You want to know where to find Brisbane’s best eggs Benny? I want to know; whose idea was it to tuck our eggs into a bacon bed with a hollandaise blanky? These cheeky little nuggets of Americana have well and truly found their place in our hearts and, thank heaven, our cafés.
Snag & Brown
Annerley
First things first, this ineffable little gem boasts its own dog park—so ‘pet-friendly’ would be a drastic understatement.
As for eggs Benedict—these guys do three. You have your traditional, of course, and it’s as sumptuous as ever. Then there’s the Italian Benny (spicy sausage, ciabatta, and parmesan), and finally, in a radical feat of guerrilla breakfast chef ingenuity, a katsu chicken Benny!
As their name implies, they specialise in sausages and hash browns: For the record, they do some of the hashiest, browniest, crispiest morsels this side of the river.
Snag & Brown caters to the vegan and gluten-free and is open every day from 7:30am till 1:30pm. If you’re thinking of breakfast down Annerley way, think no further.
The Soul Pantry
Stafford
The Soul Pantry Kitchen and Bar is part of nursery and homewares emporium The Soul Pantry. It’s fresh and green, laid back and breezy, and does a suite of breakfasts, brunches, lunches, and afternoon teas.
And their Benny? A uniquely Turkish take on our favourite lil dish, served with spicy hollandaise, halloumi, and sumac. On a croissant. Sign me up.
They also offer a full bar, margaritas and spritzes, lobster rolls, buddha bowls, NY salmon bagels, and a full cocktail list; honestly, they really went all out on this one.
The Soul Pantry also brings us two spirituous packages—Boozy High Tea Saturdays, and Bottomless Brunch Sundays—to kick off your weekend with a bang or make that Sunday afternoon count!
Ashton & Old
Camp Hill
This luminescent little café in camp hill offers a creative, diverse selection of fusion dishes and fresh takes on old classics.
They do a rich okonomiyaki, fabulous buttermilk pancakes (mapled almonds and fairy floss, anyone?), and a luxurious gourmet eggs Benny: Black Angus pulled brisket, with the options of char sui pork belly, bacon, halloumi, mushroom, or smoked salmon—for variety is the spice of life.
Breakfast is served all day, and they also offer some of the most reasonably priced ‘light breakfasts’ out there, for the culinarily conservative. Ashton & Old also serve a terrific array of lunches—brisket tacos, Asian burgers, potato gnocchi with roasted pumpkin and sage butter, need I go on?
Perfect coffee, impeccable service, and some of the tastiest daytime dishes out there. Open every day from 6:00am till 2:00pm.
Andonis Café & Bar
Yeronga, Yeerongpilly & Fortitude Valley
With decidedly modern interiors and a sleek atmosphere, these three large venues bring a degree of pedigree professionalism to breakfasting, offering modern Australian cuisine with a Hellenic touch.
Not to overstate it, but Andonis genuinely feels like the high end of the Brisbane café scene; open décor, pet-friendly outdoor spaces, river views. Really, it has it all.
They offer two eggs Bennys, one traditional and one vego, and they’re off the chain. Traditional English muffins, hash browns, and grilled halloumi? Yes, please. And the vegetarian option adds crumbled feta, sun dried tomatoes, and fresh avocado. They also offer waffles, gourmet burgers, and a slew of beers, wines, and cocktails.
The venues are open from 6:00am to 3:30pm, seven days a week with their Yeronga venue additionally open until 8:00pm Friday and Saturday night.
Java Lounge
Paddington
The Java Lounge! A Paddington institution, the Java Lounge has been delighting locals for decades. Sitting between gift stores and the Antique Centre on Latrobe Terrace, it’s one of the most inviting cafés in the city—we’re talking colourful vibes, comfy couches, and comfort food; all the staples of a cosy suburban niche.
On offer is a veritable plethora of tried and tested dishes, breakfast classics and new takes on old specialties. Whether you’re feeling honey-roasted muesli with all the fixings, fritters, truffled mushrooms, a full big breakfast, or the imperative eggs Benedict, the Java Lounge has what you need!
The lounge is serving up piping hot java from 6:30am to 3:00pm, Tuesday to Sunday.
King Arthur Café
Fortitude Valley
The irrefutably hip King Arthur Café serves up some scrumptious brunches from within a serene, whitewashed WWII hangar just off James St.
Sublime coffee, inspired dishes, and a sunlit sense of relaxation ensure it remains a fixture of local café culture. Their all-day brunch (love it) features delights like grilled chicken baba ganoush, pumpkin waffles, and a salmon tartare with wasabi dressing. Scrumptious characters all, but one in particular stands out above the rest.
King Arthur Café presents a Benny with a beautifully Bolognese twist—grilled mortadella, provolone, fresh rocket, and piquillo hollandaise conspire to create a breakfast for the ages.
King Arthur is open from 7:00am till 2:30pm, Tuesday to Sunday. If you find yourself in the valley, in need of a coffee or possibly peckish, pop in!
Farmhouse Kedron
Kedron
Established as a tribute to the much-loved produce store Farmer Joe’s, and to farming families everywhere, there is something blissful in the bucolic façade of Farmhouse. Weathered timbers surround a gorgeous little patio, and nothing says ‘home’ like barrows of herbs and pots of flowers.
The food at Farmhouse is rustic yet refined, a wholesome blend of savoury classics and popular specialties, assembled to complement the freshest produce and finest ingredients.
Whether it’s a crunchy green bowl, French toast, or the utterly moreish farmhouse potato cake, they’ve got you covered. They also do the freshest eggs around on toasted sourdough with olive oil—and options include grilled Sun Valley bacon and fresh hollandaise, and that’s a Benny.
Farmhouse Kedron is open 6:30am to 2:30pm all week, so if you’re up for a nourishing farmhouse feed, hit it up!
Morning After
West End
Who doesn’t love West End? The air is heavy with a sense of community, something fundamentally Brisbane, a sort of je ne sais quoi giving off some thoroughly good vibes.
Morning After is a delicately modern café offering a vivid assortment of breakfast treats. Vietnamese omelettes, Turkish eggs, Sardinian-style carbonara (yes, for breakfast) and a locked-and-loaded avocado toast that will knock your socks off.
Deserving of a special mention is the Benedict, a Wild West End spectacular featuring buttermilk fried chicken, the obligatory poached eggies, spinach, portobello mushrooms, and a slathering of ferociously delicious truffle hollandaise.
Get your brekkie fix at Morning After from 7:00am to 3:30pm seven days a week.
Smoked Paprika
Rosalie
Smoked Paprika is a mainstay of the Brisbane brunch experience, known for lending a hefty Hungarian twist to a variety of lavish menu items.
Situated in the heart of Rosalie, with substantial outdoor dining, and a cosy, friendly atmosphere, this is one eatery that cannot be overrated. With hearty, old-world flavours and generous portions, these dishes are rich, over the top, and out of this world.
Fancy a breakfast burger with a slab of fried mozzarella and a side of halloumi chips? Not a problem. Braised beef cheeks? Sweet potato hash? Chilli garlic prawn omelette? Say the word. And the eggs Benny? Simply darling, with some of the freshest hollandaise money can buy, and the option of ham, bacon, salmon, chorizo, or mushroom.
Smoked Paprika serves up extravagant deliciousness every day from 7:00am till 2:00pm.
The Witchin’ Kitchen
Sandgate
The Witchin’ Kitchen is a gorgeous little café by the bay, complete with hanging planters, leadlights, and, of course, a black timber frontage to stay on theme.
They boast a glorious array of succulent smoothies and far-out juices, as well as brilliant coffee and a delightful selection of sweets.
And they don’t call the place witchin’ for nothing—it’s nourishing, ethically sourced, and downright tasty, not to mention vegan-friendly and with plenty of options for the gluten-averse. The herbed potato and feta rosti are amazing, the brekkie burger is wholesome as ever, and the eggs Benedict comes with greens, beetroot hollandaise, and fresh herbs, delivering a raw and lively earthiness that can scarcely be described.
The Witchin’ Kitchen is serving up wicked nourishment from 7:30am to 1:30pm Wednesday to Saturday, and from 7:30am to 12:00pm on Sundays.
Naïm
Paddington
Potted palms, mosaic tiling, and a beautiful vista—Naïm knows exactly what it is, and it is fabulous. This little corner of Paddington offers some of the finest modern breakfast goods you could hope for.
Drawing heavily from traditional middle-eastern and mediterranean cuisine, Naïm offers an elysian array of dishes—Athenian artichoke stew, baklava French toast, a brekkie pita board, and a proper shakshuka to name but a few.
To name one more, they do a spectacular spanakopita Benedict, complete with whipped dill ricotta, sautéed garlic spinach, marinated artichokes, and green goddess hollandaise. Majestic, truly.
Naïm is open from 8:00am till 2:00pm Tuesday to Friday, 7:00am to 2:00pm on weekends, and then from 5:00pm to 9:00pm Tuesday to Saturday.
