Number of cafés and restaurants in Australia Jun 2021, by state and territory

As of June 2021, over 18.8 thousand cafes and restaurants were in operation in the Australian state of New South Wales. The second leading state in terms of number of operating cafes and restaurants was Victoria. As the two largest states in terms of population, New South Wales and Victoria are home to the majority of the country’s food service establishments.

Gastronomy: A key economic sector

In recent years, the total number of cafes and restaurants throughout the country has been on the rise. The annual turnover of Australian cafes, restaurants, and takeaway food services experienced steady annual growth for many years up until the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, food services represent a key source of gross value added in the tourism industry.

An added boost from coffee

With a recent rise in domestic consumption of coffee and an annual revenue of the Australian coffee market reaching nearly six billion U.S. dollars in 2021, coffee plays an important role in the food services sector. What’s more, it is estimated that the contribution of coffee shops to employment has risen significantly over the past decade.