24 Geelong Cafes You Need To Try ASAP

Sometimes our readers like to *kindly* request we explore ‘happening’ food scenes a little further outside of the inner Metro Melbourne bubble. Well, how do you like us now?? We’ve fuelled up the car, popped a pack of Allen’s Strawberries & Cream in the glove box, and driven no less than 75 kilometres from the CBD to taste test the thriving metropolis of coastal Geelong.

Geelong's cafe scene is booming, there's no other word for it. Crafty locals are cashing in on the Melbourne ex-pat migration and setting up all sorts of delicious brunch bars. So here we go, guys. Here are the 24 best cafes in Geelong (and what you should eat at each one). 

1. The Green Breaky with seed toast, kale pesto, wilted spinach, avocado & poached eggs & pepitas at the James Street Bakery.
2. The Brekky Nasi Goreng with fried eggs, chilli, spring onions, peanuts & housemade nam jim from Cafe Go. 
3. The peanut butter waffle with peanut butter mousse, strawberry jam, salted peanuts, chocolate crumble & strawberries at Freckle Duck.
4. The Benedict Trio with three golden muffins, three poached eggs & house-made hollandaise, topped with smoked salmon, spinach & champagne ham at Sailors’ Rest.
5. The Bear Bowl with coconut oil, sauteed Asian greens, kale, purple cabbage, lemon, asparagus, chilli, free range fried egg, sesame seeds & pickled pink onion at Bear & Bean.
6. The Okonomiyaki with Japanese-style savoury cabbage & vegetable pancake, topped with a fried egg, nori, pickled ginger, kewpie mayo, okonomiyaki & sriracha sauce from Down The Alley.
7. Persian waffles with yoghurt cream, Turkish delight, pistachios, rosewater honey & fairy floss at A Spot For Joe.
8. The Brekky Panini with ham, cheese, tomato & seeded may from Fuel: Coffee + Food.
9. The vegan Choc Lamington Waffle with coconut, strawberry jam, chocolate sauce & raspberry sorbet from The Backyard.
10. The Spring Vegetable Omelette with miso & bacon from Little Green Corner.
11. The BBQ Pulled Pork Eggs Benedict at John Doe Speciality Coffee.
12. The Spanish Baked Eggs with tomato concasse, roast capsicum, cannellini beans, onion & chorizo, served with Zeally Bay Sourdough at Black Cup Cafe.
13. The Haloumi & Corn Fritters with avocado, yoghurt, dukkah & poached eggs at Chapel On Little Ryrie.
14. The Matcha Vegan Waffle with fruit sorbet, strawberry compote, banana chips & pana chocolate at King Of The Castle Cafe.
15. The Oreo Pancakes with whipped vanilla bean creme, dark chocolate biscuit, vanilla ice cream, warm fudge syrup & strawberry compote at 63 Degrees.
16. The Cinnamon Crumpets with roasted pears, walnut granola, maple & mascarpone at Three Little Figs.
17. The Brioche French Toast with seasonal poached fruit, mascarpone, maple syrup & roasted almonds at Two Sugars on Pako.
18. The Warm Almond & Brown Rice Pudding with poached rhubarb, chia, sunflower crunch & Alpine Coconut Yoghurt from The Pickers Union.
19. The Sri Lankan Eggs Benedict with two poached eggs on hoppers, ham, spinach & hollandaise sauce at Rook: Sri Lankan Fusion.
20. The Spanish Churros with fresh berries & rich chocolate sauce at Wharf Shed Cafe.
21. The Burrito Bowl with wild rice, sweetcorn & onion fritters, cucumber & tomato salad, seeds, raita & grilled lime at Sticks & Grace.
22. The Eggs Benedict on potato rosti with bacon & hollandaise sauce at Eddy & Wills.
23. The Ricotta Hotcakes with blackberry mascarpone, seeds, pistachio, berries & maple syrup at Winter’s Cafe.
24. The Corn & Black Bean Fritters with avocado, tomato & radish salad, ricotta salata, mojo verde & poached eggs at House Iberia.

While you're checking out Geelong's best cafes, you should also hit up Rone's latest work.

Image credit: A Spot For Joe