Where to eat in Coogee

A local's guide to good food

Confession: I am writing this article mostly for the benefit of folks who are staying at my home whilst I am off wandering the world (hurrah to the share economy). To the extent it helps others discover great cafes and restaurants in Coogee that are going the extra mile to deliver an elevated dining experience, that is a bonus!

Where to Eat in Coogee. Written by Reeta Dhar. Cover Art by Darren Pryce

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A short history of Coogee's food scene

I moved to Coogee at the formative age of 26. The year was 2010 and I had just bought my first home a hop and skip away from Coogee beach. Unlike its upmarket cousins, Bronte, Tamarama and Bondi, Coogee had a mixed reputation back then ...

Coogee was very much a backpackers' joint. Brazilian and English backpackers dominated the scene, gathering at the beach to party, play drums or walk their slacklines. Coogee also had a rough pub scene. The police would be out in force from Friday to Sunday, patrolling the streets in front of Coogee Bay Hotel. The cafes and restaurants in the area left much to be desired, as they catered primarily to the backpacker crowd. Completing the downtrodden image was the Coogee Pavilion, which sat crumbling at the north end of the beach.

The 26-year-old me, however, did not mind one bit, for it meant that I could afford to buy a home in this rustic piece of paradise! Also, there was never a dull moment to be had.

Fast forward 16 years, and the once down-to-earth beachside village that catered to backpackers has become rather posh. The opening of InterContinental last year all but sealed the Coogee's new identity as an up-market Eastern beaches destination.

Don't get me wrong, you will still find plenty of bare feet old timers going for their daily swims with their bellies hanging out (present company included), but the area has become a lot more popular with travellers and tourists with time.

Coogee is still a very transient suburb with plenty of travellers, temporary residents and tourists passing through the area, albeit of a more well heeled type. The young Brazilians and English crowds of yesteryears have been all but replaced with Irish migrants – Coogee Bay Hotel may as well rebrand to an Irish Pub!

As the population mix changed, the food scene evolved with it. The renovation of Coogee Pavilion in particular transformed the area, attracting affluent residents, day trippers and tourists alike. Even Coogee Bay Hotel has cleaned up its act.

The good news for visitors is that this isn't the sort of place where one gets bored.

The beach and stunning coastal walk aside, there is plenty of great food to enjoy in Coogee and greater Sydney. Having travelled to many of the world's great cities, I can confidently say that Sydney (and Melbourne) can give any of the international destinations a run for their money; in fact I think when you consider quality and price, Sydney (and Melbourne) are miles ahead. So make wining and dining a priority when visiting our shores.

Introduction to Australia's unique cafe and restaurant culture

For those who are new to Australia it is worth noting that this is a country of early risers, with a fairly unique café and restaurant culture.

Our cafes open early: In most places you can get yourself a beautiful barista made coffee, with a full breakfast, as early as 6am. The downside to this is that cafes close early too. Most shut their doors around 3pm, after the lunch service. Only a select few do dinner service, and even then would limit it to 3-4 days a week.

Sadly, we don't do siestas. Rather, we Aussies prefer to have an early dinners and be tucked into bed by 10pm ... Nightlife never quite recovered after the COVID lockdowns.

Restaurants focus on the lunch and dinner service. For dinner, most have two rounds of service; one for early diners starting between 5-6pm and another at 8pm onwards. If opting for the first service, you will need to clear out by the next booking. Your waiter will usually let you know by when they need the table back. If you want to linger on after dinner, you generally have to head to a pub or bar, noting that most shut their doors at midnight.

During midweek, the kitchens are usually taking last orders by 9pm so don't leave going out for too late – this is not Asia nor Europe! A lot of restaurants also tend to be closed on Mondays, with most operating from Tuesdays to Sundays.

Some but not all cafes and restaurants operate on major public holidays (e.g. Christmas or New Year's Day). Expect to pay a public surcharge of between 10-15% during these times.

All hospitality staff in Australia are employed under an Award system that specifies the minimum pay and benefits, including penalty rates for working on public holidays, etc. The employment conditions are good and paying a tip is not necessary. However, if someone does go above and beyond, don't let that stop you.

My favourite cafes in Coogee

 

Coogee with its thriving cafe scene is a mecca for the brekkie and brunching types.

Most cafés in Coogee would be a safe bet, offering the standard café fare, at standard café prices. Things aren’t exactly cheap in Australia anymore. You should expect to spend between $15-30 per person for breakfast and $5-7 for coffee or drinks alone.

If like me, you prefer your eating-out experience to be a tad elevated, then you'll have to get a little more picky. Here four cafes that I find go the extra mile when it comes to food in Coogee:

1. Little Kitchen:

Since first opening in Coogee in 2014, Little Kitchen has grown to become a much loved addition to Coogee village for all the right reasons – the food is delicious and the serving size, generous.

I'd go so far as to say that it is the best café food you'd find in Coogee. It may have to do something with the owner working in the kitchen, but the food served here has never missed a beat.

As for the coffee they serve, well let's just say it packs a punch. They also have an array of fresh pastries on offer every morning, so it is a wonderful place to stop by if only to pick-up a takeaway coffee and pastry, before heading off to see the sunrise.

There are a few long-time staffers on duty most days so service is also very friendly. Little Kitchen has limited outdoor seating which gets excellent sun over summer. Indoor seating is good to but it can feel a little noisy when full. There are no ocean views here but again, it’s the sort of place you go for the food.

If staying at my place, you just need to roll out of bed for this one. Located on Arden Street Little Kitchen is a minute's walk from the south end of Coogee Beach.

2. Morning Glory

 

Morning Glory has two main virtues: A large variety of food on offer and a fabulous location. They also cater very well for vegetarians and vegans.

It is hard to beat for travellers and locals alike. If I have friends visiting from afar, this is where I suggest we meet for breakfast.

Located on the North end of Coogee Beach, Morning Glory is just up the road from Coogee Pavilion. Grab one of their outdoor tables with sweeping views of Coogee Beach – and as the young ones say, love your life.

3. Lion and Buffalo

Lion and Buffalo is not strictly in Coogee, more like South Coogee on Malabar Road.

I've added it to the list as their food is step above the average café fare. The coffee and cakes on offer are also excellent and the décor, quirky. For some reason there are a lot of suggestive looking ripped bunnies around …

I'd suggest adding this café to your itinerary when doing the Coogee to Maroubra coastal walk. It is about 20-30 minutes' walk from Coogee. Stop here for breakfast enroute to Maroubra or for a coffee and cake on the way back – you would have earned it too!

'Cheap and cheerful' eats in Coogee

One of the things I like about holidays is discovering cheap and cheerful bites that help to keep the hunger at bay – without draining the wallet. Admittedly, 'cheap' is a bit hard to come by in Australia these days. In Coogee it amounts to spending between $10-20 per person on a meal.

My recommended go to places in and around 'Coogee village' for typical cheap eats are:

• Fish and Chips: If you want an iconic beachside meal, you can't go past a good old fashioned fish n chips. There are several places to get fish and chips in Coogee but the most convenient is at the kiosk on the beach, Chish and Fips. The standard fish is Hoki (which recently increased to $18) with options to upgrade. They also do a nice Greek salad as well as pretty decent fish burgers. If you are looking for a more premium edition, try Coogee Pavilion's fish and chip takeaway but that will set you back ~$30. Hot tip: Do a takeaway, walk up to the hill on the North-end of the beach, and have a lovely little picnic (with the rest of the community) at sunset.

• Bánh Mì: Xcel Rolls has been a feature of Coogee since well before my time. They're hard to miss as there is often a long line here during lunch. You can get banh mi (Vietnamese sandwiches made in crispy bread roll with choice of protein, pickles and salads), rice paper rolls, spring rolls and a few other deep fried delights from here for a great price. I personally love their banh mi as they don't skimp on the filling including your choice of protein. These start at $10.

• Pizza - Johnny Gio's is the newest pizza establishment in Coogee and has become our firm favourite. They have a great choice of Italian-style pizzas at very reasonable prices. If you don't want to fork out between $20-30 for pizza and prefer the American version, try Dominos across the road. I quite like their spicy vegetarian pizza on a thin and crispy base. They always seem to have one deal or another going which makes it even more affordable to fill up.

• Burgers - Little L is my burger joint of choice. They also have good chips. I like their spicy chicken burger.  Another good option is Betty's Burgers which is on Arden Street just opposite the main bus stand.

• Salads - Fish Bowl has been my go-to place for salads with plenty of delicious options on offer and a choice of base so you can make it as substantial or light as you like. They have become a bit stingy with their salmon portion recently … so I have been swapping their salmon OG Bowl for the 'salmon poke bowl' from Get Sashimi instead.

Best places to go for lunches and dinners in Coogee

If it is a more substantial or somewhat special meal you are after, again Coogee will not disappoint. Here's my recommended places to dine.

1. Coogee Pavilion

 

When I first moved to Coogee in 2010, Coogee Pavilion was a rundown old building that was longing to return to its glorious past. I remember walking into the ground floor once to find a dingy bar in the middle of a wide open space, covered with faded carpet that was sticky with decades of spilt beer, and had a smell to match! In spite of the prime location, the owners did not know what to do with this monstrous but iconic relic – that is, until Justin Hemmes got his hand on it (for cheap, too!).

Justin Hemmes is a bit of legend around the restaurant scene in Australia. His unique contribution to the culinary scene has been acquiring tired, old, struggling pubs from all around Australia and injecting new life into them through décor, delicious food and drinks (and pokies).

He transformed the Coogee Pavilion, starting with turning the ground floor into discrete, yet open dining and bar areas, offering a variety of high quality food. The interior décor is best described as chic-industrial with bare concrete walls, exposed piping and soft lighting. It's very New York and in fact reminds me of the iconic Eataly restaurant there (without the grocery store).

Justin Hemmes' Merivale empire (of which Coogee Pavilion is just one asset) has come under criticism in recent years for systematically underpaying staff. Unlike their English counterparts, Aussie pubs are also notorious for gambling. Whilst publicans argue that it is much needed revenue to subsidise operations, gambling addiction is a pressing social issue and having ready access to pokies at literally every pub does not help. Justin Hemmes' empire is no different; pokey machines are deftly hidden from view but still extensively used. Given how vast the Merivale empire has grown to be, I would not be surprised if on a collective basis, Hemmes is running the largest casino network in Australia …

If these issues speak to you, feel free to be a conscientious objector and take your business elsewhere. But if you are glad that at least he is doing something to revive the pub scene, and perhaps the government should do a better job at crafting gambling laws to minimise social harm … then by all means enjoy what it offers.

The main casual dining area on the ground floor offers fantastic woodfired pizza (what we usually go for), salads, sandwiches, pasta, fish and chips, and other seafood and meat dishes. While it may sound like standard fair, food is beautifully prepared using good quality, fresh ingredients. I've never been disappointed with the food here.

The only complaint I have is with the acoustics – The ground floor gets loud. Noisy bar patrons may have something to do with it but the bigger issue is the bare concrete walls that turn the vast open space into a ginormous echo chamber. If dining here during peak times (Fridays and weekends), you must strain to hear any conversation and shout to be heard. I would not recommend going during these times.

Go on a weekday for lunch instead and if you can, try to get a seat on the tables along the seawall that look out onto the ocean. It is hard to beat the location. It is also hard to get one of the tables, as folks who work from home love to use the space as their office.

Coogee Pavilion opens early for coffee (or the mid morning larger) but don't do breakfast.

Coogee Pavilion has two other restaurants on offer on the second floor - Mimi's and Una Mas.

Mimi's is high end dining. We went there to celebrate my birthday the year it opened.

The décor, ambience and service is second to none; on account of the view of the ocean from the magnificent period windows, it is in fact the most beautiful restaurant I have ever been to.

Sadly, the food was bland and unremarkable, and did not measure up to the eye watering price tag. I have not been back and cannot recommend it for the food.

The rich and famous still make a beeline for Mimi's – you can see them waltzing in their designer gear most weekends. Going by the ratings on Google, they don't share my opinion of the food either but since when has money bought taste …

My snide remarks aside, if you don't mind bland food and want to be spoilt with a touch of luxury, then don't let me stop you. There are some rich people gimmicks to indulge in as well such as the roving caviar carts, which offers up caviar shots for a pretty penny.

After our experience, we are a bit loathe to try the tapas bar, Una Mas …

The one other place I can recommend at Coogee Pavillion is their rooftop bar.

It is a fabulous place to grab an afternoon drink as it offers stunning views across Coogee beach. You can also order pizza and a selection of bar food here. Just bear one thing in mind: Unless you in your early 20s, it's best avoid it during weekend nights when it turns into a bona fide night club for the young and beautiful.

2. Sugarcane

Sugarcane is a Surry Hills establishment that opened up shop in Coogee in 2016 and became an instant hit. They are located just a hop and skip from the south end of Coogee Beach in a large sprawling space that no one prior to them had managed to make work.

It's an upscale eatery that is serving up Southeast Asian fusion food. The flavours are fresh, aromatic and authentic. If you like Thai, Malaysian and Indonesian food, you will like Sugarcane's interpretation.

The menu has changed somewhat from those early days which I personally find disappointing as some of the original dishes were simply incredible! The price has also risen steadily with its popularity. It’s the sort of place you go to for that special dinner, which you must of course do once whilst on holiday.

3. Chat Thai

 

My all-time favourite restaurant in Coogee is Chat Thai. This is not in immediate vicinity of Coogee village but about 15 minute walk away on Carrington Road.

There is no other reason to head that way except to go to this restaurant (and/or get a car wash). But if you like authentic Thai flavours at a reasonable price, this is the place to dine at. You will find us here every couple of weeks getting our Thai fix.

The first Chat Thai opened its doors in Darlinghurst, Sydney in 1989 and was an instant hit with the local Thai community. Founded by Amy Chanta, it was amongst the first restaurant's to introduce authentic Isaan and Bangkok street flavours to Australia. Although it has now grown to become a chain, the food remains very good and critically, affordable.

If it were up to me, I'd give them a medal for this. My pet peeve in the Sydney food scene is watching restaurateurs appropriate street food that evolved to feed the masses cheaply, and make it a thing for the rich and famous… Everything from Tacos, Pad Thai, Dumplings, Dosas to Tapas has suffered this fate.

You can walk to Chat Thai from Coogee village via Dolphin Street. It's lovely walk through quiet residential area lined with trees, a community garden and a park with the coolest flying fox.

My go-to dishes are Veggie and tofu Pad Thai, tamarind prawn, mince chicken with Thai basil and chilli, Cho Chee prawn curry, Penang fish curry, red duck curry, green chicken curry, morning glory (water spinach) …. It's all pretty good actually.

Chat Thai is BYO for wine but not beers – you can buy these there.

Coogee cafes and restaurants loved by locals:

 

There are a few other places that are loved by the Coogee community that you may want to try out:

1. Bazura this is owned by a lovely couple, Rob and Marie, who have been part of the fabric of Coogee for a very long time. They also run the local yoga school that is located above the café. This is where I met my friends and community in Coogee all those years ago so it has a very special place in my heart. Bazura is where we still gather for catch-ups. It is in a prime location with fabulous views with an eclectic menu. Their chef is Indonesian so our go-to order tends to be their Nasi Goreng fried rice (they can do this in vegetarian and vegan as well). I also like their shakshuka eggs. There are some items that hark back to a European summer e.g. a pot of mussels and Aperol spritz. They also open for dinner.

   
   

2. Louie is a newish French restaurant located a hop and skip from my home. The menu is actually a mix of Italian and French classics. I like what they have done with the outdoor seating with a Parisian style canopy and seating – very chic. My friends liked their dinner here and even recommend it for vegetarians. The price is a bit steep for my liking so have not as yet given them a go. Their set menu however looks reasonably priced but is for groups of 8 or more. If you are celebrating something, maybe give this a go.

3. Osteria is located opposite the Coogee cricket oval. They are an Italian restaurant with a modern twist. This is a favourite of friends that I somehow have never managed to get to. Expect mid-range pricing as well.

4. La Spiaggia is a Coogee institution. It's a family owned classic Italian joint that has been serving up delicious pizzas and pastas to Coogee-siders for many years. They have a lovely outdoor seating, perfect for summer days and casual dining. One of my friend's swears by their woodfired pizzas. I've dined there once many years ago and like their food.

5. Rick Stein's at Coogee Beach is a brand spanking new restaurant on the scene, opening within the newly minted InterContinental Coogee. I have been a big fan of Rick Stein's travel and cooking shows for many years so am looking forward to dining at his restaurant. The pricing is the only thing that has been putting me off ($60 for fish and chips or the fish pie!) but I have been told that all ingredients are top notch so … I'd say keep this for a special occasion.

   
   

Food districts in and around Coogee and Sydney

If you are having an extended holiday in Sydney, I would recommend trying out the different 'food districts' around Sydney. It's easy enough to reach these places on public transportation. There are many restaurants to choose from. To do them justice, I'd need to do a eating guide for each area ... For now, would suggest either to walk the streets and follow your nose, or do some research (e.g on Google Maps) beforehand to find out what is hot/new/trending or simply well loved, and book ahead.

• The Spot: The Spot is the unofficial name that locals use to refer to the collection of cafes, bars and restaurants that have sprung up and around the gorgeous Ritz Cinema. Located in and around the intersection of St.Pauls Street and Perouse Road, The Spot is where you head when you want a movie night. It is within walking distance from Coogee (albeit uphill) or you can catch a bus and be there within 5 minutes. There are lots of little restaurants to choose from; Indian, Italian, Japanese, Spanish, Thai and Vietnamese. They are all OK but not something to write home about ... What I tend to hold out for is having dessert at Kürtősh, a bakery/café that has to be one of my favourite places to go for dessert in Sydney. This is also one of few cafes in Sydney that are open after 3pm which means you can get barista made coffee in the evening as well. They also offer a wide variety of cakes which you can order by the gram! You will find Darren and I making a beeline for this straight after movies. We love to take our time picking out cakes to enjoy with our coffee. Prices can add up quickly so take care of your wallets here!

• Kingsford: Kingsford is situated right next to one of the top universities in Sydney, UNSW. It hosts a large number of international students from all over Asia. It is no surprise therefore that the local food scene is decidedly Asian, with restaurants offering authentic regional cuisines from right across China, Indonesia and Malaysia. You will also find one or two Thai, Japanese and Korean restaurants here as well. Thanks to the large student population, the servings sizes are huge and prices, affordable. It makes for a cheap and cheerful night out with friends with food and ambience that makes you feel like you are miles away from Australia – on a holiday in Bali, KL or indeed Beijing! All restaurants are clustered on Anzac Parade between Barker Street and Rainbow Street. The easiest way to transit from Coogee is to get an uber to Kingsford. It will take about 10 minutes. If driving, there is plenty of free parking in and around Kingsford off Anzac Parade.

• Surry Hills: Surry Hills is infamous in Sydney for its food scene. You'll find great cafes and restaurants from every part of the world. From Indian street food to Japanese fine dining, Surry Hills has it all. Plus, there are some lovely old school pubs dotted along the side streets here as well. I recommend walking along Cleveland and Crown Street (and side streets) and seeing what takes your fancy. There are some nice boutiques to shop at as well. Vegans and vegetarians will also find plenty of options here, including fine dining. For those who love street theatre, would suggest combining dining out with a show at the infamous Belvoir Street Theatre. You can reach Surry Hills via bus from Coogee or light rail from Randwick and Sydney City.

• Bondi: If you are looking for another seaside destination to dine at, Coogee's not so distant cousin, Bondi, is the place to go. The best way to schedule dining at Bondi is to do it as part of the Coogee to Bondi walk, stopping over at Bondi for brunch, lunch or an early dinner. It's a 6km undulating walk so you will work up an appetite! There are plenty of delightful cafes or restaurants to choose from in Bondi but for some reason I always end up at Speedos Café. I rarely go to Bondi for dinner as I find the areas to be quite dead ... The kitchen also tends to shut fairly early here so would recommend getting there by 6-7pm. If wanting to dine at famous institutions like Bills, book ahead.

• Newtown, Enmore and Glebe : Newtown is the soulful, slightly hippy and slightly grungy end of Sydney. King Street is the main thoroughfare, lined with a never-ending array of restaurants, cafes and pubs, as well as an eclectic collection of shops. Vegans and vegetarians will be spoilt for choice here. Darren and I regularly go to Newtown, but it is for one thing and one thing only – the best goddamn chicken burger in the whole wide world! Nobody seems to know about this place either as it is always quiet when we go. But if you like spicy, crispy and juicy chicken burgers, head to Fat Belly Jack's and order their Nashville Chicken burger. Choose your heat level and be warned, don't go above medium! There are two other soulful suburbs to explore within walking distance – Enmore and Glebe. Both offer plenty of options to wine and dine as well as indulge in live performances at the infamous Enmore Theatre. There are direct buses to and from Coogee to Newtown, which take about 45 minutes to get there. You can also take the train from Central.

• Sydney City and Surrounds: Sydney City is a foodies paradise. It is however not as 'lived in' as international cities like London or Manhattan; most people commute in just for work. It is therefore most lively from Thursday to Sunday evenings. The easiest way to find a good eat is to head to food districts where you will be spoilt for choices. These include Barangaroo, Angel Place, Bridge Lane, and Haymarket or China Town. There is a lot of choice so if you struggle to make up your mind, do some research to see what takes your fancy and book ahead. Surrounding suburbs offer great dining options as well. Head to Paddington, Woollahra, Rose Bay, Darlinghurst, Balmain, Kings Cross or Alexandria if interested to get more of a sense of where local Sydneysiders hang out over the weekends. Hot Tip: It may be tempting to want to dine with water views along the harbour but most places along Darling Harbour, The Rocks and Circular Quay are classic tourist traps so look up restaurant and reviews before deciding to eat there.

• Parramatta and Greater Sydney: If you want a taste of multicultural Australia, you need to head west. First on the list should be Parramatta which has just been ranked the 7th best places to eat in the world by Conde Nast Traveller. Admittedly, it's been a while since I was last at Parramatta but I hear the Indian food scene along Church Street and nearby Harris Park alone makes it worth visiting. Parramatta is home to a large number of first generation Indian migrants who have exacting standards – Unless the food is top notch, Indian restaurants don't tend to survive here. You can very easily visit Parramatta via ferry or train from the city. For authentic Middle Eastern cuisine I'd recommend a trip to Bankstown and for authentic Vietnamese, I'd suggest Cabramatta. Both of these are in Southwest Sydney. They too are migrant communities (in fact most of Australia is a migrant community!) and are wonderful places to visit to get a sense of the richness of people, culture and cuisine that defines modern day Australia. Cabramatta and Bankstown can be reached via train from the city. It takes approximately an hour.

Eat and be merry

As much as I tend to whinge about prices, cafes and restaurants are notoriously difficult businesses to run and profit from. The people who take up the challenge and go the extra mile to create a special experience for their diners deserve all the support they can get; their presence alone brings so much life to the local community.

This is also the reason why I started the 'where to eat' segment as there are so many great places I have encountered in day-to-day living and travels that I feel deserve more recognition than they get. To that end, all the restaurants and food districts mentioned above are personal recommendations and not paid endorsements.

If your income allows for it, I say eat and be merry! You will be doing yourself and everyone around you a big favour.

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Written by Reeta Dhar. Cover Art by Darren Pryce

Based on living in Coogee for 16 years!

Written and Illustrated at the historic Lanificio Cazzola in Schio, Italy

First published by Vitalis Magazine in September 2026

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