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Brisbane’s Ultimate Coffee Guide

Rebecca Sparrow knows where all the writers go for a coffee in Brisbane – and the lawyers, musicians, doctors, creatives, yummy mummies…

Photo source: Wikimedia Commons/Takeaway

Writers

Wanna know where all the writers go when they’re not hunched over a laptop tapping out a best seller? Wordsmiths, dubbed the Writers Café, is located on the University of Queensland’s St Lucia campus, next to the UQ bookstore and the beloved UQ Press. Sit under the trees and admire the carvings which honour significant UQP authors like David Malouf, Peter Carey, Thea Astley, Janette Turner-Hospital and Hugh Lunn. Or maybe just tuck your 200,000-word manuscript under your arm and try and stalk some of the UQP staff. Better still, grab a coffee and keep your eyes peeled for some of UQP’s rising stars like Alasdair Duncan and Kate Hunter. Staff House Rd, The University of Queensland (next to the bookshop, across the road from Staff House), St Lucia Tel: 3365 2001

Lawyers

Next time you’re up on some of those pesky criminal charges, try getting some free advice by eavesdropping at Merlo’s at 239 George Street. Lawyers, barristers, legal secretaries, possibly the odd felon, they’re all hanging out there or at Hard Coffee (opposite Post Office Square) where they alternate between caffeine and green tea. Merlo’s 329 George Street, City

Creative Types

For a slice of Brisbane’s bohemian side, you need to venture into Brisbane’s quirkiest café, Sassafras on Latrobe Terrace, Paddington. Students, vegetarians, rich people from Clayfield who are trying to look hip – they’re all hanging out in this eccentric worker’s cottage. Interestingly the latest trend is to forgo the morning coffee and go straight for Sassafras’s sensational hot mochas and hot chocolates, which are made from melted down dark chocolate. In a world full of Keira Knightleys, Sassafras is the Helena Bonham Carter of Brisbane’s café world. Sassafras, 88 Latrobe Terrace, Paddington Tel: 3369 0600

Musicians

If it’s musos and artists you’re looking for, all you need to do is hang out at Fat Boys Café, the foodie part of Ric’s in the Brunswick Street Mall. Open 24 hours on Fridays and Saturdays, everyone from those Powerderfinger boys to Regurgitator (and pretty much every touring interstate band) ends up here in the wee hours having a coffee and snacking on one of the famous $4 all day breakfasts. Ric’s Bar and Fat Boy’s Café, 321 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley Tel: 3854 1772 http://www.ricsbar.com.au

Cyclists

You’ll spot them, in the early hours of Saturday and Sunday morning, gulping down lattes in their lycra bike shorts and generally being far too annoyingly fit looking. Brisbane’s cyclists tend to hang out in packs in a few key places around town but two most popular is probably the Regatta Hotel in Toowong. Regatta Hotel, 543 Coronation Dr, Toowong Tel: 3871 9595

Accountants

Brisbane’s bean counters tend to congregate over their skinny lattes and short blacks at Bar Merlo on Market Street. Rumour has it that if the prices go up, even by five cents, these guys notice. And then ask for a receipt. Bar Merlo, 10 Market Street
, City Tel: 3221 2616

Council Staff

It makes sense that Brisbane’s hundreds of Council staff have found a little green, garden oasis in the middle of the urban grind. Step inside Java Coast at 340 George Street, next to the old Dendy Cinema, and you’ll find a hive of Council workers who are probably working on big decisions like, I don’t know, whether or not to build a bridge from the city to your front door. Java Coast’s shopfront hides the calm, green courtyard out the back. Definitely a place to get your mojo back. Java Coast Cafe, 340 George Street, City Tel: 3211 3040

Doctors

Have a weird rash that just won’t go away? Forget the PA Emergency Department and just head to Essence on Tottenham Street, Buranda. This is where the Princess Alexandra doctors go for a bite to eat and that all-important caffeine hit (so that they can hold the scalpel straight at the end of that 53 hour shift they’re probably working.) Cafe Essence, Shop 12, Tottenham Street, Buranda Tel: 3891 2866

Yummy Mummies

The days of being a housebound, hausfrau are over, baby! Today’s yummy-mummies are taking their tribe of kids, their Jeep strollers and their size four-selves out to places like Breathing Space at Indooroopilly. Breathing Space offers gourmet food, great coffee and kiddie friendly meals (a nice change from those very special Phenergan milkshakes they get at home) plus a big “supervised” play area. If you’re not a parent, just be careful, you could become stroller road-kill. Breathing Space Café, 10 Lambert Road, Indooroopilly Tel: 3371 0222

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