Our flagrant obsession with brunch in Brisbane would be worrying if breakfast was an illicit activity. If it’s poached, smashed, drizzled with maple, or can have smoked salmon on the side, we’re all over it. Thankfully, our love for the morning meal has resulted in us being utterly spoiled for choice by the sheer multitude of cafes serving up truly spectacular feeds first thing.
Whether you dig on granola or the greasy fry-up, these are 50 of the best cafes in Brisbane (in no particular order) you can depend on—consider it your 2021 to-do list.
Miss Jones
NEW FARM
Get the ‘gram ready because Miss Jones has some of the prettiest dishes and digs going around. Located on Brunswick Street, step into this pastel pink oasis and fill your fork with fine nourishing fare. They’ve got everything from nutmeg and caramel hotcakes to blossom scented semolina porridge on the menu, and sweet baked treats on the counter that you won’t be able to walk away from.
Chapter IV
Paddington
Housed in an old Queenslander complete with a verandah that offers up some pretty epic views of the city, Chapter IV takes your fave brekky dishes and gives them an epic twist. Our current brunch obsession is their maple waffle stack with smokey bacon ice cream, liquid cheese and crispy chicken skin—it has to be seen to be believed.
Pawpaw Cafe
Woolloongabba
Woollongabba fave Pawpaw knows a thing or two about putting on a killer breakfast in a stylish Brisbane cafe. Our go-to dishes include the croissant eggs benedict, piling bacon and hollandaise sauce on a flaky croissant, or just whatever insane variation of pancakes or French toast they’ve cooked up for the season.
The New Black
Fortitude Valley
With a creative new special coming out of their kitchen every week, there is always a new excuse to head back to this laneway cafe. The New Black's usual menu features plenty of familiar favorites, including an epic eggs benny creation and though small, their laneway seating is a Sunday morning vibe.
Morning After
West End
They’ll take care of you in the morning and well into the afternoon. A typical brunch date at Morning After usually includes their iconic breakfast carbonara (always say yes to pasta for brunch) and an order of crispy hash browns on the side.
Nodo
Newstead And Camp Hill
Not only is Nodo one of our favourite Brisbane cafes thanks to their iconic baked, gluten-free doughnuts (if you know, you know), but they’re also one of our go-to breakfast spots. Some might go for the dragonfruit summer smoothie bowl, but we’ll be the ones chowing down on the eggs benny on a house made kimchi crumpet.
Pablo
New Farm
Now before you go trying to tell us that Pablo shut their doors years ago, stop, because the rumours are true—Pablo is back, and they’ve brought their smashed peas with them. Pablo 2.0 isn’t even far from the original, and you’ll find a line up of brunch eats worth falling in love with all over again on their new menu.
The Gift Shop
Mount Gravatt
A cosy, relaxed venue in Mount Gravatt, The Gift Shop started out as a hole-in-the-wall spot for coffee and snacks, but has blossomed into a full-blown cafe where you can brunch on creative breakfasts that look as good as they taste. With both indoor and outdoor seating, there's room for you and your pooch, and a coffee hatch if you just want to grab and go.
Florence Cafe
Camp Hill
Trading out of a converted cottage on the corner of Martha Street, Florence Cafe is a happy little hutch of goodness. Their all-day menu offers a broad range of wake-me-ups, from carrot and liquorice pancakes to a potato and cheese omelette with cashew hollandaise. As a sweet added bonus, every jam, pickle and relish on the menu is made right there in house by the Florence team.
Little Black Pug
Mount Gravatt
So dog-friendly they’ve even named their menu items using puppy puns, Little Black Pug looks cosy from the front, but they’re hiding an air adjoining dining space out back, with plenty of room to tuck into a Dog’s Breakfast, their version of a big brekkie, or something more creative. But the real draw card? The menu for your doggo, complete with a warm puppycino or doggy biscuit.
Sister Cafe
Hawthorne
A bright and colourful corner of Hawthorne, Sister takes after sibling Miss Jones’ peachy pastel aesthetic and offers a brunch menu to knock your socks off (the buttermilk espresso waffles and breakfast gnocchi are both must-orders). Add a few cups of their Single O coffee and you’re laughing.
Banter Coffee House
Manly West
One of the best cafes in Brisbane's bayside, Banter offers one of the most comprehensive all day menus we’ve ever seen. With extravagant features like the breakfast mac ‘n’ cheese, bacon loaded banh mis and Korean zucchini fritter benedict, it’s literally impossible to be bored by their offerings. That said, they’ll happily whip you up a sage and reliable avo smash or big brekky no wukkas.
Blockhouse Eat + Drink
Nundah
Nundah favourite, Blockhouse has a moreish and creative breakfast menu that’s all over the shop in the best possible way. Fried chicken and corn waffles. Okonomiyaki waffles with maple bacon steak. Avocado on toast with popcorn chicken. We could go on. Best of all, you can add on bottomless mimosas for just $20.
Farmhouse
Kedron
Managing to give off country barn vibes despite being located in a suburban street in Kedron, Farmhouse usually has a line snaking down the street on Sunday mornings—but it’s worth the wait. Maintain your position for breakfast gnocchi in arrabiata sauce with thick-cut bacon, parmesan and free-range poached egg or their one pan ricotta hotcake with raspberry mascarpone.
My Mistress
Clayfield
Everything about this warm, earthy northside Brisbane cafe is fun and laid back, including the My Mistress menu. If you’re in the mood for something light, consider a ‘Cheeky Fling’ like Middle Eastern fruit load with ricotta and seasonal compote or an acai bowl with seasonal market fruit. After something a little more serious? Get involved in a ‘Main Affair’ including the aptly named Eggs Marilyn or Eggs Monica.
Kin & Co
Teneriffe
A maven in the avo toast game, Kin & Co are committed to delivering the goods at all times of the day. For hearty breakfast satisfaction, look no further than the potato rösti with mushroom medley, although we’re also quite partial to their buttermilk hotcakes.
Little Clive
Annerley
Tucked away on the southside, Little Clive has the kind of decadent and well-turned-out breakfast menu that makes for life-long customers. One scroll of their Instagram feed and you’ll be group messaging the crew for a brunch date—and their regular waffle specials will have you coming back again and again.
Botero House
Brisbane City
If you’re dashing to Botero before work, their coffee is some of the best in town, but catching an earlier bus so you can tuck into mushrooms with fried gnocchi and truffle pesto or their amazing sourdough pancakes with Canadian bacon is always a good idea. Even their version of avo toast is suitably extra with pumpkin, feta and house dukkah.
Willow & Spoon
Newmarket
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. Their all-day brunch menu is always evolving, but right now you can enjoy the likes of cured pork belly with truffled scrambled eggs or cinnamon French toast with pineapple gel and ginger gelato.
Smoked Paprika
Bardon
One quick scroll through Smoked Paprika’s Instagram feed and you’ll be drooling excessively, already planning your visit for their next weekly special. Last week it was a mac ‘n’ cheese scotch egg, next week, who knows? Their regular menu is pretty damn tasty too, and with their portion sizes you’ll be full until dinner.
Mylk & Ko
New Farm
Gorgeous Brisbane café, Mylk & Ko is, quite literally, food for the soul. From lamington and Ferrero acai bowls to halloumi burgers and hokey pokey hotcakes, many of the items at Mylk & Ko are dairy free, gluten free and/or vegan. A win win for everyone!
Lady Marmalade
Stones Corner
There’s two main reasons we love this Stones Corner Staple. One, instead of table numbers Lady Marmalade uses animal figurines—adorbs. Two, their confit duck on chilli cornbread waffles with pecan butter and a fried egg are always the hangover cure we need.
Todd & Pup
Moorooka
Southsiders like keeping Todd & Pup under wraps, but we’re about to blunder in and blow the lid on this cheeky secret right off and send everyone rushing in for their key lime puffed pancakes. Think neighbourhood gem, this joint jumps with a community vibe powered by primo coffee and is, as the name suggests, dog friendly.
Smug Fig
East Brisbane
Apart from having a killer French toast special every weekend, which is frankly reason enough to spend every Sunday amongst their greenery, Smug Fig also dishes up plenty more worthy brunch dishes, like smoked salmon and white bean croquettes with split pea hummus, and an epic halloumi stack.
Petrichor & Co
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 spicy options like huevos rancheros and pulled beef empanadas, but you'll also find more familiar brunch fare like spiced pumpkin pancakes and acai bowls.
Hunter & Scout
Graceville
Lush and green, Hunter and Scout is the place to go to make the most of Brisbane’s perpetual summer. Their all day breakfast menu covers the entire spectrum from stalwarts like the big breakfast and a classic avo toast, to blueberry hotcakes with baked ricotta or a cheddar and chive hash brown benedict.
Picnic Cafe
Camp Hill
Picnic Cafe has been in the lazy weekend breakfast game since before sourdough hit the mainstream, so they have their menu stacked with crowd favourites like Tim Tam pancakes, mushrooms on toast and two different types of eggs benedict.
Goodness Gracious
Graceville
The only thing you really need to know about Brisbane cafe Goodness Gracious is that they don't do anything by halves. They’re big fans of the whole hog and offer an all day menu that pops off with decadent dishes like the pork belly tacos, milo pancakes and even a cheeky crumbed mac ‘n’ cheese benedict.
St Coco Cafe
Daisy Hill
St. Coco Cafe is pumping out the breakfast and lunch dishes of your dreams. We're talking pina colada waffles, bratwurst benedict, panna cotta bowls, you name it. If all that wasn't enough, St. Coco cafe's decor is a Pinterest lovers wet dream—all rustic, Cali-style fit-out, featuring a plethora of cacti and succulents, rugs and mis-matched seating.
Deedot Coffee House
Holland Park West
If you’re one of those people who thinks the more creative the breakfast the better, Deedot Coffee House might just be your match made in heaven. You could just opt for something off the all-day menu, like the Korean-style short ribs with fried eggs and a kimchi pancake or the banoffee French toast, but really, it’s the weekend special you’ll want to dig a fork into.
Halo Ground
Fortitude Valley
Tucked away on a quiet street just outside of the Valley’s main hub, Halo Ground is somewhere you’ve probably passed by once or twice without even noting its presence—but you really need to make a beeline for it at your earliest convenience. Their Instagram feed has us drooling on the regular, thanks to epic plates like their pork belly benny and orange blossom hotcakes.
The Jam Pantry
Greenslopes
The Jam Pantry is all about hyper-seasonality, resulting in a menu that changes constantly and highlights only the best of Brisbane’s local produce. The Jam Pantry loves to put a twist on breakfast classics and each menu they design has a cohesive cuisine theme. Best of all, you’ll never have the same dish twice.
Piggy Back Cafe
Jindalee
If it’s a colourful breakfast you want, you’ll want to head for Piggy Back Cafe, where the only thing more vibrant than the flower adorned French toast are the rainbow lattes. You may leave in a sugar coma, but it will have been worth it.
The Corner Store Cafe
Toowong
The Corner Store Cafe is pretty much the cradle of brunch for the entire west side, paving the way for breakfast trends the city over. Their latest summer menu has some amazing inclusions (hello cherry and vanilla waffles) but we’re fanging for the slow-cooked lamb and potato hash.
Felix For Goodness
Brisbane CBD
Looking for organic, locally sourced breakfast that's lovingly made from scratch in the Brisbane CBD? Look no further than Felix. This Burnett Lane café is a hidden gem that offers up the perfect all-day breakfast menu, including house made crumpets, classic avo smash, and daily specials alongside fresh smoothies and specialty coffee.
The Garden Room
Brisbane CBD
Nestled amongst the greenery that is the Roma Street Parklands, The Garden Room truly is an urban oasis. The aptly-named eatery has plants covering seemingly every surface, combining the beauty of a garden with the comfort of a cafe. The curated breakfast menu is sure to delight, especially cinnamon-dusted doughnuts with bacon and caffeinated-maple syrup.
Billykart
West End
We’re big fans of classic brekkies, and no one does classic with a twist quite like Billykart. They take cheese souffle and turn it into a breakfast dish with bacon, poached eggs and herb hollandaise, and top buttermilk and ricotta pancakes with coconut caramel and banana. The decor ain’t bad either.
Wild Canary
Brookfield
Situated within a Brookfield nursery, Wild Canary is a botanical paradise—ergo, it’s the gardener’s breakfast everyone comes here for, complete with bacon steak, slow roasted tomatoes, cheese kranskies, house baked beans, mushrooms, grilled halloumi, avocado, garden greens and a couple of eggs on toast.
Pitch & Fork
Toowong
The best thing about Pitch and Fork is that their menu always changes to reflect the season, so you know you’re always getting the freshest ingredients. Some absolutely cracking features on their latest menu include a strawberries and cream waffle stack, kimchi fritters and breakfast gnocchi.
Industry Beans
Newstead
One for the die-hard coffee fanatics, Industry Beans is a light-filled, Scandi-inspired cafe that you’ll never want to leave. Our brekky recommendation is the signature porcini nest, with a poached egg nestled in a potato and enoki nest with wild mushrooms and kale.
Cache Cache
Rochedale
Who says the cafes on Brisbane’s outskirts aren’t delicious? Rochedale’s Cache Cache doesn’t just look good, it’s also got a seriously drool-worthy breakfast, with eats like their cornflake crusted chicken stack with eggs and avo, and their bacon and egg breakfast pizza.
King Arthur
Fortitude Valley
Just off James Street in Fortitude Valley, King Arthur is one of those classic cafes you just can't help but keep coming back to. As well as some of the most delicious and hearty feeds for breakfast, you’ll also find a plethora of housemade cakes and sweet pastries to grab for later.
Gramps Cafe
Red Hill
With mismatched furnishings and a cosy feel, there’s no better place to get a home cooked meal than at Gramps Cafe. They’ll fix you up with some early morning staples like banoffee French toast, breakfast curry or their signature omelette, all made with love and best served alongside a fresh brew.
Naim
Paddington
Naïm has earned quite the reputation for their beautifully plated, Middle Eastern-inspired breakfast menu featuring dishes like white chocolate and tahini ganache waffles and brekkie pita boards. If you're a sufferer of meal envy opt for the shakshuka (baked eggs) with toasted Turkish bread—it’s one of the best dishes on offer.
Café O Mai
Annerley
It’s 11 in the morning. You’re hungry and hung. What’s the first thing that pops into your head? Café O Mai’s pork meatballs in rich tomato sauce with quail eggs and a fluffy white baguette of course. You could go for something less adventurous, but why would you?
Anouk
Paddington
An all day menu is tough to pull off because it needs to provide zesty lunchtime options that are also feasible for breakfast. Safe to say that Anouk nails it every time. Their seasonal menu has some hectic features like confit hoisin duck in a rolled omelette and a mind-expanding lemon ricotta doughnuts.
Southside Bistro
Sunnybank
Tucked away in Sunnybank is Southside Bistro, a cosy spot that dishes up the breakfast you never knew you needed: The breakfast puffle. With pork floss, taro puree and sweet potato waffles wrapped up in a hot puffle, it’s a sight for sore eyes—and stomachs.
Little Dreamer Café
Calamvale
Breakfast dreams are made (and eaten) at Little Dreamer Café. All their breakfast eats are a stunner to look at, but none as much as the Dreamer’s breakfast tower. Comprised of two levels (yes, TWO), it features a board piled with eggs, bacon, hash browns, avocado toast and other breakfast goodies, crowned with a plate of waffles.
Joedy’s Cafe
New Farm
Conveniently located across the road from the stunning New Farm Park, Joedy’s Cafe has one of the best seats in the house when it comes to Brisbane’s best cafes. Their all-day menu offers options for everyone, including eggs benny on cheddar cornbread waffles and strawberry and coconut chia.
Plentiful
Graceville
The newest spot on our list, Plentiful has been wowing brunch lovers since the day they opened, thanks to their generous servings and luxe surrounds. There’s so much we love on their menu, from the choccy croissant waffle with vanilla ice cream to the popcorn chicken croissant waffle with poached eggs and chipotle hollandaise.
Want more than just the best cafes in Brisbane? Check out these 50 Brisbane meals you should have eaten by now.
Image credit: Nelson Zambrano, Cache Cache, Mylk & Co, Halo Ground, Sister Cafe