Morning must-visits: where to have coffee and breakfast on the Redlands Coast 

There's no shortage of coffee nor breakfast stops on a road trip through the Redlands. Start your morning on a (caffeine) high at one of the Redlands Coast’s neighbourhood coffee shops, or fuel up at one of the seaside cafes where hearty breakfasts are the order of the day.

For a farm-to-plate experience, the Wellington Point Farmhouse Restaurant and Café offers dishes brimming with local produce (much of it grown on site). And, better yet, you can visit the Market Hall store on your way out to gather the rewards of this enduring farm’s bountiful harvest.

Citron also found in Wellington Point, presents a Mediterranean inspired café is serving all-day coastal cuisine perfectly capturing the bayside. Whether it’s a Darvella Parisserie treat or a hearty breakfast, Citron Bayside is the perfect place to start your day. Or if you are just looking for you morning drop to takeaway, First Coffee Co. will pour you a smooth blend to go.

By the waterfront at Thorneside, Blue Tongue Pantry (with its adjoined deli-style store) serves up plentiful plates of kick-starting brekky. Here, the biggest challenge you’ll face is whether to opt for sweet or savoury.

Tucked away in Alexandra Hills, The Mailman, serves drool worthy breakfasts with a seasonal Asian-inspired menu. Specialty Ona coffee paired with a delicious baked goods and inspired brunch is welcomed at this modern inside dining and al fresco.

Adorned with florals and filled with the scent of aromatic coffee, The Bloom Room, Birkdale, is a favourite amongst brunchers, and those who prefer their breakfasts served with a side of visual appeal. If you are on the search for a light breakfast or snack in the way of a cookie, Butter Meets Sugar is just down the road.

In Victoria Point, Warra Warra café is pouring up reviving coffee alongside dishes inspired by First Nations flavours. Try the smoked salmon with lemon myrtle and desert-lime infused cream cheese.

Sweet-tooths can unearth their new favourite sweet treat at Cleveland’s French-inspired La Bouche patisserie and pick up a freshly baked croissant they won’t forget anytime soon. Just down the road you’ll find your acai fix at the Love Juice Bar. With so many different flavours to try from likes the jam drop bowl, oreo bowl, lemon meringue bowl and so many more, choosing your flavour will be the hardest part of your day.

One of the Baysides hidden gem’s, Roof Café Co is based in Thornlands and is perfect for a relaxing morning and a flavourful breakfast. These beautifully presented eats are the perfect way to start your day.

For a dazzling view (and to watch pelicans at play) Redland Bay’s hidden gem Pelican’s View Café offers diners a front row seat to local marine life. Go for the brekky burgers, stay for the wildlife.

Whether you are looking for an Aussie classic breakfast or something a little more specialised, The Grove Kitchen + Bar in Mount Cotton offers a lush escape that will leave you feeling full and nourished. 

Low-key lunches and relaxed dinners: try these casual Redlands restaurants

The Redland’s pull off casual dining with ease – whether it’s seaside dining, picnic-ready take-away food or old-world pub fare. Here is where to find relaxed lunch and dinner food in this laid-back land that the locals love.

On Raby Bay’s lustrous harbour, Samson Fish Seafood (or ‘Samson’s’, to locals) is a must-visit for shared seafood platters and a remarkable view – especially come sunset. Sharing these views is Fiction Bar and Restaurant who sets the scene for a relaxed afternoon or evening meal with a menu that encapsulates the head chef’s specialities and a creative cocktail menu. 

Continuing the stalwart hotel hopping, newly renovated the Alexandra Hills Hotel presents a scenic spot to enjoy a leisurely lunch and a round of putt putt afterwards. Loved for their steaks and parmigiani’s (more well known as parmi or parma), this pub is perfect for groups of friends and families alike.

Established in 1930, the Cleveland Sands Hotel has become an icon on the Redlands Coast. Its chic bistro, courtyard and bar spaces offer a range of timeless pub eats like steak and chips along with other like charred lamb leg or salt and pepper squid.

Cleveland is also home to the Lighthouse restaurant’s connected fish and chippery and gelato bar. Perfectly situated across from the water at Cleveland Point. Grab your takeaway dinner and dessert and watch the sunset over the horizon for the perfect family or romantic picnic afternoon.

Straddie Brewing Co. is a three-levelled brewery looking out at the pristine beaches of North Stradbroke Island/Minjerribah. With icy cold beer flowing and a perfect menu to pair, this is the perfect place to knock off after a day exploring the islands pristine beaches.

Dining, drinking and celebrating: the Redlands’ best bars and restaurants

When the sun sets over the Redlands Coast, here’s where to dine, drink and celebrate.

The French Table in Cleveland provides a taste of (you guessed it) France’s famed foods, via its simple yet elegant dishes. Expect to sample the likes of escargot, truffled gnocchi, confit duck, deep-fried camembert, and crème brulé.

Jumping over to the Lakeside, you can also stroll down to popular Elysium Restaurant and Bar in pursuit of tapas, cocktails, and live music. Further down the lakeside strip you will find Lakehouse, a new restaurant and bar that is serving relaxed luxury on the lake.

Amid the lavender-lined hills of Mount Cotton’s Sirromet Winery lies Restaurant Lurleen’s – a celebrated, fine-dining restaurant where the house chefs’ culinary creativity flourishes. Enjoy a degustation, or order a la carte, for a memorable meal matched with the estate’s wines.

Built in 1853, Cleveland’s The Courthouse Restaurant is steeped in local history. This fine-dining locale boasts old-world charm – reflected in both its building and menu. And, just around the corner, on the edge of the bay, nautical-led restaurant The Lighthouse restaurant shines a light on locally caught seafood with bayside views.

When it comes to post-dinner drinks, Old Bill’s Bar and Hogans, Wellington Point, are favoured among beer afficionados, and beckons in whisky and spirit devotees.

Epicurean pleasures: artisanal eats and take-home treats

Be it bread, wine, fresh pasta or locally grown produce, find an edible or drinkable souvenir to savour and remember your time on the Redlands Coast.

Allow the scent of sourdough to lure you into Mount Cotton Sourdough Bakers and challenge yourself not to leave with bags filled with cakes, bakes, scrolls and rolls.

Find spreads for your breads at Lang’s Gourmet, Capalaba – a gourmet producer of artisan crafted goods that’s been keeping pantries stocked with delicious condiments and teas for 35 years.

Dinner’s sorted with a fresh, melt-in-your-mouth pasta, pick-up from family-run, wholesaler and cafe Al Dente in Capalaba. Stock up on fresh and frozen pasta, fresh sauces and tiramisu.

Of course, few pasta dinners would be complete without a glass of wine, and Mount Cotton’s Sirromet Winery is the place to find your new favourite drop. Discerning drinkers can visit the Cellar Door to sample its drops and grab bottles to go.

It would be remiss of beer lovers not to head to the lauded Bacchus Brewing Co., tucked in between the warehouses of Capalaba for a growler to take home. Or, for a non-alcoholic drink, Cleveland’s Alchemy Cordial has all your cordial, iced tea, and syrup needs covered.

And, in case you haven’t sampled enough of the region’s finest seafoods by this point: head to Costa’s Seafood in Capalaba or Bayside Seafood in Wellington Point for dine in or to collect the freshest produce for your next meal.