A double-shot espresso with steamed milk and a thin layer of micro-foam, served in a 5oz cup.
The flat white emerged in Sydney and Auckland in the mid-1980s as a refinement of the cappuccino: less foam, more milk integration, served in a smaller cup. Sydney's Single Origin Roasters (Reservoir Street, 2003) and Toby's Estate (Pyrmont, 1997) refined the modern Australian espresso style around it. Howard Schultz adopted the flat white at Starbucks in 2015, sealing its global travel. The drink remains the morning anchor of every Sydney cafe.
4 editor picks for Flat White in Sydney, ranked by editorial score. All Sydney signature dishes · Flat White across every city.
Single O Surry Hills ★ 4.6
surry-hills · 60-64 Reservoir Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010
Sydney specialty coffee pioneer on Reservoir Street, Surry Hills. Single O has roasted since 2003; the milk-on-tap system and filter flights set the room.
Reuben Hills ★ 4.5
surry-hills · 61 Albion Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010
South American-leaning cafe and roastery on Albion Street, Surry Hills, Sydney. Regular booking for Sydney's brunch and specialty-coffee scene.
Paramount Coffee Project ★ 4.5
surry-hills · 80 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010
PCP on Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills, Sydney serves rotating roasters and a Pasi Petanen-trained breakfast menu inside the old Paramount Studios building.
Mecca Coffee ★ 4.5
alexandria · Building 6, 85 Dunning Avenue, Alexandria NSW 2015
Specialty roaster at the Cannery in Alexandria, Sydney. Paul Geshos's roastery has supplied Sydney's specialty cafes since 2007; tasting flights at the bar.