Valentina’s is the dog-friendly, diner-themed darling of Marrickville’s brunch crowd. Sitting on a suburban stretch of Livingstone Road, it channels a classic American diner – counter seats, curved timber, retro coffee cups – without feeling like a gimmick. It’s the spot locals send people when they’re craving proper comfort food and bottomless filter coffee.

Valentina’s menu leans into nostalgia in all the right ways: thick pancakes with self-pour maple syrup, breakfast muffins stuffed with sausage, egg and cheese, fried chicken biscuits drowning in gravy, grilled cheese with tomato soup, and crumbly biscuits with whipped maple butter and jam. There are snickerdoodle cookies, pink doughnuts and filter coffee by Artificer for anyone who wants the full small-town-USA fantasy in the middle of the Inner West.

From the team behind Grumpy Donuts, Valentina’s is designed right down to the order pads and monogrammed plates, making it one of Sydney’s best-looking cafés – and one of the most satisfying places for an indulgent brunch that still feels neighbourhood-y rather than overproduced