Ellen

Cafe$

This venue is one of Good Food’s 100 Essential Sydney Cafes and Bakeries of 2026.

It’s difficult to make muesli exciting, but at Ellen it’s a textural delight of puffed rice, yoghurt and crunch, served with pistachio cream and fresh strawberries. It’s that kind of commitment to the small things which makes this place special.

It recently became the go-to for fish burgers in Sydney – they’re generously portioned, carefully wrapped and full of acidity and heat from pickles and seeded mustard. But that’s only the start – the kitchen goes beyond typical cafe fare with specials like poached Queensland grouper, served with fish bone broth, chives and a paper-thin slice of pancetta.

Good to know: About half of the seating is outside (and dog-friendly) – lovely on a sunny day, less so when it rains.

Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.

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