Canberra’s cafe scene is booming—in fact, it's home to some of the best brunches and coffee in Australia. With a focus on locally sourced produce, great coffee and community, Canberra’s cafes are an exciting drawcard for those looking for a trip to the capital.
With plenty to do in the city, from exploring wineries to Parliament House to living out your childhood dreams at Questacon, make sure to fuel up beforehand with Urban List’s recommendations for the best cafes in Canberra.
Recess
6B Barker Street, Griffith
Image Credit: Recess | Facebook
Recess is taking us back to old-school cafe dining with a focus on great service, food and coffee—they even roast the beans themselves. Menu staples include the fluffy buttermilk pancakes, brekkie burrito, and charcoal-roasted porchetta sandwich, which you can pair with a glass from their rotating wine list at lunchtime.
This Canberra cafe has great vibes with a dog-friendly courtyard, retail shelf stocked with interesting reads and coffee paraphernalia, and record player spinning vinyl tunes.
Cafe Sosta
Red Shed, John Cardiff Close, Acton
Image Credit: Cafe Sosta | Supplied
Cafe Sosta is encouraging people to slow down, pause and smell the coffee. This Italian cafe tucked in the community-focused Red Shed rowing hub is set right on the water and has a huge deck, so you can enjoy stunning water views to start your day.
As the sibling to beloved Canberra Italian restaurant Agostinis, Cafe Sosta's menu has an Italian lean, with unique dishes like the breakfast frico (a melty slab of Montasio cheese with egg, potato and tomato), panettone French toast served with whipped mascarpone and berry compote, and filled paninis and pasta for lunch.
Red Brick
161 Newcastle Street, Fyshwick and 4/31 Curtin Place, Curtin
It’s all about the coffee at one of Canberra’s most popular roasters, Red Brick. Aptly named after the small red-bricked Canberra venue they started in, the cafe has grown since into three venues, and a roastery that supplies homes and cafes across the country. With cafe classics like toasties, breakfast rolls and granola on the menu, they make the perfect pairing with your expertly brewed coffee.
Good Neighbour
1/55 Wentworth Avenue, Kingston
Image Credit: Good Neighbour | Instagram
The scent of freshly baked cookies and brewing coffee draws you into Good Neighbour, located in Kingston. They serve up a wide array of brunch specials, like their chilli crab folded eggs or apple crumble porridge.
It’s also the perfect place to try the viral strawberry iced matcha, but keep your eye on their socials for exciting weekly food and drink specials.
Margot
West Kiosk, Queen Elizabeth Terrace, Parkes
Image Credit: Margot | Website
Margot, located near Parliament House, is a wine and espresso bar with a focus on local produce. With outdoor seating under lush greenery, if you’re lucky, you can enjoy the Canberra sun while enjoying a toastie for lunch or watch the sunset sipping wine and eating wood-fired pizza for their Friday to Sunday dinner sessions.
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The Cupping Room
1/1-13 University Avenue, Canberra CBD
Image Credit: The Cupping Room | Best Restaurants
Canberra-born ONA coffee’s venue The Cupping Room continues to showcase the quality and sustainable coffee produced by the original venue. With an extensive coffee menu, you can try their roasted beans in a variety of forms from cold brews to affogatos.
To go with your coffee, try their crumbed halloumi with apple slaw, a poached egg and harissa aioli or stuck to cafe classics like a bacon benedict.
Two Before Ten
Various Locations
Image Credit: Two Before Ten | Facebook
Two Before Ten emphasises sustainability and community in their cafes. Roasting their own coffee and sourcing produce from their urban farm, they also aim to work with businesses to highlight local produce and build community through business connections.
With multiple locations across Canberra, it’s easy to drop in and taste the quality in their local-grown food.
Gang Gang
Shop 4/2 Frencham Place, Downer
Image Credit: Gang Gang | Website
Gang Gang is a venue that does it all, being a cafe, bar and live music venue all in one. Roasting their coffee themselves, the venue, set in a solar-powered brick building with outdoor seating under fairy lights, serves up breakfast classics alongside dishes with a twist. Go for a focaccia sandwich or be adventurous and try their baked French toast served with cardamom, apricot, pistachio and ice cream.
Močan and Green Grout
1/19 Marcus Clarke Street, Canberra
Image Credit: Močan and Green Grout | Hotel Hotel
Močan and Green Grout, located in Canberra’s NewActon precinct, is an ethical and eco-friendly cafe and restaurant with a rotating seasonal menu. They take locally sourced produce to heart, growing their own herbs in a planter box at the front of the cafe. Some menu highlights include their baked eggs with chickpeas, tomato, goats cheese and sourdough or the panna cotta with passionfruit, strawberry and cinnamon.
Gather
4/24 Mort St, Braddon
Gather is offering healthy food that centres on sustainability. With a venue that emphasises community, it’s a place to gather with friends while indulging in their brunch menu. The natural light-filled venue, with plants draping from the roof, offers a natural escape in the midst of the city. Try their turkish eggs with confit garlic yoghurt and aleppo pepper butter or their chocolate crepes filled with custard and served with caramelised banana.
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Main Image Credit: Redbrick Coffee | Facebook
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