Any northside breakfast lover who’s also plant-obsessed will know Stafford’s Soul Pantry—the nursery and concept store has long been a favourite for weekend botanical browsing, especially with their cosy corner cafe to relax in afterwards. Well, while the cafe was once a bit of an afterthought—cosy and popular with the locals but not a destination spot—it’s now a venue you might even want to cross the river for, after a vibrant makeover that has completely transformed the space.
Gone is the rustic chic Astroturf, mismatched chairs and warehouse vibes—instead you’ll now find a colourful aqua and peach painted space filled with white tables and chairs, with a lengthy bar lining one side overhung by wicker light shades. Large open roller windows let in plenty of natural light from one end, and a mural proclaiming ‘it’s soul good!’ let’s you know what you’re in for when you take a seat and tuck into breakfast.
Hungry after wandering the aisles of the plant shop just outside? Not for long—the new all-day breakfast menu here has plenty to tempt you. There’s a classic smashed avo of course, accompanied by beetroot hummus, heirloom tomatoes, feta and dukkah, as well as a stack of fluffy pancakes topped with mixed berry compote, vanilla ice cream, maple syrup and fairy floss. Vegos will be all about the wild mushroom bruschetta with grilled broccolini, salsa verde, watermelon radish and poached egg, while anyone craving an eggs benny should give the benny croissant with sriracha hollandaise a go.
If you don’t mind sharing, the signature breakfast is the Big Soul Breaky Board—a share board piled high with sourdough, eggs, halloumi, mushrooms, bacon, tomato, avo, relish, ham off the bone AND a croissant. You won’t walk away from this spread hungry. Or, if you’re after lunch, afternoon feeds include burgers, buddha bowls and the main event—an epic lobster roll stuffed with fresh lobster, lettuce, chives, capers, pickles and lemon mayo and served with tortilla crisps.
Bonus, from Friday to Sunday, Soul Pantry is now open for boozy afternoon sessions, making full use of their new (and well-stocked) bar. Everything on the lunch menu is available until late, with cheese and charcuterie boards also on the list and perfect for pairing with a bottle of wine or a watermelon marg (yep, there’s cocktails too).
But wait, there’s more. The cafe is also doing on the weekends. From 2.30pm on Saturdays, you’ll can nibble on a variety of sweet and savoury treats with two hours of bottomless mimosas, beer and wine, while from the same time on Sundays you can feast on a five-course brunch with two hours of those boozy sips. And the best part? Both offerings will only set you back $45pp. Lock us in for every weekend, thanks.
For now, Soul Pantry and the new cafe is just the spot to get all your Christmas shopping done before tucking into a delicious brunch. They’re open seven days a week and you can find all the details right here.
Find more of Brisbane’s best nursery cafes here.
Image credit: (supplied)