Call it a left over side effect of having visited most new openings in Brisbane post haste for almost four years but it is taking some "rehab" to rediscover a love of exploring new cafes and leaving the comfort zone of my local weekend haunt.
On a recent inspired Sunday, remembering hearing many good things about Neighbourhood Coffee Roasters, which calls the old Rainworth General Store home, friends and I gathered and spent a leisurely breakfast.
For the first time in many moons I looked at the menu with genuine excitement. Of course there's the obligatory cafe items, and comforts with modern twists like a fig glazed ham and cheese toastie, but then it's mixed with surprise additions like a green tea soba noodle salad (yes I went there for breakfast), splashes of kimchi and a tumeric iced chai latte. Tumeric is so 2016 it hurts.
As the cafe filled with weekend brunch hunters, we were never rushed as our group of four grazed through our breakfast and stayed on for another round of coffee. Coffee while we're talking that is roasted by the cafe and consistently turned out a exceptional cup both as a long black and flat white.
Add in the chat we had with one of the owners about the history of the building and their discoveries of old advertising signs as they renovated the space and you've got me giving this local gem two thumbs up.
Pro Tip: there's heaps of space in the back room for prams and kids (especially out in the back vege garden) and for those of us dog loving cafe hoppers - the four-legged patrons are welcomed with ample footpath seating. read more