Best brunch cafes in Waterloo

Best brunch cafes in Waterloo, ranked

1. #1Small Talk Espresso Bar & Kitchen for an unhurried breakfast

   $$🐕 Dogs insideOutdoor seating🌳 Alexandria Park, 3 min walk

   Small Talk Espresso Bar & Kitchen is the place for a breakfast with no rush. An Irish breakfast, a breakfast bowl and an Irish breakfast roll all sit on the menu, and the eggs Benedict arrive on a muffin with spinach. Weekend hours run from before 7am on Saturday and until 2pm on both days. Dogs can sit at the outdoor tables, and Alexandria Park is about three minutes away.

   Best for: Irish breakfast with a dog outside

2. #2Milk Crate for a big breakfast plate with halloumi

   $$🐕 Dogs outsideOutdoor seating🌳 Corning Park, 2 min walk

   Milk Crate is the hearty option for a slow morning with a big appetite. A big plate with sausage, hash browns, bacon, eggs and halloumi suits a large appetite. Sunday opening starts before 7am, and the cafe is open until 3pm. The outdoor tables are a good spot to wait out a coffee, with Corning Park two minutes' walk away.

   Best for: Hearty plate for a slow morning

3. #3Wah Wah Lounge for a weekend brunch with gluten-free options

   $$🐕 Dogs outsideOutdoor seating🌳 Edmund Resch Reserve, 3 min walk

   Wah Wah Lounge is the brunch for a table where someone needs gluten-free or vegetarian food. A guest who ordered gluten-free was happy with the result. Breakfast dishes sit beside salads, sandwiches and pastas, so the lighter plates are easy to share. The cup is a dark roast from Zest, and the sticky chai is worth a try. Weekend hours run from 8am until just before 3pm, and Edmund Resch Reserve is a three-minute walk.

   Best for: Brunch with gluten-free and vegetarian options

4. #4Eggspresso for a group brunch with chilli eggs

   $$🐕 Dogs outsideOutdoor seating🌳 Waterloo Park, 4 min walk

   Eggspresso is the brunch to order from when the table is bigger than two. Chilli eggs come on yoghurt with flatbread to scoop, and the avocado toast with feta is the lighter order. Sunday hours run from 7am to 4pm, so there is time to linger. Waterloo Park is a four-minute walk for a stroll once the plates are cleared.

   Best for: Group brunch on a weekend

5. #5Chiaos cafe for a seasonal brunch with a sweet finish

   $$🐕 Dogs outsideOutdoor seating🌳 Dyuralya Square, 2 min walk

   Chiaos cafe is the brunch to take a long time over. The menu changes with the season, so the dishes on offer depend on when you visit. The pandan and taro custard toast makes a sweet start, and the Mont Blanc with cream closes the meal. Some recent visitors think the prices run high, but say the food is worth it. Tables outside sit under a canopy, and Dyuralya Square is two minutes away.

   Best for: Long seasonal brunch with a treat

6. #6Two Baristas Espresso for a flat white with a pastry

   $🐕 Dogs outsideOutdoor seating🌳 Edmund Resch Reserve, 2 min walk

   Two Baristas Espresso is the small brunch stop for a slow coffee on Crystal Street. The madeleines and banana bread are the pastries to pick, and one diner calls the banana bread moist and not too sweet. An older review liked the smoked salmon bagel, so check it is still stocked. Weekend hours run from 6am to just after 4pm, and the outdoor tables take dogs.

   Best for: Coffee and a pastry on a long weekend morning

7. #7Pino Espresso Bar for breakfast any time of the Saturday morning

   $Outdoor seating🌳 Corning Park, 3 min walk

   Pino Espresso Bar serves breakfast all day, so a late Saturday brunch is no problem. The eggs Benedict, the big breakfast and the vege omelette stay on the menu through to lunch, and the breakfast wrap works well for a takeaway. Saturday hours run from 6am to 2pm. The espresso is made with Campos coffee, and the bagels and croissants get a mention from one diner.

   Best for: Late Saturday brunch with good espresso

8. #8idyll Cafe for a quiet Saturday morning by the park

   $🐕 Dogs outsideOutdoor seating🌳 Waterloo Park, 4 min walk

   idyll Cafe is the brunch for a calm morning with a light plate. Chickpea and roasted vegetable bowls, plus a mango noodle salad, keep the plate light. Brownies with caramel and chocolate finish the meal. On Saturdays it opens from 8am and closes at 1pm, the earliest closing of these picks, so arrive before lunch. Waterloo Park is four minutes away, and the outdoor seating takes dogs.

   Best for: Light brunch on a quiet Saturday

Compare best brunch cafes in Waterloo

The table below lines up weekend hours, price and what each brunch cafe is known for.

How we picked best brunch cafes in Waterloo

Cafes were put in order by an overall score that takes into account how many people have scored each one. For brunch we also checked which dishes sit on the breakfast and lunch menus, how long each cafe serves on a weekend, whether it has a menu beyond a basic breakfast, and what each cafe's own page says about its food.