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A guide to the best cafes in Wollongong

Credit: Destination NSW

Carla GrossettiBy Carla Grossetti
Plan your next visit to the Illawarra region around the best Wollongong cafes for coffee and breakfast.

Wollongong cafes are as much a source of pride as the city’s blue-collar past. The Gong has become the epicentre of cool in the Illawarra, a place for young creatives and entrepreneurs to realise the urban environment anew. As a result, the concentration of great places to eat and drink around Wollongong has multiplied over the past decade or so. There are now more than enough standout Wollongong restaurants and cafes to inspire a road trip from Sydney or Canberra. Here is our guide to the Wollongong cafes we keep returning to.

The shortlist

Best Coffee: Seven Miles Wollongong
Hidden Gem: Lili.J
Family-Friendly Spot: Diggies Cafe

Lili.J

the exterior of Lili.J cafe, Wollongong
The rustic cafe is housed in an old florist shop.

Lili.J has gained a lot of attention in Wollongong for its focus on simple, honest rustic fare done well. Housed in an old florist shop and charming corner house, the white-on-white Wollongong cafe opened in 2016 with one simple goal: to give Wollongong a reliable neighbourhood cafe built around specialty Reuben Hills coffee and quality pastries. Order a bacon and egg roll to feast on in the sunroom out the back, which is furnished with vintage finds and spills onto a pet-friendly grassed courtyard. Or bunker down inside one of the cosy nooks where you will find pops of colour from flower-filled vases. Pick up some honey from Little Backyard Honey Factory to go.

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Artfully scuffed rustic Wollongong cafe meets charming #cottagecore

Location: 1/156 Corrimal Street, Wollongong

Gelato Emporium

Gelato Emporium, Wollongong
Get your gelato from one of the best gelaterias in Australia. (Credit: Gelato Emporium)

Road trippers in the know will always pull away from the purr of the Pacific Highway to visit the Gelato Emporium . It’s perched like an eyrie on the cliffs at the Southern Gateway Centre, Bulli Tops. After enjoying an espresso and a double scoop of blueberry and white chocolate artisan gelato you can pick up a few foodie souvenirs from this expansive one-stop Italian wonderland. The emporium sells everything from chocolate-coated liquorice branded as Koala Poo to panettone and Fressko keep-cups. Look for the blue-and-white striped awnings but don’t blink or you’ll miss it.

Cuisine: Italian

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Happy people enjoying the views from one of the highest gelaterias in Australia.

Location: Southern Gateway Centre, Princes Highway, Bulli Tops

Basin Cafe

the exterior of Basin Cafe, Wollongong
Nab an outdoor spot under striped umbrellas. (Credit: Basin Cafe)

There’s no shortage of excellent coffee roasters and hip cafes in Wollongong. But you know the java landscape has changed when our motels start contributing to the scene. That’s because the Australian audience is thirsty for specialty coffee and will settle for nothing less. Plenty of outdoor seating has helped secure this harbourside cafe at Boat Harbour Motel as one of the most sought-after places for coffee and cake in Wollongong. The coffee counter buzzes with activity from breakfast through to lunch, with its breakfast bagels a popular grab-and-go option.

Cuisine: Contemporary cafe fare

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: A cheery and compelling place to be

Location: 7 Wilson Street, Wolloongong

Miller’s Local Bakehouse

croissant and coffee, Miller's Local Bakehouse
Pair fresh-baked croissants with specialty coffee at Miller’s Local Bakehouse. (Credit: Emma Huber)

Miller’s Local Bakehouse is a small-batch operation doing things properly, with everything made from scratch and baked to order using fresh ingredients and no preservatives. The focus is on great coffee (Crazy Horse Coffee) bread and pastries. Miller’s Local Bakehouse was born after finding success at well-loved cafe, Sandygoodwich. Standouts include twice-baked ricotta croissants and lemon meringue cheesecake as well as chunky loaves of sourdough. The bakery-led cafe also has outposts in Bulli, Thirroul and Wollongong.

Cuisine:  Bread and pastries

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Community hub

Location: 7 Wilson Street, Wolloongong

Longboard Cafe

You can watch the leathery old longboarders hanging ten from your table at the Longboard Cafe . You might also clock these crusty old core lords congregating at the Wollongong cafe post-surf for a coffee and chicken schnitty roll. Executive chef Paul Hamilton also looks after sister venue Steamers Bar & Grill and it’s full steam ahead here when it comes to his casual cafe offering. Plant-based diners will appreciate the many Longboard Cafe vegan items on the menu which the chalkboard describes as “from the Earth, for the soul". Big-ups for the bottomless brunch.

Cuisine: Seasonal cafe fare

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Great views and cool vibes.

Location:  1 Marine Drive, Wollongong

Uncle Earl’s

strawberry matcha latte at Uncle Earl’s, Wollongong
Sip on a strawberry matcha latte. (Credit: Uncle Earl’s)

Uncle Earl’s is one of the major players on the coffee scene in Wollongong. But the boxy little cafe is also on the radar for its regular Thrift, Sip, Groove fashion market on Saturday mornings where you can pick up some quality fashion garments. The expanded breakfast and lunch menu is all about sambos, toasties and bagels with the mortadella foccacia a personal fave. The cafe serves batch brews, Biscoff lattes, matcha lattes and sticky chai latte, too. Pay it forward to help the next uni student or passerby with the funds for a pick-me-up.

Cuisine: Toasted sandwiches, bagels

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Uni crowd

Location: 47 Burelli St, Wollongong

Halfday Deli

Neapolitan-style pizzas at Halfday Deli Wollongong
Grab a slice of flavour-packed Neapolitan-style pizza. (Credit: Halfday Deli)

Join the bread cult that is equal parts sando shop and pizzeria. Halfday Deli leads a double life doling out well-built sandwiches by day and 48-hour-fermented pizzas by night. Coffee comes courtesy of sister venue Opus Roasters and the sangas are hefty. The space designed by Alana Cooke blends concrete, spotted gum, and steel, creating an intimate setting for a date night. There are DJs spinning vinyl and a generous wine list for #girldinner with your gal pals. Bond with the baristas pulling the shots or the barkeeps topping up your glass with Frappato as you worship at the altar of good bread and pizza.

Cuisine:  From day to night – sandos to pizza

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Friendly and inclusive.

Location: 38 Atchison St, Wollongong

Lee & Me

the exterior of Lee & Me, Wollongong
Gather at the sun-splashed communal tables. (Credit: Lee & Me)

Lee & Me is a local favourite that occupies a 1890s’ terrace that has become the unofficial headquarters for the Gong’s hipster brigade. Sit by the fireplace in winter. Linger on the sun-splashed balcony in summer. Or gather at the communal table where you can engage in a bit of banter with the beard(y) barista. After downing your short black, head upstairs to meet up-and-coming creatives selling their fashionable wares from their studios. The Turkish eggs here are the business.

Cuisine: Contemporary

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Grungey and bohemian.

Location: 87 Crown Street, Wollongong

Pepe’s on the Beach

It’s all crashing waves and pastel sunsets at this beachside cafe underneath the Novotel Wollongong Northbeach that is open from breakfast until late. Spiritually, Pepe’s on the Beach feels like it’s an LA hang that has been untouched since the 1970s. Start with a stroll on the sand or a cycle along Wollongong’s iconic shared pathway. Claim a beanbag under a palm tree and refuel on pancakes with banana and maple syrup. Eat and drink (responsibly) until the wheels fall off at pumpkin o’clock.  Guaranteed, Pepe’s will be your new hyper-fixation.

Cuisine: All-American breakfast fare

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Cali cool

Location: 2-14 Cliff Road, Wollongong

Diggies Cafe

the exterior of Diggies Cafe, North Wollongong
Settle in for coffee and brunch at the seaside cafe. (Credit: Destination NSW)

Diggies is open for breakfast, lunch and weekend brunch when it is full to the brim with a healthy mix of millennials, young mums and MAMILs. Cyclists often end their Sydney to Gong ride here with a coffee and a Savvy Session of seasonal greens, herbs, sheep’s feta, avocado, crushed roasted almonds and poached eggs. Join sandy-toed locals at the more relaxed 1930s’ Art Deco North Beach Kiosk for coffees or settle in for a post-swim brunch at the sit-down section of the seaside cafe. There are outposts in Wollongong, North Beach Kiosk and Kiama.

Cuisine: All-day brunch classics and ‘beach club’ big plates like fish and chips.

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Aussie beach culture writ large.

Location: 1 Cliff Rd, North Beach, Wollongong

Bull & Bear

Your stocks will go up if you take your Tinder date out for breakfast at Bull & Bear , which has swallowed up three shops on vibey Victoria St. The name is not a metaphor for the movements of the stock market. Rather, it came to chef and owner David Juarez Vidal after returning from Spain where he ran with the bulls in Pamplona and visited El Oso y el Madroño (The Bear and the Strawberry Tree), the symbol of Madrid. Pig out on El Gordo (The Fat One) or a beefy breakfast burrito. The Wollongong cafe is also open for dinner and considered one of Wollongong’s best restaurants and tapas bars.

Cuisine: Aussie cafe food with signature Spanish twists.

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Exposed beams, polished concrete and pops of greenery lend the cafe a rustic charm.

Location: 2A Victoria street, Wollongong

Seven Miles Wollongong

Seven Miles Wollongong doubles as a coffee house and roastery nestled in North Wollongong. Geek out on all things coffee related, from the state-of-the-art roastery to latest equipment at this popular Wollongong cafe, which draws the city’s coffee community here for mighty good brews. You can learn to level up your coffee at home by signing up for a barista class where you will see the science behind making the perfect cup of Joe.

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Industrial-chic

Location: Wollongong

Carla Grossetti
Carla Grossetti avoided accruing a HECS debt by accepting a cadetship with News Corp. at the age of 18. After completing her cadetship at The Cairns Post Carla moved south to accept a position at The Canberra Times before heading off on a jaunt around Canada, the US, Mexico and Central America. During her career as a journalist, Carla has successfully combined her two loves – of writing and travel – and has more than two decades experience switch-footing between digital and print media. Carla’s CV also includes stints at delicious., The Sydney Morning Herald, and The Australian, where she specialises in food and travel. Carla also based herself in the UK where she worked at Conde Nast Traveller, and The Sunday Times’ Travel section before accepting a fulltime role as part of the pioneering digital team at The Guardian UK. Carla and has been freelancing for Australian Traveller for more than a decade, where she works as both a writer and a sub editor.
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Your guide to a summer staycation in Sydney

    Kassia ByrnesBy Kassia Byrnes
    Continue
    Discover the magic of a Sydney staycation in summer at The Fullerton Hotel Sydney.

    Sydney City is magical in summer. Warm summer evenings beg to be spent sipping cool cocktails at one of many al fresco and rooftop bars. Ferries and buses are ready to transport travellers to the best nearby beaches for salty days on the sand. National parks and rainforests are waiting to be explored. And the city’s events calendar is packed, from live music to cultural attractions. All elements that call for a Sydney staycation.

    Discover where to eat, stay and play for the perfect local getaway.

    Where to stay

    The Fullerton Hotel Sydney

    the Fullerton Hotel Sydney
    Sleep inside a 151-year-old icon.

    Amid the bustle of the perfect Sydney staycation, one needs a place to escape to and recharge. Enter, The Fullerton Hotel Sydney . The hotel is an icon in its own right – nestled inside the 151-year-old building that was originally Sydney’s General Post Office, its heritage-listed sandstone walls and Victorian renaissance grandeur have been carefully preserved – providing a rare chance to sleep within Sydney’s history.

    Despite its fascinating history, the hotel isn’t short on modern, luxurious comforts. Rooms and suites are available in both the modern high-rise with gorgeous views over the clock tower and lively city below, or inside the historical post office building itself.

    the Fullerton Hotel Sydney Heritage Long Suite bathroom
    Heritage rooms maintain their old-world style.

    Either way, guests can enjoy sophisticated touches, including a deluxe bed and pillow menu, Harman Kardon Bluetooth speakers, a digital concierge, a Vittoria coffee machine and amenities from the Balmain bathroom collection.

    The team at this five-star hotel provides excellence and a quality experience for all their guests, while amenities like a gym help with a well-rounded stay. For a peaceful moment with sweeping city views, enter The Fullerton Club Lounge on level 28. This private haven for dining and relaxation is available to any guests staying on the hotel’s club floors and suites.

    Add to this a central location in the CBD’s Martin Place, with easy access to Sydney’s top attractions, and convenience meets style.

    Where to drink & dine

    1. The Bar

    the Fullerton Hotel afternoon tea at the bar
    Indulge in the Fullerton Signature Afternoon Tea.

    Inside The Fullerton Hotel Sydney’s lobby, The Bar does more than sling a few delicious cocktails (although it certainly does that well). Its brown leather chairs and glass ceiling create the perfect, almost al fresco, setting for the Fullerton Signature Afternoon Tea .

    Served daily from 12 to 4 pm, the afternoon tea is a nod to the cherished social occasion it once was during the Victorian Renaissance era. People like to dress up for this afternoon tea, and if you’re lucky, a pianist often sits down at the on-site grand piano, just adding to the elegance.

    The afternoon tea is served high tea style, offering reimagined British flavours of the Victorian Renaissance era with a unique blend of  Australia’s culinary heritage. A sweet layer offers delights like a Malted Milk Envelope (a milk mousse layered between two biscuits), Bakewell Pudding (a super tasty egg-based pudding), and Apple Charlotte.

    On the savoury layer, expect finger sandwiches with fillings like cucumber, egg and smoked salmon. While classic pinwheels and stuffed eggs almost make the menu. And, of course, all finished off with traditional scones served with cream and mixed berry jam.

    Can’t fit in a whole afternoon tea? Be sure to at least order a slice of the 32-layered chocolate cake, a decadent mix of dark chocolate crémeux, fresh whipped cream, and Valrhona Azélia chocolate sauce. ⁣

    2. The Place

    the Fullerton Hotel the place dining
    Dine in the stunning GPO atrium.

    On level one of The Fullerton Hotel Sydney lives The Place – the hotel’s restaurant, in an atrium overlooking the former GPO. Here, dine on Modern Australian cuisine – think fresh, local seafood and a Riverina steak sandwich – along with a touch of Singaporean signature dishes, like Thai-style green curry or chicken satay. All in the shadow of the GPO clock tower, enjoying the GPO atrium’s natural light.

    3. Local gelato

    Couple enjoying ice-creams at First Fleet Park, The Rocks
    Enjoy ice cream in the sunshine. (Image: Destination NSW)

    What is summer without ice cream and/or gelato? Luckily, there are plenty of options just a short walk from The Fullerton Hotel Sydney, whether you’re craving a midday pick-me-up or an after-sun treat.

    What to do/see

    1. GPO Heritage Tour

    the Fullerton Hotel Sydney lobby
    Be awed by the building’s history.

    Want to know more about the building you’re staying in? The Fullerton Hotel Sydney offers a complimentary 90-minute GPO Heritage Tour. Follow a knowledgeable tour guide to discover the stories, tales and legends of the former Sydney General Post Office building.

    From the iconic clock tower (completed in 1891) to the black-and-white tiled staircase at 1 Martin Place, which was once the main entrance to the GPO and today serves as a prominent feature of the building to the 24 stone faces (mascarons) on the Martin Place side of the building. Part of the 1880s-era facade (designed by architect James Barnet), each represents different states, countries and continents.

    2. Circular Quay

    aerial of circular quay sydney
    Catch a ferry from Circular Quay. (Image: Destination NSW)

    An easy walk or light rail ride away from The Fullerton Hotel Sydney, lies the bustling Circular Quay. Here, you can sit for a drink and nibbles at the Opera Bar, or head into the iconic house itself for a show. It’s also a major ferry port, becoming your gateway to Sydney’s beaches, Luna Park and even Sydney Zoo.

    3. Royal Botanic Gardens

    view of circular quay from Sydney's Royal Botanic Garden
    Wander through Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden. (Image: Destination NSW)

    Just beyond Circular Quay, discover Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden. Wander through this 30-hectare, heritage-listed, botanical garden – exploring its differing sections, from Australian native botanicals to garden beds of vibrant flowers to towering groves of international trees.

    It’s also the perfect place for a picnic, so pick up supplies before you come and enjoy a spot on the grassy meadow looking out into the harbour.

    4. Theatre Royal

    a show at Theatre Royal
    Take in a show at Theatre Royal. (Image: Daniel Boud)

    Just a one-minute walk from The Fullerton Hotel Sydney, take in a show at Theatre Royal. Built in 1976, the theatre has been offering a broad range of entertainment since the 1990s. Expect a show roster that ranges from the classics (like Cats) to the modern) like Pretty Woman: The Musical).

    Start planning a summer stay in Sydney worth remembering at fullertonhotels.com/fullerton-hotel-sydney.