One of the best kept secrets in Sydney, located on level 4 of the Museum of contemporary art in the Rocks precinct. Great views from terrace and inside as well, amazing coffee and service with a range of breakfast and lunch offerings. Always friendly and you can even check out the amazing museum when you finish your cafe visit. read more

MCA Cafe - Coffee with a view - Cafes Near Me - The Rocks, NSW

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This was the first cafe my friend and I saw after flying to Sydney. I yelped the place and saw it had good reviews. Starving, we decided to give it a try. First impression was that the view was perfect. You can see the Sydeny Opera house to the Bridge. Food wise, was awesome. I ordered a potato onion tart with a side of salad and salmon ($19). It was the perfect size for a person. Next we decided to stay for a while to have afternoon tea. Best part was FREE WIFI! I ordered a hot chocolate and it was OMG. The best hot chocolate I've had since I flew to Australia and I've tried a lot. It had the perfect amount of sweetness and the chocolate bits just melted in my mouth smoothly. Highly recommending it to give it a go! read more

MCA Cafe - Cafes Near Me - The Rocks, NSW

Wow! Go here for lunch if you come to visit the Opera House, the Taronga Zoo from Circular Quay, or are just in the area! At the top of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) is the best café with the best view of the bridge and the opera house ever! The dishes are few but are amazing. I had a chicken and peanut sauce over noodles that was amazing. Some of the other dishes looked great as well. The inside of the café is very open, and is surrounded by large floor to ceiling glass walls so you get a true 270 degree view of everything. There is also a patio (terrace) if the weather is nice. Since this place is on the 4th floor, I think it keeps some people from knowing about it. I only found it because I Yelp'd restaurants in the immediate area. The MCA café was the only one that seemed ranked high enough. There are some other restaurants in the area, but not with the same open and unique charm that this place has. Great date place or casual hang out! read more

MCA Cafe - Cafes Near Me - The Rocks, NSW

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The worst thing in the world would be being blind and stuck at the top of the MCA without any idea what kind of view is just sitting there all around you, unseen ad unappreciated. I won't wax lyrical about that though, as it's been covered in the other reviews. It's good though, hoo boy is it fine. What you may not know is this place has free wi-fi. Free, *fast* wi-fi. Allelujah, let all the angels in heaven rejoice and throw confetti, for this is far too rare in Sydney. Ugh, don't get me started on the lack of free wi-fi rant, that doesn't end well for anyone. The food is all (well . . . mostly) reasonably priced, with main meals between $12 and $20, and let me tell you its an appealing menu indeed, I wanted to order everything. But my sweet tooth was flexing its influence and I went for a slice of the coconut and mango cake, which set me back $9. Ummm. What? Nine bones for one small piece of cake? That hurt. Shoulda gone with the burger, or the pulled pork sammich. Will next time. read more

MCA Cafe - Mango and coconut cake. Okay, but not worth $9.00. - Cafes Near Me - The Rocks, NSW

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Fairly decent food with great views of the famous Opera House in any weather since there's indoor seating. Can be crowded during peak hours. read more

I've been here twice now and ordered the same thing both times ~ the shredded pork with rice noodles. And a latte. I may have had a glass of wine last time too, I can't remember. Yeah, it's all good! I feel like they could have more choice on the menu. There are only like, 4 mains. But, the menu is clearly marked for gluten-free items and vegetarian items, so that is a major plus. Also, fast, free wifi. Woo hoo. It's a beautiful location, spectacular view, friendly service. Definitely one to bring the out-of-towners to, especially on a beautiful day. read more

MCA Cafe - balcony view... epic. - Cafes Near Me - The Rocks, NSW

Toasted banana bread! Toasted Banana bread!! Toasted Banana Bread!!! Gorgeous space overlooking Sydney Harbor. I came for the Chuck Close exhibit and grabbed a treat at the cafe before hitting the RBG en route to the Art Gallery. I cannot stop thinking about the yummy, warm, aromatic banana bread- the stuff dreams are made of. read more

MCA Cafe - Cafes Near Me - The Rocks, NSW

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The view from this place is just worth the trip. You order at the counter, and the service is pretty good and it didn't take long for the food to arrive. I had the chicken salad with quinoa and some fried chicken. I will be back read more

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This cafe is perfect! It's affordable, has an amazing view and lovely meals, I feel like this cafe is one of the secret eating places in the city. I really enjoyed everything about it except for the waitresses, one of them spilled a little of my ice chocolate and the woman who took the orders at the counter was hard to understand. read more

MCA Cafe - Iced Chocolate and Old Fashioned Lemonade - Cafes Near Me - The Rocks, NSW

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Great food, great vibe when the weather allows outdoor seating and a nice way to relax after taking in all the wonderful art. The wagyu meat pie is generously packed with tender delicious beef. The flaky crust is baked to perfection. Only wishing that thw pie crust waa through and through rather than merely topping the dish. A little pricey, but you are paying for the location. read more

MCA Cafe - Wagyu beef Pie 25 AUD, side of chips 9 AUD - Cafes Near Me - The Rocks, NSW

Great place to drink a coffee or have a meal. The view is one of the best in the city, but not help when there's a giant cruiser in front of the cafe. The price is very reasonable for the quality they offer and the food is greatly prepared. read more

MCA Cafe - Salmon - Cafes Near Me - The Rocks, NSW

Amazing location. You can see Sydney harbour, Opera House and the Toaster buildings from here. Chicken sandwich was not that great. Coffee was good. Not that expensive considering the location of the cafe. I would go back to enjoy coffee with view. read more

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Really yummy pastries and they are super polite if you just wanna chill out and appreciate the view read more

MCA Cafe - Cafes Near Me - The Rocks, NSW

The view is a killer! One of the best views of Sydney Harbour you can get, and located in the new part of the MCA. Lunch here was tastier than expected, and presented quite cool, which I guess isnt a surprise in a modern art museum, but we were pleasantly surprised with presentation. The food itself was yummy too. While we were there it went through having a huge line and having no line at all. Its a little on the upper side of casual lunch prices, but seriously worth it for the view. Only slight complaint is that our lunches came out about 15 minutes apart from each other (and there were only two of us, both ordered burgers). Go check out the view and have an I heart Sydney moment. read more

love love love the view this place has to offer! This cafe is located on the 4th floor of MCA. It offers outdoor + indoor seatings, overlooking the Sydney Harbour + circular quay + opera house. You cannot make a reservation here. I was here on a Sunday noon and it wasnt that busy (but all the outdoor seatings were taken). The menu is extensive (apps/ mains/ desserts) but a little pricey for what you get. But hey, you probably are paying for the view. I tried the chicken schnitzel - not overfried / not oily but i wasnt a big fan of the italian slaw that came with it. This place is perfect for all occasions. I will be back :) read more

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Great place for tourists or locals for great views and good food. The menu is a bit short but is of good quality. The view can be blocked by a cruise liner docked at circular quay, but that's life in a tourist area. Service can be a bit patchy as our group of 9 ordered a mixture of hot and salads. The meals came out in a strange order as some of the salads came out of the kitchen after the hot meals like 10 minutes later. read more

I was recently recommended the MCA Cafe, so I finally scheduled a brunch appointment on a weekend to check out the hype. The cafe is located on level 4 of the museum (I think there's another cafe around the corner by the museum, and people tend to confuse the two) so you need to go inside, and take a lift up. We entered the cafe, which has a semi indoors and outdoors area. It's laid out like a "posh canteen", where instead of tumblers and water bottles, you see champagne, polite waiters, and nice handbags. Instead of taking a seat, we waited at the entrance to be seated. Initially we were baffled why nobody would pay us any attention...until a group walked in from behind us and found a place on their own. Embarrassed, we seated ourselves at a spot near the window overlooking the harbour (plenty of tables luckily) and called the waiter, who promptly told us we had to go to the counter to place our order and pay straight away. Damn it...no table service. Oh, and you also gotta go get your own water. I walked up to the counter and ordered the vegetarian option (I'm not vegetarian, I just found the tomato, basil, olive, and feta cheese tart an attractive option), and a large cappuccino, upon which I was informed that there was only one coffee size. Ok, not a problem, gimme what you got. My bill = $20. My friend ordered a chicken salad and a soy cappuccino, and her bill came to a similar total. The food came quite quickly. I'm not able to comment on my friend's salad, but I can confirm the coffee was good. When I tried to pour brown sugar into my (not very clean) teaspoon, it wouldn't come out of the spout. When I opened the cover of the sugar jar and peered into the spout, the sugar was jammed in there, and had not been cleaned out for quite a while (I'm assuming since it was jammed!). My tart came, but it was not a tart - it was a quiche. This is particularly relevant because quiches have egg in them (and quite a lot of egg too). Not suitable for vegetarians AT ALL. The crust was excellent, and the quiche (not tart!) was alright generally. It was not worth the ridiculous $16 I had to pay for it. Not even the sad little accompaniment of rocket leaves with pine nuts could justify that price tag. Maybe if they had table service, that would have eased the pain of paying $20 for a small piece of quiche and a tiny cappuccino. As I finished my meal, I noticed an errant hair (yes..A HAIR) below my pile of rocket. I gagged a little because by then the quiche was at the bottom of my belly. Were there more hairs? Had I swallowed any? Where was this hair from? What was it doing there? This was not good at all. :( My friend and I finished our exorbitantly priced meals, drank our water out of glasses which begged to be scrubbed, and enjoyed some views of the harbour. Although there is no table service, you get a number after placing your order at the counter, and the food is brought to you. Apart from the obvious cleanliness faults, the staff are really warm and nice, and generally oblige. The pricing for this place is absurd, especially since it's just regular cafe food. I'm still kicking myself for spending $16 on a goddamn slice of quiche. Would I go there again? Probably not. read more

Sometimes you forget you live and work in one of the most breathtakingly beautiful places in the world. And by you, I mean I. So when this happens, I take myself on a little be-a-tourist-in-your-own-city adventure and head down to the MCA. Sure the art is stunning, but let's be honest, I'm headed there for three reasons and three reasons alone: 1. stunning view 2. fast, free wifi 3. cake Depending on my mood, the order of the three aforementioned reasons change, but regardless of what I'm in need of at that moment, I know I'm getting all three whenever I come here. This is easily Sydney's most picturesque cafe work spaces, so don't be surprised if getting the coveted seat by the power source is a battle of Hunger Games enormity. And may the view* be forever in your favour... [insert "fast, free wifi" or "cake" depending on situation] read more

This cafe is a gem. You get beautiful views of the Sydney Opera House while eating the most delicious pastries for breakfast or soup and sandwich for lunch. They have a menu with diverse enough options and everything is very tasty. You order at the counter, get a number for your table, pick a seat and then the staff will bring your food and drinks to you. When the sun is shining onto the balcony, it can get very hot quickly. But it may still be worth it for the view. During my five days in town, I visited here three times. One thing to note is that if there is a huge cruise ship in the doc, it will obstruct your view of the Opera House. But the cafe still offers a nice experience. read more

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If you have visitors to Sydney this is a must-visit location. Lunch or morning tea: sorted. Right now the only thing stuffing up the otherwise astounding view is a gigantic cruise ship, meaning tht you can't see the Opera House across the water ... But normally you can! Some establishments with astounding views tend to rest on their laurels, and not try too hard with the food. They know they'll get the business anyway. Fortunately, the new(ish) MCA cafe know what they're doing in that department, and the food is excellent. The coffee is also superb, no idea what beans they use, but I was impressed. The only thing that's a bit of a downer about this place (although fairly predictable) is the cost. $12 for a coffee & cake? Yup. But of course, you pay for the view. To nab a good spot it is handy to get here early ... Even in the morning, if you can manage it. You can spend as long as you like at the tables - it's an order-at-the-counter type of deal, so the waiters don't pester you to order more. read more

Worst hot chocolate in Sydney, just luke warm milk with chocolate on the sides of the glass. Found a hair in one of our meals. The manager was very apologetic and gave us a free drink. read more

This was a great stop my first day in Sydney. Ducked into the MCA when the skies started spilling over, and after wandering through the exhibitions I made my way upstairs for a little lunch with a big view. It was busy but not overwhelming midday on a Monday, and I found a table right away, outside yet protected from the drizzle. Service wasn't much, but my quiche and tea were delightful. Very fairly priced, I thought. Certainly on par with any other nearby casual cafe. read more

I had just gotten off a flight from Melbourne and my friend and I headed to the touristiest spot in Sydney, the opera house of course! We were starving and yelped some places, the nearest being the MCA cafe. I didn't expect much from a museum cafe, so I was pleasantly surprised by the harbour and opera house views on the fourth floor. I got the day's special- lamb skewers and pita bread- both were great. The food was pricier than I had expected, but I would later realize everything in Sydney is about that price (and without the fourth floor terrace view). Also, enjoy the museum's free wifi! read more

MCA Cafe - View from my table on a rainy day - Cafes Near Me - The Rocks, NSW

My first visit and what a view! A particularly gorgeous Sydney day so everything looked clean & peaceful. I ordered the ham & cheese baguette (not too exciting) but the baguette had been toasted, so was lightly crunchy yet still soft, the cheese toasted. It was a great simple baguette. The choc hazelnut torte was rich & soft..very good. My mocha not too sweet. Everything was good. Other people's food looked fresh & delicious. read more

Really lovely spot atop the MCA which offers fantastic views of the harbour and the bridge. Highly recommended for a coffee or lunch to take in the views. The cafe is "order at the counter, deliver to your table" format with a selection of salads and sandwiches which are tasty but not going to blow your socks off. You pay a premium for the views, or consider as a donation since you can visit the rest of the museum free of charge. read more

Lights On Thursdays is lovely. The cafe had the most amazing view, a nice crowd and very reasonably priced items. The service comes with a smile. This is the exception, bit the rule. Patrons all seem normal, feet solidly on the ground and with heavy exist representatio. read more

Good cafe at the MCA. We had coffee and a sandwich before we visited the galleries. Food was good. Indoor and outdoor seating. Great views. If there is a cruise ship view of opera house is blocked. read more

Great view, great food, free WiFi. What more can you ask? The pulled beef sandwich was tasty but a bit chincy with meat. read more

MCA Cafe - View from the top - Cafes Near Me - The Rocks, NSW

We absolutely loved our experience here! MCA Cafe has great food and a lovely view of Sydney Harbor. The food comes out pretty quickly and the staff is helpful and accommodating. I ordered the avocado toast which was really good. The dessert drink menu is pretty unique. I tried the liquid apple pie and it was delicious. Overall a very pleasant lunch experience! read more

MCA Cafe - Avocado toast - Cafes Near Me - The Rocks, NSW

Whilst I only had coffee with a friend, the views of the bridge and opera house are reputedly fantastic and even though 80% of our view was blocked by a massive P&O cruise ship, the atmosphere was lovely and the staff, wonderful. A great place to sit and eavesdrop on art enthusiasts' conversations . read more

Great view of Opera house and we had a really nice sandwich. Good crusty bread, roasted pumpkin, capsicum spread, and grilled sweet onions. Rest of options on menu were meat, but when you have one great veggie option who needs more. :-) Good looking desserts and I would like to try the coffee. read more

Beautiful food and scenery line can be very long sometimes but overall the food comes really fast. read more

MCA Cafe - Korean fried chicken $18 - Cafes Near Me - The Rocks, NSW

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Beautiful space with probably one of the best views of the bridge and opera house out on an open terrace. I came for an afternoon snack and just tried some of their special middle eastern desserts which were quite good. Was casual enough that some people were just working on their laptops of lounging, but I'm sure that might change during the regular dining hours. A good spot to take a break and enjoy the views! read more

Lovely! Great views, yummy food, nice wine list. Menu is themed to the major exhibit on. A real oasis above the carnage of Circular Quay. Fair prices for the view and quality of food. Casual, good for kids. You can sit both indoors with AC or outside. Awesome views of the Sydney harbour bridge regardless. Will def come back next time I'm in town! read more

Great menu options, tasty food and fantastic staff. Would definitely come back here and recommend to friends.

You pay for the view. The menu is simple and limited. The food is Ok. However pair it with the view if the iconic Sydney harbour bridge and the Opera house, you got your self a deal. read more

I've always been a fan of museum gift shops for presents and museum cafes for casual dining during busy tourist schedules so was pleased to stop in at the MCA cafe with my parents-in-law in town. They like to keep busy and with a tight schedule location was most important. Luckily, this cafe didn't let us down in food quality at all. And the views were spectacular. We had a shady spot with full views of the Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House and ate a really tasty meal besides. I loved the Miso Brisket tacos, novel combination of shredded beef, quinoa and sriracha mayo, and got a few bites of my mother-in-laws dill salmon cakes before she gobbled them up.The dill was present but not overpowering. I was less impressed with the cauliflower fritters, too thick and heavy for my taste, but the rest of the table seemed to enjoy them. Best compliment ever, my husband will start taking out of town business guests there too. read more