$$✓✓–✓Kokoda Memorial Park, 1 min
Bar Lucio$✓✓–✓Wills Reserve, 3 min
Home Ground Kiosk$✓✓–✗Merilyn Sleigh Lawn, 1 min
XS Espresso UNSW$$✓✓–✗Michael Birt Gardens, 2 min
Coffee On Campus$✓✓–✗John Lions Garden, 1 min

How we picked cafes with outdoor seating in Kensington

Cafes are ordered by a score that weights each cafe's feedback by how much of it there is, so a busy cafe counts for more than a newer one with little. We then checked this topic's facts: brunch on the menu, weekend opening hours, and outdoor tables. Dog policies are not recorded for these cafes, so check with the cafe before bringing one. The food and coffee notes come from each cafe's own listing and what its diners say.

Cafes with outdoor seating in Kensington: FAQ

Which cafes in Kensington open on weekends?

Cafe YS9, Cafe Jack's and Bar Lucio all trade on weekends. The campus cafes at UNSW and Coffee On Campus keep weekday hours only.

Can I bring my dog to an outdoor table in Kensington?

Kensington cafes on this page have no dog policy recorded, so ask the cafe when you arrive before sitting outside with a dog.

Which Kensington cafe is best for a quick takeaway?

Coffee On Campus in the Ainsworth Building suits a grab-and-go meal, with sandwiches and wraps picked from the cabinet.

What time does Cafe Jack's start serving on Saturdays?

Cafe Jack's on Anzac Parade starts serving at 4:30am on Saturdays and stops at 2:30pm.