Merriweather | Image credit: Daniel Maddock
We’re just going to come right out and say it: Brisbane has some of the most beautiful cafés in Australia. Our weeks revolve around our ritual weekend brunches, we throw around opinions about coffee roasters like folk talk about politics, and if the sun is out don’t even think about cooping us up indoors. We like our origins single, our eggs poached, and our farms close by (preferably within eyesight). We take our cafés seriously and so we should! Life is too damn short for weak coffee and lazy interiors.
Which is why we have taken it upon ourselves to search out the cities finest: here are our top 11 Brisbane’s most beautiful cafes:
King Arthur
New Farm
With its high curved ceiling, white brick walls, and wooden fit-out, King Arthur excels in providing the kind of atmosphere that has you fighting (or yielding to) the urge to Instagram everthing. When you dream of quitting your job to spend your days writing melancholy poetry in a cafe, King Arthur is the café you are picturing. The only thing more beautiful than the atmosphere is the food.
Plenty
West End
Probably the most spacious of all Brisbane cafés, yet Plenty still spurs a healthy 15 minute wait for a table most weekends. The menu that graces the wall reads like an ode to fresh and healthy food, and the house-made cabinet sandwiches, salads, and baked goods will have you pissing off the people in the line behind you as you change your mind again and again. With industrial finishings, a lofty ceiling, and an airy atmosphere, this cafe is like taking a deep breath out after a busy week.
Scout
Paddington
Cute. Cute. Cute. Three words (okay, one) to describe Scout, a little café that catches the eye with it’s majestic mountain goat mural, cutesy brick exterior, and Wes Anderson-esque touches. Dog-toting hipsters spill out onto the pavement outside on the weekend, queuing up for bagels, smashed avo, and generous breakfast portions (none of this one piece of French toast nonsense).
The Tiller
Newmarket
Like a flower sprouting from a crack in the sidewalk, the gorgeous owners of The Tiller have taken a scrappy shipping container and turned it into a bright and airy café. The carefully curated menu centres around vibrant local produce that mingles perfectly with healthy grains; all plated on the kind of ceramics that will have you greek-style smashing your Kmart crockery as soon as you get home. Arguably the best coffee in Brisbane, a sunshine-y morning spent at The Tiller is where it’s AT.
Kettle and Tin
Paddington
If Taylor Swift lived and brunched in Brisbane, Kettle and Tin would be her Saturday morning spot. It’s adorable Queenslander-feel might make it look homely on the outside, but on the inside it’s pure style. BYO gaggle of stylish friends, artfully ripped jeans, and tiny dog.
Gauge
South Brisbane
The interior of Gauge is similar to its neighbouring art gallery; light and airy with clean, modern lines and a faint industrial vibe. And like an art gallery, it is constructed to showcase the art, everything about Gauge showcases the gorgeous food that comes out of the open kitchen. Using metal, wood, and blue tones, Gauge throws away the Brisbane standard of kitsch and quirk and instead brings a sleek sophistication to the café scene.
Corner Store Cafe
Toowong
With a cute little vegetable garden, open air dining, and a well-dressed staff, Corner Store Café, perched in an unassuming spot in suburban Toowong will make all your garden-to-table dreams come true. The locally sourced menu has standard brunch and lunch fare with a couple of cheeky surprises (waffles! nachos!).
Merriweather Cafe
South Brisbane
Having ploughed your way through South Bank’s selfie-stick wielding tourists, truant teenagers, and chain restaurants, Merriweather appears like a coffee-delivering oasis. It’s woody minimalism and dedication to local producers and creators creates a quaint atmosphere that isn't too cutesy.
Wild Canary
Brookfield
In lieu of trekking your quinoa porridge breakfast into the bush of the Sunshine Coast hinterlands, you wont find a more natural and beautiful setting than Wild Canary to eat your breakfast. Set in the Brookfield Garden Centre, Wild Canary is open to its leafy green surroundings and uses fresh produce from its kitchen garden. Yes, it is a little bit of a slog out to Brookfield but when the food on your plate was grown within arms reach, it’s worth it.
Spring Hill Deli
Spring Hill
Sandwiched between a grey office block and a minimart, it’s not hard to miss the cheery red storefront of the Spring Hill Deli. And speaking of sandwiches, this cafe serves up a mean cheddar and fried egg Sloppy Joe. Like stepping into your (very stylish) gran’s house, this little deli and café is always full of fresh flowers, baskets of produce, and the very tempting smell of something baking.
The Single Guys
Kenmore
With a name that probably refers to the single-origin coffee, and not to the marital status of its owners or patrons (disappointing), The Single Guys is a Kenmore local favourite. The Single Guys ethos reads like a love letter to the customer; values such as traceability, integrity, and sophistication are at the core of this coffee operation. Together with a gorgeous fit out, it seems like The Single Guys has it all. #BAE
Looking for more of the best cafes in Brisbane? Search ‘Cafe’ in The Directory!
