Where I'd take a first date for coffee in Sydney

A first date coffee has one job, give you somewhere to talk without shouting over a grinder or staring at a wall because the tables are jammed against it. Sydney has plenty of options that actually pull this off.

Skittle Lane on King Street in the CBD is the safe, impressive choice, a heritage building with high ceilings, marble counters and a proper seasonal espresso blend. Grab a smaller table if you want it intimate, or a communal one if you'd rather ease into things.

Down in Potts Point, Room 10 is tucked along Llankelly Place and barely fits a dozen people, but that's the charm. It's the kind of tiny, unpretentious laneway cafe where you can pretend you're regulars by your second visit.

Reuben Hills in Surry Hills is the move if your date actually cares about coffee. It roasts its own beans on site and leans into a South and Central American menu, which gives you something to talk about besides how the date is going.

For a view that does some of the talking for you, MCA Cafe at Tallawoladah in The Rocks looks straight across to the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, and somehow still keeps the coffee genuinely good rather than an afterthought.

And if you want to properly show off, the cafe at Bondi Icebergs Club serves coffee with ocean views that make small talk considerably easier, plus a fallback swim if the conversation runs dry.

None of these need a booking for a coffee catch up, which matters when you're not sure yet if you want to commit to a whole dinner. Pick one, keep it under an hour, and let the venue take some of the pressure off you.

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 Melbourne, Sydney and Newcastle. Get in touch at info@sugarhoney.com.au.