One of the things that you come to realise when you’ve been on the Sunshine Coast for a while is that a pretty substantial proportion of the population comes from, well… elsewhere. Either for holidays, extended stays, and often—once they realise what kind of lifestyle we lead—more permanently.
A few of the blow-ins are from the UK and NZ but let’s be honest, most of us are transplants from Sydney and Melbourne. Now we know Sydney and Melbourne are pretty famous for their awesome coffee, but we’ve got some pretty epic espresso bars and cafes around this neck of the woods.
So what is the caffeinated drawcard that keeps these coffee-hounds and ristretto-crazed locals heading back to the Noosa region again and again? Put simply, a great cup of joe. And these are the places doing the best coffee on the Sunshine Coast.
Fox and Hound Espresso
Cooroy
Tucked away in an old-school, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it bakery on the main street of Cooroy, Fox and Hound has a dedicated following of locals, who catch the early morning sun on the funky pallet furniture with some Padre beans and the best latte art swan you’ll ever see.
Costa Noosa
Sunshine Beach
Tucked away at Sunshine Beach, this local establishment is an old-timer on the caffeine scene and serves up some of the best coffee in Noosa. Sprawl on the timber deck under the shade of a pandanus palm and sip away on a Costa Noosa brew that you know has been roasted in-house. With over five types of blends and single-origins to choose from, you’ll never get bored of the flavours here.
Zabe Espresso Bar
Tewantin
“Funky”, “old-school”, “unexpected”, “great coffee”. Eavesdrop on first-timers to Zabe, and this is what you’re going to cop earfuls of. Found along Tewantin’s main drag, Zabe is somewhat of a local’s secret. So keep this info close to your chest, alright? It may well be over a 40-minute trek from the south end of the Coast, but once you wrap your lips around some of the good stuff AKA coffffeeee, you’ll completely think it’s worth it.
Café Le Monde
Noosa Heads
Sit back amongst the beautiful people on Hastings Street at Cafe Le Monde and get caffeinated with a classic Clandestino blend. Brekky is pretty epic too.
Little Cove Coffee
Noosa
If you’ve got a hardcore study session ahead of you, so you know you’ll be stuck at home all weekend, but you still need a coffee, you need favourite Little Cove stat! They roast their own beans and home deliver right to your door, so you don’t even need to get out of your pjs. If you’re not studying, the café overlooking the river is pretty nice too…
Humdrum Espresso
Eumundi
If you can tear yourself away from the paella and porchetta and Pad Thai at the Eumundi Markets, make sure you check out Humdrum Espresso. Serving up all our Noosa favourites—Clandestino Roasters, Fiona’s Fancies and Vanilla Foods—you can’t go wrong.
Padre
Noosa
Our mates at Padre have been bringing their slice of Melbourne style to Noosa for a few years now. And from the shiny white space and the fizzy water on tap (literally) to the glimpses behind the glass of the magic going on in the restored antique coffee roaster, it’s safe to say we’re hooked.
First Batch
Noosa
For most people, coffee is a vague interest, for a few it’s a serious hobby, but then you’ve got the crew at First Batch. We’re talking next-level baristas, baby. And they’re not about to keep the love to themselves. They want to share their skills with you via classes and equipment, and you can even pop in for a quick latte on your way to work, because they’re open at sparrow’s with the good stuff.
Providore on Hastings
Noosa Heads
If you urgently need to grab ALL the goodies for a spontaneous picnic, you won’t find a better spot than Providore on Hastings. Cheese and charcuterie, and of course, coffee (locally roasted Little Cove beans, no less) can be in your hot little hands in minutes, and you can be on a billionaire’s yacht sipping champagne before you can say “he’s doesn’t look THAT much like a bulldog…”
Chalet & Co
Sunrise Beach
If you need a Buddha Bowl with your coffee, Chalet & Co is your jam, baby. With views to die for, you can get a spot-on piccolo and watch whales while you do it. #coastlyf
Moto
Noosa
While you can pick up a Clandestino roast at some of the best coffee joints on the Coast, you won’t find the Moto blend. Because this blend has been designed especially by the Clandestino lads and is exclusive to Moto. So drop in for a brekky burrito and latte and drool over some hot bikes while you’re there.
Depot
Noosaville
Need to recharge with a Clandestino coffee and all day breakfast? This spot on the river will give you all the feels. And if a turmeric latte is your thing, you’ll be right at home at Depot.
Clandestino
Noosa
If there’s a reason we keep mentioning Clandestino, it’s not because they bribe us with coffee (although, that gives me an idea…) No, it’s because they seriously know their shiz when it comes to roasting, storing, brewing, dripping and pouring their coffee. And in their home store at Belmondos Noosa, we can also grab a Tanglewood morning bun, a cheeky sausage roll from Vanilla Foods and a dry-aged rib-eye from Eumundi Meats for dinner.
Waterpistols Surfboards + Laguna Bowls
NOOSA
What do you get when you mix super sexy surfboards and uber smooth coffee all in one space? You get a revolutionary concept that will be loved by the masses. We’re thrilled to announce this place does exist on the Sunshine Coast. Let us introduce you to Waterpistols Surfboards + Laguna Bowls. The concept is simple, come in for a board or some wax at Waterpistols Surfboards, and then sit down and relax and an All Press coffee at Laguna Bowls. It's so smooth, you'll want two.
No plans for the rest of the day? Get reacquainted with all the things to do in Noosa, here.
Image credit: Ariana Gillrie for The Urban List