The 11 Best Cafes In Toowoomba

The so-called Garden City is brimful of cafes – take your pick from eight of Toowoomba’s best.

The pretty little city of Toowoomba, has a surprisingly vast supply of cafes that tap into all kinds of different tastes. From a hole-in-the-wall skateshop-cum-coffee-house to a social enterprise cafe that showcases the works of local artists, and a Melbourne-esque laneway cafe with an inventive menu, start the day right at one of the best cafes in Toowoomba.

1. Ortem

Ortem cafe toowoomba — Dive into colourful and tasty dishes. (Image: TEQ)

Situated right next to Toowoomba station, this smart little cafe is open daily for breakfast, brunch and lunch. Ortem is a perennially popular spot that always seems to be buzzing with punters, and serves up colourful, artfully plated dishes at its streetside tables. The menu runs the gamut of all the classics, but often with a small twist: the avocado toast is sprinkled with dukkah, the buttermilk pancakes are topped with passionfruit curd and fairy floss, and there’s a veg-heavy eggs Benny just for vegetarians. Moreover, if your appetite’s yet to pique, you can opt for a mini portion of one of the mains, or try one of Ortem’s special sweet and savoury boards out for size.

Address: 15 Railway Street, Toowoomba City, QLD, 4350
Website: ortem.com.au

2. Ground Up Espresso Bar

Ground up espresso bar cafe toowoomba — Feel like you’ve stepped into Melbourne at Ground Up. (Image: TEQ)

Come for the inventive and decadent breakfast menu, stay for the expertly brewed single-origin Blackboard Coffee Roasters’ coffee’, should be the mantra at Ground Up Espresso. Located in a mural-freckled laneway, this overachieving Toowoomba cafe has a bit of a playful Melbourne air about it. Gorge on wildly fluffy ricotta pancakes, or the super stacked Benny, replete with double-smoked bacon, slow-cooked brisket, a house hash brown, fried halloumi, spinach, poached free-range eggs, hollandaise, and locally made sourdough. Not for counting calories.

Address: 501 Ruthven St, Toowoomba City, QLD, 4350
Website: facebook.com/grounduptoowoomba

3. Sweet Talk Coffee

table spread of food at Sweet Talk Coffee toowoomba — Enjoy meals with a sophisticated continental inspiration.

Housed within the recently developed Longs Quarter, Sweet Talk Coffee is a strong addition to Toowoomba’s booming cafe scene. With its exposed brick walls, tall ceilings and concrete bar counter, there’s an air of industrial-chic to this light-filled space in the city centre. The menu, meanwhile, has a definite whiff of sophisticated continental inspiration – dishes such as crispy sumac squid with romesco sauce, labneh and fried capers; and ricotta doughnuts bathing in a sauce of house-made crème diplomat and roasted apple, line the menu.

Address: 3/203 Margaret St, Toowoomba City, QLD, 4350
Website: sweettalkcoffee.com.au

4. The Finch

bowl of soup at the finsh cafe toowoomba — Taste comforting modern Australian dishes at The Finch (Image: Facebook/ The Finch)

Chow down on tasty modern Australian food for breakfast and lunch at The Finch in downtown Toowoomba. Meals are intriguingly colourful, and if you’re lucky, your coffee might even come with some pretty impressive foam art.

Can’t get enough? They’ve have a second location in East Toowoomba that also happens to stay open on Friday and Saturday nights (in addition to everyday breakfast and lunch), serving up Italian-style pizzas for dinner.

Address: 469 Ruthven St, Toowoomba CBD, QLD, 4350
Website: thefinch.com.au

5. Framed Espresso bar

Coffee paddle Framed Espresso. — Morning tea is sorted at Framed Espresso.

A speciality coffee bar located in the ‘burbs, Framed is among the city’s best when you’re in need of a caffeine fix. Make a morning of it and tuck into some of the bar’s cakes and pastries, settling into one of their leather armchairs, or timber bar stools, and enjoying some downtime with a good book. The venue shares the space with a framing studio, so you could peruse the selection before setting off too.

Address: Corner, Ruthven Street, Hurstway Ct, Toowoomba City, QLD, 4350
Website: downsframing.com.au/framed-espressobar-toowoomba

6. Grinds espresso rail

Wolff Roasters coffee at rinds Espresso Rail — Grinds Espresso Rail is serious about Wolff Roasters coffee.

A dedicated skateshop cafe slap bang in the centre of the city, Grinds Espresso Rail is serious about two things: its Wolff Roasters coffee, and the skateboards and skate apparel it purveys. This well-loved hole-in-the-wall shop zeroes in on all things local, from the beans that come from a micro-roastery in Brisbane to the independent skate attire labels it hosts, showcasing homegrown talent. Fans of Grinds’ brews can also take home a box of Wolff Roasters’ bold ready-to-drink cold brew, as well as its beans.

Address: 2/255 Margaret St, Toowoomba City, QLD, 4350
Website: facebook.com/grindsespressorailtoowoomba

7. Sage+Butler Neighbourhood Cafe

This small East Toowoomba neighbourhood cafe has a loyal following for its reliably strong coffee, reasonable prices, friendly and welcoming atmosphere, and rather moreish cinnamon scrolls. Pull up a pew at one of the tables outside on leafy Margaret Street and devour one of Sage+Butler’s homemade cakes and quiches in the sunshine.

Address: 62 Margaret St, East Toowoomba, QLD, 4350
Website: facebook.com/sagebutlerneighbourhoodcafe

8. Banter Coffee Kitchen

SAge green facade at Banter — Banter is a social-enterprise cafe.

A cafe with a difference, the bohemian Banter Coffee Kitchen is a social enterprise, offering employment opportunities to the local migrant and refugee community. The cafe even boasts its own commission-free gallery wall, named The Brouhaha, where works by Toowoomba’s local artists are showcased and rotated every six weeks. There’s a real community feel to this Toowoomba CBD establishment, with growlers of local honey for sale, and a new mural from the exhibiting artist gracing the cafe’s facade every six weeks.

Address: 229 Margaret St, Toowoomba City, QLD, 4350
Website: facebook.com/BANTERCOFFEEKITCHEN

9. The Baker’s Duck

baked goods at The Baker's Duck in toowoomba — Taste freshly baked goods.

For those who (correctly) feel that it doesn’t get better than freshly baked treats, pop into The Baker’s Duck. Almond croissants, brownies or fruit danishes, oh my. Locals also line up for their coffee to wash down their bakery breakfasts. If you’re on a deadline, order online and pick up your order to go.

Address: 124 Campbell Street, Toowoomba, QLD, 4350
Website: thebakersduck.com.au

10. Park House Cafe

meal and wine at Park House Cafe toowoomba — Eat al fresco at Park House Cafe. (Image: Facebook/Park House Cafe)

Get out and enjoy the Toowoomba sun with a meal at Park House Cafe across from the beautiful Queens Park in the heritage conservation precinct. Sit down to breakfast and lunch (or take it away and picnic across the road) with all your Aussie cafe favourites on offer.

Address: 124 Campbell Street, Toowoomba, QLD, 4350
Website: parkhousecafe.com.au

11. Cafe Valetta

Cafe Valetta toowoomba — Revel in the historic decor as much as the food. (Image: TEQ)

Get a little bit of culture when you dine at Cafe Valetta. Named after the historical home it’s housed in, chandelier-lit rooms and an elegant outdoor courtyard tell the stories of its history, dating back to 1911 (although it’s had many eras since then). Pop in for breakfast, lunch or dinner, with a menu boasting classics like Bruschetta, pies, fish and chips and sangas. Book a high tea when you’re looking for something a little elevated.

Address: 96 Margaret Street, Toowoomba, QLD, 4350
Website: cafevaletta.com.au

Explore some of Australia’s most stunning coastlines on this epic route.

This scenic, 1800-kilometre Brisbane to Port Douglas road trip takes in some of Australia’s most beautiful landscapes, from the wildlife on Bribie Island to the rainforests of Far North Queensland. Our advice? Slow it down, take your time and really get to know this part of Australia.

Day 1: Brisbane to Noosa

Wake up in the luxurious Sofitel Brisbane Central , enjoy a hot buffet breakfast and a swim in the outdoor pool before hitting the road to travel north. Take the exit to Bribie Island to view the abundant wildlife.

aerial view of bribie island — Enjoy the beauty and animals of Bribie Island. (Image: TEQ)

In the afternoon, check into Peppers Noosa Resort & Villas hidden near Noosa National Park and spend the afternoon relaxing at the luxury Aqua Day Spa. Daredevils can book a seat on an Ocean View Helicopters tour and experience the adrenaline of exploring the Glasshouse Mountains from the air.

Before dinner, head to the Original Eumundi Markets just 25 minutes away or explore the nearby trails in the national park. For dinner, book a table at Park & Cove located just near your hotel and feast on a locally-sourced menu that changes with the seasons.

table spread at Park & Cove Novotel Sunshine Coast — Refuel at Park & Cove.

Day 2: Noosa to Bundaberg

Wake up to sounds of the rainforest outside your window and take the opportunity for a quick swim before you dive into a freshly cooked buffet breakfast at Park & Cove. After breakfast and an expertly brewed coffee, stroll down the hill and spend the morning shopping along Hastings Street in the various boutiques, or hire a kayak or surfboard and conquer the waves.

After lunch, head north for the three-hour drive to historic Bundaberg . If you feel like feeding a kangaroo or wallaby, visit the Fraser Coast Wildlife Sanctuary . Once in Bundy, head to Spitter’s Farm just outside of town. This 160-acre property offers a unique experience in their deluxe glamping safari tents, where you can listen to the cows mooing as the sun sets.

baby kangaroo at australian wildlife Sanctuary — Say hello to the adorable creatures of Fraser Coast Wildlife Sanctuary. (Image: Jewels Lynch)

Day 3: Bundaberg to Rockhampton

Before getting back on the road, take time to visit the many museums, and, of course, the famous Bundaberg Rum Distillery for a tour. Then head to the Beef Capital of Australia, Rockhampton.

Although, ‘Rocky’ is surrounded by beef cattle farms, your first stop should be to the impressive Rockhampton Museum of Art , which features an art collection valued at over $16 million. Rest your head at the centrally-located Mercure Rockhampton overlooking the mighty Fitzroy River. Grab a quick swim in their outdoor pool before enjoying a steak at their in-house restaurant.

Day 4: Rockhampton to Mackay

Grab a strong coffee at your hotel and drive the short distance to the nearby Capricorn Caves for a morning tour of these natural limestone beauties. Then hit the road for the four-hour drive to Mackay.

Reward yourself with a swim in the large, resort-style pool at the Mantra Mackay . Overlooking the marina, it’s the perfect location from which to explore the city, before enjoying a sundowner and dinner at the popular Latitude 21 on the hotel terrace.

woman exploring the Capricorn Caves in queensland — Explore the Capricorn Caves. (Image: TEQ)

Day 6: Mackay to Townsville

Grab your breakfast to go, then head just out of town to Finch Hatton Gorge. Here, spend the morning ziplining 25 metres above the rainforest floor with Forest Flying . Head to Airlie Beach for lunch and a swim in the famous Airlie Beach Lagoon , before heading north to Townsville.

Hop on a 20-minute ferry – they leave regularly – and check into the stunning Peppers Blue on Blue Resort . Spend the evening swimming in their two pools with views across the private marina to Mount Cook National Park, before feasting on fresh seafood at their on-site restaurant, Boardwalk Restaurant and Bar.

aerial view of beach at Airlie Beach queensland — Dive into the crystal clear waters around Airlie Beach. (Image: TEQ)

Day 7: Townsville to Cairns

After a morning swim on one of Magnetic Island’s beautiful beaches, hop back on the ferry and travel north to the sleepy Mission Beach for lunch. You’ll be sandwiched by rainforest on one side, and the beach on the other.

Continue on to Cairns and check in at the centrally-located Novotel Cairns Oasis, where the lagoon-style pool and swim-up bar alone is worth the visit. Or continue north for 25 minutes to the coastal village of Palm Cove.

Once there it’s a tough choice between the luxurious, five-star Pullman Palm Cove Sea Temple, or the beautifully designed Peppers Beach Club and Spa Palm Cove , where the pool has its very own beach.

two people in deck chairs by Novotel Cairns Oasis' lagoon-style pool — Relax by Novotel Cairns Oasis’ lagoon-style pool.

Day 8: To Port Douglas

No matter where you spent the night, your journey to Port Douglas will be one of the most scenic road trips you’ll ever experience. Following the coastline, travel past champagne-coloured beaches, offshore islands and submerged reefs, before rolling into town at Port Douglas.

Although you’ll be spoilt for choice with hotels, two of the best are Peppers Beach Club Port Douglas, which is closer to town (think stunning pool and walking distance to Macrossan Street) and the famous, five-star Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort & Spa , located a little further down the beach. If the 3000-metre-squared lagoon-style pool isn’t enough at this hotel, you’ll also find the exclusive Vie Spa and popular restaurant, Aluco Restaurant & Bar , widely known as being one of the finest restaurants in Port Douglas.

aerial view of pool at Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple — Revive from road-tripping in one of the best pools in Port Douglas.

Start planning your Queensland adventure at all.com.

The 11 best cafes in Toowoomba