A bustling urban oasis serving artisanal coffee, gourmet meals, and unforgettable high tea experiences in the heart of Sydney.
The Grounds of the City is a vibrant cafe and restaurant located in Sydney's CBD, offering a sophisticated escape with a European-inspired ambiance. Known for its artisanal coffee, creative breakfast and lunch menus, and exquisite high tea, this establishment provides a warm, bustling atmosphere perfect for casual dining or special occasions. With attentive service, a focus on quality ingredients, and a diverse drink selection including deconstructed beverages and craft cocktails, it has become a favorite spot for locals and visitors seeking a memorable culinary experience.
Shop RG 12/500 George St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Claim The Grounds of the City to manage your storefront, respond to reviews, and receive customer leads.
Enjoy gourmet dishes like Lobster Benedict and Eggs Florentine, served in a cozy, bustling setting.
Indulge in a relaxing high tea with a range of sweet and savory treats, plus specialty drinks like Deconstructed Mocha.
Savor unique beverages, including deconstructed iced coffees and customizable Bloody Marys with spice level options.
Dine on sophisticated meals such as pork chops and burgers in a warm, European-inspired atmosphere.
Relax with fluffy banana soufflés and other desserts, perfect for a late-afternoon break.
Overall rating
Nick M
A very enjoyable experience overall. The food was delicious and well prepared, and the service was friendly and efficient throughout. The tables were quite small, but the staff made it work and were accommodating, which we appreciated. Being seated outside, it was a little noisy at times, but it didn’t take away from the great atmosphere. A solid spot with good food and service that we’d happily return to.
Norman Chia
Fantastic, sophisticated and delightful. Excellent service, even when it's really busy. Gets very crowded, always a good sign. Lovely ambience and setting, with great music in the background. My pork chop was nice - strange, asked me how I wanted the pork cooked. I would've thought anything less than well done would be a high risk of parasites and food poisoning, but I might be wrong. Burger was beautiful. Very cute and popular cafe with a delightful setting.
Naomi Kirk
We booked the High Tea for Boxing Day and it was the perfect break from the frenzy of the sales! The atmosphere was so relaxing as we watched the chaos outside and the break gave us renewed energy to dive back into the madness of the Galeries. Our group of 6 really enjoyed our High Tea. The range of included drinks was fantastic - not just tea & coffee. My choice was the Deconstructed Mocha which was a winner! Such generous servings meant that none of us were able to finish everything. The general favourite sweet treat was the Cherry Chocolate Tart but the savouries were all great too! Service was helpful and attentive even though they were very busy and all up it was good value. Recommend! 👌🏻
Briallen Hudson
Had the best experience as a first timer at the Grounds of the City. It was a busy Saturday morning and the place was bustling. It was busy but exciting, I could not wait to try out the deconstructed iced coffee and 'something' from the breakfast menu. I decided on the Lobster benedict and my mum had the eggs florentine. We both enjoyed our meals and promised each other we would go back to try something from the lunch menu. I also ordered a bloody mary, which was amazing, i was asked to choose the spice level which is from 1 to 5 and i chose 3. It was a lovely kick of heat. And i also could choose whether it was made traditionally with vodka, or with tequila etc, it was fantastic. I appreciate the service we received from the hard working staff. They were on the ball! I look forward to returning again next year !!!
Lysha
My family wanted to sit at a cafe and have nice drinks at 4:30pm in the arvo, and this was a really great place to choose. They were only serving drinks and desserts, so we ordered a few lattes, an iced chocolate and banana souffle. The iced chocolate was not too sweet and it was super pleasant to drink. And the banana souffle was soooo delicious, the banana taste is subtle yet so flavourful, and the souffle was super fluffy and delicious to eat. The vibes of the space were also super comfy and warm, I almost forgot we were in Sydney (felt so much like Europe). The staff were also so kind, they really helped when we asked for recs.
