Florence Cafe, 54 Martha Street: As the winner of the Best New Cafe category in 2019’s EAT/drink Awards, it’s only fair that Florence leads this list. The charming neighbourhood spot from hospitality veterans Elizabeth Florence and Sam Pethely opened in August 2018, and immediately made hearts flutter with its nourishing nosh and gorgeous interior style. The all-day breakfast menu is loaded with mouth-watering morsels, including the braised and smoked ham-hock roll, parsnip pakoras, slow-cooked brown rice congee and crumpets topped with vanilla whipped ricotta and candied citrus. At the cafe’s rear wall sits the pantry, where guests can purchase sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles, preserves, jams, cultured butter, cashew cheese, marinated fetta and more to take home.
nodo, 25 Samuel Street: The name nodo should be familiar to any brunch-loving (or sweet-treat devouring) diner, seeing as its Newstead location has become hallowed ground for the die-hard breakfast set. Opening to the public in November 2018, nodo Camp Hill brings the brand’s iconic service and menu selection south, which means that now there are two spots to savour the likes of crab benedict on house-baked brioche, sourdough hotcakes with citrus curd and coconut ice-cream, farmhouse mushrooms with cauliflower hash, and pretzel buns stuffed with free-range bacon and smoky onion jam.
Picnic, 12 Martha Street: Another Martha Street fixture, Picnic is a cosy spot known for its menu of hearty house-made winners and perfectly poured cups of Fonzie Abbott coffee. The menu itself features a host of options, ranging from the recognisable classics (house-made potato hash benedicts and breakfast share platters, for example) to some out-of-the-box options. Feel like taking a walk on the wild side? Order the Tim Tam waffle with mixed-berry coulis, quinoa nasi goreng, salt-and-pepper squid salad, tropical pancakes or the mango panna cotta. Rest assured, there’s no wrong choice here.
The Old Seven, 567 Old Cleveland Road: Although The Old Seven is geared more towards nighttime tipples, this wine bar also boasts a killer cafe component, which is perfect for those seeking a pit-stop on Old Cleveland Road in the moring. Breakfast bites range from buttery croissants and muesli bowls with fresh seasonal fruit to Turkish toast topped with double-cream brie, free-range baked ham, Meredith goats chevre and more.
Blackbird Espresso, 4 Newman Avenue: If you love coffee – as in, can’t function without a cup of specialty barista-brewed caffeine – then Blackbird Espresso should be your choice of Camp Hill nooks. Here, the liquid gold comes from esteemed local roaster Wolff, with three house blends on offer in addition to a rotating single origin. That’s not all – Blackbird also has a menu of eats should you be looking to fill up. French toast, savoury beef mince, heart-warming jaffles, smashed avocado and granola bowls will be plenty to satisfy rumbling tummies.
Tart Cafe, 545 Old Cleveland Road: Fancy your breakfast with a side of antiquing? The Camp Hill Antique Centre is chock-full of incredible vintage find, and its on-site cafe Tart has a great selection of sips and snacks to boot. Settle in amongst Tart’s charming old-school diner surrounds and start perusing the menu. The kitchen specialises in fare made using locally sourced and organic produce, not to mention the decadent milkshakes and energising cups of coffee – just the kind of fuel one needs ahead of a morning of antique hunting.
In A Pickle, 2 Martha Street: A veritable institution of family-friendly cafe dining, In A Pickle has been hawking incredible fare and top-notch coffee for more than a decade. Not only are the In A Pickle crew famed for their in-demand catering packages, but their breakfast menu consistently lures in a large crowd every weekend. With dishes such as chilli scrambled eggs with avocado and grilled tomato, smoked salmon with dilly cream cheese, pickle corn fritters with pico de gallo, and vegetarian breakfast burgers, it’s easy to see how In A Pickle has achieved this level of longevity.
Ashton and Old, 459 Old Cleveland Road: A Camp Hill fixture since 2012, Ashton and Old has been delivering the goods (as far as food, coffee and service is concerned) since day one. Ashton and Old caters for those on the move with grab-and-go options as well as guests looking to linger over something more substantial. In terms of the latter, the menu is stacked with tasty options including Japanese pancakes, pulled-pork eggs benedict, green eggs and ham bagels, fried rice with pork belly, breakfast bruschetta and more.
If you’re eager to dig deeper into Camp Hill’s culinary offering, be sure to check out what else is nearby using the Stumble Guide.
