The way to the heart of this city is through your stomach.
A vibrant, bustling café culture lies at the heart of Launceston. This should come as no surprise, given that Launceston has made a name for itself as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy (thanks to its lively markets, acclaimed vineyards and renowned restaurant scene.) There’s truly no better way to discover Launceston’s foodie offerings than exploring the city’s fabulous array of coffee shops and eateries— we’ve rounded up a few of our favourite Launceston cafes below.
1. Samuel Pepy’s Cafe
This beloved Launceston cafe combines the city’s quintessential quaintness with a hearty menu and great coffee. Coeliacs can rejoice, as everything at Samuel Pepy’s is 100% gluten-free. The cafe also caters to vegetarian and dairy-free dietary requirements, although rest assured this means no sacrifice in flavour. Loaded waffles, crispy house-made hash browns and gluten-free toasties are a few of the menu highlights here. With its cosy interior embellished with old-timey decor, this cafe is a place you’ll want to linger in.
Samuel Pepy’s Cafe combines the city’s quintessential quaintness with a hearty menu and great coffee—all gluten-free! (Image: Samuel Pepy’s Cafe)
2. Earthy Eats
The name of this cafe says it all. Earthy Eats highlights the very best of Tasmania’s produce through a hearty, wholesome and seasonal menu. The emphasis is on high-quality local ingredients here— toasted muesli made with Tassie oats and raw honey, eggs from local free-range chooks and great coffee made with milk from the region (delivered by the keg!). If you’re not a coffee drinker, don’t fear— there’s cosy house-brewed chai, warming house-made turmeric lattes and refreshing juices on offer.
Earthy Eats highlights the very best of Tasmania’s produce through a hearty, wholesome and seasonal menu. (Image: Kelly Slater)
3. Cafe Mondello
Cafe Mondello is a small but iconic Launceston cafe. The team serves up a flurry of flavours with their eclectic menu featuring classic brekkie items as well as more complex flavours (like vanilla poached pears and cuca sardines with gentleman’s relish). There’s an undeniable Italian influence evident in some of the menu items, the quirky vintage decor, and most importantly— in the fantastic coffee. Buonissimo!
Cafe Mondello offers undeniable Italian influence paired with their quirky vintage decor. (Image: Lusy Productions)
4. Mad Apple
Mad Apple makes the most of the Apple Isle’s natural abundance with a healthy, vegetarian and vegan-friendly menu that features locally sourced produce. You’ll find Asian and Middle Eastern-inspired dishes, uniquely crafted with fresh Tasmanian ingredients. The nasi goreng is a crowd favourite, and the spiced dahl is guaranteed to warm your belly on a chilly day. The space is sleek, modern and sunlit, with an adorable herb garden outside that brings the ultimate touch of cosiness.
Mad Apple is a plant-based paradise with interiors that have just the right balance of sleek and cozy. (Image: Mad Apple Cafe)
5. Amelia Coffee Co
Amelia Coffee Co has built a reputation as one of the best cafes in Launceston when it comes to concocting the perfect caffeine boost. Coffee aficionados should head to this hole-in-the-wall speciality coffee house, known for its excellent brews and knowledgeable baristas. The brew bar offers coffee made in every way– cold brew, cold drip, pour over…you name it, Amelia Coffee can make it. If you’re picky about your coffee, or just want to delve into Launceston’s vibrant coffee scene, Amelia Coffee Co. is the place to go. There’s a daily selection of pastries to satiate your sweet tooth cravings, too!
Amelia Coffee Co has built a reputation as one of the best cafes in Launceston. (Image: Amelia Coffee Co)
6. Sweetbrew
Sweetbrew hits the sweet spot with its hearty all-day breakfast menu and flawless coffee. This lively cafe is popular with locals— for good reason. Known for its friendly service, colourful interior and charming atmosphere, Sweetbrew is the perfect place to grab brunch or a quick caffeine fix. The baked masala egg is a menu highlight, and the banana and medjool date pancake is perfect if you’re craving something sweeter.
Known for its friendly service, colourful interior and charming atmosphere, Sweetbrew is the perfect place to grab brunch or a quick caffeine fix. (Image: Lusy Productions)
7. Bread + Butter Bakery and Cafe
This trendy Launceston cafe is located in a former motorcycle storehouse, this cafe is fittingly named for its daily house-made sourdough and onsite small-batch butter company. Bread + Butter’s menu offerings include fresh-baked goodies like croissants, cookies and cakes— all made with butter hand-churned onsite. If you fancy something more savoury, sample a sourdough pizza with seasonal toppings, or a sourdough bagel with salmon and egg. There’s great coffee to wash it all down, too.
Bread + Butter is located in a former motorcycle storehouse. (Image: Kelly Slater)
8. Inside Cafe
Inside Cafe has earned a reputation for the best eggs benedict in town— putting a unique spin on the classic dish with eggs served on a buttermilk hash brown and topped with cider bearnaise. If you wander in later in the morning, Inside’s lunch menu pulls together cuisine influences from afar, tying it all together with fresh, local Tassie ingredients. The bare-brick interior is rustic-chic in style, with an atmosphere that’s cosy and welcoming. With fantastic coffee to seal the deal, Inside is a place you’ll want to stick around!
The bare-brick interior of Inside Cafe is rustic-chic in style, with an atmosphere that’s cosy and welcoming. (Image: Chris Crerar)
9. Basin Cafe
Located in Cataract Gorge, this coffee shop nabs a spot on the list of our favourite Launceston cafes for its location alone. Here, you can graze on jam and cream scones while watching peacocks frolic on the lawn— scenes that seem as if they were taken straight out of a fairy tale. With a vantage point that looks out over the gorge, Basin café is the perfect spot to soak up the beautiful natural surroundings. There’s great coffee, and classic brekky items with generous portions to fuel you up for a day of exploring.
Thanks to Basin Cafe’s stunning location, you can graze on jam and cream scones while watching peacocks frolic on the lawn. (Image: Basin Cafe)
10. Relish
Relish is a lovely suburban cafe with chilled-out vibes, great coffee and delicious food (the kimchi scrambled eggs are a must!). The cafe is fully licensed so that you can enjoy a tipple with brunch. Sit in the sunshine with a mimosa or a bloody mary, or pair some local wines with a scrumptious brekkie plate. There are lots of fresh juices and virgin cocktails, as well as sweet treats and warm beverages.
Relish is a lovely suburban cafe with chilled-out vibes, great coffee and delicious food. (Image: Relish Cafe)
11. Charlie’s Dessert House
This haven for desserts was founded by intrepid globe-trotter Brooke Saward. Charlie’s Dessert House draws on the culinary influences from Brooke’s travels around the world (where she’s experienced everything from making macarons in Paris to sampling baklava in Turkey). Brooke brought these experiences back to her hometown of Launceston, and since 2016, the cafe has been serving up sweet treats and sugar rushes to locals and travellers alike. If you’re searching for a cafe in Launceston to satiate your sweet-tooth cravings, then we highly recommend stopping by.
Since 2016, Charlie’s Dessert House has been serving up sweet treats and sugar rushes to locals and travellers alike. (Image: Kelly Slater)
