Embrace slow mornings at these top Mooloolaba cafes

Savour farm-to-fork flair and excellent morning elixir at the best Mooloolaba cafes.

Slow mornings and brilliantly brewed coffee — they’re the couple goals of any great holiday. Like most Sunshine Coast beach towns, Mooloolaba delivers the good life on tap. Throw in deeply creative dishes, nailed using locally sourced ingredients, and the results are purely overwhelming. Our advice? Tick off our roll call of the best Mooloolaba cafes below, one long, lazy meal at a time.

1. The Velo Project

A local’s secret, situated in a quiet street behind the well-trodden Mooloolaba Esplanade, The Velo Project is homely, unstuffy and overflowing with delights.

Find Velo tucked away in a residential street away from the main drag of Mooloolaba.

Firmly focused on showcasing the region’s freshest produce, the team dish up brekky classics like smashed avo, bacon and egg rolls and fruit and granola bowls, plus beautiful salads and a heartier beef brisket for lunch among other knockouts.

A sunny day calls for a generous serve of fruit-topped granola.

We strongly urge you to sample the crepe menu at any time of the day. Cooked with buckwheat flour, the crepes swing sweet or savoury and they’re generously topped with the Sunshine Coast’s finest flavours.

Skip the everyday breakfast classics and go straight to the crepe menu.

An unassuming courtyard is tucked away out back.

Address: 19 Careela Street, Mooloolaba

2. The Old Bean Breakfast Bar

Nestled in the little run of eateries opposite The Surf Club Mooloolaba, The Old Bean Breakfast Bar is a popular dog-friendly Mooloolaba cafe away from tourist central. And even though the title might suggest otherwise, the great thing about this place is it’s open until 5pm so you can score your caffeine fix and a lovely meal any time of the day. The coffee is expertly crafted no matter your preference and often arrives alongside a chocolate freckle, plus there’s breakfast stalwarts including eggs benedict and pancakes plus sandwiches, burgers and salads for lunch.

Address: 4/1 Mooloolaba Esplanade, Mooloolaba

3. Shot House Brew Bar

The Sunshine Coast’s artisanal coffee scene is still blowing up and Shot House Brew Bar, located at the northern end of Mooloolaba Beach, is a must-know local player. There’s a simple yet tasty breakfast menu up for grabs too but it’s clear from the moment the team’s beautifully crafted blends reach your lips that this place is all about the liquid gold. Don’t leave without exploring their extremely cute tees and singlets (if they’re not sold out) and don’t be surprised if you leave with a bag of the café’s house blend or a bottle of cold brew.

Address: 129 Mooloolaba Esplanade, Mooloolaba

4. The Booley

Wander north along the Mooloolaba Beach coastal walk, one of our favourite things to do in Mooloolaba, to Alexandra Headland which is a solid cafe destination itself. There you’ll find The Booley, open until 1.30pm daily on the ground level of the Grand Palais Beachside Resort, a chic pile of bricks perfectly suited to your Instagram feed. The vibe is super laidback and local, allowing the real stars of the show (its evolving, drool-worthy menu) to take centre stage. The eggs benedict is jazzed with pickled onions, the ‘Booley Bangers’ is dressed in a peperonata stew and the waffle is dusted with locally plucked berries. Sit al fresco for a side of salty sea breeze.

Address: 188 Alexandra Parade, Alexandra Headland

5. Good Bean Mooloolaba

Keen for more outstanding coffee roasting? Good Bean Mooloolaba, just across the road from The Surf Club Mooloolaba, is one of the national coffee brand’s Sunshine Coast outposts and a huge hit with caffeine addicts come mornings. The menu is limited to slices, pastries, toasties, protein balls and other easy-to-whip-up bites however the team’s killer blends, including a sublime canned cold brew, attract queues so it’s a Mooloolaba non-negotiable.

Address: 2/3 River Esplanade, Mooloolaba

6. De Ja Vu Cafe & Bar

Lean into the most tourist-trodden part of Mooloolaba with a table at De Ja Vu. Endlessly bustling with holidaymakers as it’s located on the ground floor of Mantra Zanzibar Mooloolaba, one of the best Mooloolaba accommodation options, the cafe and bar invite relaxed people watching over generously sized meals.

Soak up beach views over breakfast at De Ja Vu Cafe & Bar. (Image: Yani Cormick)

Expect early bird classics including bircher muesli, omelettes, pancakes, bacon and eggs and corn fritters plus inventive extras like ‘The Mexican’ with chorizo, eggs, peri peri sauce and Manchego cheese. Lunch is plenty familiar as burgers, fish and chips, wraps, pasta and nachos fly out of the kitchen on heavy rotation.

The pancakes are artfully decorated. (Image: Yani Cormick)

Address: 4/47-51 Mooloolaba Esplanade, Mooloolaba

7. Local Social Mooloolaba

Break up your retail therapy at The Wharf Mooloolaba with a cafe pit-stop at Local Social. Located in the thick of the shopping and entertainment precinct, right around the corner from Mooloolaba Esplanade, the slick eatery pours up great coffee, smoothies and shakes plus grab-and-go meals including wraps, acai bowls, bagels and sandwiches. If you’d rather stay, pull up a bar stool and take advantage of the people watching.

Address: 123 Parkyn Parade, Mooloolaba

8. Schwenkee Espresso

Craving a home-cooked meal? Find Schwenkee Espresso on River Esplanade, away from the main drag, where the menu pays homage to owner Kiara’s grandmother Schwenkee. Rolling out breakfast and brunch, the Mooloolaba cafe is famed for its ‘Schwenkee Eggs’ with chilli oil and za’atar spice, the ‘Granny Ola’ house-baked cinnamon granola, a 12-hour slow-cooked braised beef toastie and other love-drenched delights. The vibe is fun and familiar with undercover al fresco seating and cosy tables inside.

Address: 1/26 River Esplanade, Mooloolaba

9. 4 Pines Mooloolaba

Of course, it’s a brewery but 4 Pines Mooloolaba’s genius $10 ‘Brekky Special’ propels it onto our Mooloolaba cafe hit list. Located within the busiest section of Mooloolaba Esplanade and dishing the deal up from Wednesday to Sunday, the Special includes bacon, eggs your way, hash browns and tomato relish on sourdough for a measly tenner. There’s also a long list of morning classics for not-too-many dollars more and several juices and smoothies on the menu.

Address: 105 Mooloolaba Esplanade, Mooloolaba

10. The Colombian Coffee Co.

Another local coffee roaster to tick off the list, this one inspired by its proud Columbian roots. The Colombian Coffee Co. is adored locally for its rich, authentic blends but also its warm hospitality.

For lovers of rich authentic coffee blends.

It’s been such a hit in recent years that the owners opened a second store in nearby Buderim. Inside, vintage furniture and scattered greenery create a home away from home while a limited menu offers homemade sweets, toasties and other grab-and-go treats.

The popularity of the cafe has seen it expand to a second location.

Address: 4/20 Brisbane Road, Mooloolaba

11. Francis Bean

Francis Bean, a local spot in Alexandra Headland and not the famed American nepo baby, dishes up delicious breakfast and lunch favourites including French toast, chilli scrambled eggs, eggs benedict, soba noodle salads and more. Their caffeine hits the spot too as Campos beans fill the machine. Even better, you’re right across the road from the beach so there’s always a seat with a view.

Address: 3 Mari Street, Alexandra Headland

12. Bleu Bean Cafe

Adored by locals for its seasonal homemade meals and quality caffeine hits, Bleu Bean Cafe is worth venturing just a little further from the beach for. Take a seat indoors or outdoors and choose from flavour-packed, internationally-inspired dishes including a sweet potato rosti, Thai omelette, mince on toast and a bunch of breakfast regulars. Their cold-pressed juice collection is also impressive, blended with ultra-nourishing spices and herbs.

Address: 3/104-106 Brisbane Road, Mooloolaba.

Unlock more insider secrets to the Sunshine Coast in our travel guide to the region, or head straight to our Mooloolaba restaurants guide for more great eats.