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A guide to the best cafes in Wollongong

Credit: Destination NSW

Carla Grossetti 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

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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

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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 has written across print and digital for Australian Traveller and International Traveller for more than a decade and has spent more than two decades finding excuses to eat well and travel far. A prestigious News Corp cadetship launched her career at The Cairns Post, before a stint at The Canberra Times and The Sydney Morning Herald gave way to extended wanders through Canada, the US, Mexico, Central America, Asia and Europe. Carla was chief sub editor at delicious and has contributed to Good Food, Travel & Luxury, Explore Travel, Escape. While living in London, Carla was on staff at Condé Nast Traveller and The Sunday Times Travel desk and was part of the pioneering digital team at The Guardian UK.
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The tastiest new players on Newcastle’s dining scene you need to try

    Carla Grossetti Carla Grossetti
    Continue
    Newcastle’s vibrant creativity is evident everywhere, from a thriving live arts scene to an ever-growing offering for gourmands. Those with a hunger for new and exciting experiences should put Newcastle on their radar.

    When it comes to consuming the culture of a city, digesting it (in the literal sense) is an appropriate place to start. But it’s not just a world-class wining and dining scene that’s on the menu (not to mention all the new restaurants in Newcastle). Newcastle – just two hours north of Sydney – offers the perfect blend of arts, culture and culinary experiences that make it a prime destination for an extended escape. The city’s creative future looks even brighter with the reopening of the highly anticipated Newcastle Art Gallery on the horizon.

    aerial of Nobbys beach in newcastle nsw
    Newcastle offers the perfect coastal setting for the arts and delicious eats. (Image: City of Newcastle)

    Given Newcastle’s compact size – many venues are within easy walking distance or a quick drive away – you can immerse yourself fully. From decadent patisseries to fine diners and casual coastal eats, here’s a fresh taste of Newcastle: where to eat, drink and soak up the coastal city’s good vibes.

    1. Pastry cafes in Newcastle

    pastries next to a pastry box from crumb cafe in newcastle
    Lean into Newcastle’s pastry renaissance at Crumb. (Image: Jemma Donkin)

    Pastry is having a moment, with a quietly booming scene led by CRUMB, the brand-new pastry cafe in Lambton led by legendary Gareth Williams (of Covered in Crumbs, EXP) and Ben Richardson (Autumn Rooms). Gareth describes his style of food as ‘creative chaos’. Enjoy that abstract artisanal approach over a savoury chorizo, bechamel, cheddar and poppy pastry, or a layered mortadella and pesto mayo croissant sandwich.

    Meanwhile, Leibe European Pastries, Pekárna, Union St Pastry and Praise Joe also have their own flair and loyal followings. While Liebe European Pastries is famed for layered German pastries such as Franzbrötchen, Pekárna’s signatures (like cardamom pastries) are tethered to Czech traditions.

    Head a few blocks west to Wickham, where Union St Pastry is the pinnacle for lovers of European-style viennoiseries, such as croissants and Danishes. A getaway to Newcastle also looks pretty fabulous with a mega brownie or chicken little toastie from Praise Joe.

    2. Destination dining

    Blanca resuarant in newcastle nsw
    Step inside Mediterranean-inspired eatery, Blanca. (Image: Destination NSW)

    Life looks pretty peachy from a table at the breezy Mediterranean-inspired eatery Blanca, which would not be out of place in Mykonos – when it swooped into the Honeysuckle Precinct a few years ago, it caused heads to swivel. Say yasou to mezedes of crudo di mare and sheftalia and grilled Abrolhos Islands’ octopus.

    One may also fantasise about being back in Europe – specifically the 10th arrondissement in Paris – at Frenchie, the oh-so-French bistro that offers Euro-chic elegance with an inventive Australian flair. Indulge in the Date Night set menu, available every Thursday.

    Peregrin is another stand-out. Listen to the sound of the ocean from the rooftop terrace, and order a Summertime Sour during aperitivo hour. Followed by the yellowfin tuna with pickled cucumber and market fish. And brand new on the scene is Papalote – a joint venture from the incredibly talented owners of Humbug and Flotilla serving up tasty Mexican classics.

    3. Casual coastal cafes and kiosks

    people swimming at Newcastle Ocean Baths
    Follow Newcastle’s coastline for stunning views and tasty eats. (Image: David Diehm)

    What better way to soak in Newcastle’s legendary coastline and stunning beaches than by visiting its casual coastal eateries while on the Bathers Way?

    Enjoy hot chips and scallops on the sand at Swell Kiosk Bar Beach. Or a housemade sausage roll after a morning surf at Newcastle Beach, thanks to Southy Canteen, which is open from 6am.

    Bring your furry travel companion to Sunnyboy Kiosk for a piccolo and puppuccino with views out to Dixon Park Beach. Try light eats, like acai bowls, or more substantial meals like nasi goreng at Blue Door in Merewether. Do a few lazy laps at Merewether Ocean Baths (the largest in the southern hemisphere) before tucking into swordfish skewers and salad at Merewether Surfhouse.

    You can also watch the ocean compose a bit of magic from your perch at The Kiosk Newcastle Beach, where a matcha latte looks even better with the beach fresco.

    Pause between eats to take in the iconic Newcastle Ocean Baths and Bogey Hole – perfect for a digestive swim or scenic picnic spot.

    4. Hatted restaurants in Newcastle

    couple eating at Flotilla newcastle
    Flotilla serves up delicious meals. (Image: Destination NSW)

    In recent years, Newcastle’s restaurant scene has evolved to include venues that have elevated the city’s reputation for culinary excellence. In addition to its cafes and kiosks, there’s now an exciting wave of hatted favourites putting Newcastle on the map.

    Humbug is the epitome of Novocastrian dining; the mafaldine with brisket and beef cheek braised in Pedro Ximenez is emblematic of what the owners aim for here. Flotilla neatly knits the Newcastle wining and dining scene together, with young gun Josh Thurston showcasing the art of cooking proteins and produce over fire.

    Bistro Penny is another sophisticated, hatted dining destination in Newcastle. Order the barbecued king prawns swimming in a saffron broth and the oxheart tomato salad.

    5. Newcastle nightlife

    Bartholomew's small bar in newcastle nsw
    Stop by Bartholomew’s for a drink. (Image: Destination NSW)

    As the sun dips in the west, so the city of Newcastle’s nightlife springs to life. Maru Hi-Fi is the next-gen small bar that’s redefining a night out in Newy – the sleek space serves great cocktails and embraces Newcastle’s alt attitude. Next door, Jams Karaoke & Bar is also bringing the vibes.

    If a small bar in a grand old building is more your style, check out Roxanne, Bar Mellow and Bartholomew’s.

    Start planning your Newcastle culinary coastal getaway this summer at visitnewcastle.com.au.