On a normal day, we’d forgive you for hearing the words ‘Fortitude Valley’ and conjuring up flashbacks of live music gigs, cocktail jugs, and that time you left your phone in the back of an Uber (or two). In recent years, though, our inner-city party hub has expanded into other arenas, boasting additions of award-winning restaurants, swanky shopping precincts, and–yup, you guessed it–top-notch breakfast spots.
So whether you've woken up with a hangover that only bacon can fix, or you're just making your way down Ann Street on the way to work, swap out your party heels and scroll on for our round-up of the best cafes in Fortitude Valley. Suddenly that ‘Valley rat’ label doesn’t sound half bad…
Buttery Boy
31 Duncan Street, Fortitude Valley
Huge, fluffy hotcakes, white cream frosting, sweet, sticky syrup and crunchy biscoff biscuit—that’s what breakfast dreams are made of and also what Buttery Boy Cafe is all about. This new Fortitude Valley cafe is the ultimate pancake parlour, serving up speciality-flavoured buttery cakes covered with vibrant, decadent toppings. Our recommendation—the Cinnamon Bun biscoff paired with a fluffy hot choccy, the perfect winter morning breakfast.
Carmen
70 James Street, Fortitude Valley
Ok, Carmen may not be a cafe, but it is an epic spot for brunch thanks to its brand new weekend breakfast menu. Every Saturday and Sunday, you can head to the tequilera for a Mexican-inspired breakfast spread that involves buckets of flavour. You don’t need a translator app to tell you that spicy Spanish chorizo, scrambled eggs, cherry tomatoes and goats cheese atop a yellow corn arepa is a good idea, but there’s also options like the breakfast burrito and avocado smash. Guacamole for breakfast? Yes please.
The Green
27 James Street, Fortitude Valley
Image credit: The Green | Instagram
Whether you like to stick to avo on toast or you're willing to get adventurous with a plate of breakfast mezze, The Green’s got our green flag for a Valley brunch spot. Swathed in potted plants and hanging greenery, this urban oasis sidesteps your run-of-the-mill brekkies for punchy Lebanese flavours. Dive into styled plates of haloumi with honey, harissa fried eggs, hummus and caramelised onion, shakshuka with Persian feta and red pepper, and fermented mushrooms on toast.
Reverends Fine Coffee
372 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley
Yes, hi, we’d like to talk to you about our lord and saviour, caffeine. According to Brisbane coffee fiends, Reverends Fine Coffee is preached as one of the best, so if you need to preface any social outing with a double shot latte, this spot’s a no-brainer. Once you’re caffeinated, take a gander through their jacked-up pastry cabinet, or listen to that little shoulder devil and finally relent to the whipped cream waffles.
The New Black
694 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley
Image credit: The New Black | Instagram
Here’s one black mark we don’t mind adding to the Valley scene. At the entrance of Bakery Lane, you’ll stumble onto a veritable haven of laneway seating, latte art and espresso waffles we’d sell our souls for. Needless to say, The New Black well and truly has caffeine covered, but they go above and beyond with a menu stacked with zucchini and corn fritters, espresso waffles, and a beef brisket croque madame laden with bechamel hat defies the boundaries of breakfast and lunch.
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The Brooke
16 Brookes Street, Fortitude Valley
Sprawled in the forecourt of a heritage-listed former church, The Brooke is a fab spot to catch some weekend sun, sip a coffee, and undo a full week of healthy eating with a visit to their pastry cabinet (worth it). Duck in for a grab-and-go bagel, meet some friends over a bowl of shakshuka, or commit to a full post-brunch nap with their toasted crumpets and fig and toffee ice cream.
Andonis
28/32 Robertson Street, Fortitude Valley
Image credit: Andonis | Facebook
Apparently, the Latin meaning of Andonis is ‘worthy of praise’ … but we could’ve told you that after a glance at their all-day brekky menu. After first wowing crowds in Yeerongpilly, Andonis Cafe & Bar was quick to answer calls from residents in Yeronga, Mt Gravatt and the Valley. With stacks of menu options, they’ve covered everyone from the light grazers to the bear-sized appetites (seriously, they even saved a spot on the menu for your pooches). Come on, these guys even have a Canadian breakfast tower. Need we say more?
King Arthur
164C Arthur Street, Fortitude Valley
Hear ye, knights of the breakfast table, and ready yourselves for a quest through one of Brisbane’s most impressive seasonal menus. The two-storey King Arthur Cafe thrives on local, out-of-the-box fare—think green bowls with poached eggs, breakfast gnocchi and acai bowls. Oh, and did we mention your four-legged friends are welcome, too? End the search, we’ve found the holy grail of Fortitude Valley cafes.
Halo Ground
100 Brookes Street, Fortitude Valley
Image credit: Halo Ground | Instagram
From the foyer of a striking office building, Halo Ground takes its name from the surrounding church precinct, which you’ll spy through floor-length windows. Settle in for a morning coffee and sent-from-above creations like the apple cinnamon French toast with caramel pecans. For the late risers, brunch plates dabble in punchy flavours like the Middle Eastern spiced shakshuka with toasted bread and their famous Cock Waffle—fried chicken and bacon on a buttermilk waffle with poached eggs and hollandaise.
Harvey’s Bar & Bistro
4/31 James Street, Fortitude Valley
At the risk of being chased down James Street with pitchforks and torches, we must assure you: we didn’t forget Harvey’s. For years, breakfast crowds have been flocking to Harvey’s Bar & Bistro for PJ McMillan’s ode to seasonal, no-holds-barred flavour. Amidst full-length windows and lush, hanging vines, you’ll dive into items like potato and feta roesti creamed with sweet corn, locally-grown portobello mushrooms on sourdough, and their very own ‘Harveys Blend’ by Merlo Coffee.
Lobby Bar
48 James Street, Fortitude Valley
Image credit: Lobby Bar | Instagram
Avez-vous faim, mon ami? If you’ve been sleeping on this corner of Paris in your own backyard, it’s high time to book it to the Calile Hotel. Their Lobby Bar dishes out French-inspired concoctions from early ‘til late, with many of the ingredients harvested from their very own organic rooftop garden and beehive. If that isn’t a reason to order a round of barambah ricotta hotcakes, frankly, we don’t know what is.
Illusion By No. 5
713 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley
Illusion By No. 5 may be painted entirely in black and white to make you feel like you’re in a 2D comic book world, but the food here is anything but flat. Make yourself at home in the utterly unique space and tuck into feeds like the breakfast croissant stuffed with bacon, hash browns and poached egg, fried chicken waffled benedict or best of all, a brunch board to share between two. Good to know—they’ve also got a dedicated vegan menu, a must have for this end of the Valley.
Looking for more inner city breakfast spots? Head here:
Image credit: Buttery Boy | Facebook
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