One thing Ipswich has is an abundance of is great cafes and no two of them are the same. Here are 19 Ipswich cafes to check out for a cuppa and a bite in and around the heritage city.
Breakfast at Stephanies
Breakfast at Stephanies at Robelle Domain has injected a bright spring garden like feel into this space with movie references on the menu adding a fun element.
Surrounded by a white picket fence and plenty of shade looking out to the Robelle Domain oval and water park area, this cafe is a welcome addition to a family-centred hub.
Open seven days a week, this is a great place to meet the family over pancakes and waffles or big breakfasts, or a burger and a lunchtime coldie.
Robelle Domain Parklands, Springfield Central
Opening Hours
Monday to Sunday 8am to 4pm
Phone: (07) 3470 5402
Brookwater Golf Cafe & Bar
Love coffee and golf? Then Brookwater Golf Club is the place for you.
The Brookwater Café & Bar is an idyllic place to relax if you’ve played golf or not. Whether you sit indoors or outside on the terrace, you’ll have an expansive view of the impeccable greens of the 18th hole as well as the greenery of the trees that typically surround the entire course and if you’re lucky, you’ll see a resident kangaroo or two.
Enjoy a Merlo coffee with classic breakfast favourites or light snacks from the bar menu or indulge in a glass of champagne over lunch with some friends. There’s a children’s menu too.
1 Tournament Drive, Brookwater
Open
Breakfast – Mon-Sun 7am to 11am
A-la-carte lunch – Mon-Sun 11am to 3pm
Bar – Sun-Thurs 11am-5pm
Fri 11am-9pm
Dinner – Fri & Sat 5:30pm-9pm
Phone: (07) 3470 9421
Dancing Bean Specialty Roasters & Espresso Bar
You’ll get a nice surprise when you stumble upon Dancing Bean because it’s completely unexpected, a hidden gem at the back of the German-theme restaurant Heisenberg Haus where you can enjoy coffee that’s roasted on site as well as a breakfast and lunch menu.
Although tucked away, it’s the perfect spot to soak up the sun that shines onto the outdoor seating, an outdoor area with a really great vibe. Parents in need of coffee have been well considered, there’s a huge blackboard wall inside the café and a kid’s area to keep them occupied while you get your coffee fix.
If you consider yourself a coffee connoisseur this place is unique in that you can see the coffee beans as they’re being roasted at the back of the café, just don’t forget to take some home for yourself.
164 Brisbane Street, Ipswich
Open
Mon 7am-noon
Tues to Fri 7am-2.30pm
Sat 6am-2.30pm
Phone: 0413 000 979
Ellen & Rod
Ellen & Rod, it’s not the name of this café’s owners but the result of a creative play on the street names this café is situated on – Ellenborough and Roderick Streets. There’s no better place in the Ipswich CBD to enjoy good food and good coffee while soaking up the sun on Ellen & Rod’s sidewalk – dogs invited!
Another Ipswich café known for embracing fresh local produce, Ellen & Rod’s menu is always changing with mouth-watering breakfast & lunch items showcasing the produce in the best way possible. Think avocado, salsa and a poached egg with caramelised balsamic, poached eggs on pumpkin sourdough or a huge classic BLT with chicken.
Housemade cakes and pastries are also a speciality at Ellen & Rod, flaky almond croissants for breakfast anyone? Top it off with a remarkably good coffee or a cup of handmade chai latte and you’re set for the day and very likely to return!
Ellen & Rod
Cnr. Ellenborough and Roderick Streets, Ipswich
Open
Mon-Fri 6.30am-2pm
Sat to Sun 6.30am-1pm
Phone: 0420 680 251
Evolve Cafe at Market Organics
Evolve Organic is the destination for vegan and vegetarian food in Ipswich. Tasty, fresh and healthy, the creations you’ll find here will make your mouth water even if you’re not vegan or vegetarian.
Who said nachos needed to have meat to be delicious or that a burger needs a meat pattie to be really good? What about a Vegan Bagel with cashew cream cheese, caramelised onion, garlic mushrooms and roasted veggies? Pretty good, huh? Evolve Café are also known for their cold-pressed organic juices, the best way to get a hit of nutrients and leave you feeling energised.
The food at Evolve is not only what will bring you here, it’s the relaxing outdoor garden and the vast organic supermarket – Market Organics – that Evolve is situated within.
53 Downs Street, North Ipswich
Opening Hours
Mon-Fri 7am-4pm
Phone: 0448 800 324
Fourthchild
Fourthchild Cafe Restaurant & Lounge Bar is a landmark space in the busy Top of Town dining, art and shopping stretch in the heart of the heritage city. The large airy dining area features an impressive large-scale painting stretching along one of the exposed brick walls but it’s also the well-stocked cabinets that catch your eye here. Cakes baked on site and well-made Campos coffee seal the deal.
6/126 Brisbane St, Ipswich
Open
Mon 7am-5pm
Tues-Thurs 7am-6pm
Fri-Sat 7am-late
Sun 7am-3pm
Ph (07) 3281 9934
Moselles
Located on the original lake at Springfield Lakes, head to Moselles if you’re looking for a laid back breakfast, lunch or dinner experience.
Specialising in a mix of Vietnamese and Western cuisine, the two best things about Moselles is the view of the lake and that it’s the perfect place for a restaurant-style dinner in the suburbs. There are plenty of tables taking in the view and where you can soak up the sun.
A plus to this restaurant is the fenced kids playground right out the front. It’s a perfect way to entertain kids who can’t sit still while you enjoy your breakfast or lunch.
18 Springfield Lakes Boulevarde, Springfield Lakes
Open
Sun-Thurs 7am-4pm
Fri-Sat 7am-9pm
Phone: (07) 3381 9046
Queens Park Cafe
Big, bright and airy is the drawcard for this café, as well as an extensive menu to choose from, this Ipswich café is a local favourite because it ticks so many boxes.
Situated right in the middle of Queens Park, the Queens Park Café is the perfect start (or finish) to a day enjoying all that this vast parkland has to offer – Nerima Gardens, Ipswich Nature Centre, Queens Park Education Centre and the playground.
This cafe has loads of space, perfect for big groups or parents with prams. The open veranda is extremely inviting, opening up the café to lovely soft breezes and natural light. There are colouring books and crayons for the kids to get busy with too.
10a Merle Finimore Avenue, Ipswich
Open
Mon-Fri 8am-5pm
Phone: 3281 5167
Rafter & Rose
Delightfully charming with splashes of greenery, Rafter & Rose is one of the most popular of all Ipswich cafes. Everything you eat here is lovingly baked daily and fresh local produce is the star of every dish. You’ll be hard pressed to find a favourite here because everything is so amazingly delicious. Pumpkin pie (pictured), pistachio & rosewater cake, baked cheesecake, almond croissants, jam donuts, breakfasts with bacon jam…you can see the love that goes into making every piece of food here. There are plenty of vegan and gluten free options.
The thing people love about Rafter & Rose is that it’s completely unique; this family business is like no other café in Ipswich. From the lovingly curated garden in the laneway with plants in old saucepans and trailing out of lanterns to the fresh pumpkins for sale, homemade chutneys, jams and locally sourced honey, it’s easy to feel completely at home here.
1/17 Ellenborough Street, Ipswich
Open
Mon-Fri 6.30am-2pm
Sat-Sun 7am-noon
Phone: 0401 073 644
Raw Energy Springfield
It’s all about fresh and healthy food at Raw Energy Springfield. It’s where you can visit for a smoothie or juice after a splash around at the Orion Lagoon or where you can visit for a healthy and wholesome lunch.
Raw Energy is about fresh and healthy food that caters to everyone. From bacon and eggs and wagyu beef burgers to spiced chickpea bowls and quinoa, sweet potato & kale burgers, come here if you’re conscious of what food you eat.
Raw Energy is bright and colourful, the food is healthy and delicious and it’s likely you’ll definitely feel energised both physically and mentally, after a visit here. It’s certainly a welcome addition for the health and lifestyle conscious and those wanting to improve on their food choices.
Ground Level, GE Tower 6 Yoga Way. Springfield Central
Open
Monday to Sunday 7am to 3pm
(07) 3413 1021
Special Branch Collective
Do yourself a favour and take the quick trip down the highway to Marburg where you’ll find the Special Branch Collective, a little gem of a place that sells premium potted plants, quality garden gifts and vintage finds. While you’re there you can enjoy a cup of Dancing Bean coffee or if tea’s more your thing, they have plenty on offer.
Special Branch Collective is heaven for gardeners, antique treasure hunters and people seeking homewares and art pieces with a difference. It’s also home to pieces by local artists.
It’s somewhat of a family affair bringing this treasure trove together. The owner of Special Branch Collective Emily Birnie sources the plants from her sister and brother-in-law’s nursery, Green Cloud Nursery. Emily’s father also owns the adjoining Scotland Yard Antiques where you’ll likely score a unique find.
64-66 Edmond Street, Marburg
Open
Wed-Fri 7am-2pm
Sat-Sun 9am-4pm
The Girls’ Coffee Bar
The Girls’ Coffee Bar on the Warrego Highway at Marburg is a popular stopping point for those heading from Brisbane to Toowoomba. There’s plenty of space for the whole family and it is open seven days a week. Short on time? You can text your coffee order in to 0488ORDERS so it’s ready when you get there. Be sure to check out what’s on the shelves too – there is always a tasty selection of condiments and sweet treats to buy. Oh and there’s a sister cafe with the same name at Fernvale too!
Shop 1, 207 Edmund St, Marburg
Open
Mon-Fri 6am-5pm
Sat-Sun 7am-5pm
Ph (07) 5464 4465
The Yard on Glebe
A hidden gem in the suburbs, The Yard on Glebe has a homely vibe and amazing fresh food options.
It’s not your typical classics here – everything has a unique spin. Think Moroccan Eggs with beautiful golden pumpkin hummus or Black Forest waffles with macerated berries, chocolate ganache, berry coulis and Chantilly cream. The avo smash comes with beetroot feta, dukkah and whipped feta. The Yard on Glebe offers an all-day breakfast, light lunches, homemade cakes, artisan pastries, fresh juices and specialty coffee. It is worth the detour if you’re after food with a twist.
Shop 1/176 Glebe Rd, Booval
Open
Mon-Tues 6.30am-noon
Wed-Fri 6.30am-2pm
Sat 7am-1pm
Sun 7am-noon
