10 Canberra city cafés made for reading, writing and getting lost in a book
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With Canberra Writers Festival returning this October, we’re embracing the literary life – finding the city cafés where you can settle in with a novel or open your laptop and write.
From a quick coffee and a few pages to a long lunch with a novel, or an afternoon spent turning a blank notebook into something resembling a first draft, these Canberra city cafés double as perfect reading and writing retreats.
And because every cafe has its own personality, we’ve matched each one with the sort of book we think belongs there.
CAFE ALIBI
Best for: Books with a twist.
Reading mood: Mysteries and stories that keep you guessing.
Tucked into Farrell Place, Cafe Alibi lends itself to a long city lunch – or a cuppa that turns into one. There’s locally roasted coffee, a daytime menu that’s anything but standard and plenty to keep you fed while you work your way through a few chapters.
The signature dish is the Japanese-style okonomiyaki, available in breakfast, pork belly and vegetarian versions. You’ll also find interesting takes on chicken katsu curry, Vietnamese chicken salad and a chicken katsu burger.
For a drink, try the cold drip. There’s also Adore Tea, freshly squeezed juices and even an affogato.
5 Farrell Place, Canberra City | cafealibi.com.au
FAV CUP
Best for: Genre-bending reads.
Reading mood: Speculative fiction and stories that bend the rules.
Fav Cup has built its reputation around New York-style bagels with an Asian twist. The result? A menu that’s considerably more interesting than your average bagel-and-coffee situation.
There are also plenty of Instagrammable options, including filled bagels, bagel salads and sweet treats. Personally, we can’t go past their signature prawn tom-yum cream cheese bagel.
Want a drink with that? From the pretty pink Coconut Sakura Pearl and Strawberry Matcha to Cold Brew Vanilla Foam and Vietnamese Coffee, Fav Cup’s new special drinks offer plenty of options to sip while settling in with a good book.
The Capital, G09/39 London Circuit, Canberra City | @favcupcbr
BLOOM ROOM
Best for: Romance readers.
Reading mood: Rom-coms, romance and books with a happily-ever-after.
Bloom Room wears its floral, playful aesthetic proudly – and the menu follows suit.
The Northbourne Avenue venue describes itself as a “garden-inspired dining and pancake destination”, with pancakes topped with berries, Belgian chocolate, ice cream, hot fudge, salted caramel and even 100s and 1000s.
The drinks are equally playful: think Berry Bloom iced latte, Rose Matcha, Matcha Garden Latte and Hazelnut Bloom, alongside affogatos in flavours including salted caramel, pistachio blossom and tiramisu.
Bring the glossy paperback, order the prettiest thing on the menu and settle in for some unapologetically escapist reading.
34 Northbourne Avenue, Canberra City | bloomroomcbr.com.au
LI’L BREW ESPRESSO BAR
Best for: Serious coffee and a short reading session.
Reading mood: Poetry, short stories or a book you can dip in and out of.
Li’l Brew is sunny, compact and coffee-focused, making it a good choice for a concentrated reading break rather than an afternoon camp-out.
With an early weekday opening and a focus on espresso, it’s a ‘coffee, a few pages and back-to-the-rest-of-your-day’ sort of stop.
A diverse grab-and-go menu traverses everything from packed bagels and focaccias to salads, pastries and Treat Boutique cookies. The coffee is also seriously good (personally, we love their dirty chai).
2/15 Edinburgh Avenue, NewActon | instagram.com/lilbrewespresso
EAST ROW CAFE
Best for: A light-filled city escape.
Reading mood: Travel tomes and books that transport you somewhere else.
Housed in one of Canberra’s oldest buildings, East Row Cafe has plenty of natural light and an airy feel that makes the city bustle seem a little further away than it is.
The menu has plenty to tempt you into staying for breakfast or lunch. The Green Chilli eggs – scrambled eggs infused with housemade chilli oil, fried shallots and topped with fried green chilli – is sure to spice up your morning, while The Sweet Frenchie – brioche with whipped orange mascarpone, poached pear, coconut and almond flakes, maple syrup and fresh berries, finished with a touch of cinnamon – is a wonderfully indulgent way to start the day.
The ONA coffee is on point, and the broader drinks menu is intriguing: Sticky Honey Chai Tea, anyone?
Shop 2, 121 London Circuit, Canberra City | eastrowcity.com.au
PRESSED COFFEE CO
Best for: Colourful drinks and creative work.
Reading mood: Contemporary fiction, graphic novels or anything a little offbeat.
Tucked into Hobart Place, Pressed is the cafe for the reader who wants their beverage to have its own subplot.
Its drinks menu features an entire matcha universe, including Strawberry Iced Matcha, Mango Magic, Mont Blanc, Honey Bee Smoothie and Pistachio Iced Matcha. There are also iced chai options, iced teas and a Coconut Cloud.
The food offering is built around grilled and toasted bagels, ranging from a simple grilled cheese or cucumber and cheese to more loaded options like the Meatlovers, roast beef with dill pickle and caramelised onion, and a bacon bagel with avocado and tomato. There are also vegetarian and vegan options, plus smoked salmon with cream cheese, capers, dill and cucumber.
10 Hobart Place, Canberra City | pressedcoffeeco.com
MOCAN & GREEN GROUT
Best for: The literary crowd.
Reading mood: Indie fiction, essays, poetry and books you’ll want to talk about afterwards.
Močan & Green Grout’s industrial chic aesthetic suits a morning with a notebook. Its menu is equally thoughtful, with plenty of interesting combinations beyond the usual cafe staples.
The menu has something for every palate – avocado and chèvre on sourdough, apple bircher with mango and berries, baked eggs with chickpeas, tomato and chèvre, pannacotta with passionfruit, strawberry and cinnamon and more. The salmon gravlax roll with horseradish, capers & crème fraîche is a must-eat, and their brewed chai is arguably the city’s best.
1/19 Marcus Clarke Street, NewActon | mocanandgreengrout.net
THE CUPPING ROOM
Best for: A long morning with serious coffee.
Reading mood: Memoir, biography, big non-fiction or that intimidating book you keep meaning to read.
Coffee is, unsurprisingly, a major draw at The Cupping Room, thanks to its ONA roots. But the food gives you another reason to linger.
There’s Chilli Scram, avocado toast with whipped feta and dukkah, and French toast with Biscoff custard, white chocolate mascarpone and strawberry cheong. On the drinks side, the current menu gets considerably more playful than a standard flat white, with iced berry latte, iced strawberry matcha, strawberry hibiscus and mango cloud matcha among the options.
Arrive early, find a table and settle in for a few chapters alongside one of Canberra’s more serious coffee menus.
1/1-13 University Avenue, Canberra City | thecuppingroom.com.au
ROY JR.
Best for: A long reading session.
Reading mood: Literary fiction, memoir or a book you want to disappear into.
Roy Jr. has a surprisingly cocooned feel for somewhere sitting just off London Circuit. Inside, marble tiles, leather banquettes and statement lighting give way to a large lounge-style space with sofas, benches and communal tables – complete with Wi-Fi and charging ports.
This is a venue for anyone who actually wants to read for a while, rather than squeeze in a few pages between errands. It was designed with long-stayers in mind, with more than 50 lounge seats and space for people to work or study.
There’s excellent coffee and specialty drinks to keep you going, plus a substantial all-day breakfast menu boasting dishes like pesto eggs with goat’s cheese, Blue Swimmer Crab Omelette, and Granola with Pannacotta, and tasty lunch options.
7 London Circuit, Canberra City | royjr.com.au
TWO BEFORE TEN HOBART PLACE
Best for: A cosy city hideaway.
Reading mood: Memoir, creative non-fiction and slow-burn fiction.
Tucked between Hobart Place and Darwin Place in City West, Two Before Ten feels a world away from the CBD rush. It’s warm and cosy inside during the cooler months, while the shady courtyard comes into its own when the weather warms up – perfect for a few uninterrupted chapters with a book.
The menu has plenty to keep you there, too. Breakfast runs from Turkish eggs with green goddess labneh, poached eggs and chilli crisp to mushroom chilli scramble with ricotta and spinach, while the smashed peas and avocado comes with ricotta, rhubarb jam, a poached egg and toasted sesame seeds. For something lighter, try the coconut tapioca granola with peach and mango compote.
Coffee is a serious part of the offering, with the Juggernaut house blend bringing milk chocolate, roasted almond and gentle malt notes, alongside the sweeter, fruitier Sabertooth espresso. There’s also batch brew, pour-over, cold brew and a house-infused chai made with whole spices, black tea and honey.
1 Hobart Place, Canberra City | twobeforeten.com.au
