A coffee connoisseur’s guide to every unmissable Kiama cafe

Kristie Lau-Adams Kristie Lau-Adams
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Slip into holiday mode over a silky-smooth caffeine fix with our list of every outstanding Kiama cafe.

Placed aside crashing ocean waves and soft sand, Kiama soothes from the moment you slink into town – with no shortage of things to do once you arrive. The cherry on top is its burgeoning cafe scene, evolving from stock-standard tourist traps to artisanal statements complete with fresh local produce and some of the best beans in the country. From understated holes in the wall to sea-breezed hipster haunts luring big city hospitality talent, every knock-out Kiama cafe blazes the region’s culinary prowess one lick brighter. Here, our picks and everything we love about them.

The shortlist

Best coffee: Ernest Arthur Kiama
Hottest new opening: Beck’s Kiama
Best pastries: Slow Dough

1. Diggies Kiama

breakfast favourites at Diggies Kiama
Feast on fresh, hearty breakfast plates at Diggies. (Image: Buffet Digital)

What a spot. Diggies Kiama is a slice of coastal heaven located right on Blowhole Point Rd opposite the waves, and the people are as breezy-cool as the setting. Laidback vibes flow as large groups converge throughout the open courtyard overlooking the ocean. Sundowners of a weekend bring live music and rounds of cocktails, but breakfast is a sublime experience as the kitchen always shines. Fluffy buttermilk hotcakes with sliced seasonal fruit are never a bad idea as is the Blowhole Roll: a classic bacon and egg number levelled up via a hashbrown, pickled jalapenos and bacon jam. Lunch brings on coastal classics, all finessed with seasonal ingredients, while smoothies (go the Mango Lassi, always) washed everything down in style.

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Buzzing

Location: 1 Blowhole Point Rd, Kiama

2. Minnamurra General Store

a person holding two servings of frappes at Minnamurra Cafe
Grab an indulgent iced coffee from Minnamurra Cafe.

Breakfast, brunch or lunch at Minnamurra General Store is always tempting and for good reason. The food is on point and in peak holiday season, the long-loved Kiama cafe gets busy. Best to book ahead for a lunch reservation or swing by and collect a takeaway feed. Keep in mind, their weekly specials are often the biggest drawcard, with regular hits spanning pot pies, jazzed-up egg scrambles and internationally led plates like the Turkish Iskender kebap with hot tomato sauce. Sweet tooths will delight in their homemade daily muffins, paired scrumptiously with a smooth cup of Vittoria coffee.

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Homely

Location: 1A Rangoon Rd, Minnamurra

3. Beck’s Kiama

Coffee snobs unite for their daily hit at Beck’s Kiama, a Kiama cafe that set up shop inside the former Little Earth Cafe in July 2025. Paying tribute to its roots, the team make magic out of Little Earth Roasters’ famed small-batch beans, which helped make Beck’s predecessor so damn adored. Rest assured, it’s still one of the best spots in town to slurp up a cuppa.

We love the at-home feel this place exudes from the moment you spot it – a simply brick facade dotted with pot plants and wooden benches – and once you settle in and let ocean views roll up from down the hill, it’s plain serene despite growing crowds cottoning on. The kitchen cranks out breakfast favourites including bacon and egg rolls with greens and toasted sandwiches, as well as freshly baked muffins and other baked goods.

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Local

Location: 10 Tingira Cres, Kiama

4. Slow Dough

alfresco dining at Slow Dough, Kiama cafe
Nab a relaxed spot for a morning brew. (Image: Slow Dough)

Putting delicious Little Marionette coffee beans to expert use, Slow Dough pairs its morning brew with the best bread in town. A stellar version of amateur Covid-19 sourdough baking gone pro, co-owner Richard King and his wife Lucy now dish up in-demand baked goods, best enjoyed under the sun on a low-slung stool on the grass. Sweet tooths will drool over a rotating menu of tarts and buns, while savoury loyalists simply can’t resist creative croissants (like the past salami, ricotta and hot honey) loaded focaccias and genius bread blends that have included aged cheddar and jalapeno blends in the past. They’re always playing around with local ingredients so expect the same brand of wizardry whenever you drop in.

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Lively

Location: 19 Bong Bong St, Kiama

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5. Ernest Arthur Kiama

Earnest Arthur Kiama is a family-owned business that’s been serving Kiama locals for years. With a second store in South Nowra, roughly half an hour’s drive down the coast, the brand fuels the region with two life necessities – pies and caffeine. Nailing both simultaneously, the Kiama cafe is famed for its ridiculously good takes on classic creations like cottage and beef and mushroom, plus wilder mixes like snapper and dill, or beer and beef cheeks, as well as killer sausage rolls. Homemade pastries are also crowd pleasers, as is the other half of their business, coffee, thanks to a house-blend of beans and expertly foamed cups.

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Cosy

Location: 82 Terralong St, Kiama

6. The Farmer’s Table

The Farmer’s Table in a historic Kiama terrace house
Soak up the old-world feel at The Farmer’s Table. (Image: DEFACTO CO)

Located in Kiama’s heritage-listed Collins Street terraces, The Farmer’s Table is as visually beautiful as its homestyle food is plentiful. Expert baristas pour great coffee for devoted regulars and curious tourists seven days a week, making this Kiama cafe’s courtyard a sought-after spot to enjoy a feed. Sealing the deal is the fact it’s pet-friendly. Visitors who board the heritage-listed Kiama Picnic Train often book into The Farmer’s Table for a meal, perhaps to retain the historic, old-world feel that the rail-bound day trip brings, or simply because the food is so darn tasty.

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Charming

Location: Shop 2/42 Collins St, Kiama

7. Otis

Tummy rumbling? Otis will sort you out with lashings of the good stuff. Specialising in flavour-packed salads that shine a light on the region’s peak produce, the Kiama cafe is famed for mixes like the Tahini-glazed sweet potato and the honey roasted carrot crunch with candied walnuts and feta. Grab a table to savour every bite, plus there’s wraps, focaccias, baked goods and silky-smooth coffee to further tempt.

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Fuss-free

Location: 106 Terralong St, Kiama

8. The Hungry Monkey

a person holding a cup of coffee at The Hungry Monkey, Kiama cafe
The coffee alone makes this bustling cafe one of the best in Kiama. (Image: The Hungry Monkey)

While its burgers make it one of the best dining experiences in Kiama, The Hungry Monkey’s breakfast menu also earns a place on our morning must-try list. Serving up creamy White Horse Coffee from 6.30am (you’ll spot caffeine-starved crowds waiting for tables most weekends), the Kiama cafe plates up all-day breakfast classics done with a twist, like chilli eggs with sambal and sourdough crumpets with ginger butter and local honey. Grab a spot on the front deck for all the excellent people watching.

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Bustling

Location: 5/32 Collins St, Kiama

9. Manning Street Local

Combing the east coast for epic beans, Manning Street Local is firmly fixed on providing locals with some of the most robust morning flavours in town. While Reuben Hills dominates their machine pour, the team also showcase bags of their favourite brands in-store, with past legends including Melbourne’s Market Lane and Sydney’s Skittle Lane. Aside from supporting their industry peers, the team also whip up wonderful fresh-baked baguettes and focaccias loaded with indulgences, plus homemade scrolls and other baked goods.

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Cheery

Location: 43 Manning St, Kiama

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10. Penny Whistlers

roasted cauliflower soup at Penny Whistlers, Kiama cafe
Roasted cauliflower soup at Penny Whistlers.

From sunrise each day, you’ll find the Penny Whistlers crew pouring flavoursome brews with Campos coffee beans. The Kiama cafe boasts stunning ocean views and nourishing dishes across both breakfast and lunch (think chilli fried eggs and an open steak sandwich with chimichurri and chat potatoes), while Vegans are well-catered for, too. From Thursday to Saturday, Penny Whistlers is a licensed dinner venue that regularly has live music to get the party started.

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Chilled out

Location: 5/31 Shoalhaven St, Kiama

11. Saltwater

A Kiama institution, Saltwater plates up the best fish and chips in town, as well as gourmet burgers, schnitzels, salads, breakfast and great coffee. It’s a go-to venue for a leisurely seafood lunch with loved ones in a relaxing atmosphere. Their signature dish, the Blue Oscar, takes a grilled Blue Grenadier and tops it with grilled prawns, hollandaise, chips and slaw for a winning taste sensation.

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Friendly

Location: 104 Terralong St, Kiama

12. Flour Water Salt

the bread counter at Flour Water Salt Bakery
Grab a loaf of fresh sourdough from Flour Water Salt.

The Flour Water Salt team believe it’s better to do a few things well rather than several things averagely. It’s why the basis of this Kiama cafe is the bakery brand’s artisan sourdough production, and the cooks have garnered a cult-like attraction as a result. Come for the pastries, coffee, chai tea, hot pies and artisan-style sandwiches that put that bread to excellent use, and leave with a loaf (or few) of heavenly carb perfection.

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Welcoming

Location: 49 Shoalhaven St, Kiama

13. Short Black Coffee

Short Black Coffee is a lovely, no-fuss Kiama cafe located on the main street of town, where fresh-baked pastries and cakes are a hit with locals and holidaymakers alike. Think made-from-scratch delights like Mars Bar slices, loaded chunky cookies and banana bread, to heartier bites like fluffy stacked toasties. Kids love the banana split waffles while adults linger longer due to this place’s reliably good coffee and easy price tags.

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Low-key

Location: 88 Terralong St, Kiama

Still hungry? Discover the best restaurants in Kiama

Kristie Lau-Adams
Kristie Lau-Adams is a Gold Coast-based freelance writer after working as a journalist and editorial director for almost 20 years across Australia's best-known media brands including The Sun-Herald, WHO and Woman's Day. She has spent significant time exploring the world with highlights including trekking Japan’s life-changing Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage and ziplining 140 metres above the vines of Mexico’s Puerto Villarta. She loves exploring her own backyard (quite literally, with her two young children who love bugs), but can also be found stalking remote corners globally for outstanding chilli margaritas and soul-stirring cultural experiences.
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Art, wine & fireplaces: 8 reasons Bowral is the ultimate winter getaway

(Credit: Destination NSW)

    Carla Grossetti Carla Grossetti
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    The Southern Highlands earns its title as Australia’s top country town in the cooler months, and it’s worth every minute of the 90-minute drive from Sydney.

    Many Sydneysiders head to the Southern Highlands in spring for the tulips. It’s one of the most stunning spring carnivals in Australia. But the ones in the know come to Bowral in winter.

    The first thing you notice at this time of year is the quality of the light. It catches the tangled limbs of the gums and tints the fields, farms and forests a pretty shade of Granny Smith green. And then, a world-class art museum, an impressive network of walking trails, great shops, cosy restaurants and bars and luxury accommodation take centre stage, making Bowral a place you want to linger as the mercury drops.

    Just 90 minutes south of Sydney, a Bowral winter getaway is the coolcation city folk desperately need. Here are eight reasons to pack a good coat and head for the Southern Highlands.

    1. Check in

    aerial of Ardour Milton Park Bowral in winter
    Check in to the gorgeous Ardour Milton Park Bowral. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    Ardour Milton Park Bowral rises like a hologram in the hazy green light as you turn onto Horderns Road. A $10 million refurbishment of the grand 1910 estate was completed in early 2026, and the beautifully restored hotel now includes 44 guest rooms washed in sage green, cobalt blue and dusty blush. The dining room at Horderns Restaurant continues with a botanical theme – earthy banquettes, floral touches throughout – and a menu that moves with the seasons.

    After enjoying slow-braised Cowra lamb and a second glass of red, move to the Polo Bar, which has a fireplace and views across the estate gardens. Build a grazing board from the dedicated Charcuterie Room and take it outside while the light lasts. If the sky clouds over, use this as your cue to enjoy a next-level spa experience at Èliva.

    2. Hunt for treasure

    couple exploring Dirty Janes bowral
    Find vintage treasures in Dirty Janes. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    Winter is the perfect season to lose an afternoon inside Dirty Janes Bowral. Over 1600 square metres of covered space houses 90 individual sellers of everything from mid-century furniture to industrial lighting, antique silverware, vintage clothing and objects whose previous lives you can only imagine. Enjoy a bit of off-the-cuff banter with your fellow fossickers in between searching for that must-have military jacket or vintage silk scarf.

    Around the corner, find the Instagram-famous front door of FoundAntiques, though the real finds are deeper inside. Bring cash, wear comfortable shoes and leave some room in the boot.

    3. Slow down in a beautiful gallery

    kids posing with donald bradman statue in bowral's The Bradman Museum
    Learn about an Aussie legend at The Bradman Museum. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    Ngununggula – meaning ’belonging’ in the language of the Gundungurra First Nations people – is the region’s first dedicated regional gallery, housed inside the sustainably transformed old dairy building at historic Retford Park. The onsite White Cottage Gallery and restored grounds of the former Fairfax estate reward a slow wander. Find a spot to sit in the courtyard filled with rivulets of winter light and enjoy the plaintive call of a currawong carrying across the heritage-listed grounds. It’s one of the best things to do in Bowral.

    Add Bowral Honey Farm for a hands-on harvest experience, then continue into town to the Milk Factory Gallery to admire eclectic works by local artists in a converted industrial space. The Bradman Museum also knocks it out of the park. Australia’s largest dedicated cricket museum sits beside the heritage-listed Bradman Oval, where a young Sir Donald Bradman first picked up a bat.

    4. A taste of France

    table spread at Lucette bowral
    Enjoy a taste of France at Lucette.

    For a taste of France without the airfare, husband-and-wife team Julien and Romy Besnard – of long-loved Franquette Crêperie – have opened Lucette, a French cafe-bistro with Paris-born chef Guillaume Dubois at the helm. Dubois brings serious pedigree from Michelin-starred kitchens in France and Sydney’s former two-hatted Monopole, and it shows. Start your day with pastries for breakfast and bookend it with boeuf bourguignon for dinner. The chocolate mousse, freckled with Guerande Salt, is the kind of dish that will make you feel smug about the decision to drive south. Join the Sydneysiders dressed in charcoal coats, boots and black tights who’ve already worked this out; the whole scene is worthy of splicing it into an Instagram reel.

    Francophiles should also be across Julien’s Bowral Brasserie – led by Frenchman Julien Viel, who also found his way to the Southern Highlands and stayed.

    5. Indulge in a tipple

    Centennial Vineyards bowral in winter
    Spend time amongst the local vines. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    The drive to Centennial Vineyards passes through a beautiful woodland idyll, the countryside a fuzz of green all around. Inside the Barrel Room, a tasting flight of cool-climate pinot noir, chardonnay and reserve shiraz viognier flaunts how well the Southern Highlands does winter.

    This is a region that takes its cool-climate wines seriously, and the pinot noir is one of the stars – a gentle, easy-drinking style with red cherry aromas. Follow your tutored cellar door tasting with another glass of wine in the Terrace Bar, which overlooks the vineyard and manicured grounds.

    6. Blend your own gin

    Millsheds Distillery & Bar
    Pop into Millsheds Distillery & Bar. (Credit: Mattia Panunzio)

    Millsheds Distillery & Bar is somewhat of a local secret. The award-winning small-batch operation produces gin, vodka and liqueurs using Australian botanicals and has picked up silver medals at both the London Spirits Competition and International Wine & Spirit Competition. Beyond the tasting paddle, the hands-on blending masterclass – where you design and leave with two bottles of your own custom gin – is the experience to book, while the terrace bar that wraps around the courtyard is a fine place to settle in afterwards.

    7. Go for a walk at dawn

    Switch your phone off sleep mode and set your alarm to early. Mt Gibraltar rises to 864 metres just east of Bowral’s main street and offers the best views in town. You will pass a raggle-taggle bunch of hikers on the way up to the summit, all making the same quiet pilgrimage into the crisp high-altitude air. On a clear morning, the bony ridges of the ranges come into sharp relief against the light. The return loop takes roughly 90 minutes. A flat white in Bowral tastes considerably better after completing one of the scenic walking trails.

    8. Cosy up by the fireplace

    Aspinalls Whisky Bar & Lounge at the Berida Hotel
    Get cosy in the Berida Hotel’s whiskey bar.

    A cosy bar is the perfect complement to winter in Bowral, and there are a few worth committing to. Aspinalls Whisky Bar & Lounge at the Berida Hotel is built for long, languorous evenings. Take a seat beside the fireplace laden with gnarled logs and work your way through a few whiskies and bar bites like Rangers Valley beef tartare, or salt cod and potato croquettes.

    At Hickory’s within Peppers Craigieburn, well-dressed waiters in denim and leather move quietly between tables, and the cosy fireplace in the adjoining guest lounge attracts an Escape to the Country crowd.

    Start planning your Bowral escape at visitsouthernhighlands.com.au.