Adelaide is starting to develop some cool suburban areas with collections of small funky businesses. My thought is that Croydon has definitely lead this area. Queen Street Café is a great demonstration of a fun creative team. The café itself is very decently sized. Lots of space inside and out. A big long communal table as well if you want to dine alone. During the weekends it does get quite busy, so be sure to get there early. The staff here are friendly and attentive. They are on the look out for when you are ready to order. I think looking back at previous reviews, they are getting better when it comes to service. I ordered the gnocchi with roasted seasonal veg. Lovely pan fried brussel sprouts, roasted pumpkin, spinach, and mushrooms. Best of all, the gnocchi was soooo sooo soft and buttery. Wow, it's been a long time since I have had gnocchi like this. Well done chef! So much flavour in this dish as well. What better to go with a veggie gnocchi than a carrot, orange, and ginger juice. It so so tasty and fresh. I look forward to my next visit Queen Street Cafe! read more

Queen Street Cafe - Gnocchi with roast veggies - Restaurants Near Me - Croydon, SA

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I'm not against a decent bit of food and the food is certainly decent; I enjoyed the coffee very much - so what's my problem? I don't personally want to have kids charging around in a cafe on the one hand, and in between tables and chairs on the side of a reasonably busy road on the other hand. I don't care how trendy it is and I certainly don't care how many young up and coming professionals are discussing the better stocks to buy since the global financial crisis at brunch; if they have children they should be watching them, especially if they insist on sitting outside next to a reasonably busy street. There is a level train crossing at one end of the block here and that means there are regular periods when several cars will be banked up and suddenly driving through. Half a dozen times I saw kids nearly get toppled by traffic while I was sitting here. I was most alarmed. There's such a great children's playground down the road, all fenced in and beautiful - up here in cafe la la land the adult were so engrossed in the food and conversation they just ignored a few kids who were evidently still in play mode. I have decided the place gets enough custom without me talking about the lovely furniture or the strictly word of mouth policy that the owners have - no business card, no brochure, no website... just word of mouth; well, the word of mouth at my mid morning soiree was "Watch out!" Seriously, I'd rather eat somewhere else and leave all the swank alone. read more

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The prospect of being chased out of a store as an adult has never been something I've dwelled on as a potential concern. UNTIL TODAY. There I was, innocently having a mocha in Queen Street Cafe and taking a few pics of the dining area on my camera phone, when an irate Chef came at me, waving his fist like some sort of cartoonified Chopper Read. Warning: the following re-enactment may be slightly exaggerated: Angry Chef: 'What are you doing? Are you taking photos of our art?' Me: (Stammering) 'No, uh, I was just looking at the furniture! I didn't- I wasn't-' Angry Chef: (Moving towards me like a stealthy panther) 'You can't take photo's of our art!' Me: (Grabbing bag and starting to back out of the cafe) 'I didn't, I'm innocent, I- I am not an animal!' Angry Chef: (Chasing me out the front and shaking fist) 'Aaarrrgh!' Me: (Running down the street) 'Eeeeeeee!' Other Queen Street Cafe Diners: '...........?' Aside from my visit being somewhat humiliating, it is a really nice cafe. Funky décor, and lovely art (haha) and the food is fresh and tasty and they have a really creative menu. I had breakfast there a few weeks ago, and the eggs and bacon and the bean hot pot were delicious, but the service staff seem to view the customers as a hindrance, rather than the reason they have a job. Great food and décor, but needless to say I will not be returning. Without a police escort. read more

Queen Street Cafe - Restaurants Near Me - Croydon, SA

I just read Liz's review..poor Liz! I did shoot some photos. Food and the wall decor..yes with a painting in it! Didn't meet any irate chef though. Carefree, pleasant and everyone seems to be in high spirits here. I spotted families lounging on the vintage sofas, some sit by the windows with colourful cushions and men in suits have coffee talk in al fresco way. I had a gluten chocolate cake which was utterly divine and too good for my tummy! They have a good brekkie menu here, perhaps I shall try them out at my next visit but will remember to avoid taking any painting shots! read more

Queen Street Cafe - Restaurants Near Me - Croydon, SA

I had heard about this cafe many times, but had never gone in before. I decided to try it today and I was not disappointed. The service was quick, the staff were friendly and the food was tasty. The menu doesn't have a huge variety, but what they do offer is still good. The prices are moderate, so you're looking at roughly $14 per meal. The staff we very friendly & welcoming, and the service was quick. Our drinks were served in a couple of minutes and our food was served within 10-15 minutes. I got french toast, with strawberries & cream. It also came with rhubarb, despite the fact that it wasn't on the menu. I also got a pot of tea, which I got three cups out of. Overall a very nice cafe, with a good atmosphere, friendly staff & yummy food. read more

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Many moons ago I went to Lisbon Portugal and was told by numerous people to traipse an hour out of town to Belem and feast upon the Pastel de Belem (pastry of Belem), a custard tart. Not being a sweet tooth and not really a fan of the custard tart I was reluctant to go but was dragged there by a keen friend and insistent locals who drove us. After an hour of grumping, and some minutes exploring the beautiful area's statues, we arrived at the Belem cafe, which from the outside looked tiny and had some sort of tour bus fortress before it. As I passed into the surprisingly sprawling and magnificently appointed cafe, I added one final grump under my breath "this better be the best bloody custard tart in the world!" And it was! It was the best bloody custard tart in the whole world! More than ten years later myself and the same friend, now back in Adelaide, met up in Croydon after she'd spent about a year or so with many a Portuguese person in East Timor. Walking into the Queen Street cafe we both squealed, frightening the bawdy all male staff and causing a patron to drop her spoon. There underneath a mesh sheath sat a stack of Portuguese custard tarts. After jumping up and down, pointing, and clapping we ordered coffee and were asked "are you buying any tarts?" which was answered by a booming and definite "YES!" by the two of us in concert. Such was our obvious desire for the pastry that the staff watched us like hawks in case our obsessions lead to larceny. Sitting down with another very confused friend, we enjoyed our tarts with a decent cup of coffee. They were absolutely delicious, not the best custard tarts in the whole world but certainly the best custard tarts in Adelaide. So unless you're destined for Belem, head to the Queen Street Cafe and try the Pastel de Croydon. read more

Queen Street Cafe - Restaurants Near Me - Croydon, SA

This is a fav of mine for their food and the tasty tasty coffee. I particularly like it when I can snag an outside table and people watch. There is a real juxtaposition of people along little Queen street. It's nice to have a wander after brunch too. The service can lack a little, especially if you want to order a second round of coffees or pay the bill, at those points in time, it can be tricky to get some attention. Food is delish! Great portion sizes and really homely feeling food. Love love love the tomatos & beans topped with poached eggs. Tip for new players - add avocado. read more

Queen Street Cafe - Tomatos, Beans & Eggs. Yum! - Restaurants Near Me - Croydon, SA

Queen St has gentrified somewhat in the last four or five years, and even if I can't really afford to regularly frequent this area, it is very pleasant. The folks came to the rescue last week and took me to lunch at Queen Street Cafe. This is clearly a really lovely cafe. Lots of outdoor seating, nicely worn second hand furniture, wood floors and blackboard menus. There is a breakfast, lunch and sweets menu, full of things that are a few notches above most cafe dishes. But not so many notches that it is unrecognisable from the simple, familiar flavours one usually wants at this time of day. It has a definite Sunday cafe vibe - appropriate for prams and kids and grandparents and young couples. All the things that make this place lovely are closely related to the reasons I wouldn't come here on the regular though - the young couples with children crowd, the slightly above-average prices, the sweet and wholesome vibe. Anyway, the bill wasn't on me this time round. I got the beetroot and cheese salad, it was delicious but a little sweet for me. Mum got the warm lamb salad which was REALLY GOOD. Tender lamb, not fatty, delicious garlic yoghurt sauce and chickpeas. Dad got a very nicely cooked risotto and my sister got the steak sandwich. The food really couldn't be faulted, and neither could the service. The waiter was listening to us discuss what we wanted, and had our order mostly down before we even got to the counter. read more

Queen Street Cafe - Restaurants Near Me - Croydon, SA

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I went to Queen Street cafe recently with a friend and his mum who is a regular: she's the kind of patron you dream about. Ridiculously friendly and super happy to spend her cash. Everyone knew her name. I felt like we were cafe A-listers: they took us immediately to the best table: it was kind of like Goodfellas but more nanna, less gangster. In many ways my friend's mum is the ultimate Queen St Cafe customer - older, wholesome but not dull, approachable and creative-minded. There are no rough edges at Queen St, it's all very pleasant and unpretentious. Dogs and families abound in the outside eating area. The food was excellent: I had poached eggs which were cooked to perfection and the coffee comes highly recommended too - extra points for being served with chocolate. My only qualm was that it was overpriced for not a particularly large serving size. The Queen Street area in Croydon is worth checking out: it's had something of a retro Renaissance (Retraissance?) over the last years and is jam packed with lots of vintage boutiques and cute little places to chill out on a lazy afternoon. read more

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Like many of the other reviewers, my experience here has two facets-the food and the service. I'll start with the best one, the food. Coffees are rich, flavourful and well-made. The difference in size between a mug and a cup seems a little unsubstantial though-although I find that a common experience in many Adelaide cafes. The menu offers a wide choice of options and the three of us all opted for the poached eggs and chorizo with rocket. The servings were attractive and properly sized-big enough to be satisfying without being so big that you feel over-stuffed if you eat it all. It was quite tasty, although I prefer a little more spicy-hot chorizo than they serve. The table next to use ordered the avocado on toast. and it too looked yummy and a proper serving for a breakfast main. Prices were also quite reasonable for the style and servings-$70 all up for three brekkies, 3 regular coffees and 2 mugs of coffee. Would have been closer to $100 in most CBD cafes. But now the down side-the service. On the plus side, two of us were seated and greeted promptly and had orders taken for coffee ASAP while we waited for our third brekkie member. But it was 10-15 minutes before we saw our coffees. All the while we were badgered to order and asked where was our #3 person. We ordered (including ordering for the #3 person who had yet to arrive, but we got her order over the phone). Then the wait started all over and it was 15 minutes or more before brekkie was served. We ordered another round of coffees, but they didn't arrive until after the breakfast was eaten. In fact, 10 minutes after the breakfast dishes were cleared we had to ask where the coffees were and they showed up about 5 minutes after that. As we finished up our coffees and chatted we had the constant feeling they wanted us to get out so they could seat others. Fair enough I guess, but we would have been out 20-30 minutes earlier if THEY had been faster with the food/coffee service. The wait staff was attentive, but it seems the kitchen and barista couldn't keep up with the pace. So, my big tip for Queen St Cafe is to go when they are not so busy (we were there at 9:30 am on a Sunday). The food is quite good and reasonably priced, but if you are looking for a relaxed breakfast, you'll not get it during the busy time. There are just too many brekkie places with both good food & good service in Adelaide to settle for just good food--Yelp can guide you in finding them, but my recent favorite is Rosey's Cafe-check out my review. Eat, drink and be Merry--but not too much. JD read more

The negative reviews are either old, or unfair. So I'll move quickly onto the positives! I've eaten at the Queen Street Cafe for about three years and it is one of my favourite to have brunch on the weekend, for when we have friends over, or to simply catch up with friends who are happy to travel from around the city to eat here! Find a seat, or else a staff mbr will guide you for you and your group. The eclectic furniture and 'homely' feel is very Croydon, and a big reason ppl come from across the city to have brunch here on the weekends. They also do take out so parents can grab their great takeout coffee for the energy required to chase children at the great playground at the end of the street. Tis true we don't really stray much from a few key items on the menu - asparagus and halloumi with scrambled eggs or poached eggs w mushrooms and bacon. mushrooms are all beautifully cooked, and the bacon always crisp. BUT the most important teller of a good brunch for me is when I ask for 'poached' that should mean 'runny on the inside' I haven't EVER been disappointed with a poached egg from Queen Street Cafe. - else where, I've had days ruined becuase I was served a soft boiled egg instead of poached, as ordered, not at Queen Street. BTW - hot tip, when you've finished go up to the counter to pay; the staff are happy for you to sit and 'hang out' once you've finished your meal. read more

Had a wonderful brunch this morning at Queen Street Cafe! I can't believe I've never been up until now!! I had the yummiest poached eggs with spinach, avocado and bacon (the works!!) but it was perfect, the size of the dish from the way it tasted.. AND the price was great too! Although the menu didn't have excessive amounts to choose from, what they did offer was fantastic. Great service with food coming out in around 10 minutes.. although we ended up staying 2 hours! For all of those obsessed brunchers, you can't go past this place. After one of my favourite brunching places had closed down, I've been on the hunt for the next best thing and I have to say.. this ranks top 3 at the moment! Well done Queen Street Cafe! See you soon! read more

Queen Street Cafe - Poached eggs with wilted spinach, avocado and bacon on rye - Restaurants Near Me - Croydon, SA

Have been living in the neighbourhood for a while now and still hadn't tried this seemingly popular breakfast spot, I decided on it for breakfast with a friend this morning. The coffee was good, but the breakfast menu was really quite average. This would have been forgivable if our breakfast hadn't taken 40 minutes to arrive after many people who had ordered after us had their meals. Honestly there are better breakfasts worth their $14 out there (including on the same street), I probably won't go again. read more

Couldn't fault the food or drinks and service cheery and efficient. Great place to take your dog too, as some of the staff are dog lovers. Lovely crispy skin on the salmon and their Blt is the best. Yummy tarts and cakes too. Has lunch and breakfast all day so you don't run into the unusual kitchen times like at Croydon social next door. read more

Judging from some of the other reviews here, I feel also that perhaps this cafe could be vastly improved upon if some staff members were removed? I have had a few different experiences here with the customer service, about 2 years ago the manager/head chief was so lovely and jovial, but the two times after that it was a different guy and he really needs to reassess his career choice or perhaps be medicated? I am not saying this in jest I am completely serious. Rude, obnoxious (to us and his staff) and also wanted us out of there in a hurry. I am heading down there again this week, and if I see he is not working I will give it another go as the food is just spot on. Maybe that is why I always see a "staff wanted" sign in the window? If you want better service try the other great quality eateries next door (unless that particular man is no longer working there). read more

Went today and had a fantastic Chocolate/Raspberry cake that was "to die for" with a yummy Latte. Highly recommend you go and try for yourself. My friend had the no 17 Breakfast and it looked amazing. She really enjoyed it. As she has Gluten Intolerance sometimes her choices are limited but NOT here. Service prompt and friendly. Try to visit as it is just a treat. Ciao. read more

The music was good and the customer service great! The food was alright but maybe I'd built it up through the amazing reviews I have always heard or maybe I chose badly from the menu. I enjoyed the mystery adventure to find the bathroom, reminded me of my travels through Southeast Asia :) read more

First time at this local cafe. Great coffee, friendly service and great atmosphere. The bacon, provolone and rocket Turkish bread was outstanding. Fresh, quality ingredients with a perfect combination of flavours. I'll be back. read more

Look the coffee has been generally good when I have been there, BUT, like everyone else I have the same gripes. Rude service and expensive meals for what they are. I paid $7.50 for Vegemite on toast. Also, if I am paying $26 for a pasta I somehow expect the pasta to be home-made or at least from fresh rather than packet. I dunno... I usually go there for a lunch because I can get a glass of wine too. The food at Let Them Eat next door is far healthier, tastier and less expensive and good portions - if only they had wine on the menu! read more

Used to have great, fresh and tasty breakfasts. However the last few times I've been my poached eggs were hard, bacon was undercooked, and the meal was extremely bland. I used to love this place :( read more

bit pricey but the staff were the friendliest people ever and the atmosphere/location is bloody tops