Located a few doors down the hill from Central Station and tucked into the CBD’s historic Anzac Square Arcade, Edward Specialty Coffee’s decor has classic throwback touches. The counter is tiled in forest green, the wooden floor and furnishings dark and unpolished; it’s a welcome change from the ubiquitous minimalism of white and pine.

The cafe is geared towards takeaway, but if you’re lucky you can snag a seat at the little tucked-away booth or at the huge glass front window.

Owner Abhi Gupta spent 10 years involved in specialty coffee in Sydney, working everywhere from the front lines in inner-city cafes to behind the scenes at White Horse Coffee roasters, before setting up shop in Brisbane.

Every morning Gupta starts up four grinders for his rotating espresso, filter blend and single origin and cold brew, all from White Horse (an exclusive for Brisbane). For snack options, Danny’s Bread and My Plate deliver Edward’s counter pastries and vegan sweets.

Edward Specialty Coffee is really about making specialty coffee mainstream and giving everyone what they want, whether it’s decaf, syrup in their coffee, sugar in their cappuccino or simply great-quality espresso.