Gabi T.
Yelp
Hidden down a laneway? Check. Brewing great coffee? Check. All-day menu with a focus on locally sourced seasonal produce? Check.
Strauss FD definitely ticks all the requirement boxes for a hip Brisbane inner-city cafe but what makes Strauss stand out amongst its peers is that they do it well without pretension. Signage is minimal and if you don't know where to look, you may have trouble finding it. So walk along Elizabeth St until you're directly across from the Hilton, turn around and walk down the alley next to Xile.
I enjoy sitting outside in the lane but there is more seating inside and with larger tables for bigger groups. Every time I've been there, the staff have been lovely and I have always been seated immediately, with water and menus delivered, and asked for my coffee order. That's just good service. Coffee is made with Coffee Supreme beans and at $3.50/$4 a cup, prices are standard. They also offer a filter option which arrives with an explanation of the bean currently being used. I usually go for a long black and it is always excellent.
The menu, which changes semi-regularly, ranges from the simple toast & spreads to heartier salads and sandwiches. All items are available all day which means I can have my granola for lunch or salad for breakfast. While the sandwiches and bruschetta options always look amazing, my go-to option at Strauss is their Bircher muesli (or porridge during Winter). Their current option is a Mixed Grain Bircher with pear and cacao nibs ($13). A deliciously thick blend of mixed grains including oats and rye with yoghurt and shredded pear, topped with chopped roasted almonds, cacao nibs, honey and (this is the best bit) fresh raspberries. And not just a few - oh no, Strauss love raspberries as much as I do (FYI - a lot) and so there's about half a punnet of sweet, juicy raspberries atop this bowl. For some $13 may be a bit steep for Bircher muesli (although as a regular Bircher eater, this is becoming the standard price) but I will happily pay that for the raspberries alone. The fact that everything else in my bowl is absolutely delicious is a bonus.
I recently revisited with Lani and Matt L and while I opted for my usual, they had the kale salad ($13.50) (with an extra poached egg ($2.5) which basically makes that a breakfast salad) and the poached eggs ($10.50) with cured ham ($5). Both simple, fresh and delicious. The salad was quite a large bowl and with added protein, would make for a substantial lunch. The poached eggs were simple but done well (slightly set but gooey) and the several thin slices of cured ham made it more interesting.
If you're just stopping by for a quick coffee and want something sweet, Strauss also have several pastries and raw/healthy treats made my My Plate Clean Treats available. They also cater for lactose and gluten intolerant with alternative milk options and last time I visited they had gluten-free bread as an option.
Overall Strauss is a lovely breakfast or lunch option in the city with excellent coffee, delicious food at a reasonable price (all under $20) and great service. It's also great for takeaway coffee (although beware the lines get long during the morning) and they can do split bills which is perfect for groups.