Since becoming a food blogger, my daily coffee intake has increased to two cups a day, minimum. I’m no expert in this area but after consuming numerous cups you can begin to appreciate great coffee so I’ve compiled a list of Brisbane’s best. Whether it’s a regular flat white, macchiato, piccolo or cappuccino, these three cafes know coffee and they know it well.
1. Coffee Anthology, Brisbane CBD
Starting off with an all time favourite, Coffee Anthology. After discovering this cafe late last year, I’ve become obsessed with their coffee – I used to sprint all the way down to Margaret Street from the opposite corner of the CBD just to get my morning coffee.
On the counter you’ll find a variety of different blends to pick from. Brands they stock include Padre, Single O, Reformatory Coffee Lab, Semi Pro Coffee, Small Batch and Seven Seeds, however their offerings continuously change. So what should you order? Coffee Anthology have become renowned for their 1+1, a board consisting of a coffee of your choice with an espresso served on the side (we highly recommend ordering this). If you order an espresso or 1+1, help yourself to sparkling water on tap, this ‘cleanses the palette’ before you drink your espresso - yes these baristas are very serious about what they do.
2. John Mills Himself, Brisbane CBD
At number two we have John Mills Himself, a rather cosy little espresso bar located in a laneway between Elizabeth and Charlotte Streets (note: you may need to whip out Google Maps to find this one). The coffee at John Mills was voted best in Queensland, so this place really warrants a visit. These guys stock coffee from The Single Guys, Marvell St Coffee Roasters and Blackboard Coffee Roasters. Order a cappuccino and they will delight you by sprinkling real Belgian chocolate shavings on top of your froth filled coffee. Beside the counter is a fridge filled with cold drip, iced coffee and iced chocolate made with Heirloom Belgian chocolate. Either one of these or a cappuccino and you’ll be hard-pressed faulting John Mills Himself.
3. The Spot Specialty Coffee, Taringa
Since finding Spot only two months ago we’ve become regular visitors. They dedicate themselves to stocking locally roasted, small batch coffee including a speciality blend made by Vintage Coffee Project (owned by award winning roaster, Yili Wang). Other brands you’ll find here include Small Batch, Padre, Industry Beans and Seven Seeds. Their rotating menu of beans has them serving three varieties of beans at any one time but we’re partial to Fitzroy Street blend by Industry Beans. Coming into the warmer months, Spot will be experimenting with different beans to make cold drip coffee. Be sure to ask about the cold drip made on the Vintage Coffee Project’s specialty blend. It’s refreshingly light and fruity.