We love delving into the ‘black books’ of our expert friends. Today we catch up with Ben Lucas, former NRL player for the Sharks, endurance runner and the owner of Sydney’s luxury fitness and yoga studio, Flow Athletic.

He also happens to be a foodie. Just swipe through his Ben Lucas Instagram profile for plenty of amazing breakfast inspo.

Here are his top healthy spots to dine at in Sydney.

Jackie’s

Jackie’s is pretty much my office. Not only do they have one of the best breakfast and lunch menus available in Sydney, but they also happen to be very close to Flow Athletic, needless to say that I am there all the time.

The café is nestled right in at The Intersection in Paddington, which is a buzzing little area. It also has an indoor/ outdoor courtyard style setting, making it a nice quiet place to hang out and get a bite.

Their coffee is among the best in Sydney. Food wise, I get like to get a different type of eggs with smoked salmon in the morning. The pumpkin salad and bruschetta at lunch time are both good too.

Orchard Street

Orchard Street is another local of mine and it is the best place for a cold pressed, organic juice or smoothie.

I like the Cashew Chai, which tastes like a chai milk shake and the Green Guru with kale, avo, banana, chia, lemon and probiotic greens. Both are low fructose but they give you a lot of energy, which is necessary when you are very active.

Orchard Street also has some great healthy salads so it is a good place to spend some time.

Bondi Wholefoods

Bondi Wholefoods pretty much has everything you could ever want from unique coffees to juices, raw desserts, a great menu and a well-stocked health food shop.

They food they serve is clean and untainted with toxic chemicals. It is all-organic and they only source from farmers and producers who offer produce that aligns with their philosophy.

For breakfast try their Shakshuka or paleo bread with cashew butter or smashed avocado.

O Superfood

Possibly one of the most impressive smoothie bars around, O Superfood has over 20 superfood ingredients sourced from around the world that they use within their vegan, dairy and gluten free smoothies.

Try the Mr Muscle with blueberries, mango, almonds, coconut flesh, coconut water, chia seeds, camu camu, cinnamon and vegan protein.

O Superfood can be found on Oxford Street, Bondi Junction which is one of Sydney’s best streets when it comes to health. It’s placed right by Naked Foods, Paleo Café, Henley’s, About Life and more.

The Depot

When I am in Bondi, The Depot is definitely my go to, I have been a loyal customer for years!

The Depot combines healthy and innovative food, beach views and a great atmosphere. It is hands down one of the nicest places to spend time at in Bondi as it is a little bit out of the ;mosh pit’, but you are still close enough to enjoy it.

Their coffee is great and their brunch and lunch menu is hard to beat.

Try the Peas Please with a poached egg or the quinoa barramundi salad.

Proteini

Proteini is a great find on Crown Street in Darlinghurst that lives by the mantra ‘love your gut’.

The food they serve is gluten, sugar, dairy and wheat free while being really tasty and ‘gut friendly’. All food is made in house and ingredients are sourced locally. Best of all, whether you are paleo, vegan, coeliac or other, odds are they will have dishes to suit your needs.

Try their Green Breakfast Bowl. It’s really good.

Nalini’s Wholesome Street Food

Nalini’s is a hidden little gem on Spring street in Bondi Junction. It is literally a hole in the wall, but it is such a good find.

Nalini’s boast Probiotic Rich, 100% gluten free foods, with dosa wraps (dosa is a South Indian savory crepe made from fermented rice and lentils) being its main feature.

Definitely worth a try!

Dandylion

Here’s one for the vegetarians. Dandylion recently opened on Bondi Road and it offers a pretty impressive vegetarian dining experience.

The owners have sought vegetarian inspiration from around the world and from their findings they have created some incredible Mediterranean style vegetarian dishes out of it.

Try the kumera chips, The veggie burger or the Cajun fajitas. They are impressive.