Of the many traditions given us by the British, the hot breakfast is a staple. Traditionally, this meant the Full English Breakfast. Thankfully, the stuffiness of The Great British Fry™ has given way to the larrikin abandon of the Big Breakfast, and I couldn’t be happier. (Don’t get me wrong; I love tradition—just not as much as I love breakfast. No black pudding? No problem.)
We Down-Under have arrived upon a colourful potpourri of crispy meats and cheesy morsels—and a little avocado wouldn’t go astray, maybe a smattering of dukkha, maybe some relish? While a proper British fry-up has its own society (google it), there’s only one rule when it comes to an Aussie Big Breakfast: Yep, it’s gotta be Big.
So, if you’re on a lumberjack diet, wanna impersonate Elvis’s eating habits, or if, like me, you simply like your breakfasts big, read on.
Blue Bear Coffeehouse
New Farm
The most darling lil breakfast nook, Blue Bear Coffeehouse promises to ‘hit you in the comfort zone’. And hit us it most certainly does. A community space that feels like home, they offer up some of the zestiest breakfast foods around: loaded croissants with brown sugar and chipotle smoked brisket, a sumptuous green bowl, and, ahem, an apple crumble french toast with maple syrup, biscoff praline, and scotch biscuit crumble (‘cause heaven is a place on earth).
And the Big Breakfast? Well, aptly called the Bear’s Breakfast, we’re talking eggs, halloumi, avocado, hash browns, toast, tomato jam, and your choice of crispy bacon, salmon, or sausages!
The Balfour Kitchen & Bar
New Farm
The Balfour boasts a refined, yet lavish, breakfast menu inspired by Vietnamese cuisine—and boy, do they do one hell of a Big Breakfast. The Balfour Big Breaky is a hefty plate of free-range bacon, eggs, thrice-cooked chats, house pork terrine, tamari mushrooms, roasted cherry tomatoes, avocado, and sourdough toast. Lord have mercy.
Famished on Frasers
Ashgrove
Famished on Frasers is a vivid suburban café, dedicated to serving up some incredible food with equally indulgent coffee. While they offer quite the array of hearty, down-to-earth fare including burgers, waffles, and a naughty lil breakfast bruschetta (because who isn’t bonkers for a rich balsamic glaze?)—their Big Breakfast is an absolute treat.
I can say with surety that the Famished Breakfast will leave you anything but. Eggs your way, fresh avo, chipolatas, garlic mushrooms, rindless bacon, hash brown, house-made tomato relish, and toast. Gimme.
Café O Mai
Annerley
Pronounced ‘Oh My’—which is just what you’ll be saying when you catch a squiz of what this delightful little Vietnamese café has on offer. They do stunning phở, knock-out bánh mì, cakes, muffins, and Vietnamese coffee (for if you haven’t slept since Thursday), as well as one of the best Big Breakfasts out there. O Mai’s Phat Breakfast is a veritable fusion of eggs, lemongrass pork sausages, bacon, sautéed mushrooms, Asian greens, sweet potato cake, sourdough, and pineapple chilli jam. Read that again.
My Mistress Café
Clayfield
Offering up a regal Big Breakfast called the Head Mistress, this is one madam who must be obeyed. Poached eggs, smoked bacon, roasted field mushrooms, blistered cherry tomatoes, house spiced beans, potato feta hash (yes, ma’am), fresh spinach, and toasted sourdough will keep you out of trouble and more than satisfied.
Kith ‘N’ Chow
Mount Gravatt
Who doesn’t love the sound of all-day brunch? Add to that, this quirky little gem has hit on one of the best (read: biggest) concepts in the wide and wonderful world of Big Breakfasts. Not content to offer a single dish, they’ll see you a plate and raise you a platter.
Kith ‘N’ Chow offers a mighty pair of signature breakfast platters. All come with grilled halloumi, eggs, beetroot, hummus, tomatoes, toast, Greek yogurt, fresh salad greens, and house-made maple granola (please and thank you). The mixed platter comes with bacon, spiced chorizo, and smoked salmon; the vego option with caramelised onion jam, avocado, and crumbled feta.
Banter Coffee House
Manly West
Banter Coffee House serves quality coffee alongside locally sourced produce in bayside Brisbane. They have a wild menu of loaded breakfast assortments—blueberry bagels, cinnamon doughnut waffles (omfg), and a nourish bowl that can restart your heart. Deserving of a particular mention are their Big Breakfasts.
The House Big Breakfast (as big as a house, for those who are wondering) features the timeless eggs on sourdough, smokehouse bacon, chorizo, potato and parmesan hash, roasted mushies, cherry toms, greens, avocado, and house-cultured parmesan butter. The Vegetarian Big Breakfast subs in grilled roast pumpkin for the bacon and halloumi for the sausage, for a truly epic feed.
Fiveways Espresso Café
Sherwood
Fiveways Espresso Café is a darling family-owned business in Sherwood, that has been delighting locals with their nourishing staples for over a decade. They offer those towering pinnacles of comfort food—savoury mince with eggs and syrup-soaked Canadian pancakes—as well as a robust addition to the list. The Fiveways Big Breakfast features the timeless bacon and eggs, avocado and hashbrowns, baked beans and mushrooms, with tomatoes, sourdough toast, and hollandaise (for that extra kick of creaminess).
Botero House
Brisbane City
The purview of a Michelin-starred chef, and with sensibility that implies, Botero House presents a diverse, artfully curated menu for breakfasts and lunches, drawn from a fusion of the freshest local ingredients and a tradition of culinary excellence.
That said, you know what I’m here for. Downright delicious (you get what you pay for), Botero’s Big Breakfast features bacon, sausage, toast, eggs, halloumi, and beetroot relish. Scrummy!
Chapter IV
Paddington
One of the cutest balconies with some of the most glorious views in Paddington, Chapter IV does a couple of more-ish meals for the breakfast-inclined, as well as a superb array of luncheons.
Their Big Breakfast is something else: Eggs, lamb and rosemary sausage, maple bacon, sautéed broccolini, roasted tomato, roasted field mushroom, hash brown, tomato relish, and toast. They also offer a primo veggie fry-up, but sub in herbed vego sausage and halloumi for the lamb and the bacon!
Smoked Paprika
Paddington
Smoked Paprika in Rosalie offers a giddying selection of rich breakfasts and lunches, more often than not sprinkled with a touch of their spicy namesake. Their specials are, quite generally, off the damn chain, the braised beef cheek is succulent as ever, and the deep-fried mac and cheese balls speak for themselves—but the Big Breakfast is a veritable force of nature.
The Smoked Paprika Breakfast: poached eggs on Turkish toast, hollandaise, rocket, cherry truss tomatoes, grilled halloumi, and the hero of the dish, a tender, saucy Hungarian beef goulash. Sign me the heck up!
