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There are few cafés that feel quite as woven into Sydney’s café culture as Paramount Coffee Project. Since first opening its (perfectly industrial-chic) doors back in 2013, this Surry Hills stalwart has helped shape the city’s increasingly design-conscious coffee scene – setting the standard for what we ask for from our breakfast spot. More than a decade later, it remains a neighbourhood institution – sitting pretty in the airy foyer of Paramount House and spilling out onto what we reckon is still one of the coolest streets in the city.
The vibe
Housed within the Paramount House precinct, steps from Surry Hills’ myriad design agencies and boutique architecture firms, this is the place you come to brunch with Sydney’s most stylish. The space is minimalist without feeling sterile, with cavernously tall ceilings, polished concrete, white subway tiles and timber details providing a very aesthetically-pleasing backdrop for the steady stream of trendy locals and coffee-devoted travellers who pass through each day.
The food
With an admirable commitment to sustainability (and giving the people of Sydney what they want on the brunch front), the menu changes with the seasons, with a few signatures (including the beloved house-made banana bread) staying put year round. The current spring menu is a mix of PCP signatures and newer seasonal plates, including crumbed eggs on A.P. sourdough with slow-braised ham hock and kale, fried chicken and waffles with maple bacon gravy, a spring salad with grilled asparagus, baby cos, beans and whipped feta, and a gorgeously well-balanced stracciatella, chilli and hazelnut toast. There’s also a devilishly delicious black sesame and buttermilk panna cotta going right now – we were full when this arrived at our table, and still couldn’t help but demolish it. Swing by in winter, and you’ll be greeted with a more warming menu – the wildly umami congee from the winter 2026 menu was a certified crowd-pleaser, and the joy of a seasonally-changing menu is that you’ll always have reason to return and try something new.
The drinks
A full brunch at PCP is definitely worth adding to your hit list, but if you’re short on time, it’s still worth swinging by for a hot drink and a pastry to go. The coffee program rotates through guest roasters from Australia and beyond – the signature “Montblanc” (topped with a rose water and orange-infused foam and flecks of freeze-dried raspberry) is our top pick, but all drinks are made to a seriously high standard.
We were hosted at Paramount Coffee Project, but our editorial listings are always honest.
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