At Dad and the Frog Café, we know brunch isn’t the same without your four-legged sidekick. That’s why we’ve created a welcoming dog-friendly outdoor dining area where both you and your pup can relax, refuel, and soak up the good vibes. Just a minute’s walk from Moore Park Dog Park, our spot on Fitzroy Street is the perfect pit stop after a tail-wagging morning walk.

There’s just something about a long, lazy lunch that rolls into the afternoon. Add some sunshine, a glass of something cold, and a few of your favourite people – and suddenly your weekend is looking a whole lot brighter.

At Dad and the Frog Café, we’ve given our alcohol menu a refresh, just in time for your next Saturday brunch or lunch. Whether you're catching up with friends or enjoying a date in the sun, we’ve created the kind of vibe you’d expect from the best cafe in Surry Hills – chilled, flavourful, and fun.

There’s a time of day at our Surry Hills café that regulars have come to love — we call it The Golden Hours.

From mid-morning through lunch, the sun finds its way down our laneway, warming up the alfresco area and garden space just right. It’s that sweet spot where time slows down, the coffee hits just right, and our team is in the groove serving up your favourite breakfast, brunch, and lunch dishes.

In a city full of cafés, finding the one—the café you visit for your morning coffee, long brunches with mates, or that solo lunch to reset mid-week—can feel like a mission. That’s why I started Dad and the Frog Café. We're not trying to be trendy. We're just here to make sure the coffee is exceptional, the eggs are done just the way you like, and your time with us feels like a little pocket of peace in the middle of Surry Hills.

At Dad & the Frog, great service isn’t just luck—it’s trained, practised, and refined regularly. As we prepare for our next front-of-house team training, we thought we’d give you a peek behind the scenes of how we keep things running smoothly—and why it matters for your experience.

Whether you’re here for a quick takeaway coffee or settling in for a long lunch in our sunny laneway, there’s a lot of intentionality behind the way we serve you. And it all starts with team alignment.

Looking for a spot to relax and soak up the sun this King’s Birthday long weekend? Good news – Dad and the Frog Café is open tomorrow, and we’ve got everything you need for a breezy brunch or laid-back lunch with friends and family

As the colder months roll in, now’s the time for cafés in Sydney to make smart seasonal changes—and it all starts with the menu.

We do two major menu reviews each year—one for spring/summer and one for autumn/winter. This seasonal shift helps us keep our cost of goods in check while giving our team a chance to review pantry items, chat with suppliers, and renegotiate prices where needed. It’s also a chance to create a menu that simply feels right for the season.

Winter’s here, and so is our new seasonal menu.

We’ve made some small changes with a big impact—new dishes, a few upgrades, and a drinks list that makes it worth staying a little longer.

Last week, I sat in a room full of amazing local businesses at the Hyatt Regency, not knowing what to expect.

When they called out Dad & The Frog Café as the winner for Outstanding Café, I froze. My heart dropped. It was one of those moments that catches you off guard—in the best way.

Running a café, showing up every day, and being part of people’s lives has always been worth it on its own. The support we’ve received and the chance to keep growing and adding value to this little corner of Surry Hills is already something we’re deeply proud of. But receiving this kind of recognition reminded us that we’re heading in the right direction—that we really are creating something special for the people who walk through our doors.

What’s the Best Way to Do Surry Hills? Start With Brunch at Dad & The Frog

We get asked this all the time:
“What should I do when I visit Surry Hills?”

Well, if you’re into leafy streets, incredible food, and architecture that whispers stories from Sydney’s past—start with brunch at our place, then just wander.

Surry Hills isn’t a checklist suburb. It’s the kind of neighbourhood you feel. And if you do it right, your day will be full of good coffee, vintage finds, hidden parks, and about 17 “oh wow, this street is cute” moments.

Here’s how to spend a perfect day around Dad & The Frog Café.

Looking for the perfect way to treat Mum this Mother’s Day in Surry Hills? We’ve got just the thing—brunch, bubbles, and now... booze.

This weekend at Dad & The Frog Café, we’re raising our glasses (and our game) with the launch of our brand-new alcohol menu—and what better way to kick things off than Mother’s Day?

Whether Mum loves a cheeky mimosa with her smashed avo or prefers to wind down with a Negroni over lunch, we’ve created a little something for every kind of weekend warrior.

Winter isn’t just a change in the weather—it’s a whole new season for running a café.
At Dad & The Frog Café in Surry Hills, we see it as an opportunity to fine-tune the experience for both our customers and our team.
Today, we’re lifting the curtain and giving you a peek at how we prepare our café for the colder months—from seasonal menu design to operations management and service tweaks.

Whether you’re a barista, café owner, or coffee enthusiast, here’s how we get winter-ready—and why it matters.

In our first year, I went through six chefs.

Not because they weren’t talented. Not because they didn’t care. But because I was hiring reactively—plugging holes fast instead of hiring intentionally.

I’d meet someone with solid experience, pitch them a dream role where they could “own the kitchen,” and rush them onto the roster.

But what they walked into wasn’t a dream—it was chaos. A fast-growing business without systems, culture, or leadership consistency.
And truthfully, I was drowning too.

When I opened Dad & The Frog, I did what most café owners do—everything.

For 9 months, I was clocking 60–70 hours a week in the café and pulling another 20 hours on nights and weekends doing events—just to ease the pressure on wages. At the time, I thought this was the grind I had to embrace. But looking back, I can see what it really was:

Let me be brutally honest… I didn’t get this right the first time.

When I first opened Dad & The Frog Café, I made just about every classic mistake in the book.
I chased fads. I dabbled with shiny new ideas. I got swept up in trends instead of doubling down on the basics.

The hardest part? I didn’t have a clear vision. And when you don’t know where you’re going, it’s all too easy to end up nowhere.

But over time—and through a good few humbling experiences—I started to figure it out. I realised that every successful café I admired wasn’t trying to reinvent the wheel. They were just really, really good at the fundamentals.

And that’s what this blog is about: sharing what I wish I knew when I started, and what I’m still learning every single day.

For many of us, the day doesn't truly begin until we've had that first sip of coffee. It's a ritual, a comfort, and, for some, an absolute necessity. But have you noticed that your beloved cup of joe is costing more lately? Let's delve into the factors behind the rising coffee prices and what it means for you as a consumer.

Let’s play a little game. Close your eyes (after reading this, of course) and picture a rainy Sydney morning. You’re wrapped in your favourite scarf, wandering down Bourke Street, and there it is—Dad & The Frog. Warm lights. Rich, roasty coffee in the air. And something brand new on the menu you weren’t expecting… but now can’t stop thinking about.

Sound tempting?

If you’re the one who usually picks the spot—whether it’s for family brunch, a catch-up with friends, or just somewhere reliable after the school run—you know the vibe matters just as much as the food. It has to be easy. It has to be good. And ideally, it should feel like you nailed it.

When do you usually start craving cozy vibes, comfort food, and slow mornings?

If your answer is “winter”—you’re not alone.

But you might be missing the season that actually does it better.

Because autumn? Autumn is the underrated hero of the café experience. And the real magic? It starts with fresh air, great coffee, and a courtyard that catches the morning light just right.

Autumn in Surry Hills brings a kind of balance you don’t get any other time of year. The skies are clear, the air is fresh, the sun is gentle—and somehow, the world feels a little slower. Our courtyard at Dad & The Frog was made for this moment. The way the morning light filters through the laneway trees, the way your coffee holds its warmth, the way time seems to stretch just a little longer than usual—it’s all part of the rhythm.

Let’s be real for a moment: if you're the one who plans the outings, books the brunch, packs the snacks, checks the weather, and still makes sure everyone has a good time—you’re the heart of the household. 👑

And when Easter rolls around, you deserve a café experience that’s less “stress with syrup” and more “relaxed, fun, and actually enjoyable for everyone.”

That’s where Dad & The Frog steps in.

Whether you’re planning a wholesome post-egg-hunt brunch, a casual coffee with your partner, or an outing where the kids can just be kids—we’ve built the perfect little haven in Surry Hills just for you.