hero media

The best cafes in Noosa to embrace lazy mornings with

Kick off your Sunshine Coast adventure with silky-smooth coffee and every standout breakfast in Noosa.

Fresh local produce, chilled-out locals and epic caffeine hits – breakfast in Noosa is one of my favourite holiday meals. Showcasing everything Queensland’s Sunshine Coast is renowned for, the best Noosa cafes make magic out of small-batch local bean roasting while seasonally charged plating light up Instagram-perfect spaces. From glittering hot spots right by the sand to hipster-cool lesser-known industrial haunts, the best cafes in Noosa should never be rushed. Here, the ones I keep returning to.

In short

If you only have time for one breakfast in Noosa, make it Sunshine Social. It’s one of many outstanding local brewing operations but their Sunshine Beach location is a breezy, locals-mostly scene I always struggle to wander away from.

The shortlist

Best coffee: Fellowship Drive Cafe
Hidden gem: Little Boaty
Best date spot: Moonstruck
Best pastries: The Bakers Pantry

1. Sunshine Social

a woman having breakfast at Sunshine Social, Noosa
Dine al fresco with specialty coffee at Sunshine Social. (Image: Supplied)

My morning saviour during a recent stay at Sunshine Beach on the other side of Noosa National Park, Sunshine Social is filled with groups of easy-going locals every day I’m there. The team, who took over the previous Entity Coffee space in 2022, roast their own beans right on-site and the scent of strong espresso hooks me instantly. I hang on the bottom deck, renovated in August 2025, as my kids run hot laps from the upper one and back again, to soak up the sea breeze over an almond croissant. While the food swings cabinet-style – think sweet slices, cakes, croissants, toasties and the like – it’s the laidback atmosphere and home-roasted coffee at this AM pick-me-up that stole my heart. The crew opened their second location in Cotton Tree, Maroochydore in August 2025, so add it to your wider Sunny Coast hit list, too.

Average price: $

Atmosphere: Sunny and unpretentious

Location: 24-26 Duke St, Sunshine Beach

2. Fellowship Drive Cafe

the cafe exterior of Flying West Coffee Roasters, Noosa
Pop into the family-friendly cafe. (Image: Belinda Van Zanen)

Speaking of awesome local beans, Flying West Coffee Roasters has been my Sunshine Coast poison of choice for years and the team’s Fellowship Drive Cafe in Doonan, about a 15-minute drive from Hastings Street, pulls me into the mothership. Situated in an industrial complex right near The Doonan, one of Noosa’s best restaurants, the good stuff rolls out of what looks like a large tin shed on the outside and a Melbourne-esque urban oasis on the inside. An all-day menu offers organically led dishes like the Confit Flat Mushroom with cashew cheese and homemade pesto, and a signature breakfast of pasture-raised eggs your way, maple-roasted sweet potato, locally sourced Ten Acres sourdough, bacon or haloumi and roasted tomatoes. It also caters for kids, plating up a mini breakfast wrap and cinnamon pancake with ice cream. As for the single origin liquid gold, I love it for its consistency (no matter the barista), strength and natural creamy caramel quality.

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Family-friendly

Location: 9 Fellowship Dr, Doonan

3. VanillaFood

a close-up of breakfast plate at VanillaFood, Noosa
The breakfast menu highlights organic produce. (Image: VanillaFood)

I discovered VanillaFood during a recent girls’ weekend when Noosa Junction was closer to drive to than Hastings Street, and couldn’t believe I hadn’t visited sooner. Focused on organic produce, knocking up an incredible smashed avocado on charcoal sourdough, this cafe scores huge points for encouraging clean yet hearty eating that’s pretty enough to photograph. They even make their own bone broth, squeezing the deliciousness out of the juiciest of farm-bred ingredients. Consider the sourdough crumpets with miso butter and avocado, too – my lovely mate gave me a bite of hers and I was well jealous.

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Cosy like a friend’s living room

Location: 2/10 Lanyana Way, Noosa Heads

4. Mine

the special eggs benedict at Mine cafe, Sunshine Beach, Noosa
The laid-back Sunshine Beach cafe turns breakfast into a special occasion. (Image: Mine)

A popular spot at the Sunshine Beach shops, Mine is always swarming with sun-seekers who love its al fresco dining space on the pavement for solid morning light. Stocking their machine with locally roasted Clandestino Coffee (more on that charmer below) and sweeties from Tanglewood Organic Baking Co., the crew are proudly local, leaning into quality produce to deliver a short-but-sweet menu when tummies rumble. Choose from toasties, including a mainstay ham and house-blend cheese, two breakfast bowls, and avocado toast with pickled shallots and optional trimmings including smoked salmon and poached eggs.

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Easy and breezy

Location: 6/48-54 Duke St, Sunshine Beach

5. Canteen Noosa

salmon benny and eggs on toast at Canteen Noosa
Tuck into perfectly cooked eggs.

Canteen is my pick if you’re in the market for a traditional big breakfast in Noosa. You won’t miss it along Noosa Junction’s main strip – the word ‘Canteen’ pops in jumbo text along its street-facing facade. Grab a seat inside the black-on-black fit-out for respite from the morning’s heat or nab a spot on the street to watch the world go by. You’ll feast among steady regulars, all famished for one of the Noosa cafe’s classic dishes including a beloved benedict, smashed avocado, breakfast burger with crispy bacon, fried egg and a hashbrown, and jalapeño corn fritters. It doesn’t flip the script too often – once you know, you know, right?

Average price: $$-$$$

Atmosphere: Bustling

Location: 4 Sunshine Beach Rd, Noosa Heads

6. The Coffee Noosa

a latte cup at The Coffee Noosa
The aptly named The Coffee Noosa serves top-notch brews.

It used to lure lines just a few doors down from Canteen, but The Coffee Noosa moved into its own larger digs in March 2025 and the crowds are thicker than ever. It’s the reliably top-shelf coffee here that pulls me back, but also the warm vibes as the team greets locals with a smile no matter how early in the day it is. Known for its house blend of Colombian and Papua New Guinean beans, the Noosa cafe nails a quick takeaway paired with a toastie, pastry or cult smoothie. I also love their unique brand of cool plastered across a merchandise line, which spans tees (the ‘Keep Smiling’ design is very sweet) and a sage green cap.

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Locally loved

Location: 6/4 Arcadia St, Noosa Heads

7. First Batch Coffee Roasters

coffee blends at First Batch Coffee Roasters, Noosa
First Batch Coffee Roasters makes the best brews.

If breakfast in your world consists of nothing more than coffee and contemplation, get moving to First Batch Coffee Roasters in Noosaville. The award-winning coffee specialists, who provide coffee education and wholesale supply, run a very simple shopfront offering exotic blends and single origins that always tickle my caffeine itch whenever I’m visiting this side of town. Cold brews and smoothies are also up for grabs, as is a tight edit of treats. Sip on your weapon of choice while browsing First Batch’s collection of coffee machines and equipment or simply take a bar stool or table and enjoy.

Average price: $

Atmosphere: Chilled, but laser-focused on coffee

Location: 2/8 Venture Dr, Noosaville

8. Moonstruck

pouring coffee into a cup at Moonstruck, Noosa
Moonstruck serves up boutique coffee and Aussie gins.

Gin and coffee, together at last – this is also my kind of cafe. Moonstruck is a Hastings Street mainstay, renowned for serving boutique coffee alongside a range of Aussie gins. To line the stomach, fill your tummy elegantly in the cafe’s narrow, mosaic-dreamy space. Expect pastries, bagels, toasties and wholesome chia and fruit bowls, before moving into harder stuff sourced from big guns like Papa Salt, owned by Margot Robbie and her pals, plus Four Pillars and Victoria’s Animus Distillery.

Average price: $$-$$$

Atmosphere: Holiday o’clock

Location: 5 Hastings St, Noosa Heads

9. Little Boaty

Travelling with little ones? I always take mine down to Little Boaty on the front deck of Noosa Boathouse in Noosaville. The coffee bar is right next to the shoreline’s resident sting ray, giant schools of brim and the odd family of ducks so you can savour breakfast with a sea life show the kids will delight in. Choose from a selection of grab-and-go options including toasted sambos, raw treats, croissants, quiches, muffins, cookies and more. Let the kids dip their toes in the stretch of sand on the way back from the jetty to Gympie Terrace – it’s a great spot for a quick cool down if the sun’s belting down.

Average price: $

Atmosphere: Peak coastal

Location: 194 Gympie Tce, Noosaville

10. MOTO

breakfast and coffee at MOTO, Noosa
Savour a flavour-packed breakfast at MOTO.

Working with the guys at Clandestino Coffee to craft their own house blend, MOTO ’s community spirit is felt from the moment you enter this hipster-cool space. Like a mate’s garage, this Noosa cafe is casual and cool before transforming into a rocking bar in the afternoons. But it’s all about the food of a morning and meals such as flavour-packed burritos, Turkish eggs, roasted mushrooms and avocado toast with homemade hot sauce put smiles on dials as Indonesian-sourced coffee beans are whipped into silky smooth blends local travel far and wide for.

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Moody

Location: 66 Noosa Dr, Noosa Heads

11. Clandestino Coffee

brunch at Clandestino Coffee
Indulge in a light brunch at Clandestino Coffee.

A local’s secret deep in the industrial area of Noosaville, Clandestino Coffee is found at the back of a grocer. Entering the slick warehouse space, I’m taken by the Noosa cafe’s brew bar, a science experimental-looking station pouring up fresh brews. It seals the deal for me – this place takes morning elixir very seriously. The food at this Noosa cafe is pared-back and quality, ranging from locally baked muffins and scrolls, cookies and tarts, to sandwiches and other light brunch items. Once you’re done sampling the goods, make your way to the vintage arcade machine in the back corner of the cafe. It’s a nostalgic two-person face-off better suited to kids of the ’90s rather than your new-age little ones.

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Industrial-chic

Location: 2/59 Rene St, Noosaville

12. The Bakers Pantry

I follow the scent of buttery baked goods straight to The Bakers Pantry in Noosaville, a wonderland for pastry fans just minutes away from Noosa Heads. Adored for its fuss-free Noosa breakfast and all-too tempting takeaway offerings, this easy, breezy cafe is always a good choice – think chunky, beautifully blistered savoury pies, fluffy cheesecakes, lavishly iced fruit Danishes, and one locally adored vanilla slice. It’s pudgy, gooey, and drizzled with chocolate lattice for purely euphoric devouring.

Average price: $-$$

Atmosphere: Homely

Location: 6/205 Weyba Rd, Noosaville

13. Aromas Noosa

Aromas Noosa street view
Aromas Noosa on Hastings Street is a must-visit.

Another must-tick off whenever you’re in town is Aromas Noosa on Hastings Street, which you’ll wander past several times during any given visit. The buzzing Noosa cafe whips up mouth-watering breakfast options including fluffy hotcakes with mixed berries and banana, avocado and tomatoes on toast, a chilli crab scramble, and a collection of yummy juice blends. They even make their own coffee (it’s quite the thing around here, isn’t it…), teaming up with Queensland barista Tim Adams to create their signature ‘The Hastings Blend’. Impressive.

Average price: $$-$$$

Atmosphere: Tourist-central

Location: 32 Hastings St, Noosa Heads

14. Depot

breakfast and coffee at Depot Noosa
Grab your sweet morning pick-me-up at Depot Noosa.

Set on prime real estate along Gympie Terrace, overlooking the beautiful Noosa River, Depot is a chilled-out spot to pick up a great meal and locally roasted coffee. Serving breakfast in Noosa with soothing river views, the team knock up hearty dishes including a sensational chill crab scramble, three individual brekky rolls, a range of superfood bowls and a buddha bowl, truffled mushrooms with haloumi on sourdough and plain old bacon and eggs on toast. It’s filled with a combination of interstate visitors and familiar locals so make sure you get there early to secure a spot.

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Chockers

Location: 4/239 Gympie Tce, Noosaville

15. Padre Coffee

making latte art at Padre Coffee, Noosa
Each cup is perfectly crafted at Padre Coffee.

You might’ve spotted their genius boxed cold brew coffee concentrate on Instagram, but don’t go thinking that’s the only trick up Padre Coffee ’s sleeve. The gorgeous Noosaville roastery and cafe is full of warm hospitality where the focus rests entirely on everyone’s favourite liquid gold (there are toasties and a few sweet treats, too), crafted on-site as well as in the hipster hood of Melbourne’s Brunswick East. Beans are sourced from Colombia, Brazil, Mexico and beyond, roasted and served to perfection consistently.

Average price: $

Atmosphere: Caffeine-addicted

Location: 10 Eenie Creek Rd, Noosaville

Still hungry? Discover the best restaurants in Noosa

Kristie Lau-Adams
Kristie Lau-Adams is a Gold Coast-based freelance writer after working as a journalist and editorial director for almost 20 years across Australia's best-known media brands including The Sun-Herald, WHO and Woman's Day. She has spent significant time exploring the world with highlights including trekking Japan’s life-changing Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage and ziplining 140 metres above the vines of Mexico’s Puerto Villarta. She loves exploring her own backyard (quite literally, with her two young children who love bugs), but can also be found stalking remote corners globally for outstanding chilli margaritas and soul-stirring cultural experiences.
See all articles
hero media

An insider’s guide to Noosa’s best-kept winter secrets

As the cooler weather rolls in, head to this popular Sunshine Coast destination to enjoy stunning natural beauty, culinary wonders and mild temperatures.

As southern Australia’s weather starts to cool – the frost visiting every morning and the evening chill descending at dusk – you might reach for your thickest cable knit sweater and warmest blanket. But why not reach for your suitcase and sunglasses and book a ticket to Noosa in winter instead?

Sure, it’s a favourite destination for sun-seeking summer travellers. But as locals will readily tell you, winter is the best time to uncover hidden gems across the region – not only is the weather mild and enjoyable, but the beaches and hinterland are picture-perfect, too. You might even spot a whale or two if you visit from June to September.

Discover how to spend your winter surrounded by Noosa’s stunning natural beauty.

Noosa Rivermouth And Main Beach
Make the most of mild temperatures of Noosa in winter.

Where to eat in Noosa

Known for its dynamic cuisine, Noosa is an overflowing foodie destination. Whatever your tastebuds fancy, the region has it covered.

There are the classic eateries, like lively beachfront Bistro C (try the caramelised pork belly), popular Season Restaurant on Hastings Street (order the spanner crab pasta) and stylish Locale (our pick is the slow roasted White Pyrenees lamb shoulder).

There are also chic new restaurants offering tasty dishes, like the Mediterranean fare at Pelis , Cantonese-inspired dim sums at Sabrosa , organic sourdough pizza from El Capitano , traditional recipes and tequila at Dona Cocina Mexicana and modern Italian-Australian creations from Lucio’s Marina .

diners at Lucio's Marina in noosa in winter
Taste modern Italian-Australian at Lucio’s Marina. (Image: Nickolas May)

Where to stay in Noosa

Once you’re full, you’ll need to find a place to lay your head, and Noosa has no shortage of accommodation options. From five-star resorts with palm-fringed lagoon pools to self-catered apartments and family-friendly budget options, stays in the heart of the action on Hastings Street to sleeping steps from the beach or in more spacious and relaxed accommodation along the river, Noosa offers something for everyone.

There’s the laid-back luxury of Netanya Noosa overlooking Noosa Main Beach, which offers studios, two- and three-bedroom apartments, or the family-oriented Ivory Palms Resort in Noosaville, with its three pools, jumping pillow and playground. Guests also love the versatile RACV Noosa Resort and its numerous pools, waterslides and tennis courts.

For a wildlife experience, hop on a ferry and travel to the eco-friendly Senses Noosa North Shore . Surrounded by 16 hectares of native bushland, the beautiful architect-designed property blends indoor and outdoor living and offers three stunning pools and a spa. Guests can even spot kangaroos and rainbow lorikeets from shaded verandahs.

a beachfront swimming pool at Netanya Noosa
Gaze over Noosa Main Beach at Netanya Noosa. (Image: Lumea Photo)

Things to do on land

There’s no denying it, the main beach – with its creamy-coloured sand, consistent breaks and epic coastline views – is Noosa’s shining star attraction. Bordering this is the wildly popular Noosa National Park, where you can explore over 15 kilometres of walking tracks, including options like the Coastal Walk, Tanglewood Walk and Palm Grove Walk.

A short stroll away is busy Hastings Street, which is full of life during the day and long into the night. Enjoy a little shopping, a late brunch, dinner out and a cocktail as the sun goes down.

Climb onto a fully electric tuk tuk with Noosa e-TukTuk to get an insider’s tour of the region. For a more in-depth exploration, book a bespoke tour with Joel’s Journeys and head to the lush green hinterland, or discover the rugged landscapes of Great Sandy National Park with Sunny Jeeps to spend the day with the wind in your hair and sand underfoot.

woman enjoying the view after hiking through Noosa National Park, noosa in winter
Take in views of the beautiful Noosa Hinterland. (Image: Demy Gavin)

Things to do in the water

Noosa isn’t just about the beach, the national parks and shopping; one of the most popular ways to embrace winter is to explore on water.

You could brave the waves on a surfboard, explore the languid Noosa River on a stand-up paddleboard or even head to the Noosa Everglades for a day adventuring on a boat, canoe or kayak.

Enjoy the winter sunsets aboard the newly launched HV Stillwater , a luxury, hybrid-powered catamaran that glides silently along Noosa’s waterways. You can also book a table on the only floating restaurant on the river – Noosa Cruiser – and dig into freshly cooked cuisine.

For a little more adventure, head out with Kingfisher Safari Co and cruise around the Noosa River Inlet and Lake Cootharaba. Or search for whales and dolphins (from June to September) on a small charter boat tour with WhaleSongs Noosa ; with an onboard researcher to explain what you’re seeing, as well as a hydrophone, you’ll be able to listen to the haunting songs of some of the world’s biggest animals while enjoying a winter’s day in the sun.

women kayaking through Noosa everglades noosa in winter
Explore the gorgeous Noosa Everglades. (Image: Emily Redfern)

Book your winter getaway in Noosa at visitnoosa.com.au.