Suburban cafe delights with unique twist on breakfast favourites
This southside Brisbane cafe takes diners around the world with its quirky multicultural menu, all while giving you an inviting setting that makes it feel you’re visiting to a friend’s house.
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A visit to Snag & Brown is like a visit to a friend’s house.
The cafe in a suburban street in Annerley, in Brisbane’s south, is tucked inside an old timber cottage home, with bedrooms transformed into dining spaces, the original sun room at the front now housing the counter serving coffees, cakes, pastries and sandwiches, a deck off to one side with more seating, and a sprawling concreted backyard shaded by trees, umbrellas and tarpaulins draped over portable gazebos.
The result is a vibe that’s comforting and familiar, and clearly a drawcard for diners
of all ages and demographics – especially those with pets and children, with a kennel
of dogs drinking from supplied water bowls, while kids play with the inventory of toys
on offer.
The menu seems to be also designed with an egalitarian approach, with dietary requirements well catered for and a number of dishes influenced from various countries around the world.
These include an “Italian Benedict” adding beef bolognese on ciabatta to the classic hollandaise dish, French-style croquettes packed with vegetables, a brekky taco and various forms of Japan’s much loved katsu.
The Persian brekky ($20.30) is more a vague nod to Iranian fare than a direct representation, with no traditional porridge, lentil soup or flat bread in sight, and many elements more Mediterranean.
While the link may be tenuous, the plate is still a tasty one with slices of toasted ciabatta topped with avocado, alongside two perfectly poached eggs, slabs of salty, soft haloumi and the two Persian elements – a beautifully chunky hummus and a smear of Iran’s answer to baba ganoush, the eggplant dip kashke bademjan.
Another fusion affair is the katsu beni.
A steal at just $21, it features more of that gently toasted ciabatta hiding beneath a tranche of crumbed and pan-fried chicken topped with two runny yolked poached eggs, an ocean of hollandaise and splashes of sweet and tangy katsu sauce.
It’s well executed, making for an East-meets-West amalgamation that actually works.
Coffee, too, is well-made, with standard espresso versions available as well as iced options, plus a wealth of teas, chai, hot chocolates, milk shakes, smoothies, and freshly made juices including a refreshing apple and orange number.
Despite the cafe being almost at capacity during my visit, food comes out quickly and staff happily chat to customers, reinforcing that friend’s home vibe.
Snag & Brown is a strong neighbourhood cafe that provides diners with a safe and comfortable space to walk on the wild side a little with its unpredictable menu.
SNAG & BROWN
97 Ekibin Rd, Annerley
2103 5647
Open
Mon-Wed 7am-2pm
Fri-Sun 7am-2pm
Verdict – Scores out of 5
Food 3.5
Service 3.5
Ambience 3.5
Value 4.5
Overall 3.5
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