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Dovetail Social

Highgate Hill

Updated: Jan 06, 2026

Dovetail Social is a charming cafe housed in an old cottage on a quiet, suburban street in Highgate Hill, offering expertly-brewed coffee along with all-day breakfast fare and gluten-free treats.  

A sibling for Dovetail on Overend in Norman Park, owners Adam and Rejoice have created a real community hub that will feature artworks by local artists, as well as provide locally-sourced pantry items for sale such as homemade jam and neighbourhood honey.

People sitting at alfresco dining area inside shaded courtyard at Dovetail Social, Highgate Hill

Patrons can dine inside or alfresco with a shaded courtyard provided, plus the cafe boasts an elegant dining room that is available for high tea functions.  

Table set for service at Dovetail Social, Highgate Hill

Dovetail is renowned in Brisbane as the go-to for delectable gluten-free treats including Rejoice's popular ube (purple yam) pavlova donut, a homage to her Filipino heritage and Adam's Australian ancestry. The new cafe features a dedicated baking room where Rejoice and her staff can create an even wider range of delicious, gluten-free goodies.   

Three desserts on a plate at Dovetail Social, Highgate Hill

Breakfast fare on offer ranges from a classic breakfast toastie filled with scrambled eggs and bacon, and avo on sourdough with Persian feta and dukkah, to the highly-recommended Baked Eggs #7 - free-range eggs baked in housemade chilli con carne served with toasted sourdough.

Free-range eggs baked in housemade chilli con carne served with toasted sourdough served at Dovetail Social, Highgate Hill

Meanwhile, lunch-style fare includes a classic Reuben sandwich filled with pastrami, sauerkraut, gruyere cheese and house-made Russian dressing on rye bread, and an adobo bowl. The national dish of the Philippines, adobo is chicken and pork braised in gluten-free soy and vinegar, served with kale laing (coconut curry), oyster mushrooms, deviled egg , and home-made pincy chorizo (longganisa) served on a bed of garlic rice.  

Food on a plate at Dovetail Social, Highgate Hill

Coffee on pour is by Brisbane-based micro-roastery Almanac Coffee, which goes down a treat with one of Rejoice's delicious donuts.

Iced doughnuts at Dovetail Social, Highgate Hill

Besides coffee, there's Prana fresh-brewed chai, sparkling iced tea (Tahitian mango and lemongrass and ginger) and milkshakes in epic flavours like Very Blueberry, Violet Crumble and Nutella Oreo.

By Deb Lidster

The menu may have changed since our visit.

Dovetail Social 

49 Laura St

Highgate Hill 

Opening hours

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