Scout is the sort of place that feels like your local, even if you live several suburbs away. With its rustic brick walls, hanging pot plants and handcrafted wooden furniture, it has a cosy, cottage-like feel that belies its inner-city location. There’s even a fireplace in the back room.

Scout occupies a shop that was built over the front of one of Brisbane’s oldest terrace houses during the 1920s. The place stood empty for 16 years before best friends and experienced baristas Susannah Whitehouse and Candy Smith opened Scout in 2013, filling a much-needed cafe-sized gap in this largely residential part of town.

It’s easy to see why Scout draws such an enthusiastic crowd. The menu changes regularly, with rotating fresh salads and Bagel Boys bagels (rest assured, the beloved Breakfast Bagel, featuring a fried egg, kaiserfleisch and cheddar, is a permanent fixture).

Melbourne’s smooth Coffee Supreme flows from the machine, and a house-made selection of cakes will satisfy your sweet tooth. Add the consistently friendly service and you’ve got one cafe that’s well worth scouting out.