Brisbane’s Best Cafe Openings of 2022

Relatively simple concepts have continued to dominate Brisbane’s cafe scene in 2022.

The idea of opening a full-service cafe feels properly pre-pandemic by now. Not because there isn’t a need for them (a couple made the list below) but if the coronavirus taught us anything, it’s that simple ideas elevated and executed well tend to register with locals – particularly when you move deeper into Brisbane’s undulating suburbs. If a seasoned daytime operator opened a new venue in 2022, it was usually something different to what they’ve previously done.

So, you have a coffee and small-producer wine spot in Alderley, a bakery in a former fine diner in Toowong, and an expansive three-in-one spot in the CBD from a Brisbane specialty coffee pioneer. Here’s what caught our eye these past 12 months.

Bellissimo Coffee Bulimba, Bulimba
Bellissimo Coffee completely refurbed its previously warehouse-style Bulimba operation in December 2021 (too late to make that year’s best-of list), reinventing the space as a classy full-service cafe. Inside, the roastery and warehouse has been converted into a beautifully appointed eatery with terracotta tiles, polished concrete floors and marble counters (Bellissimo’s roastery has been moved to Coorparoo). A raised section at the back is decked out in long timber banquettes, and there’s hanging greenery and pendant lighting throughout.

For food, a brunch menu includes truffle scramble; onion bhaji with sauteed spinach, poached eggs and coriander yoghurt; and a broccolini salad with ribboned cucumber, shaved fennel, edamame and pomegranate. A Mediterranean-inflected small-plate menu kicks in at lunch, and in July Bellissimo launched Besitos, its night-time service, which transforms the space into a moody after-dark restaurant. For drinks, there’s Bellissimo’s typically stellar line-up of coffee, served as espresso, batch brew or cold drip, backed by a selection of chilled drinks that includes an espresso frappe, house-brewed iced tea and a banana-caramel smoothie. Later in the day, craft beer on tap, small-producer wine and boutique Australian spirits all feature.

Citron, Wellington Point
Giorgina Venzin’s new all-day eatery is a complete change of pace for its Wellington Point neighbourhood. It takes the spiffy service and slick modern design of her inner-suburban venues – Darvella, Melrose et al – and applies it to a lovely light-filled tenancy situated on a sleepy, leafy corner in Brisbane’s bayside. Inside, a Mediterranean-inspired interior is all white tiles, polished concrete floors and dashes of yellow branding. Outside, an awning has been extended and the brick pavement levelled out rather than replaced – and populated by crisp white furniture. For food, in the morning you might order fried eggs with house-made pesto, roasted cherry tomatoes and toasted sourdough, or a loaded Mediterranean-style omelette. For lunch, there’s squid with za’atar spice and a dill yoghurt, and salmon carpaccio with preserved lemon, and grilled king prawns with lemon chickpeas and dukkah. The drinks list is a clutch of spritzes, a Mediterranean-leaning beer list, and a 20-bottle wine selection intended to be both easy-drinking and easy on the wallet.

Coffee Anthology, Fika and The Whisk, CBD
Coffee Anthology reopened on Charlotte Street in February, Adam Wang moving his celebrated specialty coffee spot into Midtown Centre, an ambitious office tower development atop the 1883-built, heritage-listed Walter Reid facade.

Anthology hasn’t changed its laser-sharp focus on presenting the best roasters from around the country, including Padre, Proud Mary, Almanac and Passport, with coffee available as pour-over, batch brew and of course espresso – it remains a yardstick for coffee in this city. But its reopening was also a beachhead for a 120-seat, 700-square-metre indoor laneway precinct called Intersection, which in August welcomed a CBD outlet for cult Upper Mount Gravatt patisserie The Whisk (owned by Justin Yu), and Fika, an upscale breakfast and lunch cafe. Fika is now playing host to a dedicated breakfast and lunch crowd, which goes large on dishes such as prawn toast Benedict, miso scrambled eggs on toast and a beef cheek kare kare (a Filipino stew). Beyond Anthology coffee, for drinks Fika is serving a tight selection of craft beers and international wines by the bottle and glass.

The final design of Intersection incorporates an enormous brick wall that runs the length of the space, and features plenty of stone, arched brass features and warm lighting.

Cordelia Sourdough Bakehouse, South Brisbane
NYC Bagel Deli and Superthing’s Ania Kutek and Eddy Tice opened Cordelia Sourdough Bakehouse in May beneath the Opera apartment in South Brisbane, with an industrial-inspired fit-out accentuated by pops of gold and plenty of natural light. Cordelia’s menu includes filled bagels and loaded croissants from NYC Bagel Deli and Superthing, alongside decadent toasties, and burgers served on milk buns (including a classic bacon and egg number and a smoky rib one with a boneless glazed rib, apple coleslaw, cheddar and pickles). For breads, Kutek and Tice are baking white and seeded sourdough, light and dark rye, sourdough baguettes, and a caramelised onion and cracked pepper loaf. There’s a cabinet full of sweet baked goods, including a cinnamon scroll, monkey bread, seasonal danishes and classic croissants (pain au chocolat, plain and almond). Rounding out the menu is a Basque cheesecake and sourdough waffles. The food is accompanied by Padre’s Daddy’s Girl espresso.

Deli Dakota, Mount Gravatt East
When Jordan Iovenitti closed The Gift Shop in February 2022, Upper Mount Gravatt mourned the loss of a much-loved cafe and hang-out spot. Six months later, though, he’s back, teaming up with seasoned Brisbane hospo operator Mitch Haworth, and rebranding and relaunching The Gift Shop as Deli Dakota a few blocks away in a sleepy neighbourhood in Mount Gravatt East. This time around, the focus is on handheld eats. Deli Dakota’s sandwich cabinet is stacked with a generous variety of traditional and meltable sandwiches with names such as Ham From the Heavens (smoked free-range ham and three-cheese bechamel on sourdough), Italian Stallion (caprese salad sandwich) and DFC: Dakota Fried Chicken (spiced buttermilk fried chicken). There’s a local focus with the fillings, with the pork sourced from Kingaroy and fior di latte from nearby Mansfield. For drinks, there’s Rosso Roasting Co Coffee, cold-pressed juices and shakes, with craft beers and natural wines to become available soon. The space itself is a cosy little shop decked out in white and black subway tiles and marked by flashes of its red branding. Like The Gift Shop, much of the seating is outside, giving it a buzzy, communal vibe.

If You Say So, St Lucia
The Black Lab’s Eli Rami and Sam Holman opened If You Say So in January in a tiny old timber shop on Gailey Road. The fit-out is all terracotta pink walls with pops of greenery and is dominated by a large terrazzo-topped coffee bench. For food, there’s a popular breakfast muffin borrowed from Blackout in Paddington (which Rami and Holman also own), house-baked croissants, Doughluxe doughnuts and Butterbing cookies. For drinks, Rami and Holman are running The Black Lab’s Platinum as the house blend, while there’s also cold drip and a selection of bottled cold drinks. There’s also batch brew on tap – customers grab a cup from the counter and pour it themselves.

Lisboa Caffe, South Brisbane
Another product of the Wandering Cooks incubator, Lisboa Caffe finally opened on Hope Street in April, serving pastéis de nata (Portuguese custard tarts) and Padre coffee. In a tiny shopfront, owner Joe Rocha is turning out flaky, perfectly blistered tarts. The tarts are shaped in front of customers before being baked in an extremely hot oven (much hotter than a domestic number) to achieve a slightly caramelised top with a silky, crème brûlée-like filling. Other than the traditional pastéis de nata, Rocha is offering a Nutella version; a savoury goat’s cheese, walnut and honey tart; and a chicken and herb tart. The fit-out on Hope Street is straightforward, with white-tiled walls, pops of red and a scattering of greenery.

Lune Burnett Lane, CBD
Superstar croissanterie Lune’s latest store in Burnett Lane in Brisbane’s CBD isn’t much more than a hole-in-the-wall. Its 45-square-metre Ewert Leaf-designed fit-out amounts to a concrete service counter, stainless steel walls and moody, recessed lighting. Behind the counter is a clutch of Lune’s favoured CFI proofer cabinets, an oven and some pastry racks stacked with product prepped in the Lune South Brisbane production kitchen, before being finished in the city. There’s a compact espresso counter if you really want to stick around but this is all about grab-and-go, Lune Burnett Lane selling an abbreviated menu of classic, almond and ham-and-gruyere croissants, a lemon curd cruffin, a pain au chocolate and a kouign-amann. For drinks, there’s Coffee Supreme espresso. Retail is some keep cups, Mork chocolate powder and Coffee Supreme beans.

Nug General Store, Fortitude Valley
Nug General Store opened in late May in the back corner of Fortitude Valley’s Bakery Lane. Owners Sarah Baldwin, Jarrod Applebee and Shane Phillips have refurbed the space in timber, tiles and crazy-paver floors. Nug sells fancy pantry staples and homewares curated by Applebee and Phillips (who own Finnley Home in California Lane), and also a rotating menu of sandwiches and salads prepared by Baldwin, who’s best known for her celebrated Joy restaurant. Nug is neatly split into two small rooms. The first has a front counter with a glass cabinet stocked full of cakes, fresh fruit and more, while the second is dominated by a large communal table for those who want to stop and eat. Throughout, wooden shelving is stacked high with pasta, rice, oils, locally made passata and other goods. For homewares, Nug is stocking serving boards by The Wood People, candles by Black Blaze and stainless-steel vases by Urban Eden, among many other items. The sangas change every couple of weeks, but expect creations such as prawn and crunchy lettuce, and a vegan tofu number served on fresh ciabatta. Add a cup of Moccamaster-brewed Semi-Pro coffee, if you plan on sticking around during the day, and wine is now available later in the day.

Priorities, Alderley
Luke Reimers (Mr Chester) and Jesse Williamson (former barista at Blackout Paddington, and winner of the international Liquor 43 cocktail competition) opened Priorities in April in a charming milk-white weatherboard tenancy on Samford Road in Alderley. In a nod to post-Covid simplicity, this place plays it dead straight, serving coffee, pastries, baguettes and wine during the day, with the venue transforming into a wine bar on Friday and Saturday nights. From its coffee bar, Priorities is running Industry Beans’ Newstead blend through a customised Sanremo Cafe Racer espresso machine, with guest roasters featured on batch brew and filter. There’s also cold brew, juices, and kombucha and cascara. For food, Cordelia Sourdough Bakehouse is supplying pastries such as croissants and doughnuts; takeaway loaves of sourdough; and ham-salad and chicken-salad baguette sandwiches. The wine list is a constantly rotating selection of between 20 and 30 bottles that favours small-producer, drink-now vino.

Riser Bread, Toowong
In November, former sourdough subscription service Riser Bread opened in the storied old Queenslander shop in Toowong that was previously home to Brent Farrell’s 85 Miskin Street, and before that Bruno Loubet’s Bruno’s Tables. Riser is huge when compared to the more pint-sized bakeries around town. There’s a large open kitchen, along with seating options out the front, on the ground floor, upstairs and in the garden out the back. Co-owner Duncan McKay’s selection of bread is similar to what was available through the subscription service, with popular options including a Mount Zero olive loaf, the lemon zest and rosemary loaf, a table loaf and a seeded loaf. Otherwise, the cabinet is filled with an array of creative pastries by chef Kirsty Hustwick (ex-Loafer Bread and Sprout). There are also classics like plain croissants served with a seasonal house jam (currently strawberry, orange blossom and vanilla), almond croissants and kouign-amanns. Later in the morning the team brings out sandwiches, loaded focaccias and flaky sausage rolls. For coffee, co-owner Tom Cooney (who also co-owns Anytime in the CBD) is running Coffee Supreme’s Five Star Day as the house blend and rotating filter coffee options.

Unfortunately, one of our favourites, Misspelt was here for a good time not a long time. It closed after just a few months. Here's what we loved about it.

Misspelt, Toowong
After making the decision in July to shift their much-loved coffee spot Blackout to a larger next-door tenancy on the corner of La Trobe Terrace and Collingwood and Hazelwood streets, Eli Rami and Sam Holman seized the opportunity to section off some space for a new venture. Enter Misspelt: a tiny little bakery with pastel-pink tiled benches and a ton of natural light. Misspelt is selling a range of bread, from classic and multigrain sourdoughs to blue-cheese baguettes, and kamut and turmeric loaves. In the pastry cabinet, you’ll find croissants, pain au chocolat, sweet and savoury Danishes, cinnamon scrolls and flaky sausage rolls. Stacks of pantry staples and accompaniments (Hive & Harvest honey, Paddington jam, Mount Zero olives) line the shelves on the left-hand wall. The tiny venue is largely takeaway-focused, with just a few timber stools and a bench that looks out onto Collingwood Street.

Honourable Mentions:

Mountain River Patisserie: The celebrated dessert maker graduates from Salisbury’s Food Connect to its own natty space in Runcorn.
Doughcraft: Craft’d Grounds lands a Europe-inspired bakery and deli that peddles bread, panini, pastries, pasta and charcuterie boards.
Neighbour: The Bunker Coffee crew open a slick grab-and-go (think salads, sweets, breads and wine) spot next to the celebrated Milton original.

This article was updated on February 10, 2023 to reflect the closure of Misspelt.