A hipster little joint located at the south end of Newtown with a mish mash of repurposed tables and seating, with a mighty cool artwork in the main wall by the coffee machine. Scotty Nagy, the artist has certainly produced something that fits the space perfectly. An interesting and eclectic menu from Welsh rarebit, to buckwheat pancakes and smoked trout. The Zucchini flower taco were awesome, a small corn soft taco, topped with a garlic confiet cashew cream, cured zucchini, chestnut crumble and red cabbage. $7 each, but we’d recommend getting 2 since they’re quite small. The Divorced Eggs, or Poached eggs, smothered with chimichurri and a roast pepper walnut and ginger puree, toasted pistachios, Meredith farm feta served on brickfields rye and caraway. Strong coriander flavour to it, but a good dish. The cafe uses little Marionette coffee beans, we went for the batch brew which was decent, as well as a chai. There was a fair wait on our visit, but they did a good job keeping us informed of wait time. The man waiting our table was really good at his job.

Honourable mention to all the staff members working in the morning of Wednesday the 15th of November . I visited this store for the very first time as the reviews seemed promising . The menu was limited ; so I ordered a coffee to start me off ; followed by the Halloumi, two free range eggs, tomato relish, black garlic aioli and mixed greens on ciabattas and included mushrooms and avocado! I kid you not ; this is perhaps one of the best breakfasts I’ve had ! Not only did it look visually appealing; but the flavours worked so well together as well ! Special shout out to the chef and to all the workers I had spoken to . Each and every single one of them were welcoming and accomodating; and made me feel relaxed and comfortable . I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoyed my experience here - from the artistically styled interior , to the amazingly tasty food to to exceptional customer service ! I’ll definitely be back . 5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Meal type
Breakfast
Price per person
$20–40
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Update October 2018 I live on the North shore and I keep coming back to the Rolling Penny for coffee and chorizo. The great thing about this place is consistency and is one of the things that's hardest to get right in a restaurant. I've been coming here for a couple of years, the food is still excellent, the coffee is excellent, it's funky with a very cool sound track and it's always busy. Long live the rolling Penny. I will keep coming back and I will keep trekking across Sydney to get here. Fantastic space. Down the "wrong" end of King Street. The staff are friendly and so happy to see you. The food is fantastic. If you are an eggs Benedict fan, try the Chorizo benedict with home made corn bread. We cross Sydney to come and have this for breakfast! The coffee is also excellent, tho could do with being a smidge hotter for me personally. Well worth the trip! Update 6 months later Still cool, still funky, still great coffee, still the "wrong" end of king street and the Chorizo benedict still fantastic. Still recommended!

This interesting cafe near the end of Newtown had in and outdoor seating areas, which unfortunately due to being close to the main road, impacted on the atmosphere. However, once the coffee and food arrives, you forget the road is even there. The coffee is rich in taste but so easy to drink. The chosen dishes includes the Divorced Eggs, a Three mushroom dish and an Eggplant crisp. All e dishes were beautifully presented and were packed with great and interesting flavours. The Eggplant crisp was a particular favourite consisting of grilled eggplant, pickled vegetables which provided a welcoming tang to the dish, a boiled egg, adding a lovely aroma. All placed on top of a large crisp providing a brilliant crunch to the end of the bite. The staff were very friendly and impressively knowledgeable of their menu, and so was able to provide great recommendations. Definitely come here if you're looking for unique food for breakfast, brunch or lunch.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch

As first time visitors to both Australia and Rolling Penny, have to say we were most impressed with both of them! Rolling Penny itself is a lively and vibrant cafe', catering to a wide range of people and tastes. Thanks to head chef and owner Rob, the food they serve there is awesome; with first class ingredients; cooked to perfection; full of flavour and interesting and unusual flavour combinations. During our stay we visited Rolling Penny number of times and sampled, quite a few of their dishes! The smoked bacon, egg and relish Milk Bun, perfect for hangovers! We also had the amazing mushroom and ricotta on rye and caraway, as well as the delicious anchovy dish, which was served on soft tasty focaccia. They also serve a 'mean' cup of coffee, which compliments the food perfectly. Did I also mention that they do cocktails too? A shame we live in England, or we'd be back there again!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Brunch

Food tasted decent, came out quickly. Coffee was pretty good. Front of house staff were helpful. Unfortunately the hygiene standards were sub par, which was disappointing as we were very excited to try this place but instead left feeling quite uncomfortable. Just a few examples: - didn’t see any hand washing going on in the open kitchen. Same hands that cracked the raw eggs would then butter the toast - one of the food prep had a runny nose and would wipe snot away with bare hands and then proceed to prep food with bare hands - another dropped the dish towel (that was used to wipe dishes before plating the food) onto the floor, and then proceeded to pick it up and continue using it as though nothing happened - pastries for sale were left on a counter exposed to the elements (eg flies, customers speaking over the food) rather than being behind the counter/in a pastry case

The divorced eggs are worth going to court for. So is every sandwich on this menu. Whenever a great one that I've discovered disappears, an even better on appears. And they're always insanely mouthwatering. Incredibly lovely and attentetive people behind the counter too! Not that you need a review to tell you that! Great coffee too. Cannot pick one single detail about this cafe that doesn't leave you totally satisfied after you leave. Great deal for a tasty bloody mary too. Enough said!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Breakfast
Price per person
$20–40
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Zucchini Tacos, Pancetta Baguette, Eggs Benedict, Divorced Eggs with Bacon

Popular for a reason. Great coffee and very good food. Not your average cafe breakfast either, the menu has some really interesting options. Today I had smoked trout, with tea soaked egg, zuchini, black rice, horseradish cream, wasabi and some pickled salad elements. Real care and thought had gone into the flavours and the plating, it was very enjoyable. I've noticed there doesn't seem to be an exhaust hood/system of any kind inside so the bacon smell/smoke can be quite overbearing when you walk in. If you sit inside expect to be smelling like bacon for the rest of the day (admittedly there are worse things to smell like...)

We went out of our way to go here, to be greeted with unfriendly staff, and we waited for over 40 minutes for our meals to come out. While the flavours were delicious, the meal was stone cold and there was no apology for the delay... To make matters worse, one of the waitresses spent over 20 minutes chatting to friends who were dining at the cafe. She could be heard saying "I need to get back to it, were under staffed" before she would continue chatting for a further 10 minutes... Any wonder people were stuck waiting and cold food was being served... Plain disappointing.
Service
Dine in
Price per person
$40–60

Disappointing service, waited 40 minutes for food to be served and noticed other customers who arrived way later getting their food served. Waitresses needed reminders that we have not received our food, sadly been given a token response of having large number of orders (one family that ordered after us, finished all their food and left even before ours came). On a positive note, the food was indeed tasty! However, slightly conflicted on whether I’ll visit again given the long wait
Food: 4
Service: 1

I had “divorced eggs” which consisting of two poached eggs with chimichurri (not sure the green or orange sauce) and something crispy, like roasted nuts? I like the rye bread which crispy and tasty. Coffee was nice too. The cafe has indoor and outdoor setting, either front outdoor or one at the back. Very simple lay out, practical, not flashy, fancy or even trendy. For two large coffees, a juice, divorced eggs and two poached eggs on toast, we paid $50 plus. Not bad. I didn’t even pay

On multiple occasions it just feels like the staff don’t make any effort to welcome customers or even acknowledge that they’re there. Walked inside hoping to get a table and was ignored by multiple staff coming and going from the front counter. Makes for a pretty uncomfortable and disappointing experience. Totally understand being busy on a Sunday morning, but a “we’ll be right with you” wouldn’t go astray.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Breakfast
Price per person
$1–20

Fresh off a 15 hour flight from San Francisco, a local friend brought me here for a little Sunday brunch. I can’t imagine a better introduction to what Sydney has to offer for food! A perfect cappuccino and the best poached egg and sausage I can remember having! The staff are friendly, super chill to chat with. Just great!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Brunch
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Divorced Eggs with Bacon

I got a wild mushroom on sourdough, probably the best mushroom toast I had in the past year. My boyfriend got the duck breast, the sauce is amazing, highly recommended. The food amount is great if you not looking for overly full. I can still have another dessert after this.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$20–40
Food: 5
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 3
Recommended dishes
Mushroom and Ricotta Toast

Everything on the menu here is exquisite. They have flavor profiles that are are a bit complex, but yet familiar. They play around with fennel, cheeses, citrus based purees, poached eggs, smoke bacon, chimchurri and ground sauteed capsicum. Must try if you are in the neighborhood and lucking for a nice breakfast, brunch or lunch. You will not be disappointed. Cheers
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$20–40

Divorced eggs were delicious and filling. Coffee was great. Noise levels are a bit loud for conversation. Service was mostly friendly and helpful.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Breakfast
Price per person
$20–40
Food: 5
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 4
Recommended dishes
Dietary restrictions
Everything can be made gluten free and gf bread had interesting options as well (not just plain white)

This is the first place where I actually enjoy the vegetarian and vegan options. The menu changes regularly but the food is always tasty. We recently cut our coffee intake and this is one of the very few places we sneak a coffee in. Love the staff and atmosphere too. Special shout out to Noah!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Breakfast
Price per person
$40–60
Vegetarian options
Super tasty vegetarian options.

The mushroom ricotta toast  was especially yummy - mushrooms were so flavourful and the toast was nicely buttered and easy to cut into. Coffee ☕️ is very affordable and tastes amazing. Staff are friendly and chill. Would return for sure!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$20–40
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Mushroom and Ricotta Toast

Mushrooms! I totally forget the name of the dish, but the one with mushrooms and whipped ricotta is the bomb. Definitely one of those breakfasts I am going to end up craving. Lucky I now live so close! The breaky roll was also great. Lighter than most so I didn’t feel all that guilty having it. Win win all around. Also bought some coffee beans because the coffee was next level. Highly rated all around.

Easy to see why this is considered one of Newtown’s best cafes. Great atmosphere, solid playlist and very friendly and engaged staff who are up for a chat. Coffee is a delight and there’s a good array of nice lunch options. I had the Divorced Eggs which along with a great name, was top notch. Good seating options out back too
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$20–40

Visiting Sydney and were recommended this delightful little cafe on King St, Newtown. The trio of mushrooms are to die for. Such a welcoming, friendly small business. Do yourself a favour and drop in.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Breakfast
Price per person
$20–40
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Bacon and Egg Roll, Mushroom and Toast

I sesrched "best coffee in newtown" and found Rolling Penny at the top of the list. And it was only 5 minutes from where I was staying. The service and atmosphere were great, coffee seriously average. I ordered a strong flat white and got some limp, milky brew a coffee-hater would be ashamed to brew.
Meal type
Other
Price per person
$1–20
Service: 1
Atmosphere: 4

5/5!! Can't rate this place highly enough. I popped in for some lunch - had to be the Ploughman's being from the South Coast of the UK and it was amazing! Far better than any Ploughman's I've had previously and that's been a few (sorry Dorset!). I can definitely recommend this place for it's good quality and fresh food as well as it's chilled vibes. I'll be back! :o)

Smart menu, with some very modern touches including chickpea miso on the smoked trout dish - kind of like a deconstructed sushi plate. Very reasonably priced, $19 for a thoughtful plate of food (pictured), coffee is also nice. Friendly staff and a relaxed atmosphere, definitely worth checking out if you're bored of the standard eggs benny on toast & in Newtown.

Great and friendly service. They were very accommodating to us with our pram (they don't have any child seats). The food were burst of flavours and unexpected for what you usually get in cafes. We had the divorced eggs and the smoked bacon milk bun burger. We would've liked to try the duck but it sold out. Would definitely recommend this place.

Excellent coffee, great atmosphere it was very lovely on a rainy summers day. Good music playing and the staff were relaxed and added to the good vibe. Felt like I was in Berlin!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Breakfast
Price per person
$1–20
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Coffee is great. Especially the cold brew. Food-wise the sandwiches were outstanding. We had the braised pork belly sandwich and the classic egg and bacon brekky roll. The duck dish sounded great but was a bit lost and not as cohesive as it could have been. But never mind, would still go back! Fabulous spot!

Food tasty ! Coffee nice Service very friendly Cool vibe I ordered the duck it was super delicious However the sauce ratio was a bit much Next time I will order extra potato and extra duck to account for the lashings of sauce tasty though !
Food: 4
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 4

Atmosphere : 8 Food : 8.5 Drink : 9 Value for Money : 7 Average : 8.125 The food was ridiculous, had a lamb dish with preserved lemons, braised grapes and roasted artichoke. Absolutely amazing and well balanced, a bit heavy though. The coffee was probably one of the best I have had in Sydney

Great cafe. Been lots of times and the food is always good. They’ve improved their bacon and egg rolls even further recently, and I would now rate it as one of the best ever (choose the ciabatta seeded bun!). Great flavours and combination with relish etc. Good coffee and atmosphere too.

Ordered a coffee and just people watching for a while before heading off. Coffee is great. Pastries is really good as well. Staff and barista were kind and attentive as well. Good place. Highly recommend
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Other
Price per person
$1–20

Awesome team making the best coffee in Newtown. Food is something special also, do not miss the seasonal dinner nights they are spectacular
Service
Take out
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$40–60
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Very pleasant and relaxed atmosphere. The staff are friendly and helpful. Great Chef, Food was amazing, seriously balanced and tasty, full of mouth watering flavours. You will not be disappointed. great coffee and tea. Don't walk past, WALK into this excellent café.

Great spot for breakfast, the bacon & egg roll was delicious with two perfectly cooked eggs. My iced latte was ok, a bit bitter. The space is bright and sunny, with a few tables down a narrow side courtyard. Staff were friendly, and prices as expected for the area.

If you are at Newtown, or at Sydney, this cafe is a must try! With so many coffee shops in Sydney, I went here twice! The coffee, the food, the staff, the music, everything is perfect.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Breakfast
Price per person
$1–20

OMG Hands down best Caffe in town, super friendly staff and amazing food literally can't go wrong with any option, pancetta baguette and divorced eggs are some standouts to go back for also coffee highly recommend a visit. PS there is courtyard out back!!! …

Rolling strong, years on - still the greatest of all Inner West Cafes - excellent baristas, inspired food, personal service, warm and chill in a class all its own. Friendly cosy and colourful on a cold windy morning. Awesome gluten-free food!

Honestly, I didn’t expect much, seeing as I love meat and they didn’t have any meat on the menu except bacon/ham, but I was wrong! the divorced eggs were to die for. The other items I ordered were also very good. The only two downfalls of

I love this cafe for its fantastic and well-executed menu. It's always busy during brunch time, so try to get in early or eat later. But the food is definitely worth the wait too. The menu is varied and there's something for everyone. And

Very cute little cafe with outdoor eating area at the back. Table we had was on an angle and drinks kept sliding. Food was great and relatively good value. Unfortunately 3 of the 5 mains weren't available so only had eggs on toast. More

The one I ordered was their special “divorce eggs with something , however bread was cold , eggs was over cooked and way too much sauce , understood it’s a busy cafe and all the rest dishes looked fine , but still very disappointed

One of my go to cafés in Newtown. Lovely homemade food, great coffee and friendly staff. Try the house made tomato relish with poached eggs on rye; always a winner. Food is well made and every plate gets the attention it deserves.

Absolutely love Rolling Penny! Coffee is always top notch, vege brekky roll is amazing and service is incredibly friendly (Duncan always has a smile to help start your day)! I highly recommend popping in, if you’re in Newtown.

Buckwheat pancakes with pear and caramel sauce!! So yummy. Outdoor seating at the back of cafe was cosy and good on a warmer day. Staff are very friendly and professional. Great cafe with good variety of meals on the menu.

Nice staff and extremely good food. Had the mushroom sandwich and it exceeded my expectations by far. Food is definitely worth the price. Will for sure come back, when i can make it back to Sydney again !

Great vegetarian cafe in Newtown. It’s quite small place so I guess it’s very busy in the morning and weekend. We went there weekday afternoon so it was plenty of seats and received attentive service.

Unique flavours and funky interiors! Food was ... just right. We polished off the whole plate. Can’t explain it any other way. This was the best brunch we had in Sydney. More on Instagram: @esje_eats

The service at Rolling Penny was lovely from a few of the staff and I really enjoyed my breakfast. They have two small tables outside on the street, inside and some down their little alley out back.

The best brunch I’ve had in a while! Delicious gluten free bread! Bacon and coffee were perfection
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Brunch
Price per person
$20–40

One of the best breakfasts I’ve ever had! First item on the menu is 10/10 portabella + king brown + oyster mushroom and whipped ricotta
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

One of my favourite cafe’s while living in Newtown. Friendly staff. Most of the time I only ever ordered coffee. But the food others ordered always looked and smelt delicious.

Very nice spot in Newtown with delicious meals. The chicken baguette was delicious and the wild mushrooms on rye was very nice too. Service was extremely friendly also.

What a wonderful place. The staff were so accommodating. The food was fantastic. I loved the brie with chilli.
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Cute place and delicious food. Staff is so lovely and polite. Juice is a little bit less than expected. Next time will try their black toast. Looks yum.

Pleasantly surprised with the trout! Amazing presentation and flavours for what I thought would be simple cafe fare. Do visit - these guys are good!

This is the worse coffee I ever had, milk is cold, the coffee is burned, and I ask him to give me one sugar, his didn't give me sugar. More

Great coffee great service. Lovely little courtyard out the back. A bit quieter than the street.
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 4

My sister called it "delectable"! Great service, we had the divorced eggs and mushrooms on sourdough. Our favourite was the mushroom.

The presentation of their dishes are stunning and the staff are great. Only negatives are the food lacks flavour and portions small.

Friendly service and the food was ok. I personally didn’t like the buckwheat pancake.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch

This cafe is a gem. Best place I’ve been to for a long time. Thanks to the team at Rolling Penny for a wonderful morning

The food is really delicious here. A nice cafe for breakfast.
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Another great cafe at the south end of King Street, good food and coffee with friendly staff
Service…
More

Warm place with high quality of food!
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Delicious breakfast and great service. The smoked duck breast was just perfect. 10/10

Good coffee and amazing food. Friendly and efficient service.
Service
Di…
More

Pretty much have tried everything on their menu and always end up coming back here!

Felt like a fine dining experience however very reasonably priced!

Great food, great coffee and friendly staff! Simply spot on!

Delicious food, really calm atmosphere and amazing staff