Cafe Gia

Café Gia is a charming weatherboard café that was once a general store tucked away in the leafy streets of Herston.

In keeping with the history and character of the shop, Café Gia has a real friendly neighbourhood drop-in vibe, with vases of fresh flowers for sale out front, stacks of daily newspapers to read, a water bowl for dogs and, inside, little bags of mixed lollies and mini cupcakes at the counter for children.

The food served at Café Gia (whose owners are well-versed in the hospitality trade, as the daughter and grand-daughters of Michael Gambaro) also has a home-cooked Italian flavour, with delicious dishes like lasagne and Nonna’s Meatballs based on traditional family recipes.

An all-day breakfast menu ranges from light such as sour dough toast (with spreads or Smashed Avo, virgin olive oil, feta and lime) and Bircher Muesli through Mushrooms Sauteed with Spinach, grilled haloumi, pine nuts, garlic and pesto or the recommended Baked Italian Eggs with home-made Napolitana sauce and topped with mozzarella cheese and sour dough or the Big Breakfast.

Must try, whether for breakfast or lunch, is the Meatball Panini – Nonna’s meatballs, house-made with Napolitana sauce and mozzarella on fresh-baked panini.

To accompany, there’s well-brewed Genovese coffee.

For those after some lunch* or takeaway from the counter, there’s also vegetarian lasagne, bacon and egg burger or wraps and filled panini.

All of the sweet treats (such as lamington truffles, cupcakes and apple and rhubarb teacake) are also made in-house except for the gluten-free (peanut butter brownie sandwich and chocolate macadamia slice).

Nice to know – Café Gia is dog-friendly (with a fresh bowl of water out front for pooches) and child friendly, with a cute little kids table in one corner and a bunch of Lady Bird readers, puzzle and colouring books. The breakfast menu also has a Mini Breakfast for littlies of bacon, egg toast fingers.