Hunting down a good breakfast on Brisbane/Meanjin’s northside doesn’t have to be an all-day mission—the northern suburbs are home to myriad of quality cafes and breakfast spots to cure your waffles cravings and get you jacked on great coffee.
From Boondall to Toombul, Banyo to Chermy, here at Urban List we've eaten our way through cafes all over town to bring you this list of the best breakfasts on Brisbane's northside.
Mitch & Antler
62 Suez Street, Mitchelton
Long gone are the days where a classic fry-up or eggs benedict were the star dishes in cafe repertoire. Breaking away from the norm, rather than offering an extensive menu, Mitch & Antler focus on cooking a smaller limited menu…extremely well. With top-tier coffee beans and a modern spin on beloved all-day breakfast classics, Mitch & Antler should be your go-to spot if you’re in the area. If you need more convincing, just check out their famous croque monsieurs on Instagram.
Blockhouse Eat + Drink
130 Ryans Road, Nundah
Nundah favourite, Blockhouse has a moreish and creative breakfast menu that’s all over the shop in the best possible way. Katsu eggs benny with crunchy fried chicken on sticky gochu rice. Maple bacon and fried eggs on fried ramen noodles. Scrambled egg and cheese sandos. Avocado on toast with white miso and sesame. We could go on. Best of all, the Blockhouse brunch menu runs allll day and you can even add on bottomless mimosas.
Dandelion & Driftwood
20 Doncaster Street, Hendra
Image credit: Dandelion & Driftwood | Instagram
Having trouble deciding whether you want sweet or savoury for breakfast? Dandelion & Driftwood has you covered with their double decker breakfast towers. Designed to share, you’ll get to dig into a bottom plate of corn and zucchini fritters, potato rosti, eggs, bacon and smashed avo and halloumi on toast PLUS a top plate of waffles with caramel fudge sauce and vanilla ice cream. Who says you can’t have it all?
Nana & Da’s
12 Homebush Road, Kedron
Tucked out of sight in quite residential street of Kedron, Nana & Da’s has a familiar homey vibe that’s made it a firm favourite with northsiders who are too lazy to poach their own eggs but would still like to enjoy their breakfast in the comfort of home. The menu is built on breakfast classics, and the baked goods are top notched, making this one northside café we could happily while away a Saturday.
Huskk Cafe
2/8 Days Road, Grange
Don't let Huskk Cafe's cosy, minimalist space fool you—on the breakfast menu here you'll find an adventurous selection of dishes far bigger in flavour and flair than the venue lets on. With everything sourced locally and seasonally, tuck into feeds like gingerbread pancakes with pistachio brittle, lemon curd and cream, or crab bisque chilli scramble with sourdough and chilli sesame.
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Bear Boy Espresso
8/180 Albion Road, Windsor
Image credit: Bear Boy Espresso | Instagram
A Gold Coast favourite that’s made its way north, Bear Boy Espresso has been winning hearts with both its coral pink interiors and its impeccably presented breakfasts. Staples on their menu include buttermilk fried chicken and poached eggs on waffles with Sriracha hollandaise and their stacked breakfast burger, but you should also cast your eyes towards the seasonal menu. This Autumn sees mixed berry hotcakes and a chorizo bagel joining the line up, so you may have trouble choosing what to eat.
Petrichor & Co
1/33 Racecourse Road, Hamilton
Head to Petrichor & Co for a Brisbane breakfast and you'll find a little slice of South America waiting for you. Drawing on the owners' Colombian heritage, the menu features options like arepa con carne and huevos rancheros, but you'll also find more familiar brunch fare like spiced pumpkin pancakes and corn and broccoli fritters.
Artie & Mai
340 Sandgate Road, Albion
You might know Artie & Mai for its splendid red exterior, but venture inside and you’ll be treated to one of the best breakfast cafes on Brisbane's north side. An all-day breakfast menu that includes all the brekky classics, albeit with their own fresh spin, makes for an exciting way to start the day. Frankly, we’re all about the pancakes.
White Horse Ranch Cafe
31-33 Ferguson Street, Albany Creek
Image credit: White Horse Ranch Cafe | Instagram
Bringing a taste of the country to Albany Creek, White Horse Ranch is part cafe and part gift store—basically it’s got all your weekend necessities covered. After you’ve had a browse of the quirky locally made homewares, take a seat and tuck into brunch dishes like croquette hash with crispy bacon, salsa verde and a fried egg; Nutella french toast with fresh strawberries and vanilla ice-cream, or a classic eggs benny or avo on toast. Their outdoor seating area is dog-friendly too, so bring along your four-legged friends for a treat.
Willow & Spoon
190 Newmarket Road, Wilston
A quaint little northside café with a retro feel, Willow & Spoon is sitting pretty on Newmarket Road and waiting to fulfill your every breakfast whim. The menu is simple and seasonal, with a home-style cooking feel. Their all-day brunch menu is always evolving, but you can enjoy the likes of chicken and waffles or baja fish tacos, as well as plenty of breakfast staples.
Pancha
6/33 Racecourse Road, Hamilton
Cosy it may be, but Pancha dishes up some seriously bold flavours from their spot on Racecourse Road. The vibe inside rocks a mix of rustic industrial feels, with cool exposed bricks, concrete, and an awesome olive-green wall jazzed up with loads of plants. Take your pick from cosy indoor seats or chill outside in the undercover laneway to tuck into your feast of chilli egg and chorizo-stuffed croissant or miso mushrooms on toasted sourdough.
Farmhouse
9 Somerset Road, Kedron
Image credit: Farmhouse | Instagram
Managing to give off serious country barn vibes despite being located in a quiet suburban street in Kedron, Farmhouse usually has a line snaking down the street on Sunday mornings—but if you can hang in there, it’s worth the wait. Maintain your position and be rewarded with breakfast gnocchi in chilli sauce with thick-cut bacon, parmesan and free-range poached egg or their one pan warm Biscoff and caramelized banana ‘pluncake’ (Italian pancake) with biscoff mascarpone, butterscotch sauce and seasonal berries.
Cafe Gia
132 Butterfield Street, Herston
There are few cafes this writer feels more sentimental about than Cafe Gia in Herston. Driving past, you’d be forgiven for thinking it's just another classic Queenslander—head inside though, because the food is well worth the trip. Serving up all your Brisbane breakfast faves (do not miss their smashed avo), Cafe Gia also throws out some delicious curveballs—think pulled pork burgers, Nonna's Italian meatballs, bacon benedict, spanakopita, homemade chicken pies (seriously, you need these pies in your life) and a countertop of freshly made cakes and sweet treats.
Butter
5/394 Samford Road, Gaythorne
Cool name and even cooler branding aside, Butter is dishing up some seriously delicious brekky feasts. This tiny joint may be small, but holy moly, it's bursting with some seriously good stuff on its menu. You've got your light brunch bites like avocado toast rocking Persian fetta, and let's not forget that banana bread soaking up espresso butter like a champ. Oh, and the Japanese-style sausage muffin? It's a mouthful in more ways than one. Toasties undoubtedly steal the show here though—for the cheese enthusiasts, there's the four-cheese toastie that's basically a gooey, melty party of mozzarella, cheddar, pecorino, and gruyere.
Putia
4/17 Royal Parade, Banyo
Image credit: Putia Pure Food | Instagram
Banyo’s Putia Pure Food has a massive breakfast menu that makes deciding what to order a straight up nightmare. Green harvest bowls and il verde scramble sit alongside more decadent dishes like breakfast panna cotta and Putia's signature breakfast gnocchi with parmesan and cracked pepper butter, a poached egg and pangrattato. The fact that there are brunch cocktails on the menu means this is our kind of place.
Let Minnow Café
57 Park Avenue, Clayfield
Let Minnow’s breakfast menu includes classic brekky dishes plus some new twists on the first meal of the day. Their menu features showstoppers like mixed berry french toast rolled in a mixed nut and brittle praline and Persian eggs, however die hard fans are all about the toasties and incredible milkshakes on offer.
Elixir
10/12 Hayward Street, Stafford
A wholesale roasting house-come-café, Elixir a long and plentiful all-day brekky menu with something for everyone—but especially those who really like to indulge of a morning. Extra calorific breakfast dishes here include the churros waffles with chocolate ganache, chantilly cream, fresh strawberries, sesame tuille, hazelnut crumb and vanilla ice cream, or the breaky burger with free range bacon, a fried egg, hash brown, American aged cheddar, baby spinach, house tomato chutney and smokey bbq sauce all on a toasted brioche.
Looking for more breakfast spots a little further affield? Head here:
Image credit: Mitch & Antler | Instagram