From cafes that source and roast their own beans to beachside bakeries and a cute-as-a-button van tucked away on a farmstead, you won’t want to miss these gems.

The cafe scene in Coffs Harbour is as vibrant and unique as the coastal city itself. You can smell it when you open a bag of locally roasted coffee at Artisti Coffee Roasters, and taste it in the fluffy cinnamon scroll at Peach & Wolf Bakery, and you can feel it when you’re warming yourself around the fire pit at Farmstead with your morning espresso in hand. The cafe culture in Coffs just hits different. Here are the places you need to discover for yourself.

1. Artisti Coffee Roasters

You can’t go past Artisti Coffee just outside of Coffs Harbour for a really good coffee.

This boutique roastery is in the High Tech Industrial Estate in Toormina. Not only does Artisti Espresso Bar & Roastery source and roast its own beans to the highest standard, but it does so day after day. Like all good roasteries, the air is filled with the scent of freshly brewed coffee. Order a macchiato and a bag of beans to go.

Address: Unit 3/11 Craft Cl, Toormina (between Coffs Harbour and Sawtell)

2. Beachhouse Cafe

Start your day at the whimsical Beachhouse Cafe.

Those looking to break up a road trip along the mid-north coast should pull off the highway at Woogoologa. It’s where you will find the whimsical Beachhouse Cafe, which is on higher ground than Woolgoolga Beach, but has a sandpit to keep little ones happy. Wave the waitress over to place an order for banana bread and sunshine smoothies.

Address: 42 Sandy Beach Drive, Woolgoolga

3. Peach & Wolf Bakery

Flaky pastries don’t come better than those at Peach & Wolf Bakery. (Image: @jaimeeeedavooo)The coastal community of Coffs Harbour loves to start the day with a scamper up the beach followed by an ocean swim. Once you’ve towelled off, join the locals for the signature Kevin Bacon or a cinnamon scroll paired with a perfect espresso made with Allpress Espresso beans at Peach & Wolf bakery. The eco-conscious cafe has an outlet a short stroll away from the rock pools in Woolgoolga and one on Ocean Parade.

Address: 29/87 Ocean Parade, Coffs Harbour; The Kiosk, 4 Market St, Woolgoolga

4. Dark Arts Cafe and Bar

Listen to live music while you eat. (Image: Destination NSW)

The coffee (ethically sourced) and cakes on offer at this Coffs Harbour cafe are reason enough to join the crowds of locals who converge here on the daily. The menu at the Dark Arts Cafe & Bar is as eclectic as the décor, all stained glass, velvet chairs and comic book art. Order the toasted granola jewelled with berries and orange and date gel and a cup of the wicked house blend: ‘Black Magic.’

Address: Cox Lane, Coffs Harbour

5. Farmstead

Want to connect with the Coffs Coast community? Head to the Farmstead in Boambee, the cute-as coffee van that is somewhat of a local secret. In addition to doling out exceptional espressos, the retro van sells a small selection of cakes and sweet and savoury pastries. The outdoor fire pit is roaring daily in the cooler months and winter also sees the cafe morph into a pop-up pizzeria once a month (check the cafe’s Instagram for dates).

Address: 10 North Boambee Road, North Boambee

6. Glenreagh Bakery

Try one of the signature treats on the menu for a buttery, sweet delight.

The gourmet chunky beef and mushroom pie must surely make this destination bakery a contender for Australia’s Best Pie.

Glenreagh Bakery also shifts with confidence from savoury to sweet with crisp-edged croissants, custard brioche and caramel slice all signature treats. Forgo coffee and order a chai to accompany your indulgent treat.

Address: 38 Coramba St, Glenreagh

7. Going Bananas Cafe

Did you visit the Big Banana if you didn’t eat a banana split? (Image: Destination NSW)

Have you even been to Coffs Harbour if you haven’t visited the Going Bananas Cafe? The cafe, like the Big Banana and all of Australia’s Big Things, seems to have been engineered around nostalgia. The only difference with visiting this iconic attraction nowadays is that nostalgia is posted online for all to appreciate. Order a coffee if you’re craving one. But otherwise save space for the incomparably delicious and wonderful Family Split loaded with bananas, vanilla, ice cream and fresh cream and freckled with nuts and sprinkles.

Address: 351 Pacific Highway, Coffs Harbour

8. Ground Earth

Order black mussels at Ground Earth cafe.

Ground Earth epitomises cafe culture on the Coffs Coast, clinging to a character all its own. Although the wholefoods cafe is laid-back, the staff are extremely attentive and friendly. The menu changes with the seasons and is as beguiling as the local scenery that winds from the mountains to the sea. Find a seat on the footpath to enjoy everything from brekky burgers to savoury lentils, nasi goreng and pad Thai. Big ups to the single-origin coffee, which is by Barrett espresso and milk by local farm Little Big Dairy Co.

Address: 1/18 Market St, Woolgoolga

9. Hope Road

Sit down to the lively Hope Road.

The chill neighbourhood cafe is not about fine dining. It’s both raucous and relaxed with a hodgepodge of raw timber tables and burnt orange walls adorned with hessian sacks that promote the provenance of the Drumroll Coffee Roasters beans sourced for your morning java. Hope Road is a reference to where Bob Marley grew up in Kingston and the lively hub is as much about reggae and music as it is about coffee.

Address: 31 Park Avenue, Coffs Harbour

10. Nyanggan Gapi

Support local communities and eat well.

Learn about the culture of the Traditional Owners of the Coffs Coast by booking a Giingan Gumbaynggirr Cultural Experience with Wajaana Yaam Gumbaynggirr Adventure Tours. The operator is one of the ECO-certified operators that helped the Coffs Coast be accredited as a destination for conscious travel. The Indigenous-owned corporation also has Nyanggan Gapi at the Sealy Lookout, where 100 per cent of the profits go back to supporting young people engaged in its programs.

Address: Sealy Lookout Drive, Coffs Harbour

11. Palate & Ply Cafe and Roastery

This casual cafe has literally been cobbled together with palettes and ply. It’s both a cafe and roastery where the best seats in the house will depend on your mood. Sit inside if you want to socialise around lounges your nanna will covet. Or take it outside to the grassy patch to settle in for some people-watching. Wind down the day with new friends over a ham and cheese toastie and mixed berry smoothie.

Address: 37 Vernon St, Coffs Harbour

12. The Happy Frog

The signature tees hint at the offering and vibe of this healthy cafe.

The ‘Peace, Love and Chickpeas’ tees worn by the wait staff should give you an indication of the vibe at this healthy lifestyle cafe and store on the main strip of Coffs Harbour. The cafe offers a plant-centric menu that includes a lot of vegan and GF options too. Here at the Happy Frog, even the simplest sides from the salad bar are a treat. Think Buddha bowls, falafels and frittata. BYO reusable container to get 50 cents off your order.

Address: 16 Park Avenue, Coffs Harbour

13. Cafe in the Valley

Pull up a chair at the open-air seating area of Ulong General Store.

“G’day. How are you?" It’s the ubiquitous greeting at Ulong General Store and it encapsulates so much about this community hub. Bring some good walking shoes and hike the trails in nearby Bindarri National Park before you tuck into a few Portuguese tarts or beefy meat pie. The cafe tucked away in the Orara Valley on the Dorrigo Plateau is a vibe, known for its live music, and pizza nights as well as its art offerings and creative spirit.

Address: 70 Pine Avenue, Ulong

14. Idle In Cafe

Coffs Harbour is best known for its stunning beaches. But wait until you head into the hinterland, where you will find dinky little hamlets such as Nana Glen, just a 25-minute drive from Coffs Harbour. If you’re lucky, you might strike up a conversation with a local biker over coffee and a wodge of carrot and walnut cake at the Idle In Cafe. If the weather is sunny – which it usually is around Coffs Harbour (which averages around 131 sunny days per year) take up their recommendation to visit some of the hidden treasures of the Orara Valley and grab a takeaway breaky roll to go.

Address: 30 Nana St, Nana Glen

15. White Salt

It’s the holy grail on a road trip: classic fish and chips, not too fancy, well prepared and wallet-friendly. White Salt in Woolgoolga is a casual neighbourhood cafe that has a relaxed atmosphere and beautifully prepared catches. The menu, at a glance, might seem fairly simple, but there is a lot of technique and skill in cooking a really wonderful piece of fish in a light-as-air tempura batter and serving it with a side of hand-cut chips.

Address: 70 Beach Street, Woolgoolga

16. Village Pantry

Don’t be fooled by the fact it’s nestled deep within Park Beach Home Base, the suburb’s one-stop-shop retail destination. Village Pantry, right next to Forty Winks behind the kids’ playground, is seriously epic, dishing up attentive service (steak knives for toasted sourdough, always appreciated), seasonal twists on breakfast classics, generous portions and ultra-fresh ingredients. Better still, the coffee is creamy liquid gold. Go for the Breaky Board stacked with pancakes, bacon, potato rostis, eggs, chorizo, smoked beans and even more if you and your people are seriously hungry and opt for lunch if you can’t make it early. The team nails unwavering quality any time of the day and locals swear by it.

Address: 9/252 Pacific Highway, Coffs Harbour

17. Bello e Buono

Head to Bello e Buono for a caffeine fix. (Image: Michal Kubala)

As the Coffs Coast gains visitor momentum thanks to locales beyond Coffs Harbour alone, the ever-enchanting Sawtell is home to a particularly burgeoning cafe culture. Leading the pack is Bello e Buono, a beautiful little Italian eatery rolling out ridiculously authentic pasta, focaccia, coffee, treats and more. Take a curb-side seat or find somewhere cosy inside to sample the likes of lovingly stuffed cannoli and homemade sandwiches before stocking up on cacciatore, pancetta, mortadella and mozzarella to take home for a sunset spread. Bellissimo.

Address: 39 First Avenue, Sawtell

For more unexpected wonders of the Coffs Coast, read our guide to Coffs Harbour and beyond.

Updates written by Kristie Lau-Adams