Café
The Grounds of Alexandria
A café, garden and bar complex in a former industrial site in Alexandria, popular for weekend breakfasts among planted courtyards and seasonal displays.
Single O Surry Hills
The original café of Sydney specialty roaster Single O, on Reservoir Street in Surry Hills, serving its own coffee alongside breakfast and lunch.
At a glance
- Type
- Specialty coffee café
- Area
- Surry Hills, Sydney, Australia
- Price
- $$ · Mid-range
- Opening
- Open daily
- Official site
- singleo.com.au
Good to know
- Specialty coffee
- Breakfast and lunch
- Coffee beans to buy
Why we recommend it
Single O is one of the roasters that helped build Sydney's specialty coffee scene, and its café on Reservoir Street in Surry Hills is where the business began. The company still describes it as the original, and it remains a busy neighbourhood café as well as a showcase for the beans it roasts. Its roastery, known as Roastwork, uses solar power, part of a wider focus on sustainability.
Coffee is the reason to come. The café serves espresso drinks made with its house blends, as well as filter coffee and seasonal single-origin beans that change through the year. If you are curious about different brewing methods or origins, ask the staff for a recommendation; they are used to guiding customers through the options. Beans and brewing equipment are sold to take home, so you can carry on the experience after your trip. Seasonal coffees are rotated through the year, so there is often something new to try.
The kitchen serves breakfast and lunch, with a menu that suits a quick bite before work or a longer weekend brunch. The café opens from 07:00 to 15:30 on weekdays and from 08:00 to 15:00 at weekends, so plan to visit in the morning or early afternoon; it does not open in the evening.
The space is relaxed and practical rather than elaborate, and it fills up quickly with locals at peak times, especially on weekday mornings and at weekend brunch. If you are short of time, takeaway coffee is quick, and the surrounding streets have places to sit. Weekday mid-mornings tend to be calmer than the first rush of the day. Bringing a reusable cup for takeaway is in keeping with the company's sustainability focus.
Single O suits coffee enthusiasts, remote workers looking for a good morning brew and anyone exploring Surry Hills on foot. It is a good starting point for a walk through the neighbourhood's terraced streets, independent boutiques and other well-known cafés and bakeries.
Reservoir Street is on the western edge of Surry Hills, a few minutes' walk from Central station and Museum station. From the café, Crown Street, with its shops, pubs and restaurants, is a short walk east, and Bourke Street Bakery and bills are both within easy reach if you want to continue a food tour of the area.
Single O Surry Hills FAQs
What are Single O Surry Hills's opening hours?
07:00 to 15:30 Monday to Friday and 08:00 to 15:00 at weekends.
Is Single O open in the evening?
No. It closes in the afternoon.
Is this the original Single O café?
Yes. The company describes the Reservoir Street café as its original.
Can you buy coffee beans to take home?
Yes, the café sells its own roasted coffee and brewing equipment.
Does Single O serve food?
Yes. It serves breakfast and lunch.
What kind of coffee is served?
Espresso drinks, filter coffee and seasonal single-origin beans roasted by Single O.
How do you get there?
Walk a few minutes from Central or Museum station to Reservoir Street, Surry Hills.