Café culture

The baker behind The Duck spent 16 years as a fine-dining chef before settling into the unassuming town of Pittsworth to learn the meticulous craft of artisan sourdough baking. Everything at The Baker’s Duck is made from scratch – and the croissants can take four days to make. Go early. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.

Address: 124 Campbell Street
Website: thebakersduck.com.au
Instagram: @thebakersduck

Not everyone would have seen this amount of potential in an old storeroom – but three roommates did and created a café that transformed Toowoomba’s coffee scene forever. Serving Blackboard Coffee and pastries from their sister café, The Baker’s Duck, this is a popular place to bring out of town guests for a weekend brunch to prove, once and for all, that Toowoomba is cool!

Address: 501 Ruthven Street
Website: facebook.com/grounduptoowoomba
Instagram: @groundupespresso

This neighbourhood café near Toowoomba Grammar School has well-trained baristas serving up Single O coffee alongside a modest breakfast menu, with plenty of simple grab and go options. Lunch options include wraps, sandwiches, salads as well as hot dishes. There’s plenty of seating outside, as well as a couple of tables inside, or you could grab and go for a picnic in nearby Queens Park.

Address: 62 Margaret Street
Phone: 4573 4883
Instagram: @sageandbutlercafe

Since moving to Toowoomba a few years ago, Natascha Egger had dreamed of opening something locally after her years managing Brisbane institution, Au Cirque. Now she has transformed this cute neighbourhood cottage into a popular brunch spot. With an all-day breakfast menu and Allpress coffee, Burrow was always bound to be a success.

Address: 117A Bridge Street
Website: burrowcafe.com.au
Phone: 4638 5221
Instagram: @burrowcafetoowoomba

The team here takes their coffee seriously – whether it’s to-go, or to dine in at one of the espresso-style benches or the long community table outside. Paintings by local artists hang on the wall as an ever-rotating gallery, and there are small, thoughtful touches like this throughout the space. The coffee shop also offers meaningful employment opportunities to our local migrant and refugee community.

Address: 229 Margaret Street
Website: facebook.com/BANTERCOFFEEKITCHEN
Phone: 0404 512 370
Instagram: @bantercoffeekitchen

Emerge is a social impact café, focusing on changing the lives of vulnerable young people through hospitality training. They serve up breakfast, lunch and sweet treats in their inner-city location, as well as great Vivo coffee.

Address: 1 Station Street
Website: emergecafe.com.au
Phone: 4632 8869
Instagram: @emerge_cafe