Shall Owe Words

The Brisbane Cafe: Definitively Listed

These are my favourite, favourite, favourite caffeinated escape spots around Brisbane. Generally located around the central suburbs, I highly recommend each and every one. Oh, and there are two parts to this list… first, The List, which is grouped by style, ambience, you know, general feel of the cafe, and can give you a rough idea about the cafe… and secondly, The Reviews, which is grouped alphabetically, and are more detailed reflections on the cafe. These are still in production, but are slowly getting there. Enjoy!

The List

Atmospheric Delights
Batavia /167 Grey St, Southbank
Paladar Fumior Salon / Merivale St (Cnr Fish St), South Brisbane
Sugar & Spice / Cnr Albert and Mary St, Brisbane CBD
Three Monkey’s Coffee & Tea House / 58 Mollison St, South Brisbane

Flowers and Grind
Ashgrove Florist & Gift Baskets / 485 Waterworks Rd, Ashgrove West
Flowers of the World / 176 Grey St, Southbank
Paddington Flowers & Cafe / 180 Latrobe Tce, Paddington

High-Brow University Life
Wordsmiths: The Writers Cafe / University of Queensland, St Lucia Campus

Hip Indie Delights
Cantina / 172 Hardgrave Rd, West End
Fat Boys / Brunswick St Mall, Fortitude Valley
Pedro’s@WestEnd / 1:138 Boundary St, West End
Stop Sixteen / 215 Waterworks Rd, Ashgrove
The Alibi Room / 720 Brunswick St, New Farm
Yo Mama / 170 Merthyr Rd, New Farm

Hole-In-Some-Wall
Garage Espresso / 176 Grey St, Southbank

Intellectual Pursuits
Avid Reader / 193 Boundary St, West End

Just Plain Beautiful
Aromas: Regent Cinemas / 167 Queen St Mall, Brisbane CBD
Caro Mio / 598 Stanley St, Woolloongabba
Java Coast / 340 George St, Brisbane
Pearl Cafe / 28 Logan Rd, Woolloongabba

Pâtisserie
Le Bon Choix / 379 Queen St, Brisbane CBD
Chouquette / 19 Barker St, New Farm

Posh as Hell, but Worth It
Cirque / 618 Brunswick St, New Farm
The Continental Cafe / 21 Barker St, New Farm
The Gunshop Cafe / 53 Mollison St, West End
Venice Cafe Bar / 501 Queen St, Brisbane CBD

Specialising in Perfect Coffee
Campos Coffee / 29 Wandoo St, New Farm (behind James St Markets)
Naked Coffee / 99 Elizabeth St (inside Elizabeth Arcade), Brisbane CBD
Bar Mondo Caffe / 300 Adelaide St, Brisbane CBD
Ugees / 80 Boundary St, West End (previously Urban Grind)
Urban Grind / 33 Latrobe Tce, Paddington

Tea-sing Affairs
T-Licious / 176-178 Grey St, Southbank

Yummy Yummy
Fundies: The Fundamental Cafe / 219 Given Terrace, Paddington
The Forest / 124 Boundary St, West End
Kuan Yin Teahouse / Ann St, Fortitude Valley
Sol Breads / 20 Latrobe Tce, Paddington

And… there’s a few others that aren’t in Brisbane, but were memorable enough for an inclusion on this list.

Cafe Boombana / 1863 Mt Nebo Rd, Mount Nebo
Bon Amici / 191 Margaret St, Toowoomba

The Reviews

Aromas: Regent Cinemas

Aromas is an established cafe brand around Brisbane, and their outlet in the bottom of the Regent Cinemas is the best they have to offer. Staffed by indie kids from the best bands in Brisbane, and surrounded by the beautifully archaic surroundings that can only be found in an old cinema, this place is special. The coffee is also quite good, and the service is fantastic. All these things make it easily the best cafe that backs onto the Queen St Mall.

167 Queen St Mall
Brisbane CBD
07 3221 7998

Ashgrove Florist & Gift Baskets

From the name, you wouldn’t expect good coffee. In fact, you wouldn’t expect coffee at all. It was out of pure luck that I discovered this place, and with a bunch of dirty clothes in my arms I just had to go back. It’s a little place, with 6 or 7 tables, lots of flowers, lovely older owners and a really relaxed atmosphere. If you live in the Bardon/Ashgrove area, or even if you don’t, this place is lovely.

485 Waterworks Rd,
Ashgrove West
07 3366 2377

Avid Reader

Best bookshop cafe, ever. Period.

Bar Mondo Caffe

Lovely, professional staff, and perfect coffee.

300 Adelaide St, Brisbane CBD

Batavia

The most most most amazing chai ever. Nothing compares to the Batavia Chai. Be prepared to pay for it, though.

Bon Amici

Classic Toowoomba music-orientated cafe. One of the few things worth visiting the ‘flower city’ for.

Cafe Boombana

If you go here, all I can suggest is “Curried Lentil Burger”. Over, and over, and over.

Cantina

I stepped into the welcoming bowels of Cantina and was enfolded in the warm, loving and smelly arms of breakfast. If I hadn’t wolfed down a couple of Vitabrits before leaving home I certainly would have had no choice but to partake in the sinful temptations proffered me by the friendly staff. Besides, any place that has a name from Star Wars (no, I don’t care if it’s a word in the world) is a total win by my standards.

Anyway, as I was already caffeinated, having stopped into my cafe in the city for a coffee, I opted for a cup of english breakfast. The blend was excellent… the choice wasn’t amazing, as there was only EB, EG, Chai and a few herbal blends, but was adequate. My friend who popped in and visited me for a bit had a coffee, and said it was excellent. Foodwise, although as I previously mentoined I didn’t partake in anything, the well-priced and very, very generous portions which I observed other customers being served looked very enticing. I’ll have to try it next time… there most definately will be one.

172 Hardgrave Rd,
West End
(07) 3846 2211

Campos Coffee

Campos Coffee is an intelligent, beautiful cafe. Everything is of a high standard, from food to coffee to service. Situated near the James St Markets, New Farm, the competition is stiff – Cru Bar, James St Bistro, to name a few – yet Campos, a cafe barely halfway through its first year of operation, is constantly busy.

Truthfully, this is the only negative I can think of for the place, and its something which comes down to personal preference. Be prepared to wait 10 minutes for coffee and over 20 minutes for food in busy periods. Of course, the food and coffee is most definitely worth the wait – these people are perfectionists. ‘Good Things Come to Those Who Wait’ is quite apt.

To be frank, there is nowhere else in Brisbane that screams ‘Coffee Culture’ like Campos Coffee. If you love your coffee, then you will love Campos.

11 Wandoo St,
Fortitude Valley
(07) 3252 3612

Caro Mio

The spiritualists dream.

Chouquette

Best facestry pastry in all of Brisbane. And french!

Cirque

Amazing, classy greatness.

Fat Boys

Cafe ala Indie Rock.

Flowers of the World

Fundies: The Fundamental Cafe

Garage Espresso

Java Coast

Kuan Yin Teahouse

Le Bon Choix

Naked Coffee

Paladar Fumior Salon

Pearl Cafe

Pedro’s@WestEnd

Sol Breads

Stop Sixteen

Sugar & Spice

T-Licious

The Alibi Room

The Continental Cafe

The Forest

The Gunshop Cafe

Three Monkey’s Coffee & Tea House

Stepping into Three Monkeys is a little dreamy. Imagine carpets, old wooden tables and chairs, signed posters of amazing shows, beautiful old-world decor and beautiful people, and you’ll get a little taste of what Three Monkeys has to offer. Combine that image with decent coffee, a tea collection to end all tea collections, and scrumptious healthy food, as well as good service and generally quite prompt delivery, and you can imagine quite a masterpiece. These are a few of the reasons that Three Monkeys is one of the most successful cafes in Brisbane.

Of course, once in a blue moon I’ve had something that’s not totally up to standard. For example, a bowl of Nachos lacking in the sauce department, and one or two not-so-perfect coffees. However, the occasional blooper is easily forgivable in the beautiful and utterly pervading atmosphere. Oh, and if you ever need something to cover awkward conversation, there’s free chess or backgammon boards to borrow. All in all, the Three Monkeys is worth a visit. Or two. Or three. You will go back, you have no choice in the matter… the place is just too amazing.

58 Mollison Street
Brisbane
07 3844 6045

Ugees

Previously Urban Grind, the West End variant is still known for its excellent coffee; the evidence is clearly there, with most every seat in the place taken almost all the time.

Urban Grind

Classic hole-in-the-wall, but done with perfection. Ensure that you drop in to the second hand shops when you’re around the area.

Venice Cafe Bar

As you may have guessed, Venice is situated on the banks of the Brisbane river. What you may not have expected is a full menu, good coffee and a rather inventive interior. Worth a visit.

Wordsmiths: The Writers Cafe

When at university, there seems to be a trend towards fast food, generic coffee and cafeteria bland. However, there is one cafe that, whether you are a student or not, is worth visiting university for. This cafe is known as Wordsmiths – or ‘Wordies’ – and delivers fantastic coffee, inventive fair, and beautiful surrounds. Fantastic.

Yo Mama

There is nowhere else like Yo Mama. Period. The place is an indie dream, a little cafe that serves everything that delights the senses, and does it with an incredibly funky flair. This includes the coolest way I have ever seen muesli served – in a rockmelon, with yoghurt, fruit, and yummy honey! So, so, so fucking cool, without even trying. Oh, and of course the staff are equally funky, as are the tunes playing around you.

The 199 goes right to the door. If you catch that bus, and you haven’t been there… you must. Like I said, it’s an indie dream.

170 Merthyr Rd,
New Farm
07 3358 5959

Recommended Local Reviewers:
The Poison Doughnut
Caf Report
Courier Mail: Goodlife Review
Vegetarian/Vegan Society of Queensland

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