Brunch. That amazing meal that delicately fades breakfast into lunch, and it’s totally acceptable to scoff an inordinate volume of coffee, juice, pastries and bacon absolutely free from judgement.
With so many delish brunch options out there we’ve put together a wee sample of Brisbane’s best brunches so you can get the best quality chow without even having to think about it.
When you wake up late and the fridge is empty, here’s where to head:
Sourced Grocer
Teneriffe
After many years presiding over the Teneriffe patch Sourced Grocer have marked themselves as the ultimate in Brisbane brunches and if you haven’t already been here there is something wrong with you. The cabbage pancake is actually legendary and way, way better than it sounds.
Gauge
South Brisbane
Ever wondered what black garlic bread tastes like? WANNA FIND OUT? From pork Bolognese brioche with fermented chilli, to sourdough, Gauge is carving through convention and upturning every pre-conception we’ve ever had about bruncheon.
King Arthur
Fortitude Valley
Barely a stone’s tumble off the James Street strip, King Arthur holds court on the splendours of brunch and coffee with a kick. The crowning glory is undoubtedly the counter of freshly baked cake things.
Harveys Bar + Bistro
Fortitude Valley
There’s only one category to file Harvey’s brunch options under and that’s ‘stalwart’. He’s been paving the way and setting the standard for an entire city’s brunch game for the past 2 decades. You want classic? You want Harvey.
BillyKart Kitchen
West End and Annerley
Git yo buns to BillyKart and order a plate of the buttermilk pancakes. Why? Because they just make you happy. I can’t explain it. Your whole being just starts humming and then you see stars spelling out the word ‘crisp’ and then Buddha visits you with a ladle of salted caramel and leads you into paradise. I think it’s the syrup.
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 some red velvet waffles (that look smoking on IG btw) and a fancy-ass MaMuffin from the all-day menu, and maybe some late-morning calamari to get you into the lunch mood. A must-do for any bruncher worth their pink Himalayan mountain salt.
Naïm
Paddington
Naïm is more than a Middle Eastern restaurant and more than another breakfast joint. The co-mingling of classic Eastern and Western flavours has never been so brilliantly executed before noon, and where else am I going to get a latke stack?
Jam Pantry
Greenslopes
Jam Pantry do amazing breakfast specials but I’m more blown away that THEY MAKE THEIR OWN JAMS. And not music jams. Actual jams that you can spread on toast and dip spoons into. The kind of jam you wish you would find in the bottom of your Christmas stocking. Naturally, this kind of attention to detail is what defines their all-day breakfast game and makes them pretty perfect for brunch.
Pearl Café
Woolloongabba
Finally, how could any brunch hit list be even near complete without a shout out to the whimsical salon of wonders, Pearl Café. Undoubtedly one of Brisbane’s proudest institutions, Pearl’s refined delectable brunch offerings champion local produce with a snap and pizazz for which magic is the only explanation. Right now they’re flogging a char sui pork toastie so get around it.
Jessie’s Girl
Petrie Terrace
They do the best Bloody Marys this side of Avery Island, so already they’ve got the makings of a stellar brunch, but it’s the cracking banter and bottomless batch brew that sets us frothing for brunch dates at Jessie’s Girl.
Macho Macho!
Ashgrove
Flying the flag for Ashgrovian brunch is pink extravaganza, Macho Macho! They’ve got your staple hotcakes and avo toast, as well as transitionary delights like beetroot-cured gravlax and eggplant flatbread to fade you into lunchtime.
Penny Coffee Co.
Dutton Park
As Dutton Park’s newest specialty coffee and brunch pavilion, Penny Coffee Co. is dedicated to serving up the goods. They’ve got the whole spectrum on show in just ten items, from avo toast to ricotta hotcakes to sumac fennel salt-baked salmon. And the coffee is fire so get some batch to go with it.
Kettle & Tin
Paddington
Kettle and Tin’s breakfast service runs late every day of trade, and doesn’t rest on boring laurels. For brunch’s demi-savoury note they’ll hit you with cornbread waffles and chicken and a jambalaya, as well as a hectic egg situation feat. a constantly changing seasonal omelette.
Balfour Kitchen
New Farm
The OGs of brunching, Spicers Balfour is so committed to the transition mean that they’ve dedicated a whole menu to it. From 11am-3pm you can load up with Balfour favourites like eggs benny, crab omelette, lime-cured fish tacos, and steak frites and all the bubbles and Bloody Marys your lush little heart desires.
Anouk
Paddington
Lauded as Brisbane’s best breakfast, Anouk runs a faultless feast. Their fulsome breakfast menu stretches from sweet and savoury staples to culinary curveballs like breakfast pasta with smoked pancetta, pecorino, truffle oil and a poached egg.
PawPaw
Woolloongabba
Mavens, pioneers, masters of the breakfast table, Paw Paw is a bruncher’s ultimate pitstop. Their signature potato hash never fail to delight and there’s always the pious zucchini bowl for any walking temples out there.
Isles Lane
CBD
Brand spanking newbie, Isles Lane, caters to a whole lot more than just dinner and drinks for the CBD set. Their dedication to brunch has them churning out fancy avo smash, Mooloolaba crab omelette and the heartiest full English breakfast ever found this far south.
Image credit: Hayley Williamson; Grace Elizabeth Image for The Urban List