Are you planning a Granite Belt getaway and want to know all about coffee on the Granite Belt? Are you one of those people who don’t function without your morning coffee? Do you feel a little anxious if you are unsure of where to go for the best coffee in town? If that is the case, then you can rest easy on the Granite Belt. We have an extensive range of cafes and restaurants providing the magical elixir that is the coffee bean! Below is our guide from north to south on the Granite Belt. We have chosen the following because not only do they make great coffee; they do so in beautiful surrounds that are part of the intrinsic Granite Belt experience. At The Localist, we have put together a list of our recommended coffee spots if you are after something special.
Get your speciality coffee fix on the Granite Belt – from north to south!
Sutton’s Juice Factory, Cider and Shed Café – Thulimbah
When coming from the north, Sutton’s Juice Factory, Cider and Shed Café are one of the first places that welcomes you to the Granite Belt. It is just beside the New England Highway and diagonally opposite The Big Apple. It is open seven days a week and is home to the famous Sutton’s Apple Pie. You can enjoy your coffee fix inside the old packing shed in front of a roaring log fire. Of you can sit outside where you can gaze at the endless apple trees of the Sutton’s Orchard. Sutton’s serves Merlo coffee.
Brinx Deli – Stanthorpe
Brinx Deli is a Stanthorpe institution located in the centre of town and is ideal if you have accommodation booked in Stanthorpe. This could be your first stop before you start exploring the Granite Belt region. Brinx Deli is currently only open for takeaways seven days a week, though we will update you as soon as they resume their café dining. An appealing option for Campos coffee fans.
Commercial Coffee Stop – Stanthorpe
Commercial Coffee Stop is a relatively new kid on the block and is another option in downtown Stanthorpe. You will find the Commercial Coffee Stop opposite the post office in the Commercial Hotel Building. It has only been open for a short while but is already receiving rave reviews for their Botero coffee. Open from 7.30 am to 2 pm from Wednesday to Sunday.
Zest Pastries – Stanthorpe
Zest Pastries is well-known in the Granite Belt to locals and visitors alike for its delicious range of pastries, breads and other delicacies all made from scratch in their bakery kitchen. With its relaxed casual vibe it is a great place to enjoy a coffee and something to eat. Zest Pastries uses the Vincenza ‘Dark Chicago’ blend of coffee beans. Open from Tuesday to Friday from 7 am to 4.30 pm and from 7 am to 2 pm on Saturdays for takeaway.
Bean Better – Stanthorpe
Bean Better is known for its coffee window that overlooks Weeroona Park. Access to Bean Better is temporarily through the entrance of MyFamily Medical. Stay tuned for updates on this. Bean Better has a metropolitan feel and baristas with style and panache. They use Byron Bay Barefoot Roaster beans which are a beautiful medium-dark roast. They open from Monday to Friday from 7.3 am to 4 pm and from 7.30 am to 12 pm on Saturdays.
Jamworks Gourmet Foods Café and Larder – Glen Aplin
Jamworks Gourmet Foods Café and Larder can be found between Stanthorpe and Ballandean and is easy to spot due to their distinctive Jamworks Windmill. Home to divine café fare and an extensive range of house-made jams, sauces, chutneys and relishes. Jamworks is open Wednesday to Sunday, from 10 am weekdays and 9 am Saturday and Sunday. Jamworks uses Supreme Roasters coffee beans. You can enjoy your coffee inside or on their dog-friendly terrace.
St Jude’s Cellar Door & Bistro Ballandean
St Jude’s Cellar Door & Bistro is in Ballandean and serves Fonzie Abbott coffee. Enjoy your coffee inside while you bask in the sun that streams in through their glass-enclosed verandah. Alternatively, sit on their terrace as you watch the daily Granite Belt traffic or grab a takeaway from their convenient coffee servery area. St Jude’s Cellar Door & Bistro is open from Friday to Monday from 7.30 am.
Summit Coffee
Summit Coffee is a local Granite Belt roastery that sources the best beans from Columbia, Brazil and Papua New Guinea. The beans are then blended locally and available for sale online and in various outlets throughout the Granite Belt.
North of the Granite Belt
If heading home via Warwick stop at Zaraffas Coffee which is open seven days a week from 5 am.
Warwick’s Garden Galore offers a garden setting for your coffee fix and is also open seven days a week from 7am.
South of the Granite Belt
If you are enjoying a drive south of the Queensland border, you will find ample coffee stops in Tenterfield. The Localist can recommend The Corner Life & Style, Store & Café which serves Zentvelds Coffee from the Byron Bay hinterland. You can enjoy your coffee at The Corner in front of a log fire or on an outside terrace. Alternatively, try The Courtyard Café, which is inside the historic School of Arts building. Enjoy your Aroma coffee while sitting in their sunny interior courtyard.
Lara Flanagan is a writer and vegan food creator who lives in Tenterfield and is delighted to call the incredible region encompassing the Northern New England and the Granite Belt her home. She is the creator of My Notes From… where she writes about her travels, her love of the local area, plant-based food, and anything in between!