28 of the best bakeries in Sydney to kickstart your morning right

It’s time to break bread at some of Sydney’s best bakeries.

The subject of ‘best bakery in Sydney’ is up for discussion. The city is a haven for food enthusiasts, offering a diverse culinary scene that has sprouted a plethora of world-class bakeries. The best bakeries in Sydney are known for everything from flaky croissants to chewy sourdough or cookies with molten chocolate centres. Use your loaf and leave a trail of crumbs around the NSW capital as you sample sweet and savoury treats of the highest order.

1. Buttered Bakery & Cafe

Indulge in a selection of sweet and savoury treats.

Best for: The Salty Boi, which is a mash-up of a croissant and dinner roll injected with sweet or savoury fillings.

Pass the tissue bread. You’ll be crying tears of joy when you encounter the cool Gen Z K-pop loving cousin of the cronut that you’ve clocked on the Tok. Skip your usual order of smashed avo and order the tissue bread, which is all heart and Seoul thanks to those flaky pull-apart layers. The brand-new Korean bakery housed in a heritage-listed building in Chippendale is also known for its Waterfall Cake, a light and airy sponge filled with fruits and toppings. It’s your go-to gateau for the next office gatho. The bakery is the brainchild of Vuza Hospitality head chef Philip Choi who trained at Le Cordon Bleu Paris.

Address: 5 Central Park Avenue, Chippendale

2. FLOUR coffee & doughroom

two servings of croissants at Flour, Caringbah

Their fresh-baked croissants come with different toppings. (Image: Flour)

Best for: Seeded white sourdough and cardamom rolls

This 40-seater cafe and glass-walled dough room in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire has lines snaking out the door each day. The recipes at FLOUR coffee & doughroom were developed by bakers Nathan Martin (ex-Humble, Brasserie Bread, The Grounds and Sonoma) and pastry chefs Emily Demetriou and Patrik Svab. And they don’t change as the customers have committed to memory the taste and texture of everything from the magic madeleines to the iconic finger buns. Five Foot One drew inspiration for the interior palette from biscuits and butter to icing and oats.

Address: 277 Willarong Road, Caringbah South

3. 22 Grams

Freshly baked croissants with berries.

Best for: Coffee and a croissant

Twenty-two grams is precisely the measurement of coffee required to make a triple espresso shot. And it’s also symbolic of the 22 Grams baristas and their commitment to doing things with care and precision. But 22 grams is not just a top spot for a brew; it’s also a bakery turning out top-notch bread and croissants. The sourdough is made from flour, water and salt and left to ferment for a total of 36 hours from start to finish. The result is bread that is healthy and nutritious and easy to digest.

Address: 166-168 Belmore Road, Randwick

4. The Grumpy Baker & Bar, Potts Point

bread on display inside The Grumpy Baker, Potts Point

Order a sourdough loaf to go at The Grumpy Baker. (Image: Steven Woodburn)

Best for: Roast garlic and olive sourdough loaf

Michael and Debbie Cthurmer opened their first venue in Darlinghurst in 2002. More than two decades on, The Grumpy Baker has 12 venues scattered like sesame seeds around Sydney and surrounds. The family-bakery runs the gamut from a rustic beach-side bakery in Maroubra to an elegant small bar and bakery in a space that housed Macleay St Bistro for four decades. The Grumpy Baker obviously has you covered when it comes to bread. But the bakeries double as cafes where sipping coffee over house-made jam on toast is also a thing. Pick up a house-made frozen meal of beef cottage pie to go.

Address: 71A Macleay Street, Potts Point 

5. Self Raised Bread Shoppe, Carlton

An assortment of pastries from Self Raised Bread Shoppe

A delightful assortment of freshly baked pastries.

Best for: Hoagies

Bread-heads on the hunt for some of Sydney’s best sangas can often be found in the queue that curls out of Self Raised Bread Shoppe in Carlton. Hussein Rachid, sister Amani Rachid, and friend Sal Senan are the trio behind SRBS, an offshoot of pizzeria My Mother’s Cousin, in Bexley’s north. The bakery excels in its hoagies and chicken schnittie sangas and staples like Boston cream doughnuts. Sister venue Self Raised Snack Shoppe also doles out truly great creations that will transport you to another time. The second Shoppe opened next to the pizzeria in 2024. And, like its Carlton cousin, it has a retro milk bar feel. Expect Roman-style pizza by the slice and seafood sangas.

Address: 45 Jubilee Avenue, Carlton Shop; 48/20 Sarsfield Circuit, Bexley North

6. Flour and Stone

canelés at Flour and Stone bakery on Riley Street, Woolloomooloo

Dark and crisp canelés are available at Flour and Stone. (Image: Destination NSW)

Best for: Pannacotta lamingtons

Nadine Graham’s passion for baking led her from a dairy farm in the Hunter Valley all the way to Michelin-starred restaurants in London. Nadine then made her mark back in Australia at MG Garage before following her passion into baking. That passion shines through at Flour and Stone, where Nadine uses her baking skills to better connect with the community. Pick up a loaf of sourdough alongside sweet little things such as pannacotta lamingtons, flaky croissants and chocolate and sour cherry cookies. The petite bakery also has a neighbouring pantry where you can add toasted muesli, yoghurt and chilli jam to your trolley. Nadine’s first book, Flour & Stone, Baked for Love, Life and Happiness (Simon & Schuster, $60) is also available.

Address: 53 Riley Street, Woolloomooloo

7. Breadfern Bakery

an array of pastries from Breadfern, Redfern

Treat your taste buds to a range of artisan pastries. (Image: Breadfern)

Best for: The GF and vegan-friendly peanut butter signature slice.

Breadfern Bakery does as the name suggests: sells bread in Sydney’s Redfern. But the baker’s skill and prowess extends beyond bread and is on show with everything from banoffee pies and lemon meringue tarts to pretty plum puffs. The sausage roll is also a showpiece as are the sweet and savoury treats made from scratch every morning. The bakery is near to the bike lane that slices through Prince Alfred Park toward Central so you can arrive on two wheels and avoid Uber price surges. Two of the most tempting items on the menu are the ham and cheese toastie and wonderfully chewy bagel.

Address: 306-308 Chalmers Street, Redfern

8. A.P Bakery

Enjoy delicious baked goods on the rooftop at A.P Bakery in Surry Hills. (Image: Rachael Thompson)

Best for: Aleppo pepper scrolls

A.P Bakery has sprouted outlets all over Sydney. From AP House atop Paramount House, to AP Town in Newtown, AP Place in the CBD and cream bun kiosk AP Supply. Add to the mix, AP Bread & Wine in Darlinghurst doing dinner in a darling sandstone cottage. But let’s keep it simple and start with the OG AP (which stands for all-purpose, as in flour). All hail head baker Dougal Muffet who mills his own grains and uses heirloom wheat varieties grown with sustainable practices. This passion for provenance is what makes AP one of the best bakeries in Sydney. Order a dark-chocolate croissant and pair it with a piccolo made from Reuben Hills Coffee.

Address: L2/80 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills

9. Iggy’s Bread

the sourdough wheel at Iggy’s Bread, Bronte

Their soft sourdough wheel is best served with soups and salads. (Image: Iggy’s Bread)

Best for: A health loaf made with love

Iggy’s Bread supplies naturally leavened loaves to a lot of Sydney’s best restaurants. Helmed by Yugoslavian-born baker Igor Ivanovic, the Bronte bakery with the cult following specialises in sourdough, whole wheat and rye breads. The menu is not wide ranging but the bread is up there with Sydney’s best. Go all out at your next party by pre-ordering a wheel of rolls with a circle of Pepe Saya butter. The pro play is to bring your eco bag so you look the part and stuff it with carefully curated items placed around the rustic bread shop and pantry. Good news: the cafe is again open on Saturdays.

Address: 131 Macpherson Street, Bronte

10. Loulou Boulangerie & Traiteur

Find flaky croissants at the hole-in-the-wall Petite Loulou. (Image: Supplied)

Best for: Delicate viennoiserie (the bridge between pâtisserie and French bread)

Loulou’s is a proper French baker’s bakery. Loulou now has a few locations around Sydney offering a wide variety of baked goods including not-to-be-missed baguettes, miche loaves and sweet treats. Got visitors you want to impress? Pick up a Toulouse sausage and terrine and artisan products. The French bakery, which began in Milsons Point, now has a kiosk-style cafe in Martin Place (1 Elizabeth St) catering to corporate types who want to eat their feelings. Find comfort at the hole-in-the-wall Petite Loulou in a sausage roll, rotisserie chicken baguette or fresh-baked French croissant.

Address: 61 Lavender Street, Milsons Point

11. Brooklyn Boy Bagels

the Pumpernickel and Lox bagel at Brooklyn Boy Bagels, Surry Hills

The pumpernickel and lox bagel is a certified bestseller. (Image: Brooklyn Boy Bagels)

Best for: Za’atar Bagel

Brooklyn Boy Bagels recently claimed the title of Best Bagels in Asia Pacific and ranked third internationally at the 2024 New York BagelFest. Brooklyn-born journalist turned baker Michael Shafran founded Brooklyn Boy Bagels in 2013 with a clear vision: to bring the best New York bagels to Australia. The native New Yorker has done that and then some with Brooklyn Boy Bagels, which has stores in Marrickville and Surry Hills. Bagel boffins will appreciate the creative schmears such as Tim Tam cream cheese and Bacon Bourbon & Maple Cream Cheese.

Address: 19 Carrington Road, Marrickville; 1/80 Reservoir St, Surry Hills

12. Fabbrica Bread Shop

Delicious savoury goods from Fabricca Bread Shop.

Best for: The best avocado toast in Sydney

The Love Tilly Devine team has venues sprinkled all over Sydney, including some of the city’s best Italian restaurants and pasta bars. Fabbrica Bread Shop is the group’s first dedicated bakery and it’s worth your time to roam to Rozelle for a dose of your daily bread. The bakery has a catering arm where the frenzied baking results in metre-long focaccias, sandwiches and whole cakes. Head to harbourside Dawn Fraser Baths in Balmain for a dip so you can enjoy a tortilla sando with thick-cut maple bacon, relish and mayo guilt-free. Pick up a bonnafee tart and loaf of sourdough to go.

Address: 733 Darling Street, Rozelle

13. Brickfields Bakery

hands kneading bread at Brickfields Bakery, Chippendale

Brickfields is one of Sydney’s top artisan bakeries.

Best for: Coco Chanel with a praline glaze

Brickfields in Chippendale is busy raising expectations on what a loaf of excellent bread looks like. Expect everything from gravity-defying loaves of sourdough to glorious confections such as fruit Danishes with vanilla-infused custard or a chocolate and almond brownie. Counterbalance the sweet treats by ordering something from the savoury side, such as the light rye and caraway sourdough or slab of focaccia made from milled FPM flour mill in Tamworth. Look out for the bread stalls at weekend markets from Manly to Marrickville, Paddington to Potts Point.

Address: 206 Cleveland Street, Chippendale

14. Shadow Baking

baked treats from Shadow Baking bakery in Sydney

Expect flavour combos from sister venue Messina in Darlinghurst. (Image: Shadow Baking)

Best for: Vegemite and avocado scrolls

The bricks and mortar venue has stepped out of the shadows of its market stall at The Cannery and into a prominent position near sister venue Messina in Darlinghurst. The cupboard-sized outfit is led by Messina’s executive pastry chef Tom Mitchell and his French cohorts Florian Fritsch (Messina sous chef) and Remi Talbot (former head chef of Messina Creative). So it’s French but with a bit of Aussie bogan, as evident by the vegemite and avocado scroll layered with fermented chilli egg jam and finely grated pecorino. Even ardent aficionados of Sydney’s best bakeries will find instant gratification with the twice-baked croissants topped with Messina-tella spread at Shadow Baking.

Address: 243 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst

15. Goodwood Bakeshop

fruit Danishes from Goodwood Bakeshop, Marrickville

Danishes topped with blood plums and almonds. (Image: Goodwood Bakeshop)

Best for: Seeded sourdough or the tapenade and goat’s cheese scroll.

Goodwood Bakeshop is a portmanteau of owners’ Jamie Goodin and Alex Alewood’s surnames. The husband-and-wife duo met in 2010 while working at Bourke St Bakery and together have experience working at some of the best bakeries in Sydney. But the hole-in-the-wall is also a mash-up of the couple’s combined experience, resulting in outstanding pastries and baked goods. While the bakery follows the same methods to make bread established thousands of years ago (they mill their own flour to add to dough starters), innovation is also one of the cornerstones of their cooking. The Goodshop Bakeshop weekly playlist is fire, with options such as focaccia topped with potato, chilli, nigella, and herbs.

Address: 297 Marrickville Road, Marrickville

16. Bourke Street Bakery

two boxes of baked goods from Bourke St Bakery

Bourke St Bakery’s supreme packs are packed with beef, pork and vegan pies.

Best for: Bacon and egg rolls

Prepare to stand in line at Bourke Street Bakery for pastries that walk the tightrope between sweet and savoury. Take the fig and cranberry sourdough. Or the tangy lemon curd tart, which can barely contain its silky filling. Sign up to a Sourdough Masterclass at Banksmeadow HQ where you will use a 25-year-old starter to bake an artisan loaf from scratch. Sydney’s bread obsessed will be familiar with the many venues freckled around town, from Balmain to Barangaroo, Caringbah to Kirrawee, Neutral Bay to Newtown.

Address: See bourkestreetbakery.com.au for locations

17. Baker Bleu

pastries and coffee at Baker Bleu, Double Bay

Bite into signature pastries at Baker Bleu. (Image: Trent van der Jagt)

Best for: A poached chicken sanga with roast tomatoes, lettuce, avocado and green goddess dressing.

Neil Perry has thrown his considerable clout behind the first Sydney outpost of Melbourne’s Baker Bleu. Consider that a ringing endorsement for the Double Bay bakery, which is a few doors down from his restaurant Margaret. The name of the bakery is a nod to baker Mike Russell’s nickname, Blue, in reference to his red hair. And while you can absolutely pick up a loaf of signature sourdough, you can also dine in on options such as breakfast bagels stuffed with salmon pastrami, cream cheese, pickled onion and dill pickle. The bolthole serves some of Sydney’s best sangas.

Address: 2 Guilfoyle Avenue, Double Bay

18. Brasserie Bread

chocolate cross buns from Brasserie Bread, Banksmeadow

The chocolate cross buns from Brasserie Bread are not to be missed.

Best for: Spinach and ricotta Danishes

Crowds of tradies are often clocked clamouring for the rich buttery brioche sangas stuffed with bacon, eggs and avocado. Brasserie Bread is one of the OG artisan sourdough bakeries in Sydney and was instrumental in the city’s breaducation about the benefits of eating sourdough. Head to the rustic Banksmeadow bakery storefront for sweet treats like chocolate caramel tarts or coconut teacakes. Or grab a deli-style sandwich made on New York-style rye bread. We cherish everything about this bakery cafe, from the service to the squares of testers so you can try before you buy. Take home a loaf of quinoa and soya seeded loaf, much loved for its texture.

Address: 1737 Botany Road, Banksmeadow

19. Sonoma Bakery

seasonal bread and treats from Sonoma Bakery

Taste your way through the seasonal treats on offer. (Image: Sonoma Bakery)

Best for: Coconut layered lamington

You could spend weeks traversing Sydney to dine at the Sonoma bakeries that have popped up everywhere from Bondi to Bankstown. The pioneering Sonoma, established in 1998 by Kerry Connole and his sons Andrew and Christian, is known for a reason: its exceptionally good bread. Despite being named after the California state where the artisan sourdough bread movement reportedly began, the bakeries have become synonymous with sourdough in Sydney. In fact, the family have spent decades honing their skills and the bread is now used at a multitude of cafes and delis across the city and its surrounds. Order a Three Cheese Toastie on slabs of bread cut from a country white sourdough or tuck into a morning bun chased down by a piccolo.

Address: 32-44 Birmingham Street, Alexandria

20. Humble Bakery & Cafe

boxes of baked goods from Humble Bakery, Sydney

Be sure to grab boxes of baked goodies from Humble Bakery. (Image: Caroline McCredie)

Humble Bakery is brought to you by Elvis Abrahanowicz, Ben Milgate and Joseph Valore, the hospitality lords behind Porteño and Bastardo, who preside over a backstreet in Surry Hills. Now with three locations, Humble Bakery has become a go-to for top-tier baked goods across Sydney. Watch the bakers in the open kitchen, sending up clouds of flour as they punch down dough for the day’s delights. The finger buns are pretty darn good, and the toasties are something else. Post a Humble brag about your mortadella and salami focaccia or the not-so-humble hambo sandwich.

Address: Shop 2, 50 Holt Street, Surry Hills; Shop 1, 333 Kent Street; Shop 19, 16-20 Loftus Lane.

21. Berkelo

Make a beeline for mince pies at Berkelo.

Best for: Family loaves

A vanguard of young, creative artisan bakers at Berkelo are determined to create delicious bread from sustainable stoneground flour. And the community stands united when it comes to supporting the Brookvale bakery, which also has outlets in Mosman, Manly and Terrey Hills. The bakers will make you feel righteous for choosing bread made from organic grains grown by Australian farmers. The long fermentation process means the food is good for your gut. Northern Beaches residents go berko at Berkelo for the signature sourdough as well as the wheat-free seed loaf and sprouted grain loaf.

Address: 8 William Street, Brookvale

22. Infinity Sourdough

Best for: Pan au chocolat

Cosplay as a hip city creative working in fashion while wearing shiny nylon, mocha mousse tee and nose ring ahead of your visit to Infinity Bakery in Redfern. This is a gathering for ‘dough’ nuts you’ll want to be part of. Infinity Bakery has been working its magic as one of Sydney’s first sourdough bakeries for decades. Furthermore, there are now five venues across Sydney where you can sweeten your day with an Iced Vovo croissant, mango and coconut Danish or almond croissant. Our true love lies with the Infinity Sourdough, which you will find used to great effect at cafes such as HAM in the Sutherland Shire or the Hills Cafe & Bakery.

Address: 2-38 Baptist Street, Redfern

23. Lode Pies & Pastries

a look inside Lode Pies & Pastries bakery in Sydney

The polished cafe looks more like a bathhouse than a bakery. (Image: Lode Pies & Pastries)

Best for: The Lode pithivier stuffed with caramelised pork, shiitake mushrooms and chicken gravy.

Oh boy. The yummo yuzu tart is an ode to the Lode. Also worth considering is the doughnut-shaped croissant, that wonderfully flaky creation filled with white chocolate crème, glazed with raspberry and dusted with pistachio and rose petals. Apparently, it’s such a time suck for the pastry chefs that only 15 are made each day. The polished cafe is all marble and concrete, with a pared-back neutral palette of whites, greys and pinks that is more bathhouse than bakery. Head to the glass display counter for inspiration at this high-end bakery helmed by Federico Zanellato (Lumi Dining).

Address: 487 Crown Street

Best for: Paperbark dacquoise cake

24. Hearthe

Hearthe’s paperbark cake is a mille-feuille inspired by the eucalyptus tree. (Image: Sean Alcantara)

Home is where the Hearthe is is. That’s certainly the case for Stanmore residents who waited patiently for Black Star Pastry founder Christopher Thé to open his cake shop and cafe in 2022. It was well worth the wait. The creator of the world-famous strawberry watermelon cake keeps it simple at Hearthe with his cakes and baked goods inspired by native Australian ingredients. The baked goats curd cheesecake features desert lime and there’s eucalyptus in the caramel of the paperbark dacquoise cake in the display cabinet.

Address: 16 Douglas Street, Stanmore

25. Lucien Baked Goods

Pistachio Berry Cake from Lucien Baked Goods, Parramatta

Level up your dessert game with a pistachio berry cake. (Image: Lucien Baked Goods)

Best for: The Persian love cake

Parramatta is having a bit of a moment. Fold up your fixie and commute to Sydney’s second CBD so you can suss out all that is new and exciting. Do a hot lap of the park and then walk into Lucien Baked Goods with purpose. A quick scroll of the bakery cafe hybrid’s Instagram feed will induce a feeling of anticipation. While the Lucien Baked Goods website might use cookies, so do the bakers … to entice unsuspecting passersby. We say roll with it and order a handful alongside a slice of lamington berry cake, and a banoffee choux filled with Chantilly cream. Ponder a move to this vibey vertical village after a night at Sky Suites Parramatta.

Address: 111 Phillip Street, Parramatta

26. Sweet Belem

Portuguese desserts available at Sweet Belem, Petersham

Savour Portuguese desserts at Sweet Belem. (Image: Destination NSW)

Best for: Portuguese tarts

Finding a Portuguese tart in a display cabinet in Petersham feels like unearthing a hidden treasure. It’s a big call to claim to have the world’s best Portuguese tarts. But we like to be thorough and, after consuming our body weight in pastel de nata, we reckon the bakers at Sweet Belem certainly sling the best version this side of Portugal! Let them throw down that sugar-dusted gauntlet with gusto. If you really want to blow your mind, try the lamington filled with Portuguese egg jam or the doorstop-sized vanilla slice.

Address: 35B New Canterbury Road, Petersham

27. Rollers Bakehouse

classic baked favourites from Rollers Bakehouse, Manly

Our four favourites: Pain au Chocolat, Plain croissant, Cinnamon scroll and Cherry chocolate tart. (Image: Rollers Bakehouse)

Best for: Vegemite and cheese croissant

The humble croissant has a daily makeover at Rollers Bakehouse. Part the veil of secrecy and have a peep at Rollers Bakehouse TikTok to see how the almond croissant is crowned. We see those bakers rolling, and we like it. The flavour profile of the croissants changes on the regular, and we love those Franken-style creations at the Scandi-industrial cafe vying for the title of best bakery Sydney.

Address: 19 Rialto Lane, Manly

28. La Panineria

Carbonara scrambled eggs croissant with cheese, La Panineria, best bakery Sydney

Carbonara scrambled eggs croissant topped with generous cheese at La Panineria.

Best for: Nonna’s polpette panino stuffed with meatballs and napoletana sauce.

Have your breadbasket at the ready. It’s going to be loaded with sweet and savoury morsels when you visit this new hole-in-the-wall bakery in Sydney’s CBD. La Panineria, the sister venue to Tessuto, is a pioneering paninoteca that aims to further popularise the Italian sandwich. All up, there are 13 panini on the menu all of which are made with schiacciata (a thin and crispy Tuscan bread). Go for the Gladiator stuffed to the gills with sliced porchetta, salsa verde, provolone, charred broccolini abd crispy pork crackling. There’s also tasty schiaccita pizza by the slice and a croissant loaded with pasta carbonara. The bombolone (donuts filled with chocolatey gianduia) are the bomb.

Address: 280 George St, Sydney

Discover where to get the best coffee in Sydney

Welcome to the first instalment of Hotel Addict, a monthly column where I check into Australia’s best hotels, exploring not just the rooms, but the stories, service and settings that make each stay unforgettable and worth adding to your wishlist.

Hotel stays have quietly become my thing. Long before I became a travel journalist, I was booking staycations just for a change of scenery. Some had charm, some had character, some had neither. Once, I even stayed in a hotel directly opposite my own apartment – partly for the novelty, partly because I wanted to see my life from a different angle.

For me, hotels represent a kind of mystery – I find myself wanting to know what these buildings contain. Many of them are designed with intention: lighting, materials, scent and sounds that often reflect the city they sit in. Time seems to gently pause in these spaces, which have increasingly become the destination itself for modern travellers.

It only felt fitting for the first hotel in this series to be in my home city and at the hotel that’s been at the top of my list: Capella Sydney.

A sandstone heritage building and palm trees

Capella sits within an Edwardian Baroque‑style sandstone building.

An email with a hotel program from the “Culturist Team” lets me know this will be a luxurious stay. There’s a guided walk around the Botanic Gardens, a weaving workshop and a Sydney contemporary art tour – the kind of addition that signals a hotel that’s tuned into the finer details, and one that’s not surprising given that Capella’s ethos centres on delivering personalised, immersive experiences.

Capella opened in 2023 within a transformed Edwardian Baroque‑style sandstone building in Sydney’s CBD that was originally designed by renowned Scottish-Australian architect George McRae. I often walk past this building and once attended an event inside – I distinctly remember being surprised by how beautiful it was. Bar Studio, Make Architects, and stylist Simone Haag were engaged to sensitively adapt the building for contemporary luxury while honouring its past, in collaboration with Heritage NSW and the City of Sydney.

When I arrive, I’m greeted by three different staff members along the way to reception. There’s a lovely subtle scent, which I later learn combines notes of bergamot, green tea leaves, peony, freesia, vetiver and cedarwood. This hotel strikes such a beautiful balance between grandness and intimacy, with large floral bouquets, contemporary artworks, impressively high ceilings that give it an international feel and quieter nooks to unwind in. Each space is unique, but they’re all unified by a warm, textural and layered design.

Sydney has been deserving of a hotel of this calibre for quite some time, with many of the accommodations in the city looking and feeling dated.

A modern hotel reception with high ceilings

The design strikes the perfect balance between grandness and intimacy.

I have a treatment booked at the hotel’s Auriga Spa prior to check-in. The space is ultra-luxe, moodily lit and intimate, featuring timber joinery, green walls and a sleek design that’s so perfect it almost transports me to Japan. I opt for the Replenish Beauty and LED Facial – a strategic choice with a TV segment on the horizon, and a hopeful bid to look extra fresh for the camera.

The treatment begins with me sitting in the softest robe of my life, wearing slippers and sipping chamomile tea. I’m then whisked away to my private treatment room, which has its own bathroom, a large skylight and a small Japanese-style garden. The treatment is extremely relaxing and moves through cleansing, exfoliating, massaging (arm, head, neck and face) and LED Light Therapy. There’s so much attention to detail – even at the end, the facialist puts my slippers back on me, while I’m still lying down.

Spa treatment room with a massage bed, featuring timber walls and a serene Japanese-style garden visible through a window.

A treatment at Auriga Spa might be the best way I’ve ever started a hotel stay. (Image: Rachael Thompson)

While this treatment certainly hasn’t had a Benjamin Button effect, my sister seems to think I’m glowing, so I walk away happy, or at the very least, zen.

Auriga Spa has a sauna, steam room, ice fountain and a beautiful indoor heated swimming pool. There’s also “experiential showers” – new to me, but essentially it combines water flowing from different places, changing temperatures, mood lighting, gentle sounds, and a subtle lemongrass scent.

You could easily spend the better part of a day at the spa and pool, even if you’re not a guest.

The indoor heated swimming pool with glass ceiling at Capella Sydney.

Guests outside the hotel can use the spa and swimming pool. (Image: Rachael Thompson)

I’m escorted to my room, drunk on relaxation, but I make sure to take note of how noisy the hallways are – answer: dead quiet. My room is 50 square metres, which is huge by hotel standards, but particularly for one in the CBD. It feels like a high-end apartment with floorboards, a freestanding bath and a seating/dining area. My eyes are immediately drawn to the line-up of macarons waiting for me on the dining table.

I’m thrilled to see the mini bar armoire includes a small wine fridge stocked with Minuty Prestige Côtes de Provence, Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, Handpicked Wines Pinot Noir, and Moët Grand Vintage. Not that I plan on using it (I simply could not justify the prices) – but it’s a nice extra that makes the room feel that much more luxurious. The drinks lineup reads like a who’s-who of local favourites – Young Henrys, Maybe Sammy cocktails, Four Pillars gin and Archie Rose gin. Snacks include Tyrell’s chips, Pringles, Natural Confectionery lollies, and a Carman’s oat bar.

Some small touches I appreciate that some hotels don’t offer: the option to choose your housekeeping time, an iron that actually works well, a Bluetooth speaker, the beloved wine fridge, aluminium water bottles and a bathroom without a glass door or screen that awkwardly exposes you. The one downside is that some of these rooms don’t offer much in the way of a view.

A modern hotel room with a monochrome paletter.

I stayed in a Premier Room which was elegant and relaxing. (Image: Rachael Thompson)

4:30pm is Swill Hour – a daily tradition that nods to the historical “six o’clock swill” in Australia. This one-hour event takes place in the Living Room and invites guests to gather and enjoy each other’s company with a signature cocktail in hand. This afternoon’s tipple is a Eucalyptus Gimlet, a clever, herbaceous little cocktail, by the multi-award-winning Maybe Sammy Team, served on coasters depicting drawings of the historic building. The canapé of the day is a tomato and stracciatella tart. I noticed several staff members chatting with guests like old friends, asking how their adventures earlier in the day went – clearly remembering previous conversations from earlier visits.

Dinner is booked for 6:30pm in Aperture – arguably the most beautiful area of the accommodation. It’s decorated with Australian flora and features a kinetic sculpture hanging from the roof that opens like flowers, with softly changing lights. Tyler, who is serving us, clearly admires the Capella brand, speaking enthusiastically about the other international properties he’s been to and sharing how he sometimes brings his five-year-old daughter here to use the pool.

Interior of Aperture at Capella Sydney, featuring lush greenery and a striking ceiling-mounted sculpture.

The scale of Aperture gives it an international feel.

I kick things off with a basil melon margarita – a winning recommendation – before tucking into the best prawn toast I’ve ever had. For mains it’s crispy Ōra King salmon and spaghetti with mud crab.

When I arrive back at my room, there’s a vegan leather journal on my bed with a note that says: “The ritual of journaling allows us to pause, reflect and focus.” This is part of the turndown service, and my slippers are neatly lined up next to my bed. Will I journal? No. Do I think it’s a nice touch? Yes.

Brasserie 1930 at Capella Sydney, where Art Deco elegance meets contemporary Australian cuisine.

Brasserie 1930 boasts Art Deco elegance.

The next morning, I make the predictable choice of smashed avo for breakfast at the on-site restaurant, Brasserie 1930. There’s also a buffet brimming with all the usual suspects.

Afterwards, I head to the pool to relax for a few hours before the 11am checkout. Despite my earlier resolve not to journal, I find myself reflecting nonetheless – an irony not lost on me – on my 21st hotel stay in Sydney. I write this with growing assurance that great hotels don’t just provide a place to stay; they create memorable moments, thanks in large part to fantastic staff. Kudos to the hiring manager.

Next stop: The Tasman, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Hobart!

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