Best Brunch in Potts Point: A Local’s Guide
Potts Point has quietly become one of Sydney’s best brunch neighbourhoods. Tucked between Elizabeth Bay, Kings Cross and the edge of the CBD, this small stretch of Sydney punches well above its weight when it comes to weekend breakfast and brunch — and it’s not just about avocado toast anymore.
Whether you’re a local looking for a new weekend regular or visiting Potts Point for the first time, here’s what actually makes brunch worth getting out of bed for around here.
What Makes Potts Point Brunch Different
Unlike some of Sydney’s more tourist-heavy brunch strips, Potts Point’s cafés lean toward quality over spectacle. You’ll find specialty coffee roasters, small-batch matcha, and kitchens that treat brunch as seriously as dinner service — not just a Sunday afterthought.
The neighbourhood’s mix of long-time residents, young professionals working nearby, and a steady flow of visitors means the cafés here have to earn repeat business. That competition is good news for anyone eating brunch in the area.
Start With Something You Can’t Get Everywhere: Matcha
One thing that sets a handful of Potts Point cafés apart is a genuine focus on premium matcha — not just an afterthought latte flavour, but a drink made with care from good-quality ceremonial-grade matcha. If you’re a matcha drinker, it’s worth seeking out a café that treats it as its own category, rather than one more syrup pump on the espresso machine.
Olivia By Fave, on Orwell Street, is one of the few local spots leaning into this — pairing premium matcha with a broader specialty coffee and brunch menu, rather than treating it as a side note.
The Main Event: Pancakes Done Properly
If there’s one dish that separates an average Potts Point brunch from a great one, it’s pancakes. Done badly, they’re dense, pre-mixed, and reheated. Done properly, they’re the reason people come back.
Olivia By Fave has made its signature pancakes the centrepiece of its brunch menu — fluffy, made fresh to order, and finished with a rotating selection of seasonal toppings rather than the same syrup-and-butter combination every time. It’s the kind of dish that’s easy to order once and hard not to order again.
Coffee That Holds Its Own
Potts Point takes its coffee seriously, and rightly so — this is a neighbourhood with a long-standing reputation for specialty coffee, well before “third wave” became a mainstream phrase. A good brunch spot here needs coffee that can stand up to that reputation, not just fill a cup.
Look for cafés roasting or sourcing specialty beans, with baristas who can talk you through the blend if you ask. Olivia By Fave’s specialty coffee program is built around exactly this — brunch and coffee treated as equally important, not one propping up the other.
Tips for Brunching in Potts Point Like a Local
- Go early on weekends. Potts Point’s popularity means the best tables (and the freshest kitchen runs) go quickly on Saturday and Sunday mornings.
- Ask what’s seasonal. Cafés doing brunch properly tend to rotate toppings and specials with what’s fresh — don’t be afraid to ask what’s new.
- Pair your order. A specialty coffee or premium matcha alongside your pancakes isn’t just a nice-to-have here — it’s often the better half of the meal.
- Weekday brunch is underrated. Skip the weekend queue and enjoy the same menu with half the crowd.
Where to Start
If you’re brunching in Potts Point for the first time, start with the basics done well: good coffee, proper pancakes, and — if you’re curious — a premium matcha you won’t find just anywhere. Olivia By Fave brings all three together on Orwell Street, right in the heart of the neighbourhood, and it’s a solid place to begin exploring everything Potts Point brunch has to offer.
Have a favourite Potts Point brunch spot we should know about? Let us know next time you visit.