The best cafés in Brisbane

What is it? A plant-based eatery that’s stood the test of time with their considered plates.

Why we love it: All-day vegan breakfast? Count us in. Dicki’s has proved so popular since it opened in 2018, that it now boasts two outposts: the OG New Farm café and the most recent Ascot venue. Both serve up comforting plant-based breakfasts, including burritos of spiced rice, scrambled tofu and hash brown, zucchini fritters with plenty of tzatziki, as well as mushroom alfredo atop a golden potato rosti. For something out of the ordinary, try their sticky ‘duck’ toastie, oyster mushrooms 'calamari', mock meat baos, and green 'eggs' on Turkish bread. Wash it all down with exceptional coffee, protein-packed smoothies and a range of healthy cold-pressed juices, although we’re a sucker for their hot choccie with a shot of caramel syrup. Whatever you choose, just make sure you nab a seat out the front and soak up the lovely Brisbane sunshine. PS: Dicki’s Ascot is pet-friendly! 

Time Out tip: If you’re thinking of checking out the Dicki’s New Farm locale, the leafy streets and weatherboard houses demand a peruse, perhaps followed by a stroll by the Brisbane River.

Address: Ascot and New Farm
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 7am-2pm
Expect to pay: More than $17 for a proper meal

What is it? A very rustic South Brisbane café that’s earth-toned, without a white wall in sight.

Why we love it: Merlo coffee – bang! Friendly service – bang! Eggs with jiggly, sunshine-yellow yolks – bang-bang! Welcome to The Gunshop, where they hit all the café targets like the sharpshooters they are. Tucked around a quiet corner away from the frenetic hubbub of Boundary Street, the Gunshop’s original West End café serves up a mean breakfast that’s worth every shot. Long-time fan favourites, like the potato and fetta hash cakes with sour cream and herb-roasted tomato or the pesto-scrambled green eggs and leg ham, sit above worldly specials, like pumpkin pie French toast and Szechuan-style fried chicken on waffles with poached eggs and smashed avo. So as you can probably tell, the menu is diverse and full of flavour, no matter if it’s spaghetti, salad or a sandwich you’re after.

Time Out tip: Whether you're here for a casual catch-up or a special occasion, you'll find fine wines, cocktails and beers on tap ready to complement your meal. How about the signature ​​Pistol Whip Lychee and Elderflower Martini?

Address: 53 Mollison Street, South Brisbane
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 7am-3pm; Sat-Sun 7am-3.30pm
Expect to pay: More than $16 for a proper meal

What is it? A Paddington hotspot that’s here to feed in the AM and PM.

Why we love it: What do you get when you serve authentic Middle Eastern fare in a quintessentially Queenslander-style corner café? The answer is Naïm, one of Brisbane’s favourite all-day breakfast spots serving modern Australian takes on Arab-world classics. Perch yourself up in the quaint dining room overlooking Paddington’s jacaranda-lined streets and be transported to Tunisia with their most popular dish, a traditional shakshuka (baked eggs). Other Middle Eastern-inspired meals include a brekky pita board with light and fresh house-made hummus, and a squid shawarma – add zhug for a spicy hit. If it’s something closer to home you’re craving, Naïm also serves a mean smashed avo toast with an unexpected pomegranate gel, plus quality coffee by Blacklab. There’s also the option to turn any of the dishes into a plant-based alternative – yep, even the meatballs.

Time Out tip: We love a café by day and a restaurant/wine bar by night. Naïm comes alive post-5pm for all your date night needs, complete with rose water brulee and gluten-free Persian love cake.

Address: 14 Collingwood Street, Paddington
Opening hours: Tues-Sat 8am-2pm, 5pm-9pm; Sun 8am-2pm
Expect to pay: More than $17 for a proper meal

What is it? An early bird Vietnamese joint that makes everything in-house.

Why we love it: This quirky Vietnamese café in Annerley is probably one of Brisbane’s few spots where you can enjoy a steaming bowl of pho or a freshly baked banh mi at 7am. Café O’Mai’s menu is all about uncomplicated, home-style Vietnamese cooking, with some subtle Western influences. Everything is made in-house, from the rich 48-hour beef stock to the lemongrass pork sausages and vegetarian spring rolls, and served with the vibrant energy of a bustling hawker-style eatery. Don't leave without trying the Vietnamese affogato. Espresso is slow-dripped Vietnamese-style before being poured over vanilla ice cream and a nest of coconut tapioca pearls – it's Ô-Mai's signature happy ending. Go the extra mile with an AM cocktail that might sound a little something like the Tickle Me Pink of gin, lime, mint, ginger syrup, cold-pressed watermelon and a dash of soda water.

Time Out tip: You’re going to want to tell your plant-eating friends about Café O’Mai. Vegan goodies are strewn across the menu – from a deluxe pho with all the mock meat trimmings to a lemongrass-tofu banh mi and even that Vietnamese affogato we mentioned earlier. 

Address: 15 Cracknell Road, Annerley
Opening hours: Tues-Fri 6.30am-3pm; Sat 7am-2pm; Sun 7.30am-2pm
Expect to pay: More than $10 for a proper meal

What is it? A sweet café with yesteryear touches that’ll take you on a trip abroad.

Why we love it: There’s no need to travel the globe when Anouk brings international flavours to your doorstep. This bubbly café’s menu takes you on a culinary adventure from Vietnam to Italy via Thailand and the Middle East. Stamp your food passport with slow-cooked pork banh mi roll, tomato-prawn linguine, halloumi and fattoush salad, or traditional zeppole (doughnuts) with lemon, ricotta and mixed berry compote. As for drinks, expect everything from masala chai and affogatos to frozen fruit shakes, blood orange Spritzes and French wines. And if it’s ambience you’re after, Anouk’s hilly, Paddington locale is prime for sitting out the front on the leafy streetside where people-watching from your Parisian café chair will have you living ‘la vie est belle’ (that’s ‘the good life’ in French). The Bentwood seating inside is pretty cute too, where you can dine among gold-gilded mirrors, divine works of art and exposed red brick walls that look like they’ve seen a thing or two in their time.

Time Out tip: While in Paddington, it’s best to make a day of it. Start with a coffee at Anouk, then find a new treasure at an antique store or perhaps a funky piece of clothing from a vintage shop.

Address: 212 Given Terrace, Paddington
Opening hours: Sun-Thurs 7am-2pm; Fri-Sat 7am-3pm
Expect to pay: More than $20 for a proper meal

What is it? A timber-clad caffeine drinkery that’s considered one of the best in Brisbane and the world.

Why we love it: In 2025, Toby’s Estate flagship café in Chippendale, Sydney was voted the best coffee shop in the entire world. They’ve been frothing and brewing high-end coffee since 1997, crafting each cup with distinct processing methods, regions and varietals. The Newstead café in Brisbane is the latest addition to their suite of specialty flagships and is designed to impress. You can watch their baristas in action from front-row seats at the central espresso or filter bars, and quiz them on their Freezus menu (high-end coffee frozen at its peak), featuring award-winning roasts that have been the toast of Toby’s for years. Pair your brew with a classic ham and cheese croissant, fluffy ricotta pancakes or a croissant benny loaded with hot smoked salmon and poached eggs. The Newstead café doubles as a roastery too, so you can be sure that wafts of fresh caffeine are adrift across the timber-clad drinkery.

Time Out tip: If you’re equally excited by interiors as you are coffee, then Toby’s Estate is the place to be. Designed by an award-winning architecture firm down in Melbourne, the rotund café is set around a central bar where you can watch the magic in the making, no matter where you’re sitting.

Address: 1/33 Longland Street, Newstead
Opening hours: Mon-Sun 6.30am-2pm
Expect to pay: More than $16 for a proper meal

What is it? An AM and PM eatery that’s big on Southeast Asian flavours.

Why we love it: Woolloongabba's Pawpaw Café seamlessly blends the nuances of Southeast Asian cuisine with a contemporary twist on breakfast classics. The usual suspects – from omelettes to benedicts – take on an Asian variation with ingredients, such as ketchup, soy sauce and spicy chilli jam dressing. If a slow start is on the cards, the lunch menu – available from 11am onwards – includes a Massaman beef cheek curry or chilli popcorn tofu tacos with Thai laab spices. Wash it all down with a Cold Brew Martini of Kahlua, vodka and house-made cold brew – what a way to start the day. The venue itself is light, bright and modern with ample space for groups or cosy corners for two. You can’t miss the white weatherboard cottage located conveniently on Stanley Street, just a few kilometres southeast of the CBD.

Time Out tip: From Wednesday to Saturday, Pawpaw runs dinner services, meaning that you can get your fragrant fix pre-concert or the big game and whatnot.

Address: 898 Stanley Street East, Woolloongabba
Opening hours: Sun-Tues 7am-3pm; Wed-Sat 7am-3pm, 5pm-9pm
Expect to pay: More than $16 for a proper meal

What is it? A riverside café pouring some pretty delectable drinks and mouth-watering fare.

Why we love it: We don’t have enough fingers to count the number of reasons why this darling, multigenerational café in Teneriffe ranks among Brisbane’s best. Kin’s Cuban single-origin coffee beans hit all the right notes, with delicate shavings of real milk chocolate adding an extra special touch to your cappuccino. In summer, settle under the footpath umbrellas with a tropical acai bowl, dressed to impress in seasonal fruit, house almond butter and crumbly granola. Come winter, you’ll want to wrap your hands around their seasonal sourdough toasties, including one with wood-smoked ham off the bone, one with roasted mushrooms and gruyere, and a sneaky daily special. If you’re a weekend diner, a whole other menu is whipped out for treating yourself. Think: chicken shawarma sprinkled with sumac, Aleppo pepper, onion and lemon, as well as a classic brekkie roll for good measure. Pair it with a hot pistachio matcha and Bob’s ya uncle.

Time Out tip: BYO cup or dine in for a dollar off your morning cuppa. Save where you can, right?

Address: 24 Macquarie Street, Teneriffe
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 6am-1.30pm; Sat-Sun 7am-12pm
Expect to pay: More than $15 for a proper meal

What is it? A wee CBD hang-out that’s pouring some of the best coffee in Brisbane within its yesteryear walls.

Why we love it: It’s worth hunting down this hole-in-the-wall coffee nook, taking up residency at the base of the 1917 heritage-listed warehouse it’s named after. Just follow the rich, nutty aroma of freshly brewed coffee to the entry on Elizabeth Street, where you’ll often find a line of suits gathering for their pre-work fix. John Mills churns out the wake-up potion at pace across three tandem grinders, offering a house blend featuring single origins and special filter roast coffees. The hot chocolate deserves a shout-out, with white, milk or dark chocolate shavings decorating the velvety milk foam. Pair your poison with pastries from Sprout Artisan Bakery for the ultimate morning excursion. How about a peach and buckwheat danish with a buttery, flaky crust?

Time Out tip: John Mills Himself is cosy, it’s somewhere you’re going to want to stay. The exposed red brick walls and timber bar stools make for rustic touches – ideal if you’re allergic to obscenely white walls.

Address: 40 Charlotte Street, Brisbane
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 6.30am-2.30pm
Expect to pay: More than $10 for a proper meal

What is it? Your gluten-intolerant friend’s idea of heaven.

Why we love it: Doughnuts for breakfast? Get your hands on freshly baked rings of happiness from one of Nodo’s eight fully gluten-free cafés in Brisbane. At their original Newstead spot, you can relax with table-service brunch, featuring savoury options like a salmon bagel bun complete with chive cream cheese; mushroom cheeseburger that just so happens to be vegan; potato and cauliflower hash doused in gochujang butter; or avo toast with native dukkah and lemon myrtle. Nodo’s is here to satisfy any food mood, and right now we reckon we’d go for the Szechuan-braised ham hock benedict with house-baked brioche, citrus hollandaise, poached eggs, kale, butter crumb and citrus salt. If you know, you know. Whatever you do, don’t go home without a six-pack of doughnuts in seasonal flavours, such as lemon meringue pie, coconut caramel and raspberry white chocolate. You’ll be back for more in no time at all.

Time Out tip: Nodo’s drinks are no joke either – the native iced tea infused with strawberry gum, rosella, lemon myrtle, dried pineapple, passionfruit and agave is one for the ages.

Address: Brisbane City, Newstead, South Bank, West Village, Camp Hill, Carindale, Chermside & Everton Park
Opening hours: Dependant on location
Expect to pay: More than $17 for a proper meal

What is it? A cosy laneway hang-out with elevated brunch classics and hints of Italian and Japanese flavours.

Why we love it: It’s a battle to see whether the lines down Brisbane’s hipster Burnett Lane are longer at Lune Croissanterie or Felix For Goodness. Many out-of-towners find themselves returning to this CBD brunch hotspot multiple times during their stay in Brissy because the food is just that good. For something clean and green, try the seasonal Felix Bowl with your choice of avocado, halloumi, falafel or sausage as an add-on. But if comfort food is calling your name, answer those cravings with a pesto cous cous salad, open croissant burger and cold udon, or a decadent oolong tea doughnut with fruit sorbet. Given the cool laneway locale, you can expect Felix For Goodness to match to cool with their mid-century-ish fit-out. Exposed brick and plenty of timber amp up the old-school vibes, while baskets of eggs and quiches atop wooden boards give a homely feeling. Just right for a rainy day.

Time Out tip: Felix For Goodness has a full-on retail wall on display, which holds an array of jarred goods with the likes of pickles, jams, sauces and honey. Time to stock up.

Address: 50 Burnett Lane, Brisbane
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 7.30am-1.30pm; Sat-Sun 8am-2pm
Expect to pay: More than $22 for a proper meal

What is it? A hidden CBD gem that's doing things by day and night.

Why we love it: A stroll through the city and a sharp turn down Burnett Lane might just get you to Brew Café and Wine Bar. And while it might look like a non-functional, lowkey alley way, just trust the process with what lies at the end. Somewhere between trendy and grunge-y, Brew is Brisbane’s oldest laneway bar by day that serves up strong espressos and creamy lattes, alongside the usual the breakfast/brunch offenders – chilli scrambled eggs (adding the halloumi is highly recommended), bacon-egg burgers with the plot twist of spinach and hollandaise, as well as waffles topped with berry compote, strawberry coconut yoghurt and ice cream among the mix. As night falls, the fairy lights and DJ booth come out to play, with craft beer, fine wines, creative cocktails and bar-snack classics served until late, think cauliflower wings, bolognese arancini, pulled-beef (or barbecue jackfruit) loaded fries, plus a selection of big burgers and schnitties if you’re feeling extra hangry.

Time Out tip: Get around Brew Café and Wine Bar’s raspberry margaritas and espresso martinis to keep you going all night long.

Address: Lower Burnett Lane, Brisbane
Opening hours: Mon-Wed 6.30am-10pm; Thurs 6.30am-11pm; Fri 6.30am-12am; Sat 7am-12am; Sun 7am-10pm
Expect to pay: More than $17 for a proper meal

What is it? A through-and-through ground zero for some of the best coffee in the world.

Why we love it: True to its name, Coffee Anthology in Brisbane city offers a changing selection of high-end caffeine for any occasion, with single-origin and blends from the world’s best roasters stretching from Taiwan to Rotterdam and Brisbane. The friendly baristas will talk you through the flavour profiles (which range from chocolate and nutty to fruity) before matching your chosen roast to the best brewing method. The multi-roaster approach has kept Coffee Anthology among the tastemakers on the Brisbane scene, and means that coffee aficionados will find new and exciting drops each time they visit. With Fika and cult patisserie The Whisk also under the same roof, this sophisticated industrial space is the perfect location for a chic city brunch date entailing caramelised banana rice pudding, pandan waffles and croissant eggs benedict. Keep your eye on the space, as a whole host of exciting things are yet to come, including the launch of coffee-infused cocktails.

Time Out tip: In huge news for Coffee Anthology, the Brissy café was named as the eighth best coffee shop in the world in 2025, so rest assured that you’re in very safe hands when it comes to your morning jitter juice.

Address: 155 Charlotte Street, Brisbane
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 7.30am-3.30pm; Sat-Sun 7.30am-2pm
Expect to pay: More than $15 for a proper meal

What is it? A restored deli from a time gone by, still providing pantry staples.

Why we love it: We’d gladly camp out for a table at this charming café and deli housed in a historic corner store in Camp Hill. Take a peek at Florence’s Instagram account where you’ll find an album of their artfully crafted brunch dishes, like sourdough flatbread topped with braised borlotti beans, escabeche mussels through sugarloaf cabbage, hazelnuts and nduja, and a seasonal bowl overflowing with greens and pickled veg available from the pantry. Save room for a sweetie treatie, such as the perfectly moist strawberry and raspberry buttercream cake, baked in-house with love by Floss. Florence’s coffee beans are by Queensland’s Cavalier Coffee Roasters for local cuppas that are as fresh as can be, transformed into everything from cappuccinos and piccolos to doppios and macchiatos.

Time Out tip: Camp Hill lies just six kilometres south-east of Brisbane CBD and is by all means well worth a suss if you’re into lovely, leafy streets and glimpses of the city centre from afar.

Address: 54 Martha Street, Camp Hill
Opening hours: Mon-Sun 7am-2pm
Expect to pay: More than $18 for a proper meal

What is it? A sweet, laneway hidey-hole that’s doing comforting, old-school eats.

Why we love it: Hiding down a little laneway off Elizabeth Street, this cosy CBD café serves some of Brisbane’s best coffee. The coffee crowd pours in early, lining up for a hot flatty or latte made with Strauss’ very own house blend. They rotate the single-origin beans for their long blacks and espressos, and also offer a bottled cold brew for those on the run. Have time for a feed? You’ll find a tight and rather old-school menu of brunch classics, ranging from house-made walnut banana bread and honey granola to smoked trout bagels, ham and bacon croissants, and an almighty Reuben sandwich with pickles and the ever-so necessary sauerkraut. It also happens that Strauss concoct their very own range of jarred gourmet goods that you can buy alongside your morning cup of Joe – from tomato chutney and chilli jam to blueberry jam and marmalade.

Time Out tip: Strauss serves up three smoothies – berry-banana-cinnamon, peanut butter-banana and raspberry-chocolate – all of which you can add a shot of espresso for an almighty energy boost.

Address: Laneway off 189 Elizabeth Street, Brisbane
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 6.30am-2pm
Expect to pay: More than $17 for a proper meal

What is it? A very creative café serving up viral eats, up there with the best brunch spots in Brisbane.

Why we love it: Adonis Café and Bar is all about going big – big portions, served with big flavours and big heart. Their Yeerongpilly café holds the title of the most-reviewed café on Google in the whole of Australia, and with an average 4.7-star rating, you can trust it’s good. Their creative chefs whip up all-day Aussie brunch favourites made from the ’gram, including Andonis’ legendary loaded croissant with crispy maple bacon, grilled chorizo, poached eggs, hash browns and truffle mayo. Prefer something sweet? Their decadent dessert croissant filled with strawberry pistachio cheesecake is a viral sensation, and you can sip your way into a serious sugar coma with Nutella shakes, Biscoff iced lattes and strawberry matcha. And just when you think it couldn’t get any better, Andonis’ Yeerongpilly outpost is up bright and early to serve you the goods from a very crisp 5.30 in the morn. 

Time Out tip: Not to worry if Yeerongpilly is a bit out of your way – Andonis Café and Bar are spread across the city with seven locations awaiting your chomp.

Address: 4/281 Station Road, Yeerongpilly
Opening hours: Mon-Sun 5.30am-3.30pm
Expect to pay: More than $20 for a proper meal

What is it? A bright ‘n’ airy West End café that’s dishing out inventive yet comforting breakfast and brunch.

Why we love it: Here’s an idea: breakfast carbonara. A wobbly 63-degree egg is dying to burst and coat fat lumps of gnocchetti in rivers of yolk. High fives to Morning After’s champ chefs for that variation on the Roman classic. The menu at this West End café, run by a mother-and-son duo, is cleverly divided between – you guessed it - ‘morning’ and ‘after’. Early risers can find comfort in ricotta hotcakes with salted caramel chantilly cream, maple, caramelised banana and white chocolate soil, or an equally as indulgent Polish potato pancake with parsley-pecorino sausage, dill, sour cream, rapini, sauerkraut and two perfectly poached eggs. For the sleep-in crew, there's chicken sando, khao soi noodle soup and a zesty prawn pasta available from 11am to 3pm. If you had a rather rusty one last night, then a Ginger Ninja elixir or wild berry smoothie will fix you up in no time.

Time Out tip: While you’re in West End, make a day of it – visit the cute coffee shops, have a wander through the op shops and peruse the West End Markets on Saturdays.

Address: Cambridge Street, West End
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 7am-3.30pm
Expect to pay: More than $20 for a proper meal

What is it? A very dietary-friendly Mount Gravatt café that even provides for your pooch.

Why we love it: Pick your day carefully and you might just get to meet Bowie or Mate, the small, dusky canines that give Little Black Pug café its name. You can grab a streetside table or a place at the long bench just inside, but you’ll likely want to head through to the bright main dining room out the back where most of the café action happens. The Little Black Pug prides itself on a (very punny) menu that's 70 per cent vegetarian and 40 per cent vegan, with all items available gluten-free. Think nourishing bowl, sticky-sweet waffles loaded with seasonal fruits, spiced burgers (namely the Nicolas Cajun), and very big breakfasts complete with halloumi that’s sure to fill the gap. Whatever it is that takes your fancy, just know it’s going to be bursting with all the colours of the rainbow. And while canines are not allowed near the kitchen, your pooch isn't neglected either: the menu includes bacon rolls and cinnamon doughnuts for them to chew on.  

Time Out tip: Little Black Pug’s latte art is one to marvel at too. Foamy unicorns float atop your bean juice in all their majestic glory.

Address: 6/1297 Logan Road, Mount Gravatt
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 7am-2pm; Sun 7.30am-2pm
Expect to pay: More than $20 for a proper meal