Whether you’re after the perfect piccolo or cold brew, we’ve found the best coffee in Canberra.

Wondering where to find the best coffee in Canberra?   There are so many talented baristas in the nation’s capital that it’s difficult to narrow down who’s the best at pulling shots. The good news is that means you can find a great brew no matter which neighbourhood you stay in when visiting Canberra.

The city known for its vibrant restaurants and cosy cafes is also peppered with a plethora of purveyors of specialty coffee. I’ve been drinking coffee in Canberra long enough to know that consistency matters as much as creativity. What sets this city apart isn’t just one standout cafe, but an army of baristas and roasters who treat coffee as a craft. Here are the cafes that serve the best coffee in Canberra.

In Short

If you only visit one coffee shop in Canberra, make it ONA Coffee House. You can taste the full range of blends and single origins that shape a lot of cafes across the capital, all brewed by baristas at the top of their game. It’s where Canberra’s reputation as a serious coffee city truly began.

1. Redbrick Coffee

Caff-fiends who have been downright villainous about keeping this place a secret can complete their redemption arc by deploying the #bestcoffeeinCanberra hashtag. For starters, the Redbrick Coffee brand’s flagship venue is popular due to its proximity to Canberra’s CBD at the A by Adina Hotel. Redbrick Coffee also does a fine breakfast. On the coffee front, you can pick up bags to take away, too. This cafe is hugely popular with office workers so my hot tip is to arrive early and avoid rush hour.

Address: 1 Constitution Ave, Canberra

2. Recess Coffee

Recess Coffee is brought to you by the talented team behind the acclaimed cafe Barrio Collective and hatted restaurant Terra. Join the steady trickle of caffeine-obsessed locals at the cafe and vinyl bar for their morning espresso. Recess is one of the best cafes in Canberra for coffee as it roasts its own beans. There are also a range of all-day dining options including avo on sourdough and eggs benedict with saffron hollandaise, pancakes with maple butter and B&E brekkie muffins.

Address: 6B Barker St, Griffith

3. Barrio Espresso

Barrio Collective Coffee has expanded its presence in Canberra with this compact espresso bar on Dairy Road. And if you want to understand Canberra’s coffee scene, this is where to start. This calm, no-nonsense spot has some of the best coffee in Canberra, brewed by people who know their way around a bag of beans. The atmosphere is cosy and unpretentious, and there’s a small, considered selection of pastries on offer – exactly what’s required when coffee is the main event.

Address: 1 Dairy Road, Fyshwick

4. Intra

If we could, we’d enjoy Intra coffee intravenously. The cosy cafe in leafy Campbell is one of the best places for coffee in Canberra due to the quality beans it sources from Barrio Collective. The blends change seasonally depending on which beans are best. The specialty coffee and food venue also stocks rare single-origin beans from Edition Coffee Roasters in Sydney. Its breakfast menu includes the Chashu bacon and egg roll, which has a cult following. Check out Intra’s buzzy Braddon venue, B-Side; both are top spots for brunch in Canberra.

Address: 30/12 Provan St, Campbell

5. Lava

There are three iterations of Lava across Canberra – in Kingston, Weston and Phillip. And the driving principle behind this trifecta of popular places is for highly trained baristas to brew coffees with specially selected top-quality beans. A hot tip: check out @Lava_Coffee on Instagram so you can find out more about your friendly baristas. Oh and do check the specials board for brekkie staples such as BLATs and avo on toast. I follow Lava as much for the people as the coffee; few cafes in Canberra celebrate the baristas as much as the batch brews.

Address: Various in Kingston, Weston and Phillip

6. Barrio Collective

The Barrio Collective acts as a bit of an incubator for a lot of Canberra’s top baristas. And while you’ll find some of the best cafes in Canberra use Barrio Collective’s beans, the OG cafe has ample outdoor seating and is dog friendly. If you’re hungry, it’s worth trying its stacked toasties. Sip your chosen brew alongside a piece of toast spread with ‘mushymite’, a fermented mushroom product with a similar taste to Australia’s favourite spread.

Address: 59/30 Lonsdale St, Braddon

7. ONA Coffee House

You’ll find ONA Coffee beans in cafes across Australia. The company was founded in a garage in 2008 by ex-Olympic handball player and world champion barista Saša Šestić. Fast forward to today and the brand is now known around the world for its premium blends. Visit ONA Coffee House in Fyshwick to explore the entire signature range of house blends and single-origin coffees. Enjoy a latte with breakfast on the deck, then take home some specialty beans for your espresso machine.

Address: 68 Wollongong St, Fyshwick

8. The Cupping Room

One of ONA Coffee’s first forays into Canberra’s cafe scene was with The Cupping Room. And it remains one of the places I always return to when I’m after a decent brew. The baristas treat coffee like an art form here: you’ll find ONA Coffee’s great roasts, plus an extensive and Instagram-worthy array of brunch dishes like Bircher muesli with apple-ginger gel, chorizo skillet and stracciatella toast.

Address: 1/1-13 University Ave, Canberra

9. Highroad

As Canberra’s biggest roastery, ONA Coffee has its hand in many of Canberra’s best cafes for getting a morning fix of coffee. Highroad was the first ONA outlet and it remains one of the most popular in Canberra’s northern suburb of Dickson. The focus at the industrial-chic cafe is on community. Take the time to order brunch if your schedule is looking leisurely. The modern, airy space is designed to make you linger and one of the best places in Canberra for breakfast and brunch.

Address: Cnr Cape & Woolley St, Dickson

10. Gather

Have a gatho at Gather if you’re staying in Braddon. In addition to serving what many consider to be the best coffee in Canberra, the cafe should be your go-to for its sustainable approach to sourcing produce from local suppliers across the ACT and NSW. Free-range eggs are from Hilltop in Boorowa. Milk is from Country Valley in Picton. And Gather’s house blend of Ethiopian, Brazilian and Colombian beans is roasted in Braddon. The cafe also has breakfast classics like smashed avo and corn fritters.

Address: 4/24 Mort St, Braddon

11. Maple + Clove

There’s a coffee order for every coffee geek at Maple + Clove at the ground floor at the Little National Hotel. Coffee is the No. 1 attraction at the hip, inner-city cafe in the Realm Precinct. But don’t forget to order a few pastries, too, which pair perfectly with a rich, aromatic latte. Maple + Clove is also considered one of the best cafes in Canberra for its sweet potato hash brown served with smoked ham and scrambled eggs, and its pesto eggs and goat’s cheese on seeded rye.

Address: 21 National Circuit, Barton

12. Two Before Ten

Two Before Ten cafes have sprouted all over the nation’s capital, from Barton to Brindabella, Majura to Murrumbateman. Known for its excellent tree-to-cup coffee and commitment to sustainability, Two Before Ten is as much about building community as it is about serving great coffee. The bustling community cafe in Aranda also includes a roastery, yoga studio and expansive urban farm with fruit trees and beehives.

Address: 68 Bandjalong Cres, Aranda

13. The Front Cafe & Gallery

The Front cafe & Gallery is another offshoot of Two Before Ten. It’s both a cafe and gallery that supports Canberra creatives with a roster of exhibitions held throughout the year. The Two by Ten spin-off is also worthy of our support for its dedication to supporting suppliers that are environmentally and socially sustainable. In addition to excellent espressos, expect sweet concoctions such as cinnamon French toast with seasonal fruits, strawberry mascarpone cream and pistachio crumb.

Address: 1 Wattle Place, Lyneham

14. Little Oink

Swinophobes should avoid Little Oink at all costs. The cute and quirky cafe is all about little piggies with a collection of pig figurines and enduring oink theme throughout. Owner Natalie has a penchant for all things pig-related which extends to menu items such as the Wild Boar with bacon, chorizo, mushrooms and spinach on sourdough. You can also get your snout into an Oinko Burger with eggs, bacon, avo, relish and cheese. The Cook-based business uses Two Before Ten to serve some of the best coffee in Canberra.

Address: 22 Cook Place

15. Urban Pantry

Urban Pantry is a mainstay in Manuka (pronounced Marnika, not Manooka). The hip, happening Canberra neighbourhood has no shortage of wonderful places to eat and drink. But the lively, light-filled venue in the heart of the leafy landmark Manuka Lawns is one of our absolute favourite cafes in Canberra for its culture. Start with buttermilk pancakes or mushroom bruschetta in the cafe’s white, bright interior overlooking the sun-splashed park. Linger on the Lawns with a rich and flavourful coffee.

Address: 5 Bougainville St, Griffith

16. Cafe June

Lonsdale Street is one of Canberra’s epicentres for creativity and is emblematic of life in buzzy Braddon. The rustic cafe favours ONA Coffee, which the baristas brew into consistently good cups of Joe. Order the brekkie beans served with haloumi and two poached eggs or the fluffy buttermilk pancakes and a latte. The action at the cafe spills onto the street, so order an iced coffee to go so you can watch the crowds promenading past on the footpath.

Address: 54/30 Lonsdale St, Braddon

17. Teddy Picker’s

Teddy Picker’s is known for being one of the best places for coffee in Canberra. But you’ll find locals throwing spicy chai lattes and Teddy’s hot chocs down their gullets too because they’re delish. This contemporary Campbell cafe on Constitution Avenue attracts a lot of active types looking to refuel after hiking up Mt Ainslie. Pair your coffee with culinary offerings such as a Mexi Bowl with chicken, black beans, rice, avo, tomato, cucumber and lime sour cream and Teddy’s famed pressed French toast.

Address: 53/65 Constitution Avenue, Campbell

18. Mocan & Green Grout

This sunny corner cafe in NewActon is hugely popular with guests staying in nearby hotels such as the quirky QT Canberra. The cosy open-all-day cafe looks like it’s been fitted out by an eccentric collector. Think wooden shelving, brass-topped tables, jars of house-made pickles and flower-filled vases. The name Mocan means ‘strong and reliable’ in a dialect spoken in Trieste, where one of the owners’ families is from and you’ll find the green grout between the beautiful hand-painted tiles in one section. It’s a super-cool environment to enjoy a house coffee blend or pot of Real Chai.

Address: 1/19 Marcus Clarke St, NewActon

19. Cafe Sosta

You’ll find a lot of locals wearing soft, stretchy clothing at Cafe Sosta as they’ve either walked or ridden here. The Italian-inspired riverfront cafe is at the Red Shed rowing facility on Black Mountain Peninsula.  Sosta means ‘stopover’ in Italian which is what the location calls for. The venture is led by Bisa Hospitality, the Italian-Australian group behind the East Hotel. Pair your perfect piccolo with breakfast risotto with poached pear or pane della casa topped with pork and fennel meatballs.

Address: John Cardiff Close, Black Mountain Peninsula

20. & Sando

It’s no surprise restaurateur Matt Moran’s deli-style sandwich shop makes some of the best sandos in the ACT. But it’s also one of the best places for coffee in Canberra. Those in search of the perfect flavour-layered sando will find it here at & Sando, an offshoot of Moran’s Compa Ristorante next door. Expect your coffee and every element of your sandwich to be put together with care. You’ll need two hands to enjoy the Godfoccacia of mortadella, salami, prosciutto and Caesar dressing on focaccia. Coffee is by Sydney’s Single O.

Address: 148 Bunda St

21. Three Mills Bakery

Three Mills Bakery is one of the best purveyors of specialty coffee in Canberra. But the casual spot, which has outlets all over the city, also offers customers pastries to take home and bake in their home oven. It’s worth a trip to the underrated suburb of Fyshwick, where it all began, to sip on an espresso that will be one of the best cups of coffee you enjoy in Canberra.

Address: Leeton Street, Fyshwick

22. Cafe Stepping Stone

Cafe Stepping Stone is the kind of place that stays with you long after your last slurp of coffee. The vegetarian cafe has a social purpose, supporting migrant and refugee women through employment and training. The food leans wholesome and generous, drawing on Asian, Middle Eastern and South American flavours. My personal favourites are the potato masala toastie and mushroom medley pie. Leave well fed and feeling good about it.

Address: Strathnairn Arts, 90 Stockdill Drive, Gullifer St

23. Silo Bakery

Silo Bakery + Café is serious about brewing excellent coffee from responsibly sourced, sustainable, fair-trade suppliers.  The baristas here are like gods, with the habitual observance of a morning brew an exalted daily ritual.

This cafe is not for your keto friends. It’s for those coffee connoisseurs who agree that there are few better ways to start the day than with an espresso and fresh-baked croissant. The bakery cafe is all about carb-forward comfort food and one of my go-to stops for some of the best coffee in Canberra.

Address: 36 Giles St, Kingston