The Best Places To Enjoy Brunch in Byron Bay

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Launched in 2006, Bayleaf has fast become one of Byron Bay’s most popular breakfast and brunch destinations. This is down to its central location and relaxed vibe teamed with a creative, ever-changing menu of sweet and savoury dishes. Top brunch picks include eggs on sourdough and the Breakky Greens plate, which comes with poached eggs, broccoli, kale and avocado sprinkled with buckwheat kernels, herbs and pistachios. Wash it down with speciality brews and coffee from Marvell Street Roasters. Bayleaf is so popular that you’ll need to arrive early and be prepared to queue for a table, but it’s well worth the wait.

Looking for a plant-based brunch? Then try the Folk Nourish Bowl, a mix of quinoa and toasted, spiced brown rice with raisins, pumpkin, tahini slaw, sauerkraut, hummus and greens, finished with an egg. Folk makes all products in-house and is known for its organic, ethical dishes with a range of plant milks available at no extra cost. Its vegan burrito is loved by all, not just veggies, as are the buckwheat banana hotcakes. The natural decor at Folk matches the menu, set in a converted weatherboard cottage with timber stools and picnic tables dotted around a peaceful garden.

You’ll find Top Shop just up from Clarkes Beach. A Byron brunch staple since 2008, the Top Shop team converted this former 1950s milk bar on the hill into a thriving eatery, making use of its original signage and adding hand-built furniture and surf memorabilia. The café has a reputation for small-town hospitality and healthy brunch offerings with ingredients sourced from Byron farmers. These include açaí and granola bowls, the vegan BLT and a bacon and egg roll. Sip on a single-origin coffee from Sydney’s Surry Hills and grab a takeaway to eat outdoors, as there’s limited seating.

For a more unusual brunch, head to Safya, where you’ll find an Egyptian menu. This relative Byron newcomer opened in 2016 but has become a fast favourite, inspired by the look and feel of Siwa Oasis in Egypt. Safya’s co-owner and award-winning chef Caroline has created a menu free from preservatives and based on seasonal ingredients, which features family recipes that date back three generations with a contemporary twist. Brunch options include dukka dukka with toast, avocado, feta and mint and the Cairo eggs, which are fried in cumin-infused butter and served with flatbread, falafel, labneh and mint.

If you love coffee, don’t miss Espressohead on your visit to Byron Bay. This brunch hotspot has been around for over 15 years and is renowned for its quality house blend, as well as its extensive range of teas, smoothies and juices. Then there’s the food, which caters to all cravings, whether you’re hungry for French toast, homemade muesli, a build-your-own breakfast or a Vietnamese rice pancake with fried eggs, herbs and chilli-lime dressing. Espressohead lies across from the courthouse in Byron Bay and is a few minutes from Main Beach.

Byron General Store, which dates back to 1947, has been transformed into an eco-friendly, predominantly solar-powered café by Byron residents Ben Gordon and Phil Taylor. Expect reclaimed wooden furniture, compostable takeaway packaging and a 10 percent discount for diners who walk or cycle to the store, plus 50 cents off your coffee if you bring your own mug. All menu items are vegan unless labelled otherwise and are made from produce grown locally. There’s kombucha on tap, buckwheat waffles, smoothie and vegan poke bowls, as well as a serene outside seating area.

The Roadhouse has a short but satisfying brunch menu, supplemented by specials, which changes regularly according to produce grown by Byron farmers. Set just five minutes from the town centre in a rustic-chic building, The Roadhouse is run by friends who specialise in creating healthy, sugar-free meals. Choose from popular dishes like crushed avocado on sourdough, kimchi and brown rice pancakes and the Roadhouse Chop Bowl, a mix of rice and quinoa pilaf, mushroom, veg and lemon and chilli jam.

Head to Combi for raw food and vegan brunch delights. This café hails from Melbourne and is perfect for plant-based and gluten-free diners, with a menu full to bursting with superfood bowls. Try the açaí with berries and coconut flakes, a dragon fruit bowl or the organic lemon and blueberry Bircher muesli. There’s also a selection of raw treats such as vegan doughnuts or salted caramel slices. When it comes to drinks, slurp on free-flowing kombucha and speciality drinks including raw vegan hot chocolate and the Combi coffee, a blend of fair-trade beans roasted every Monday.

If you’re searching for a grab-and-go brunch in Byron Bay, check out the Sunday Sustainable Bakery. Here, the shelves are heaving with baked goods, and there’s also a sit-down café with a breakfast menu until 2pm. The most famous dish is the bacon and egg on mini ciabatta, but there’s plenty more to choose from including the vegan yin toast with avocado, veg, sauerkraut and tamari roasted seeds. This eatery is set centrally on Jonson Street and strives to be as organic as possible, minimising food miles and purchasing local, seasonal goods.