Dessert for breakfast? Hell yes. Forget waiting until after dinner for your favourite dessert; more and more cafés are adding the classic Italian panna cotta to their breakfast menus. But this ain’t your nonna’s panna cotta: think twists like dairy free panna cotta for all lactose-wary diners, flavours like espresso, blueberry, and even chai. Throw all the breakfast rules out the window and try out some of Brisbane’s best breakfast panna cottas. #goals
Rogue Bar + Bistro | Newstead
We are obsessed with all things chai from dirty chai lattes to chai ice cream, it’s everywhere! No wonder we’re so in love with Rogue Bistro’s chai panna cotta, served with coconut gel, granola, vanilla yoghurt and fresh fruit, all artfully placed on gorgeous ceramics that you’ll definitely want to share a snap of.
Wilde Kitchen | Teneriffe
Breakfast that makes you prettier? Is this a dream come true? Wilde Kitchen’s panna cotta is dairy free, paleo, and made with collagen, which improves the health of hair, skin and nails. It’s also high in protein, so will keep you full for longer! Team those benefits with a coconut and lemon flavour, paleo muesli, fruit, and raw honeycomb, and you’ve got a brekky that looks good and will make you look even better!
Little Loco | New Farm
Visit cosy New Farm favourite Little Loco for a delicious twist on the traditional panna cotta with their pina colada variety. A breakfast dessert that contains our morning coffee hit? We. Are. In. And just to top off the amazingness of honey toasted muesli, berries, and coconut yoghurt, this dish is totally dairy free!
Ramekins Cafe | Carseldine
This #instaworthy breakfast is almost too pretty to eat! Carseldine’s Ramekins Cafe is yet another example of Brissie suburbs killing it when it comes to the breakfast game. Make sure you make a booking to avoid a wait on the weekend, but trust us – this panna cotta is worth waiting for. Think tropical vibes with coconut and pandan panna cotta with fresh passionfruit, star fruit and paw paw.
Cafe Grenadine | Camp Hill
Cafe Grenadine’s breezy white Queenslander vibes sets the perfect backdrop for a relaxed breakfast. Try the yoghurt panna cotta teamed with an ever-changing variety of seasonal fruits. Pair it with a fresh juice or kombucha for a vibrant start to your day.
Elk Espresso | Broadbeach
Spending a weekend down at the Gold Coast? Check out hipster fave Elk Espresso, just metres away from the beach and a world away from Surfer Paradise’s regular tourist haunts. Elk’s blueberry panna cotta is the star of their menu, featuring seasonal fruit, nuts, seeds, and grains. Get your dining companion to order their breakfast gnocchi and you’ll have the best of both worlds!
There’s no excuse not to flip the script and have dessert for breakfast… but the jury is still out on breakfast for dessert.
Words by Lucinda Kent
