Category Archives: $15 to $25
Tonic Espresso & Bar — Fortitude Valley
Tonic Espresso & Bar, Hynes St, Fortitude Valley.
Tonic Espresso & Bar was buzzing with excitement when Brisbane Bites attended their inaugural Friday night drinks 15/03/12. It is true that the venue is a little…cosy…but that adds to the intimate charm of the place. Tonic’s origins stem from humble beginnings as a coffee shoppe operating out of an empty garage space. Yes, literally, the old metal roller-door still remains — how rustic!
Naples Pizzeria — The Grange
Naples Pizzeria — The Grange
The carbonara served at Naples Pizzeria in The Grange has got to be one of the creamiest and delicious tasting ones I have experienced in Brisbane so far. It is true, Naples offers hearty, homely and honest Italian fare at a decent price. The ambience isn’t the most appealing of restaurants around these days (for example the no-fuss table/chair sets, understated decor and the sometimes awkward placement of brightly-lit down lights) however the Brisbane Bites team still would rank it as an “excellent” for its excellence in simplicity.
The Pepper Lounge — Jindalee
The Pepper Lounge
The awards speak for itself…The Pepper Lounge is a winner amongst breakfast cafes both in terms of competitions, and in terms of Sunday brunch popularity. It is definitely one of my family’s favorite West side breakfast spots.
Its been around for several years now, however, was devastated by the Brisbane floods of 2011. Luckily, however, it was rebuilt to its former glory and is ready to serve up hearty breakfasts.
The Gunshop Cafe — West End
The Gunshop Cafe — West End
The Gunshop Cafe is pretty much an icon around the ‘burbs of Brisbane. Well known for it’s quirky, upbeat menus, it is also known for its popularity and unfortunately, a healthy queue for a table at breakfast time.
Luckily for the Brisbane Bites crew, it was a mid-week brunch that we were craving and we set out to check up on what all the fuss was about. I was very impressed at the spiced up menu and utterly glad that not every item on the menu revolved around eggs in their numerous forms — I’m trying to say that they have quite some creativity here. I had already picked out the dish that I wanted to try from the online menu, but was disappointing to find out that the menu had changed significantly and that item was no longer available. On the bright side, that means that it is unlikely that you would get bored with the place I suppose.
Hundred Acre Bar — St Lucia
Hundred Acre Bar — St Lucia
Truth be told, the Hundred Acre Bar always seemed to be a tad too preppy for my liking, and I always had it in my mind that it would be somewhat out of my price range, even for a causal breakfast. Hence, on Sunday the 30th December 2012, it was not the first on my list of places to eat at for Sunday brunch. But, after visiting several cafés closed for the Christmas — New Years period, we decided to try our luck and see just how expensive it was!
I had been to there for functions a few times and the ambiance is naturally stunning, especially with the golf course as a backdrop. I can also vouch for their surprisingly decent “function food”. For this breakfast in particular, the food was tasty, and around the $18/dish mark (not too bad), the ambiance was spectacular, however, the service brought the whole experience down to a degree.
