Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs don’t exactly need an introduction. Good beaches, good food, good coffee and plenty of reasons to stay this side of the bridge. But you can Google Sydney. Or you can ask a local.We caught up with good friend @cj_soden to get his guide to the East, from where he gets his morning coffee to his go-to swim, sandwich, dinner and training spot. These are the places worth knowing. Favourite Cafe - Tuga Pastries Clovelly A little slice of Portugal on Clovelly Road. Tuga is known for its Portuguese pastries, with the pastel de nata doing most of the talking. Add a coffee and you’ve got a pretty solid way to start the morning. Come for coffee. You’re leaving with a tart. Visit @tuga.pastries Favourite Sandwhich Cut Lunch Deli - Clovelly A neighbourhood sandwich shop doing exactly what you want a neighbourhood sandwich shop to do: big, properly filled sandwiches without making too much fuss about it. An easy stop before the beach, after the beach, or whenever lunch needs sorting. Lunch. Cut. Sorted. Visit @cutlunchdeli Favorite Restaurant 1 - Raw Bar Bondi Beach A North Bondi institution that's been serving sushi and sashimi just up from the beach for decades. It's small, casual and particularly known for its hand rolls — the kind of place that makes perfect sense after an afternoon by the water. Sushi by the beach. Hard to argue with that. Visit @rawbarbondibeach Favourite Restaurant 2 - Cho Cho San Potts Point A little further into town for CJ's second dinner pick. Cho Cho San takes its cues from Tokyo's izakayas, with Japanese dishes designed for sharing, a raw bar and plenty to drink alongside them. Grab a booth, order for the table and settle in. Bring friends. Order too much. Visit - @chochosansydney Favourite Gym - Titan Fitness Coogee For when all that eating needs balancing out. Titan is CJ's local training spot in Coogee, with dedicated strength and cardio areas alongside HYROX-style training, cycle, reformer Pilates and recovery facilities including saunas and ice baths. Train. Recover. Repeat. Visit - @titanfitnessau Favourite Beach - Clovelly Tucked between Bronte and Coogee, Clovelly is a little different from Sydney's big open beaches. The narrow bay and concrete promenades make it feel somewhere between a beach and a giant ocean pool — with calm water that makes it an easy spot for a swim, snorkel or afternoon in the sun. And conveniently, most of CJ's other recommendations aren't far away. Swim first. Work the rest out later. Shop The Edit
