The Maillard Project

The Maillard Project is a cafe, roastery and community training centre by Coffee Anthology, the brand that arguably set the standard for specialty coffee in Brisbane, along with other outlets such as John Mills Himself and Edward Specialty Coffee. It's a place not only to drink but learn about coffee – how to roast it, how to brew it and how to serve it.

Designed by West End’s Clui Design, it’s a slick, lab-like space built from pale timber, stone and glass. In the middle is a low-set island bar with two machines pumping out espresso, as well as batch and pour-over options to help showcase the various roasts Maillard is producing. Up the back is a raised dining area for those wanting to stick around and order something from the classy brunch menu.

The Maillard Project’s real point of difference, though, is its in-house roastery and training hub. Coffee enthusiasts can try their hand at roasting, practice on a third espresso machine or come in for cupping sessions. You don’t need to be a barista to take advantage of the set-up – anyone with an interest and a little know-how can come into swap notes with the team.

Still, if this all sounds a bit intense, The Maillard Project remains first and foremost a terrific coffee spot and classy cafe. It’s pouring multiple espresso and filter options daily, all of them using coffee that’s roasted in-house. The cafe’s Feature One blend sits next to a bunch of single origins roasted with beans sourced from Colombia and Ethiopia. There’s also cold-drip coffee with tea sourced through Australian Tea Masters.

For food, a fully equipped kitchen turns out pan-Asian dishes, with past highlights including a pork-stock congee served with smoked ham hock, pickled bamboo, mixed herbs and soft-boiled egg, and a potato rosti served with pork-and-fennel sausage, pickled radish and zucchini.