12 Ballarat cafes for epic farm-fresh indulgence

Kristie Lau-AdamsBy Kristie Lau-Adams
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Vegan, paleo, gluten-free, kid-friendly, creative – whatever your brunching needs, the best Ballarat cafes deliver with locally refined flair.

Sure, the Victorian Goldfields city of Ballarat promises beautiful streetscapes with storied, heritage buildings and a glut of cultural assets — but its local cafe scene is just as alluring. Serving up masterful technique, fresh seasonal ingredients, stellar caffeine fixes and endlessly endearing ambience, the best Ballarat cafes should be experienced one meal at a time. Here, a roundup of the finest.

The shortlist

Best coffee: Cobb’s Coffee
Best pastries: 1816 Bakehouse
Best for dietary restrictions: Hydrant Food Hall
Hidden gem: Shep St Sandos

1. Eclectic Tastes Cafe & Pantry

a spread of food at Eclectic Tastes Cafe & Pantry, Ballarat
Refuel with a hearty brunch filled with locally sourced ingredients. (Image: Eclectic Tastes Cafe & Pantry)

Perched near the shores of Lake Wendouree, Eclectic Tastes Cafe & Pantry has won local hearts with its range of patisseries since 2016, nailing everything from berry muffins, cheesecake and pecan tarts to vegan apple cake. Run by the team behind Eleanora, one of the best Ballarat restaurants, it does an excellent job of showcasing local produce and homemade goodies, such as handmade sourdough crumpets served with whipped ricotta, freeze-dried raspberries and honey from Backyard Beekeeping Ballarat. Once you’ve consumed as much as physically possible from the brunch and patisserie selection, pick up a few gourmet treats for the road from the Ballarat cafe’s retail section — pralines from chocolatier Koko Black and pantry staples from Melbourne’s From Basque With Love are always heavily stocked.

Cuisine: Modern Australian with strong Pan-Asian influences

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Inviting

Review: 4.5/5

Location: 2 Burnbank St, Ballarat

2. Nolans

having breakfast at Nolans cafe in Ballarat
Enjoy generous servings from the scrumptious menu at Nolans. (Image: Supplied)

Shining a light on native ingredients, while supporting local Victorian farmers and suppliers, the team at Nolans nail every meal of the day inside The Goods Shed, a sleek events venue. The coffee is silky-delicious, the fit out is sumptuous New York-bistro plush, and the menu excels creatively. Think a fried chicken Benedict with chipotle hollandaise, a fried pastrami and egg roll with burnt onion jam, a smoked salmon bagel with lemon myrtle cream cheese and a sourdough pizza with vodka nduja and hot honey.

Cuisine: Modern Australian with international influences

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Classy

Review: 4.5/5

Location: The Goods Shed, Lydiard St North, corner Nolan St, Ballarat

3. Fika Coffee Brewers

coffee and breakfast at Fika Coffee Brewers, Ballarat
The aptly named cafe translates to ‘coffee break’. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Located in a plum position in central Ballarat, this atmospheric little spot does a great line in brunch. With Tassie oak-inflected interiors rendered in clean lines that complement its Scandi name (which means coffee break in Swedish), Fika Coffee Brewers utilises St Ali beans to serve alongside imaginative menu items. Have fun choosing between the likes of Dr Marty’s Crumpets (with whipped ricotta, ruby grapefruit and pistachios), the Tradesman egg and bacon roll with special sauce, sardines on toast with dill, fennel and garlic aioli, and the crowd-pleasing pulled pork roll with slaw and cheddar.

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Hipster

Review: 4.5/5

Location: 36a Doveton St Nth, Ballarat

4. Yellow Espresso

brunch at Yellow Espresso, Ballarat
Relaxed brunch offerings at Yellow Espresso. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Beloved by locals for its laidback ambience and reliable culinary chops, Yellow Espresso is a Ballarat cafe with plenty to offer. The staples are nailed, including pancakes stacked with blueberries and strawberries, homemade muffins, avocado on toast and corn fritters, but the gang often splices things up with clever additions such as the Biscoff smoothie bowl topped with one of those addictive golden cookies. Grab a spot by the window for a side of people watching, too.

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Relaxed

Review: 3.5/5

Location: 13 Sturt St, Ballarat

5. Hydrant Food Hall

brunch at Hydrant Food Hall, Ballarat
Homemade hash brown topped with poached eggs. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The menu at Hydrant Food Hall , located in a quiet laneway off one of the CBD’s main stretches, changes seasonally, spanning inventive dishes beyond great avo on toast. Think a homemade ramen with pork bone broth, a calamari rice bowl with pickled cabbage, or a breakfast board dressed in granola, mini escargot, an array of fruit and more. The team is also able to cater to lots of different dietaries, from dairy-free to nut-free and gluten-free.

Kids aren’t left out of the equation here either. In fact, we’d be surprised if the grown-ups weren’t a bit partial to hot picks including rainbow-coloured pancakes with marshmallows and fruit, and the kids waffle with vanilla ice cream and sprinkles. For little ones hyped up by a sugar high, there’s also a children’s activity play bag ($2.50) available to keep them occupied.

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Family-friendly

Review: 4/5

Location: 3 McKenzie St, Ballarat

6. 1816 Bakehouse

bread and pastries on display at 1816 Bakehouse, Ballarat
Get your fill of fresh sweets at 1816 Bakehouse. (Image: Visit Victoria)

An artisan bakery, patisserie and cafe next door to The Forge Pizzeria on Armstrong Street North, 1816 Bakehouse is a temple to all things dough. Take your pick of pumpkin loaves, semi-sourdough focaccia loaded with fetta, basil and olives, Nutella and pistachio cruffins, savoury and sweet pies and fresh sandwiches — all meticulously handcrafted daily.

Cuisine: Bakery

Average price: $-$$

Atmosphere: Bustling

Review: 4/5

Location: 18 Armstrong St North, Ballarat

7. Shep St Sandos

lush greenery around Shep St Sandos cafe in Ballarat
The lush cafe is decorated with indoor plants. (Image: Shep St Sandos)

King of the humble toastie, Shep St Sandos has turned the practice of jamming cheese and other tasty morsels between two slices of sourdough bread into an art form. House favourites include the mushroom melt, katsu chicken, and Reuben.

Beyond toasties, the coffee shop’s limited menu changes almost daily. Find a range of sweets, plus your obligatory caffeine fix. The cafe roasts its own beans, and the baristas pour a mean brew, too.

Cuisine: Modern Australian, specialising in toasties

Average price: $

Atmosphere: Lively

Review: 4/5

Location: 8 Shepperd St, Ballarat

8. Websters Market & Cafe

people dining at Websters Market & Cafe, Ballarat
The casual diner on Webster St serves up a solid all-day brunch menu. (Image: Indie Lane Photography)

On Ballarat’s historic Webster Street, housed within a heritage corner store, lies Websters Market & Cafe . Having built up a loyal following of regulars, this Ballarat cafe serves up a solid all-day brunch menu with all the classics, alongside coffee from famed Melbourne roastery Industry Beans. The indecisive bruncher can have it all with the breakfast board (including honey and vanilla yoghurt with nuts, seeds and seasonal fruit, plus smashed avo and goat’s cheese on sourdough, a poached egg and more), or you can keep it simple with a panini or bagel.

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Casual

Review: 4/5

Location: 61 Webster St, Ballarat

9. Clothesline Cafe

a food spread at Clothesline Cafe, Ballarat
The menu at Clothesline Cafe is an inviting ode to the unconventional. (Image: Visit Victoria)

There’s something a bit visionary about the set-up at Clothesline Cafe . A renovated old weatherboard home on a corner block among residential streets, this aesthetically pleasing and impossibly cool venue belongs among the pages of a design magazine. There’s caramel leather banquette seating, walls painted in a smoky grey, angular ceiling lights, and an impeccably landscaped courtyard. The menu too is an inviting ode to the unconventional: an Asian chilli scramble with house made sauce, gyros with house made tzatziki and more. You’ll find coffee from Melbourne roastery Code Black here, too.

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Cosy

Review: 3.5.5

Location: 202 Humffray St South, Bakery Hill

10. Cobb’s Coffee

three cups of coffee at Cobb’s Coffee, Ballarat
Cobb’s Coffee works in collaboration with Melbourne’s Rumble Coffee. (Image: Cobb’s Coffee)

Showcasing the handiwork of Melbourne coffee roasters Rumble Coffee, Cobb’s Coffee works in partnership with the caffeine aficionados to deliver excellent AM stomach lining. While that liquid gold is undoubtedly a star attraction, there’s also a high-quality range of fresh sandwiches to tempt you. We recommend sinking your teeth into the HCT, consisting of ham, cheddar, mozzarella and homemade tomato relish, or perhaps the leek and cheddar variety with added mozzarella and Dijon mustard. Whatever takes your fancy, fluffy Rustica sourdough utterly melts in your mouth with every bite.

Cuisine: Sandwiches

Average price: $-$$

Atmosphere: Slick

Review: 4/5

Location: 2 Lydiard St South, Ballarat

11. The Turret Cafe

breakfast plates at The Turret Cafe, Ballarat
Pick from a range of delectable all-day breakfast options. (Image: The Turret Cafe)

Step inside one of Ballarat’s prettiest heritage buildings to sample the delights of The Turret Cafe . Filling the bones of a restored 1890s home, this Ballarat cafe is a lovely pick for all-day breakfast classics delivered in a stately yet welcoming environment. Pick your poison out of mushroom bruschetta, zucchini and corn fritters, a beautiful Farmers Garden of seasonal produce and smashed avocado, and even The Turret itself: a potato rosti with chorizo, veg, a poached egg and hollandaise.

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Average price: $$-$$$

Atmosphere: Refined

Review: 4/5

Location: 802 Sturt St, Ballarat

12. Earl’s Deli

a sandwich plate at Earl’s Deli, Ballarat
Earl’s Deli makes homemade spins on McMuffins. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Craving a jumbo sandwich? The team at Earl’s Deli , doing their thing down a totally unassuming laneway, feel you. Whipping up jam-packed sandos that demand full mouth extension to devour, the Ballarat cafe works with peak local produce to evolve its menu regularly. From a buttery egg mayo and lettuce mix, to gourmet grilled cheese and homemade spins on McMuffins, the menu is flavour-crammed and also dotted with sensational roastery. Grab a perfectly blended Inglewood Coffee Roasters’ concoction to help wash down all the culinary goodness.

Cuisine: Sandwiches

Average price: $-$$

Atmosphere: Trendy

Review: 4/5

Location: 11 Davey St, Ballarat

Discover the best restaurants in Ballarat

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.
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The top 10 events you don’t want to miss in Victoria in 2026

    Lara PiconeBy Lara Picone
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    From cycling and comedy to boating and begonia appreciation, there’s an event in regional Victoria that’s sure to have you circling dates on your calendar.

    1. Festival of Sails

    the Melbourne to Geelong passage race, Festival of Sails 2025
    The Melbourne to Geelong passage race will be held for its 183rd year. (Image: Salty Dingo)

    When: 24–26 January
    Where: Melbourne and Geelong

    This five-day regatta of sailing and onshore entertainment at Geelong’s waterfront includes Australia’s oldest sporting event, the Melbourne to Geelong passage race which, in 2026, will be held for its 183rd year. But you don’t have to be a yachtie, sailor or boat-enthusiast to enjoy the nautical excitement; there’s also a three-day line-up of entertainment, food and live music, including the anchoring of tall ships – ever a firm family favourite.

    2. Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race

    cyclists during the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race
    Catch the best cyclists as they wind through Victoria’s coastal towns. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    When: 31 January – 1 February
    Where: The Bellarine Peninsula

    Meandering (at pace) along the Bellarine Peninsula and the Surf Coast is this annual cycling event that welcomes everyone from families to serious athletes. Since its beginnings in 2015, the race has become a huge hit with spectators flocking along to cheer on Lycra-clad competitors. Starting and finishing in Geelong’s Velo Village, this is the hub of the non-race activity with food and drink, roaming performers, lawn games and face painting.

    3. Riverboats Music Festival

    the performers at Riverboats Music Festival, Murray River
    The annual music festival is staged under majestic red gums by the Murray River.

    When: 13–15 February
    Where: Echuca–Moama

    Get along to bop and sway under the canopy of red gums at this annual music festival . Hosted by the twin towns of Echuca–Moama, the stage is set for Murray River-adjacent revelling as historic paddlesteamers peacefully chug alongside the event. As well as music, there’s dancing, food trucks and plenty of atmosphere to absorb.

    4. Neerim ArtsFest

    the Neerim ArtsFest south sculptures
    Admire stunning works at Neerim ArtsFest. (Image: Nicky Cawood)

    When: 28 February – 15 March
    Where: Gippsland

    This biennial Gippsland festival celebrates sculptural artists with an esteemed award in two categories, large outdoor and small indoor. The public is invited to enjoy the works over the exhibition period as they’re placed throughout Neerim South and surrounding venues. For 2026, the theme ‘The Spirit Soars’ leads artists to create stunning pieces that explore the expression of freedom in a thrilling visual capacity.

    5. ChillOut Festival

    a street parade during the LGBTQIA+ ChillOut Festival
    Think colourful street parades and burlesque performances.

    When: 5–9 March
    Where: Daylesford

    Pride in the country has been cheered on every March in Daylesford since 1997 with the riotous annual LGBTQIA+ ChillOut Festival . This colourful regional spectacle is an inclusive celebration of diversity that plays out across a vibrant parade, burlesque performances, a bush dance and a carnival. Get bedazzled, find a wig and stick on the false eyelashes for this fun party.

    6. Port Fairy Folk Festival

    Missy Higgins at the Port Fairy Folk Festival
    Celebrate folk music at the Port Fairy Folk Festival. (Image: Lucinda Goodwin)

    When: 6–9 March
    Where: Port Fairy

    In 2026, this beloved festival will be one year shy of its 50th anniversary. From folk fans to festival-lovers, this long-running event brings plenty of good vibes to guarantee an incredible experience. While music is at the heart of the festival, there’s also a range of workshops, exhibitions and family entertainment across dance, film and folk art. For its 49th year, the line-up so far includes Blair Dunlop, Elephant Sessions, and the musical duo Felicity Urquhart and Josh Cunningham.

    7. The Ballarat Begonia Festival

    a woman admiring flowers at The Ballarat Begonia Festival
    Gasp at delicate blooms at The Ballarat Begonia Festival.

    When: 7–9 March
    Where: Ballarat

    In bloom since 1953, this horticultural event places a collection of rare begonias at the centre of festivities, honouring the flower’s presence in Ballarat since the 1800s. During its history, the event has been visited by Queen Elizabeth II and, in 2015, it featured the launch of the largest outdoor Lego flower. Apart from a display of around 500 species of the flower of the moment, there’s also a begonia parade, entertainment, live music, food and presentations.

    8. The Bendigo Easter Festival

    Chinese dragon Dai Gum Loong dance at The Bendigo Easter Festival
    The majestic Chinese dragon Dai Gum Loong dance is an annual tradition at The Bendigo Easter Festival.

    When: 3–6 April
    Where: Bendigo

    Held in the city’s Rosalind Park, the annual Easter Festival has been a highlight of Bendigo’s calendar of events since 1871. A carnival of colourful activity, the festival welcomes everyone and rolls out the good times with everything from a Good Friday Easter egg hunt to live music and performances, a Rotary market and Gala Parade. Don’t miss the world’s longest imperial dragon rhythmically roaming the historic streets as part of the Easter Sunday festivities.

    9. Grape Escape

    a glass of wine at the Grampians Grape Escape
    Enjoy a wine tasting experience. (Image: Anthony Evans Photography)

    When: 1–3 May
    Where: The Grampians

    Backdropped by gorgeous Grampians/Gariwerd National Park, this much-loved bacchanalian-inspired festival of food, wine and music is a high-priority for gourmands. Held at Halls Gap Reserve, a Tasting Ticket includes a tumbler that unlocks free wine, beer and cider tastings and, if you are partaking, there’s a shuttle bus to get you back to your digs afterwards. Be sure to book your accommodation early for this one – its popularity is undisputed.

    10. Comedy in the Vines

    Comedy in the Vines at Cherryhill Orchards
    Get the good times rolling at Cherryhill Orchards. (Image: Saige Prime)

    When: 24–26 October
    Where: Yarra Valley

    The premise of Yarra Valley’s Comedy in the Vines , held at Cherryhill Orchards, is that wine and laughs pair well. Few arguments can be made, so get along this month (or next year), to have a giggle and a gamay. This year, taking the stage is the likes of Merrick Watts, Tommy Little, Ray O’Leary and Takashi Wakasugi. There are also masterclasses, a riesling and oyster shot bar, and plenty of food and music between gigs.