I've made a few trips to Penny, some just for coffee (takeaway and sit down) and a few with food…read more Across the board, Penny is outstanding in terms of Brisbane's cafe scene. The baristas are exceptionally skilled, and there is a selection of roasts to choose from. While I normally like my coffee black, something that isn't too hard to make, I've had a few flat whites from Penny which have been excellent. A friend of mine asked if they're able to pull a piccolo using soy milk, without the milk splitting. Despite indicating that the barista don't need to try if they haven't made one before, they produced one (after two failed attempts) by slowly adjusting the extraction to the point where they could add a shot to soy milk without producing soy cheese. Doing this despite explicitly not needing to is the sort of above and beyond that earns long-term customers. The food is similarly stellar. The avo on sourdough may at first blush seem like a pricier version of what everyone else is doing. The flavours in Penny's version are, however, inventive and balanced to a point I haven't had elsewhere. There's a nice balance between the feta, dukkah and pomegranate where you can taste all of them without one overpowering the other. The vegetabowl is similarly great. There's just enough of each ingredient that you can taste them, without the dish being overpowered by one note. Penny's interior makes maximal use of the space. There are comfortably sized tables out front and inside, and some bar seating by the espresso machine. The best seats in the house, though, are out back, and include a few longer tables. The staff at Penny are attentive, friendly and great at pulling a coffee and making food.

What a gem! Penny is the best cafe in the area by far. It is rare to find a cafe that provides an…read moreexcellent choice of coffee (try the home brew) and delicious breakfast. The staff is friendly

Ah BarMerlo, near the Duhig Library where Unicard is located. It can't help but get extremely busy…read morehere, really packed and in this quaint little corner of the main court, I suspect many if not most of all the thousands of university students have come to get their regular caffeine fix. And fix you can get with your double shot affogato, or cappacino. If you're lucky enough to be able to get a seat at one of the cosy little tables underneath the massive trees that point the way to the union complex, the atmosphere has been good to you. you can spend a while chatting away, reading a book watching the anxious and steady stream of students walk on by. The coffee is smooth, the coffee is aromatic, the coffee is Yelpingly high quality for a university coffee place. I love this place, the biscotti is really nice with your coffee too if you ever get the chance. The Chai Latte's are nothing to be scoffed at either, with the creamy frothed milk, how can you not just love it.

I am a BarMerlo UQ regular. And by regular I mean I go there almost everyday, sometime multiple…read moretimes a day. Being a humanities student at the University of Queensland, I practically live in the Social Science and Humanities Library, where Merlo is located. They have probably the best position of any of the cafes on campus, connecting to the library but also having plenty of outdoor seating jetting out into the iconic sandstone encompassed great court area. I have spent all too many hours sitting with a coffee here, watching the crows, chatting with other students, reading, writing, and even having meetings with my thesis supervisor. Merlo gets pretty busy but they are well staffed for it and even when there is a giant line up you always get a smile. They churn their coffees out pretty quickly so you never have much of a wait for either takeaway or table service. And the coffee is good. I regularly get either their smooth latte, delicious iced coffee in summer or delectable hot chocolate with marsh mellows in winter. The food is also good. They have a nice selection of foccacias and toasties as well as some chocolate cookies that are true indulgence. I adore this Merlo, not only because the service is good and the coffee and food hit the spot but because it is beautifully situated and has become such a prominent part of my university years. I totally recommend BarMerlo UQ if you find yourself on campus.

This clean and modern outdoor cafe is a breath of fresh air amongst the hustle and bustle of…read moreUniversity life. They serve a variety of specialty caffeinated drinks, baked goods and both a full breakfast and lunch menu. The lunch menu is vietnamese inspired and I was pleasantly surprised by the quality. The fresh rice paper rolls stuffed with lettuce, herbs, pork and noodles were prepared perfectly. Too often places over steep the rice paper wrapper in water for way too long, making it too soft; the rice paper wrapper here is served, as the Italians would describe it, "al dente." The combination vermicelli salad had a delightful variety of flavourful toppings, including: BBQ beef, sausage, spring rolls, and sugarcane prawn cakes. The pho, noodle soup, was served with the more traditional 'Shahe fen' style rice noodles (linguini shaped) rather than the thin vermacelli noodles used in many American and Australian restaurants; a delightful touch. The servers are all dressed quite sharply in white collared shirts and the cafe has a lovely water serving station with your choice of orange or lime infused ice water (presented in beautiful glass dispensers). This is basically a casual but classy cafe that compliments the lake view to perfection ... and for a reasonable price.

Absolutely awful service and will not be going back. Owner was extremely rude despite us having…read morebeen there each morning for the past few months. Was denied a table (there were at least 15 free tables) despite spending over $25 between us as it was not a 'main meal' which would have only been $12.

Eclectic decor, friendly and quick service. I loved the coffee and the gluten free options. My…read moreboyfriend loved the hearty portion sizes. We will be back :)

Cutest little cafe on the corner of my street. I love sitting outside and the people there are so…read morefriendly.

Lovely environment, very busy which is a good sign. Coffee was lovely and made to my…read morespecifications. Food was lovely. I had the polish pancakes and they were light but dense. Not too oily which was good. Too windy. I'll never understand why Australians open up every door and window and bring the weather inside. I was rainy and windy and every window was open. I love a cozy place and this wasn't it. I was battered with wind. Otherwise nice.

Great food and service was faultless, very pleasant would highly recommend…read more They fitted us in on a busy Saturday morning.

Wonderful açai bowls with wide range of toppings. A bit on the expensive side ($16), but they are…read morefilling and contain mainly organic ingredients. The store has sustainable practices in place and has a great vibe. Have come before, and will come again.

From the owner: Bare Naked Bowls is one of Sydney's favourite superfood cafes specializing in serving delicious…read moreAcai Bowls, Superfood Smoothies, Breakfast Bowls, Cold Pressed Juices, Locally Roasted Coffee, Kombucha and Raw Treats. We cater for all needs including vegetarian, paleo, vegan, dairy free and gluten free - just ask our friendly staff.

Such a delicious breakfast! When we visited last weekend it…read morestarted pouring down like crazy and the staff did an excellent job rearranging everyone out of the weather. We have the pesto pasta and the tortillas I think? They were both perfect, really good sized portions.

My husband apologised to me and declared that the breakfast quesadilla was the best thing that has…read morehappened to his life thus far. One of the best breakfasts I've ever had. Kind of reminds me of Tyranny of Distance in Melbourne but even out performed that excellent place. I cannot recommend Corner Store enough!! YUMMM NOM NOM NOM

There are no words that can accurately stress how disappointing this cafe is. for starters, the…read morefood is very average and not great value but that is an aside. I could not believe they charge $1.50 for hot water (in your OWN cup)! ...and when questioned about this policy the manager (!!) was incredibly rude (even invoking my nationality - make of that what you will). And when I asked for the owner's number I was given a false number (of course). I then sent x2 emails asking to engage with the owner and...still no reply. If you care about supporting businesses that treat people with respect and do not over charge (especially broke students!) I highly encourage you to avoid this establishment.

Overpriced. Overpaid…read moreworkers. Poor turnaround time for a cafe at a uni. Average food and coffee

Checked out this place while on a work trip mostly because it was within walking distance of where…read moreI was staying. It is a really cozy coffee shop with quite a bit of seating for how small it is actually. It's fast casual, so you order at the counter and they deliver your food. I ordered a flat white and cheese and Vegemite toastie. First of all, my entire time in Australia I couldn't get over how smooth the flat whites were and this was no exception. It was creamy and delicious. The toastie was actually really good but fair warning, it was a little more Vegemite forward than I anticipated. I still liked it though! Great quick experience!

Wow! Time has flown and this place keeps on keeping on as good as it was…read more Coffee is still excellent - dropped in for a takeaway + pastry. Both were as good as I remember. Enjoy