Marhaba Cafe

Marhaba Cafe is a warm inviting social enterprise cafe tucked away in the basement of Brisbane City Hall, where once upon a time the Red Cross Tea Rooms (and later Commix Cafe) used to have their home. 

Taking its name from the casual Arabic greeting Marhaba, meaning hello or welcome, the cafe is staffed by people facing barriers to employment, including refugees and those with mental health issues or disabilities, an initiative of the award-winning Nundah Co-op, in collaboration with the Australian Red Cross.

Open weekdays for breakfast and lunch, well-priced breakfast dishes include Shakshuka (eggs poached in fragrant tomato & capsicum sauce with parmesan, parsley & Turkish bread); Eggs Benny; Breakfast sandwich (double bacon, fried egg, tomato, avocado, cheese, spinach and Gochujang mayo on Turkish bread); Eggs Your Way, toast or fruit & nut toast.

The lunch menu features multicultural dishes such as Syrian chicken & rice (with yoghurt tahini sauce, cranberries, toasted almonds & pickled chilli);  Gochujang Beef Burger (housemade beef patty, lettuce, tomato, cheese, onion rings & Gochujang mayo) Lamb Kofta Fattoush Salad; Halloumi and Sumac Wraр; and roasted vegetable with hummus. There's also sandwiches (fresh or toasted) made to order, from just $7, hot chips, onion rings and a couple of small dishes (fish and chips or chicken nuggets and chips).

You can also enjoy a well-brewed coffee or pot of loose leaf tea with some fresh baked goodies like baklava, biscuits or pear & raspberry almond bread  while cold drinks include ice long black, latte, coffee, chocolate, tea or iced tea and milk shakes (including chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, lime, caramel double espresso or mocha).. 

Need to know - the entrance to Marhaba Cafe is off Adelaide Street and down some steps past the old City Hall Rest Room signs.

Image credits - courtesy of Marhaba Cafe Facebook page. 

Still hungry for more suggestions on where to eat out in Brisbane, head to our comprehensive Eat & Drink section HERE! Happy grazing!