The 11 best cafes in Toowoomba

Chloe Cann Chloe Cann
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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

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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

East Toowoomba neighbourhood cafe
This small East Toowoomba neighbourhood cafe has a loyal following.

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

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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

Chloe Cann
Chloe Cann is an award-winning freelance travel and food writer, born in England, based in Melbourne and Roman by adoption. Since honing her skills at City St George's, University of London with a master's degree in journalism, she's been writing almost exclusively about travel for more than a decade, and has worked in-house at newspapers and travel magazines in London, Phnom Penh, Sydney and Melbourne. Through a mixture of work and pleasure, she's been fortunate enough to visit 80 countries to date, though there are many more that she is itching to reach. While the strength of a region's food scene tends to dictate the location of her next trip, she can be equally swayed by the promise of interesting landscapes and offbeat experiences. And with a small person now in tow, travel looks a little different these days, but it remains at the front of her mind.
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7 wellness experiences on Hamilton Island for complete rejuvenation

(Credit: Riley Williams)

    Eleanor Edström Eleanor Edström
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    Conjuring calm and active adventure in equal measure, Hamilton Island is a tropical tonic for body and mind.

    Hamilton Island knows a thing or two about indulgence. There are long lunches to linger over, seafood towers to savour and poolside loungers designed for guilt-free idling. But for health-minded travellers wanting to feel energised inside and out, this sliver of the Whitsundays takes wellbeing just as seriously. Think yoga mats rolling out at dawn, kayaks skimming turquoise water, state-of-the-art fitness facilities and spa therapists working tropical magic. These Hamilton Island wellness experiences promise to restore, rebalance and leave you feeling brand new.

    1. E-Mountain biking

    mountain bikers on Hamilton Island wellness
    Follow Hamilton Island’s mountian biking trails. (Credit: Harry Gruttner)

    For travellers with an appetite for adrenaline, Hamilton Island’s new self-guided e-mountain biking experience is worth carving out a morning for. Start at HI Trails HQ, where you’ll be fitted with a full-suspension, pedal-assisted e-mountain bike and given a run-through of a nine-kilometre section of the island’s 25-kilometre trail network. The electric boost makes the ride more accessible (and the climbs more manageable), though an intermediate level of fitness is still recommended.

    As a first-time mountain biker, I start off wobbly – taking my time to get used to switching gears and electric modes – and wonder if I’ve overestimated my coordination. But soon something clicks. Suddenly we’re zooming through pockets of eucalyptus and out onto ridgelines with sweeping views of electric blue waters, catching our breath at hidden bays with barely another soul in sight. More than 70 per cent of the island remains untouched, so witnessing these lesser-explored pockets feels like a blessing. It’s the kind of adventure that leaves you buzzing, accomplished and blissfully tired out.

    2. HI Fitness Club

    HI Fitness Club reformer pilates
    Stretch out with reformer pilates.

    If mountain biking isn’t quite your speed, there are plenty of other ways to stay active on the island. One of the newest Hamilton Island wellness experiences, HI Fitness Club now has 24-hour access, offering a fully equipped modern gym, group classes spanning HIIT to yoga, plus two bubbling spas and a sauna waiting to loosen sore muscles.

    I drop in for a Reformer Pilates class. Each of the four machines has its own mini screen with a wide selection of high-quality virtual classes, meaning I can select one that suits my level and mood that day. Beyond Pilates, the virtual library is like a choose-your-own adventure for fitness enthusiasts: dance, Body Pump, Body Combat and GRIT Cardio are among the options. Or perhaps challenge a family member or friend to a hit of tennis at one of the three courts.

    3. Walking trails

    runners on hamilton island
    Get the blood pumping on a morning run.

    We set out early. By 6:45am, we’re halfway up Passage Peak, the highest point on Hamilton Island and widely considered its most impressive vantage point. From the Scenic Trail Entrance, the viewing platform takes around an hour to reach by foot, with moderate inclines that will get your heart pumping without feeling too punishing. The payoff at the top is immediate. Bush-clad Whitsundays islands scatter across the horizon in every direction, the sunrise brushing the scene with soft melon and gold tones. I take my time soaking up the 360° panorama, remembering how powerful an active start in nature can be for clearing the mind and energising the day ahead.

    While Passage Peak is one of the most popular hikes on Hamilton Island, Flat Top Hill Lookout and the longer Southeast Head Trail are also excellent choices.

    4. Spa wumurdaylin

    Spa Wumurdaylin on hamilton island wellness experiences
    Feel your worries melt away at Spa wumurdaylin.

    In a tranquil treatment room at Spa wumurdaylin, the world disappears. The space is all brown stone tiles, bamboo racks and lush garden views, setting the tone for my Soul Temple treatment. My therapist, Kass, begins with a full-body, exfoliating orange buff sugar scrub that feels divine. Next comes the vertical Vichy shower and underwater massage to knead out muscle knots. The sound of cascading water is reminiscent of a tropical rainstorm, and stress becomes a distant memory.

    It’s a prime example of the transportive power of the island’s spa, where guests can come to reset the mind and loosen tension in the body. The menu spans radiance facials to deep release rituals and mud wraps, all using products from pH-balanced skincare brand LaGaia Unedited. Concluding with herbal tea, I leave in a blissful daze.

    5. Sunrise yoga

    sunrise yoga session at the sundays on hamilton island wellness experiences
    Start your day on the right foot.

    Morning movement doesn’t get more surreal than sunrise yoga on The Sundays’ seaside terrace. As we roll out our mats, morning light spills across Catseye Beach below, turning the water into a sheet of molten gold. But the setting only does half the healing. I match my breath to the rhythm of the waves and feel my body gradually lengthen and wake as instructor Tyla Rae guides us through a slow, mindful flow.

    Available exclusively to guests of The Sundays, this session captures the spirit of wellness on Hamilton Island – immersion in nature, slowing down by the sea, recalibrating both body and mind. To round out the experience, the perfect ocean cool-off awaits just steps away.

    6. Getting out on the water

    people on sup boards at the sundays hamilton island
    Try your hand at a host of watersports.

    Speaking of ocean delights, Catseye Beach’s host of watersports delivers spades of fun and rejuvenation. Glide over the crystalline water in a kayak, test your sailing skills in a mini catamaran, spot schools of fish (and a turtle if you’re lucky) from a stand-up paddleboard, or slip into an underwater wonderland when you snorkel off the beach.

    Out here, the water is so clear it feels like floating in glass, and the green silhouettes of the Whitsunday Islands rise on the horizon. Half an hour on the water here is all you need to reset your entire mood.

    Guests staying at qualia, Beach Club, The Sundays, Reef View Hotel, Palm Bungalows and Hamilton Island Holiday Homes have complimentary access to all these water activities, making it easy to dive right in.

    7. Take a swing

    Dent Island Golf course
    Enjoy incredible views with a swing of golf.

    For others, mindfulness comes from calm concentration – and golf fits the bill to a tee. Designed by five-time British Open winner Peter Thomson, Hamilton Island Golf Club is perched along the scenic ridges of Dent Island. It’s Australia’s only golf course on its own island, making it one of the most scenic golf courses in the world. The experience is suitable for golfers of all skill levels, with spectator bookings also available for those simply wishing to take in the views. Follow the game with a well-earned lunch at the Clubhouse restaurant.

    Find out more ways to unwind in the Whitsundays at hamiltonisland.com.au.