Guide to the best breakfast spots in Newcastle

Searching for the best breakfasts in Newcastle? From sun-drenched cafés along the beach to hidden gems, Newcastle's breakfast scene is nothing short of spectacular.

Whether you're craving a classic smashed avo on sourdough, fresh and fruity acai bowls, house-made granola with seasonal accoutrement, or a hearty big breakfast to fuel your day, the steel city's talented chefs and baristas are serving up some of the most innovative and delicious morning fare in NSW.

In this local's guide, we'll take you through the best breakfast spots, from laid-back beachside cafes to sophisticated inner-city establishments. Discover where to find the perfectly poached egg, the crispiest bacon, the fluffiest banana bread, and some of the finest coffee this side of Sydney. Our best breakfast dishes await!

Good Brother Espresso Shop in Newcastle's east end is a morning hub of locals who love great coffee, plus gorgeously prepared eggs, bircher, and toasties. But the Good Brother team are more than coffee aficionados, they are also rather skilled at curating a menu featuring some of Newcastle's best bakers and chefs, with the likes of Baked Uprising and Papa's Bagels popping up on the menu. In the evenings pop-up events and live music are also part of the vibe, so definitely one to keep an eye on.

For a Newcastle breakfast with a relaxed vibe, head along the coast to Convoy Commune in Merewether. Stepping into the cafe, it’s like you've been transported to Byron Bay – think white-washed walls, light timber accents, and that boho-chic the Northern Rivers town is so known for, all with a Newcastle twist of course.

The perfect stop on your way down to the famous Merewether Beach for a morning swim, Convoy Commune serves up fresh seasonal food with options for vegans, vegetarians, and those who have specific dietary needs.

One of Newcastle’s best-known cafes, Talulah is renowned for its specialty coffee, reimagined breakfast classics, spacious indoor and outdoor seating areas, and attentive staff. The Tejanu benedict is a menu staple, but buckwheat pancakes are a must if you fancy something sweet!

This dog-friendly cafe even has options to treat your beloved pooch while you indulge in their famous chilli scrambled eggs or prawn toast, while you sip the morning away with cold-pressed juices or rich and decadent ONA coffee. A digital nomad's beloved haunt, free Wi-Fi is always on the menu too.

Goldbergs Coffee House on Darby Street has been pumping out the hot coffees and perfectly crispy bacon since 1995 – and the perfectly wilted spinach of a Florentine...oh my! The most important meal of the day couldn't get more delicious could it!? Well if the pastrami mash, savoury scramble, or kimchi rice bowl are anything to go by, maybe it can.

The delight of Goldbergs is that it's not just about the perfectly prepared dishes, it's the old-school, cafe charm and relaxed vibe that makes you exhale as soon as you walk across the threshold.

Located in an old bank with historic architectural charm, Momo Wholefood is a light and bright cafe space with beautiful high ceilings and towering windows overlooking Hunter Street. Specialising in plant-based food, this cafe is an absolute must for vegans and vegetarians to experience.

Sumptuous and seasonal, it's hard to go past their homemade crumpets with berry jam and whipped coconut yoghurt or mushroom toast with all the trimmings, but for a unique take on scrambled tofu, the bhujia tofu scramble with masala spiced potatoes takes delicious breakfasts to the next level.

Merewether's Akuna Cafe might not be exclusively vegetarian, but it is certainly healthy, and there is some excellent vegetarian food available – try their corn fritter stack, halloumi and egg rolls, or tofu scramble. Acai bowls are also something of a specialty here, with the Paradise Bowl living up to its inviting name. It's the sort of breakfast that takes you on a mini-break before the morning is over.

Cooks Hill's Darby Street is filled with some of Newcastle's longest-serving cafes, each with a unique personality, interesting takes on breakfast menu favourites, and locally roasted and ground coffee, plus a stack of other breakfast food finds, such as breakfast cocktails, perfectly charred sourdough, and of course eggs your way (poached eggs are always the best right!)

Dotted between bespoke boutiques and bars are arguably some of the city's best cafes and as the long-time mecca of Newcastle cafes, Darby Street is sure to have something incredible to cater to your specific brekkie cravings. Sanctum on Darby, CORE Espresso, and Baba Yaga are just some of the Cooks Hill faves that are going to serve you up something to savour when walking along this village-vibe tree-lined street. And newcomer House of Roast is shaking things up with a suite of incredible coffee roasters to choose from.

Darby Street institution, Autumn Rooms offers a carefully curated fresh and seasonal brekkie menu, including great coffee and flavour-filled smoothies. From classic eggs benedict with a fine dining twist to Korean spiced salmon, the eclectic menu will have you coming back again and again.

If you're keen to kick-on, Saturdays after midday is when Autumn Rooms is home to the bottomless brunch of your dreams, featuring mimosas, coffees by Single O, and premium loose-leaf teas by The Tea Collective alongside a shareable feast from their seasonal menu. Autumn Rooms can also be found across the harbour at Stockton if you feel like a short ferry ride before brekkie.

Three Monkeys Cafe has been a feature on Darby Street for over 20 years, still drawing the breakfast crowd daily. Moroccan eggs, the Monkey Fry, or the peanut butter stuffed French toast are all going to taste incredible with a perfectly brewed Three Monkeys Speak No Evil house blend.

Or for those refuelling after a pre-breakfast workout, the Three Monkeys Booster Shakes with added protein are going to keep you going throughout the day. It's one of Cooks Hill's best cafes for a reason. Everything is yum.

Equium Social is a culinary treasure in Mayfield East, which is all about handcrafted cuisine, thoughtfully layered flavours, and locally sourced produce. Serving up wholesome, ethically sourced, and seasonally influenced food, you’ll enjoy sitting amongst the beautifully renovated interior with pink marble, warm woods, and accents of green.

Their ricotta hotcakes with candied nuts and berry compote are always divine, as are the sourdough crumpets, or for an elevated brekkie staple their bacon and egg rolls come with seeded mustard mayo, pickled onion, and Swiss cheese.

Equium Social has fast become an icon of Mayfield East, but head to Mayfield West and you'll find Zaaki Espresso another cute cafe, this time with Middle Eastern inspired dishes, like falafel wraps, shakshuka eggs, and plenty of sweet treats.

Praise Joe Urban Pantry is a Tighes Hill-based champion of quality coffee, specialty pastries, cakes and cookies, filled-to-the-brim toasties, and friendly chats. This pup-friendly takeaway joint is relaxed and inviting, and a hidden gem of Newcastle's cafe scene.

If you're keen to head over the bridge to Carrington then Fairmont Diner is sure to make you smile, not just because of its nostalgic 70s vibe, but its incredible array of breakfast eats. Dippy eggs are there if you need a simple yet delicious trip down memory lane, but so are the likes of chai bowls, chilli scramble rolls, and ricotta hotcakes.

Mockingbird Cafe on Hamilton's iconic Beaumont Street is where to go when you crave something extra special. Think Middle Eastern eggs, red velvet pancakes, and charred peach porridge. The house-made cold-pressed juices, plus the extensive (and utterly delicious) selection of coffees, teas, and bonchai are going to make you want to settle in with a good book and order a second round.

Hamilton is also home to a stack of other breakfast must-dos, Common Circus, Lords Coffee, and The Village Newcastle will more than do the trick. And if you are more into cakes than eggs, Cake Boi in Hamilton is an absolute star on the patisserie scene. Try a slice of Persian love cake or Iced Vovo with a steaming hot Floozy coffee – bring it on!

Yak & Yeti Espresso in New Lambton celebrates the owner's other passion, a modern bohemian lifestyle collection and love of authentic, natural materials, in this calm and eclectic cafe space. Their classic breakfast dishes will always hit the spot, such as acai, toasties, and buttery croissants.

Grumpy Baker in The Junction features a bread repertoire including fig and walnut sourdough (made with lashings of butter and honey), organic carrot loaf, soy linseed, and a large range of pies and pastries, plus some gluten-free options.

Depending on the day (and how grumpy the baker is feeling – haha), you might also get to indulge in croissants, pain au chocolat, cheese sticks, fruit scrolls, and chocolate brownies. Of course, premium coffee and tea are also on the Grumpy Baker menu to complete your feast of treats.

A community-focused bakery, Uprising Bakery is tucked away in a converted warehouse in Maryville, giving this breakfast venue a perfectly relaxed and chilled atmosphere. Escape the busy inner city streets to choose from their range of grilled Uprising Sarnies, which include the likes of a Reuben, kimchi and cheese, or a roasted vegetable delight (the macadamia nut cheese is ah-mazing).

Delicate pastries, including tarts, pies and sausage rolls, cakes, and croissants are also on the menu, which can sell out quickly, so maybe forego that sleep-in to get your pick of the goods.

The panini masters of Newcastle can be found at Arno Deli on Hunter Street. This ultra cool, ultra petite deli, has an ever-evolving menu of breakfast rolls and panini's packed full of the most inventive ingredients. This is a first-in-best-dressed type of deal, with many of the most popular choices selling out quickly. But when you're talking about the most important meal of the day, Arno's is drawing the crowds for good reason. House-made cannoli and grazing boxes are also available.

Estabar is a cafe with salty air and ocean views, seriously good coffee, housemade gelato and a menu parading the Hunter Regions' best seasonal ingredients. Situated just across the road from Newcastle Beach, Estabar serves up a selection of fresh and flavoursome toasties, housemade bircher, and a sweet or savoury bruschetta, alongside egg-based breakfast classics, all with a seasonal local produce flare. And for hot chocolate lovers, the Lions Mane Chocolate Tonic is soul-satisfying tastiness.

Sticking with Newcastle Beach, there are two kiosks perfect for breakfast on the go. The Kiosk Newcastle Beach and the newly opened Southy Canteen. These kiosks are known for their fresh and fun approach, serving up a range of fresh, fruit-focused beach bowls, ham & cheese or miso mushroom toasties, through to classic egg and avo rolls. Coffee here is always on point, as is the housemade kombucha and freshly made smoothies. It's the perfect post-swim or surf refuel spot.

Merewether Surfhouse is another beachside fave. Perfectly positioned on the Merewether Beach Promenade, this is the perfect spot to enjoy a satisfying breakfast menu, breathe fresh salty air, people watch, and take in the ebb and flow of the nearby waves.

The casual breakfast menu features everyday winners like breakfast burritos packed with scrambled eggs, chorizo, hash browns, spinach, cheese & chipotle BBQ sauce. Yes please. Plus their sweet corn fritters are rich with buttermilk decadence and perfectly balanced with avocado, bacon, poached egg and tomato relish.

Whether you're a local seeking a new weekend brunch spot or a visitor eager to experience Newcastle's thriving food scene, our city serves up some of the most exciting and diverse breakfast offerings in NSW. From the relaxed coastal vibes of Merewether Surfhouse to the healthy Momo Wholefood ethos, from the buzzing atmosphere of inner-city cafés like East End Hub to the mindful calm of Equium Social, Newcastle's breakfast scene continues to evolve and delight.

The best part? This is just a taste of what our city has to offer. With new venues opening regularly and established favourites constantly reinventing their menus, there's always something fresh to discover. So grab your mates, bring your appetite, and start working your way through Newcastle's incredible breakfast scene – your perfect morning adventure awaits.

Don't forget to check opening hours before heading out, as they may change seasonally. And if you're visiting on a weekend, booking ahead is always a smart move for the more popular spots.