Pawpaw Cafe

Pawpaw Cafe on Stanley Street East in Woolloongabba takes the familiar Brisbane breakfast cafe and gives it a South-East Asian twist. It is run by Giorgina Venzin of the Venzin Group, and the interior has a resort feel, with high ceilings, a wide open floor plan, plenty of natural light and walls painted with palm fronds. A window lets passers-by order from the street. Its multicultural kitchen team works with both modern and traditional recipes, and the menu changes with the seasons, so the dishes on offer will vary from visit to visit. Specialty coffee anchors the daytime service. Breakfast dishes reviewed in the past have included scrambled eggs with an eggplant and sweet potato curry, and a German-style breakfast with pork belly, bratwurst and garlic naan, while dinner mixes pan-Asian dishes with Thai classics. There are notable vegetarian options.

Pawpaw opens every day from 7am to 3pm for breakfast and lunch. From Wednesday to Saturday it reopens in the evening from 5pm, when the focus shifts to dinner, with an extensive list of cocktails and wines. Evening banquet menus are designed to be inclusive of different dietary needs, which makes dinner a practical option for groups where not everyone eats the same way. The cafe also runs occasional special events, such as themed feasts, with tickets sold through its online booking system.

Tables can be booked online through the cafe's booking link, and the website also handles functions, group bookings and catering orders. Gift cards are available. Note that a 10 per cent surcharge applies on Sundays and a 20 per cent surcharge on public holidays, which is worth knowing before you pay.

The cafe suits brunch lovers who want something different from the standard eggs on toast, as well as small groups looking for a relaxed dinner with shared plates. Booking ahead is sensible for weekend brunch and for the evening banquets. Because the menu is seasonal, it is worth checking the cafe's social media for current dishes before you go.

Woolloongabba is also home to 1889 Enoteca's Roman restaurant on Logan Road and an antiques district, so Pawpaw can form part of a day spent exploring the area. Pawpaw posts updates on Facebook and Instagram under the handle pawpawcafe, which is the best way to see the latest menus and events before booking.