Where I'd get brunch in Newcastle if I wanted the whole cafe to double as a photo shoot

Newcastle cafes stopped competing on coffee alone a while ago. Now the fit out has to earn its keep too, because half the room is holding a phone up before they've even ordered.

Autumn Rooms on Darby Street in Cooks Hill is the benchmark. Calm, considered interiors spill into a proper courtyard out back, the kind of layout that gives you a different backdrop depending on which table you land. Almost eight years deep on one of Newcastle's busiest eat streets and it still photographs like it opened last month.

Estabar at Newcastle Beach plays a different game entirely. Perched on the corner of Shortland Esplanade with the ocean right there, it does not need styled interiors when the view does the work, floor to ceiling glass, salty air and a menu built on local produce. Get there early on a weekend, the queue at this East End institution is real.

New Slang Coffee Brewers on Hunter Street is the tighter, moodier option for anyone chasing a more considered shot. A custom Tasmanian oak counter anchors the space opposite NeW Space in the CBD, and the coffee, roasted locally by Unison, holds up its end of the bargain too.

Then there's Eddie's, tucked inside the heritage Shepherds Hill Cottage on The Hill. A 1.8 million dollar restoration turned the building into arguably the best view of any cafe in Newcastle, European inspired brunch included, so if you only have time for one stop, this is a strong argument for making it this one.

None of these places are trying too hard. That's actually the point, the best backdrops in this town come from cafes that built a proper room first and let the photos happen on their own.

Worth a scroll on Instagram before you commit to a booking too, tagged photos tell you more about how a space actually looks at 10am on a Saturday than any polished hero shot on a website ever will.

If brunch needs to double as content, start with these four, then work outward. Newcastle's cafe scene is moving fast enough that there will be a new contender worth chasing within the month.

Sugar Honey is the social media and advertising agency behind What's The Buzz, and we run social media management and content for cafes across Newcastle, Melbourne and Sydney. Get in touch at info@sugarhoney.com.au.