The Pantry

Quaint little cafe in old govt house at QUT campus. Interesting setting and lovely outdoor seating. Coffee was really nice, my scones with cream and jam was not nice at all. The lunch menu looked good. Overall worth a visit. Staff were friendly, but only just.

My favorite cafe on campus! I often stop here for a cup of tea and a friand when I have a break between class - it looks like a lot of others do too, it's always busy during semesters!

The Pantry Cafe - Brisbane CBD, QUT Campus. With so much fare that is glorified fast food (plus some actual fast food) and mediocre, uninspired standard fare around the campus there is not a lot of effort needed to be considered the best offer around the campus. Fortunately, at the Pantry Cafe - situated in the courtyard of the Old Government House - the quality of the food and service is at the level of a cafe and, the ambiance and atmosphere of it can be sort of an escape from the busy university life for a brief while.

Before a big day at university, I was meeting a friend of mine on campus - after a couple of rearrangements in schedule - to catch up for a meal. She was dead set on wanting to get breakfast; this place did offer breakfast and the time was getting short for breakfast at this place. If it was a no, the plans were to go elsewhere; however, the answer was a resounding "yes". To get the best chances, the ordering went quickly - I went in first with what I wanted, then return with a number (done with wooden spoons) and have her run in and order her's; all in great timing.

Service here is friendly, and even to the extent of the aforementioned "cafe level" of quality. They are efficient, have a great structure to order and wait for your meal to come. It was the same day that for class, the mad dash around for a coffee for class (seriously, why aren't any places with coffee now open for night students? They could make a killing - or at least be at an advantage) resulted in this place being tantamount to the last resort. Although they were closing up, they were still kindly open for coffee to go - that is enough great service for a place to warrant more returns.

Every time (including the night visit) that day, it was a cappuccino - often opting for an extra strength. This was twice during breakfast, and going back in the same meal is a great indication of the quality of the coffee. It was really strong, having me twitching before the first cup was even finished. The flavour was there, as was the techniques for a well-crafted espresso. Thumbs up already, as the coffee is able to stand on its own. Two Seasons is the blend of choice right here.

For the meals, it is nothing too complex; at lunch it is basically sandwiches and salads. Homely is the most apt description to describe the fare, and that can be used as a stealth insult - here it is a lot different, as quality still counts in their mind. The breakfast menu has a specials board, which was the basis of both orders. I got the savoury mince: this was a small pot of beef mince, two thick slices of Turkish toast, and two soft-boiled eggs.

One thing that has to be admired is the presentation of it all: one of the eggs came in a egg cup and the other was perched on top of one of the slices of toast. A prick of the fork had the yolk running out like water and mixed with the mince and soaked into the bread, this was a fantastic and wholesome meal for breakfast. The amount of mince was not skimpy in the least, it had a hearty flavour and there was enough to thickly layer two thick, chunky lots of bread. My friend, often not the biggest eater again, offloaded the last lots of her meal to me. It was avocado on toast with a side of dukka. Again, very tasty.

For any future meetings at the university, this is sure to be a nomination if it is over coffee (most of the time it is) or even for a meal break. To get a real feeling of tradition, there is the high teas available (you must book for these) at certain times of the month; for the rest of it, the fare is as unpretentious as it gets. This is without sacrificing quality ingredients; it is a people pleaser. The Pantry Cafe is worth sneaking onto campus for, even if you are not affiliated with the university. There is the proximity - the library is just in view - and quality does not have to be compromised for a decent price and being satiated. I know I was in the end, and this is one of the few places on campus that I will willingly continue to support. It has soul.

This cafe was absolutely amazing. Great food and even better service. Not the first time I’ve been here and definitely won’t be the last. Thanks ladies 🥰

I love this place. Great coffee, tasty food and the staff are always really friendly and happy. Awesome unique location too with a cosy atmosphere.

Not many vegan options, interesting strong sour and sweet taste of the long black said with organic beans from American