Brisbane's Top Breakfast Spots

Whether you're craving a sweet breakfast or in the mood for a savoury one, these breakfast joints have you covered and with many offering all-day breakfast it means you do not have to sacrifice your weekend sleep in either.

For all the other must-try foodie spots in Brisbane beyond breakfast:

LITTLE LOCO | nEW FARM

Little Loco in New Farm may be small in size, but its food certainly packs a punch. On the cafe’s all-day menu you’ll find a variety of inventive breakfast-style dishes you likely haven’t come across before. A prime example of such a dish is Little Loco’s signature bacon and egg baos, which comprise streaky bacon, scrambled egg, smoky BBQ sauce, sriracha mayonnaise, chives, and paprika, which are actually rather delicious - I had my doubts. Beyond this, they offer a loaded banana bread dish, a green bowl, classic breaky roll as well as two different waffle-based dishes, one sweet, one savoury. Plus, Little Loco often has ever-changing specials so it’s worth keeping an eye out for them also.

View Little Loco’s menu.

121 Merthyr Rd, New Farm QLD 4005

Open 7 Days 6.00am - 2.00pm (Saturday & Sunday opens at 6.30am)

WHAT WAS ORDERED:

GOLDEN GAYTIME WAFFLE House-made Belgian waffle, ice cream, golden peanut crumb, sticky caramel sauce, chocolate lashings, chocolate, and honeycomb dust.

BACON & EGG BAOS Streaky bacon, scrambled egg, smoky BBQ sauce, sriracha mayo, chives, and paprika served in baos.

EGGS & WAFFLE BENEDICT Savoury cheddar and chive infused waffle, two poached eggs covered in chipotle hollandaise.

ASSORTED HRVST ST COLD PRESSED JUICE

MORNING AFTER | WEST END

Located in the heart of Brisbane's West End, Morning After is the vision of mother and son Soula and Yianni Passaris. Morning After offers an all-day everyday ‘morning’ menu featuring an array of tempting breakfast-style dishes to choose from as well as an ‘after’ menu comprised of more lunch-style dishes, which is served from 11am-3pm. Though, as a massive pancake fan I just couldn’t go past the vanilla hotcake served with rum and raisin ice cream, maple, caramelised banana, honeycomb, and macadamia crumb, and I’m glad I didn’t as not only did it taste delicious - not overly sweet and all the ingredients working together - with so many vibrant colours it looked stunning too. If you’d rather a savoury breakfast and something a little different then the Blue Swimmer Crab Omelette or Breakfast Carbonara are definitely worth considering, otherwise opt for cafe’s ‘MaMuffin’, which is Morning After’s take on McDonald’s’ iconic McMuffins!

View Morning After’s menu.

Cambridge St, West End QLD 4101

Open 7 Days 7.00am - 3.30pm

WHAT WAS ORDERED:

VANILLA HOTCAKE served with rum and raisin ice cream, maple, caramelised banana, honeycomb, macadamia crumb.

BLUE SWIMMER CRAB OMELETTE with tomato, papaya salad, garlic, chilli, and fried shallots.

MAMUFFIN Sausage, egg, American cheese + hash brown.

PawPaw Cafe | Woolloongabba

Pawpaw Café, on Stanley Street in Woolloongabba, is a firm favourite among locals, and it’s very easy to see why. The food, décor, and service are all first-class and are the reason why so many diners keep returning time after time. All the dishes served up at Pawpaw Café do not only look pretty as a picture, however, 100% deliver on taste also. If you’re craving a sweet breakfast one cannot look past the sweet pitaya pancakes with vanilla bean ice cream, white chocolate shard, berry coulis, meringue candy, fresh berries, and pink crumble – yum! Plus, Pawpaw Café offers breakfast all day every day, so go ahead and sleep till noon!

View Pawpaw Cafe’s menu.

898 Stanley St E, Woolloongabba QLD 4102

Open 7 Days 7.00am - 3.00pm (Tuesday - Saturday also opens at 5.30pm till 9.00pm)

WHAT WAS ORDERED:

PINK PITAYA PANCAKES Sweet pitaya pancakes with vanilla bean ice cream, white chocolate shard, berry coulis, meringue candy, fresh berries and pink crumble.

PAW PAW’S SIGNATURE HASH Potato hash cakes with poached eggs, pumpkin hummus, smashed avocado, dukkah, halloumi and beetroot relish.

MISS JONES | NEW FARM

Straddling the border of New Farm and Fortitude Valley, along the main, busy street of Brunswick Street, you’ll find the rather inconspicuous Miss Jones Café, the sibling of nearby Little Loco (see above). Like Little Loco (and almost all the venues on this list), Miss Jones offers an all-day menu. Though before even looking at the food menu, it is highly recommended you order one of Miss Jones’ extravagant super shakes - the Pina Colada one I had did not disappoint, and the Bounty one looked good too. When you do get to the food, for a healthy, light, and refreshing start to the morning look no further than Miss Jones’ colourful Acai Bowl, jam-packed full of Acai Flow, dragon fruit, strawberries, and oats and topped with a scoop of vegan coconut gelato. Otherwise, if you’re looking for something sweet, the café’s ever-changing waffle-based creation, such as the Banoffee Waffles available when I visited is likely to tempt you.

View Miss Jones’ all-day menu.

1/599 Brunswick St, New Farm QLD 4005

Open 7 Days 6.00am - 3.00pm (Saturday & Sunday open 7.00am-2.30pm)

WHAT WAS ORDERED:

BANOFFEE WAFFLES with caramelized banana, meringue, butterscotch sauce, gingerbread crumb, and coffee gelato.

B & E ROLL with crispy bacon, fried egg, vintage cheddar, and tomato relish on a milk bun.

ACAI BOWL Acai flow, strawberries, dragon fruit, oats and topped with vegan coconut gelato.

PINA COLADA Coconut milk, mango, and mint.

HELLENIKA | fortitude valley

Hellenika, the signature poolside restaurant at The Calile Hotel on James Street offers some of the best authentic Greek cuisine in town. The poolside restaurant offers indoor and al fresco dining – you even have the option of dining in a poolside cabana – as the restaurant spills out to overlook the glistening waters of The Calile’s resort-style pool. Featuring a menu that encourages sharing means you are able to order and try multiple of the mouth-watering dishes on offer.

For all the must-try foodie spots in Fortitude Valley view A Foodie’s Guide to Fortitude Valley

For overnight accommodation read about my stay at The Calile Hotel

View Hellenika’s breakfast menu and restaurant menu.

48 James St, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006

Open 7 Days 6.30am - Late

WHAT WAS ORDERED:

BACON & EGGS Streaky bacon, olive oil fried eggs with toast.

NODO | VARIOUS LOCATIONS

Nodo may be best known for its selection of delicious, gluten-free, baked not fried donuts, though it’s also the perfect place for breakfast/brunch. Nodo’s food menu, across its four Brisbane locations, has a focus on fresh, seasonal produce and wholesome ingredients that are naturally gluten-free. Some standout dishes include Nodo’s Kombucha Acai Bowl, its Koji Fried Chicken Burger and Charcoal Mushroom Burger. Beyond its food, to drink Nodo has a variety of super shakes that look and taste delicious too. Though, whatever you do make sure you grab a pack of Nodo donuts to take away with you!

View the menu of each Nodo location here.

Stores in the CBD, Newstead, South Bank & Camp Hill

Various operating hours for each location.

WHAT WAS ORDERED:

CRAB SHACK BENEDICT House baked brioche, wild crab, soft eggs, kale, native chilli hollandaise, citrus, beach herbs.

MILK BUN Free range bacon, greens, spring onion mayo, soft fried egg, native BBQ.

YOLK | NEWSTEAD

Opening at the conclusion of 2019 and situated in Gasworks Plaza in Newstead, Yolk is the brainchild of the owners behind Morning After (see above) and is all about the humble bacon and egg roll done well. Offering only a handful of options, Yolk’s simple, concise all-day menu is perfect for indecisive diners who get easily overwhelmed when confronted with an abundance of choice. As the only real decision you have to make is how many hash browns you’re going to order to go with your Bacon and Egg Roll - Yolk’s freshly squeezed orange juice should just be a given! Though admittedly there are a few more decisions you may have to make, for example, you may opt for the Steak and Egg Roll, Mushroom and Egg Roll or Chicken Burger instead and decide to order the Yolk Strips - buttermilk chicken strips and kiev mayo - as well.

View Yolk’s all-day menu.

76 Skyring Terrace, Newstead QLD 4006

Open 7 Days 7.00am - 3.00pm

WHAT WAS ORDERED:

BACON & EGG ROLL with cheese and sriracha mayo.

HASH BROWN

FRESHLY SQUEEZED OJ

POLPETTA italian kitchen & bar | Howard smith wharves

The Italian kitchen and bar located on the ground floor of the Crystalbrook Vincent, Polpetta offers rustic and authentic Italian fare. Although the menu reads well and the space does look inviting, the lack of any real view and the many other eating and drinking options in the precinct, I struggle to see the allure of dining here, personally.

For all Howard Smith Wharves has to offer view A Guide to Howard Smith Wharves

For overnight accommodation read about my stay at The Fantauzzo (now Crystalbrook Vincent)

View Polpetta’s breakfast menu and lunch & dinner menu.

5 Boundary St, Brisbane City QLD 4000

Open 7 Days 6.30am - 10.00am & 12.00pm - 2.30pm & 5:30pm - 9:00pm (Monday & Tuesday - no lunch service)

WHAT WAS ORDERED:

POLPETTA BENEDICT Poached free-range eggs, Prosciutto, toasted sourdough, and hollandaise sauce.

EGGS Free range eggs your way, Bronte Beechwood smoked bacon, toasted sourdough, avocado.

The Terrace | South Bank

Fuel up for the day ahead by enjoying a sumptuous, relaxing long breakfast 21 floors up at The Terrace, atop the ultra-luxurious Emporium Hotel. One of the best buffet breakfasts in the city is served from 6.30 am to 11.00 am daily at The Terrace, offering diners a wide array of sweet and savoury breakfast favourites, as well as delicious French pastries and fresh juices. Whilst enjoying breakfast you’ll also be treated to easily one of the best views in all of Brisbane. Also, make sure you return to The Terrace in the evening for a casual drink, as the venue completely transforms as the sun sets and the lights begin to turn on.

For all the must-try foodie spots in South Bank view A Foodie’s Guide to South Bank

For overnight accommodation read about my stay at Emporium Hotel South Bank

View The Terrace’s breakfast menu, food menu and drinks menu.

Emporium Hotel South Bank, Level 21/267 Grey St, South Brisbane QLD 4101

Open 7 Days 6.30am - Midnight (Friday & Saturday open till 2.00am)

WHAT WAS ORDERED:

BUFFET BREAKFAST

CONTINENTAL STARTER Croissant with Beerenberg, jam and French butter; Natural Yoghurt with Quinoa and Coconut Granola; Tropical Fruit Salad.

EMPORIUM BREAKFAST Scrambled eggs, smoked bacon, sausage, thyme roasted mushrooms, hash brown, beans and sourdough toast.

EGGS BENEDICT English muffin, poached eggs, champagne ham and hollandaise sauce.

The Balfour Kitchen | New Farm

Housed within a classic, lovingly restored Queenslander house and part of the renowned Spicers Balfour Hotel, The Balfour Kitchen, nestled within the leafy streets of New Farm is the perfect spot for breakfast. Utilising fresh, local Queensland produce, The Balfour Kitchen specialises in modern Vietnamese cuisine, with a French twist. Sit at one of the tables positioned on the charming wrap-around verandah and start the morning with a breakfast classic like eggs benedict or if feeling a little adventurous do not go past the Bahn Mi. After breakfast make sure you make time to check out the property’s rooftop bar which provides a unique perspective of Brisbane.

View The Balfour Kitchen’s menu.

37 Balfour St, New Farm QLD 4005

Open 7 Days 6.30am - 10.00pm (Saturday closes at 2.30pm)