Café Urbano
69a Wilgarning St
Stafford Heights
Brisbane
Mon-Sat 7-3
Sun 7-1
36305225

In the midst of mowed lawns and neat-as-a-pin brick houses in northern suburbia this funky cosmopolitan little café in a renovated shopping nook has a mirage-like quality.

Step inside though and the grafitti and stencil art-covered walls, rustic shelves of books and magazines, vintage clocks, candles and artworks are for real, as is the soothing background soundtrack and sophisticated bistro-style menu.

And at lunch time patrons miraculously materialize seemingly out of nowhere, to pack into the wide pavement seating or the cool darkened interior.

On the menu, items don't come cheap but then this is no ordinary café fare either, but well-executed dishes presented with flare. A Mid-Eastern and East European flavour permeates the menu, which runs the gamut from delicious Bulgarian fetta frittata, lamb kofta and tstasiki to chorizo and potato salad with black beans, vegetarian moussaka and slow braised lamb shanks.

Desserts are of equal calibre and include spiced carrot and walnut cake with lemon cream cheese, crème brulee and lemon curd tartlets, while coffee is di Bella.

Those with children in tow will find plenty of outdoor space for moving around without terrorizing other diners and a box of toys on the pavement.