The Best Breakfast and Brunch Spots in Townsville, Australia

Did you know – Culture Trip now does bookable, small-group trips? Pick from authentic, immersive Epic Trips, compact and action-packed Mini Trips and sparkling, expansive Sailing Trips.

The Balcony Restaurant has been trading in its heritage building for over 30 years, and is one of the most popular breakfast options in Townsville. Some of the more unique breakfast dishes served here include bean Benedict, cinnamon poached pear and asparagus gruyere. The Balcony also has vegan, high tea and a children’s menu, so there truly is an option for everyone.

Tide was founded in 2014 and proudly uses locally-sourced ingredients, including award-winning Bounce coffee. The breakfast menu includes vegetarian, gluten-free and vegan options. There’s waffles, a rosti stack, savoury mince and eggs Benedict. The mouth-watering vegetarian Tidal Wave dish comes complete with mushrooms, roast tomato, baby spinach, poached eggs and grilled haloumi on sourdough. Start your morning at Tide and walk off your breakfast on The Strand, which is conveniently located at the end of the street.

The Cbar is open from breakfast until dinner every day and is located on the headland at The Strand, one of Townsville’s most popular attractions. The Cbar has both a breakfast and a brunch menu, featuring an assortment of eggs Benedict options, mango and buttermilk pancakes and French toast. There’s also kid’s versions of the breakfast staples too. Enjoy your breakfast with a side of Coral Sea and Magnetic Island views at the Cbar.

Live on the wild side and head to Born Wild Wholefoods + Espresso for brunch in Townsville. The extensive brunch menu has several gluten-free and dairy-free options, with delicious dishes including sweet almond and savoury pancakes, a breakfast burger and a paddock-to-plate savoury mince specialty. Born Wild also has bread alternatives as well, which include paleo, gluten-free and rye toast.

One of the most popular brunch spots in Townsville, there’s often a line out the door at Betty Blue and The Lemon Tart. But a meal at this cafe is always worth the wait. Betty Blue is known for two things: its well-stocked pastry cabinet that’s filled with handmade cakes and treats, and its doorstop toast, which is so thick it could quite literally stop a door from closing. Start your day with a contemporary dish at Betty Blue, including Caesar eggs, coconut pancakes or baklava French toast.

For a more rural brunch alternative, head up to the Herveys Range Heritage Tea Rooms. The heritage-listed building began its life as the Eureka Hotel in 1865. Breakfast items here include staples like their big breakfast, vegetarian breakfast and waffles. They also do high teas and are known for their tempting scones. Follow up your meal with a cup of their infamous Kopi Luwak — also known as cat poo coffee. This so-called ‘rarest beverage on Earth’ is made from the droppings of the Asian Palm Civet, which lives in the Indonesian jungle and eats coffee beans.

Opening in 2010, JAM Restaurant became a quick favourite with both Townsville residents and visitors. This award-winning restaurant specialises in modern North Queensland cuisine and uses seasonal ingredients. Some of the creative breakfast menu highlights include an orange and ginger pancake with chocolate ice cream, smashed pea and quinoa crostini on house-made olive bread, and their infamous Jam-Packed plate.

Odyssey on the Strand is a Mediterranean cafe located on the Townsville foreshore. The breakfast menu here definitely has an international influence, featuring Greek yoghurt with fresh fruit, a Canadian breakfast, a vegetarian Turkish dish and the Mediterranean-influenced Chef’s Favourite. This includes mushrooms, baby spinach, poached eggs and semi-dried tomato pesto served on Turkish toast.