Top 10 best brunch spots in Queensland revealed

From the best location to value for money and most healthy breakfast, we’ve pulled together a list of Queensland’s top brunch spots.

From the best location to value for money and most healthy breakfasts, we’ve pulled together the top 10 best brunch spots in Queensland. Be sure to see the full list of Queensland’s Top 50 Brunches in today’s U on Sunday within the Sunday Mail.

BRISBANE’S BEST BRUNCH SPOTS ON THE SOUTHSIDE

QLD’S BEST PET-FRIENDLY BRUNCH SPOTS REVEALED

BRISBANE’S BEST BRUNCH SPOTS ON THE NORTHSIDE

FREJA’S (best sweet)

3/1 Macgregor St, Wilston

0458 159 945

Instagram @frejascafe

After landing with a bang (Freja’s lifted the Best New Cafe gong in last year’s 50 Best Brunches) this gem of a cafe has gone from strength to strength. From the welcoming smile on the face of Freja Rasmussen (who owns the joint with partner ex-Stokehouse chef Nathan Dunnell), to the cute Scandi-style fit-out, innovative menu and delectable baked goods, it is everything one could want from a brunch spot, and then some. “Forest Floor” is a visual feast of field mushrooms, rosti, eggs and young leeks, while the brisket croissant with Cape Grim beef, macaroni, fried egg and chilli chutney is the hungry bruncher’s friend. Freja’s sweet game is strong with the zesty crumpet a star — a thick house-made crumpet with tart lemon curd, caramelised macadamias and crisp meringue shards. Lattes come in matcha, chai,

and cacao beetroot varieties, with alternative milks from Milklab.

Freja's Cafe. Dish is the sweet crumpets. Pic Mark Cranitch.

EXTRACTION ARTISAN COFFEE (best coffee)

Extraction Artisan Coffee

7/3375 Pacific Highway, Slacks Creek

3133 4667

Instagram @extraction_artisan_coffee

Start a conversation with the barista about the speciality grade coffee options on order at this cafe and roastery and you’ll quickly see how much this crew loves their brew. You can have your coffee any way you want it — doppio, decaf, filtered, cold dripped or served up on a tasting plate. But make sure you order something to eat too. Almost everything on this innovative menu — including breads, sauces and syrups — is made from scratch, in-house. For those in need of nourishment, the kale, mushroom, tomato, avocado, beans and brown rice-filled brunch bowl is a brilliant choice. If you want to go sweet, the fluffy pancakes, topped with marinated strawberries and passionfruit mascarpone, are hard to go past. Staff who know their stuff, a creative menu and terrific coffee make this a must-visit in Logan.

MISS BLISS WHOLE FOODS CAFE (best healthy)

85 Vulture St, West End

3137 1415

Instagram @missblissau

With nutritionist Jacqui Toumbas behind this rustic and homely indoor-outdoor cafe, healthy fare takes front and centre. But don’t expect tasteless bowls of lettuce. The restaurateur finds clever ways to make wholesome food shine, such as the poke bowl of crispy-skinned salmon, coconut lemongrass brown rice, pickled ginger, avocado, crispy kale, a soft-boiled, sesame seed-crusted egg and miso dressing. Delicious. Or perhaps try the carnivore burger with baked chicken, avocado and cashew cheese sandwiched between locally made focaccia with a side of sweet potato chips. The photogenic hummingbird hotcake with spiced banana custard and maple meringue is also a hit. Service can run a little slow on weekends, with the cafe’s calming back courtyard and cosy timber-heavy interior bursting with Instagram-obsessed Millennials, but the friendly staff ease the wait. As does the coffee, which comes strong and full-bodied, with single origin batch brews also available alongside Sri Lankan spiced chai, a coconut coffee frappé and turmeric, ginger and coco latte. Boozy brunches are also an option, with two wines, a beer, cider and spritz available.

Winter greens from Miss Bliss

EMERAUDE (best family friendly)

8616 New England Hwy, Hampton

4697 9008

Instagram @emeraude_hampton

Pull up a table in the sun-drenched courtyard or on the shady veranda of this hidden country gem and prepare to be wowed by the best of local produce. Heroing the hard work of nearby farmers is chef- owner Amanda Hinds, who takes a creative approach and ensures quality ingredients are the star of the show. The menu is constantly changing depending on the season, but expect everything from vintage cheddar, spinach and garden pea waffles with manuka honey and pork sausages from Toowoomba butcher Toni’s Meats, to Malaccan beef cheek curry. But it’s their brioche doughnuts that are an absolute must, ethereally light served with local rhubarb, custard and stewed apples. With altruistic service that epitomises old-fashioned country hospitality, this eatery is worth the drive.

ANOUK (best special occasion)

212 Given Tce, Paddington

3367 8663

Instagram @anoukcafe

Dinner for breakfast is becoming quite the cafe trend and Anouk owner Justine Whelan is among those doing it best.

She plates up an all-day seasonal menu that rethinks what the first meal of the day can be. Think slow-cooked boozy beef cheeks on pearl couscous or za’atar-spiced lamb with warm pita, fried egg and lemon herb pesto. For a wintry brekkie dessert try the brioche French toast with roast pear and cinnamon mascarpone or start the day in decadence with the fudgy tiramisu. Waiters who know and care about the food they’re serving provide help navigating the menu. The extensive drinks list includes Chamellia organic leaf tea, Merlo coffee, homemade soft drinks, fruit sodas, fresh juices, smoothies and milkshakes. With its large windows, simple decor and plenty of greenery, it’s hard to beat the charm of this Paddington mainstay.

Anouk in Paddington, Brisbane (AAP Image/Claudia Baxter)

NU NU RESTAURANT (best location)

Nu Nu Restaurant

1 Vievers Rd, Palm Cove

4059 1880

Instagram @nunurestaurant

Looking out over the Pacific, the sea breeze gently whirling as the sun beams down, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better place for breakfast than the timber, umbrella-topped outdoor deck at Nu Nu. Acclaimed chef and owner Nick Holloway brings his passion for exotic far north Queensland produce to the first meal of the day, with everything from a simple fruit bowl loaded with longans and dragonfruit to avo on toast with a tomatillo mole. Keep things light with a custard-like Bircher muesli made with coconut cream and Daintree vanilla crowned with mango and toasted coconut, or opt for the crowd favourite of crispy cassava hash with poached eggs, earthy beetroot two ways and tangy buffalo feta. But the true star is a silky omelette gently enveloping a bounty of local mud crab, its flavour emphasised by a sweet ginger caramel and white pepper broth poured at the table. Prices are high for breakfast but the quality ensures it’s worth it. That and the coffee — a full-flavoured brew from local roasters Tattooed Sailors delivered by friendly and hospitable staff.

ELK ESPRESSO (best out of the box)

Oasis Shopping Centre,

Old Burleigh Rd, Broadbeach

5592 2888

Instagram @elkespresso

Expect to queue for a table at this hugely popular breakfast haunt, which keeps diners coming back with its ever-evolving, out-of-the-ordinary and elevated menu. Tucked underneath the Oasis shopping centre at Broadbeach, the industrial-modern-meets-urban-rainforest cafe offers ocean views from its outside tables, but it’s the food that will steal your gaze. For traditionalists, there are basics including the now famous potato hash with avocado, poached eggs and hollandaise, a brekkie burger or eggs on toast. But it’s the “something awesome” section of the menu that begs exploring, boasting everything from aged cheddar and corned beef croquettes with sweet corn puree, beetroot and poached eggs to Violet Crumble waffles with honeycomb, dark chocolate ganache and a glimmer of gold leaf for a little extravagance. Or how about wobbly cardamom and vanilla panna cotta with granola, orange gel, coconut yoghurt and berries? Friendly, knowledgeable and efficient staff will help you navigate myriad choices, while you sip a well-made Single O coffee, or better yet, their Milky Bar and Oreo thickshake, which is worth every diet-blowing calorie.

Slow-cooked winter veg and beans at Elk Espresso, Broadbeach.

WEST END COFFEE HOUSE (best value)

80 Vulture St, West End

0478 891 364

Instagram @westendcoffeehouse

For value for money and sheer speed you can’t beat this cool, grungy, West End cafe. A crack kitchen team operates with the pace and proficiency of Usain Bolt, dishing up an out-of-the-ordinary, Thai-inspired menu within minutes. Diners order at the counter, choosing between the likes of fried rice with marinated pulled pork, wok-fried egg and prik nam pla, Thai basil stir-fry and a King’s omelette. The Laos sausages — chipolata-sized herby pork snags with sweet tomato and chilli jam — will win fans, as will the Chinese leek dumplings, traditional, pan-fried, chive-filled cakes that are crispy on the outside with a chewy, mochi-like filling. Coffee is from Campos and is smooth and well-rounded on milk, but also comes as filter, cold drip or iced. With charismatic staff echoing the vibe of the place, this a cafe guaranteed to become a brunch favourite.

HALO GROUND COFFEE & FOOD (best new cafe)

100 Brookes St, Fortitude Valley

0402 777 545

Instagram @halo.ground

Invention — and a bit of cheek — are the stars of the show at this light-filled modern, minimalist indoor-outdoor cafe. Breakfast fare could double as lunch or dinner, with creative offerings ranging from a falafel plate with charry eggplant and hummus to the naughtily named, but equally delicious Cock Waffle with salty fried chicken topping a sweet potato waffle with wombok slaw, kimchi and poached eggs. Vegetarians, pescetarians, coeliacs and those who are dairy-free are also well catered for by the diverse menu from head chef Casey Poland (ex-Sake). A pastry chef is employed a few days a week to turn out stunning sweets such as florentine tortes, croissants, mini cakes and Nutella doughnuts, a welcome accompaniment to the cafe’s Cleanskin Coffee Co brews. Halo Ground is a cafe that impresses.

Halo Ground Coffee and Food, Fortitude Valley. Falafel Plate. (AAP image, John Gass)

MORNING AFTER (best service)

Cnr Vulture and Cambridge streets, West End

3844 0500

Instagram @____morningafter

If it’s the morning after a big night, this cool Scandi-style West End cafe provides the required punch of caffeine with a choice of two blends from 5 Senses and one from Roast by Yili. The owners, mother and son Soula and Yianni Passaris, are serious about service and well-trained staff don’t miss a beat. Diners are warmly greeted when they arrive, as the affable yet efficient waiters are knowledgeable about the menu and thoughtfully suggest their favourite dishes. Food runs the gamut of uber-healthy in the trendy brekkie bowl of chickpea fritters, turmeric hummus, kale, pumpkin, edamame and quinoa, to rich and carby in the carbonara pappardelle with 63-degree poached eggs, mushrooms and pancetta. Crumpets — made locally — are served with house-made blueberry jam and have that perfect chewy texture, while the blue swimmer crab omelette comes with a generous amount soft crab piled underneath a zingy, fresh green papaya salad. The latter dish pairs nicely with the fresh green juice or a glass of wine or beer from a concise alcoholic drinks list.