Griffith St Larder

Fast tasty and a well organised cafe lovely staff been here a couple of times worth every cent

Speedy service & amazing food, have come back time & again to be delighted by the perfect colour flavour & texture combos on offer here. No sooner have you ordered than your coffee arrives and not soon after that your food. This morning I had the greens bowl which has sweet potato, mashed avo, 2 perfectly poached eggs, kale, shaved broccoli, spring onion and a lovely little seed mix. Perfect.

Taking much of Melburian approach to quality and presentation, but supplanting it in the Gold Coast - with the beach in sight - Griffith Street Larder is as much of a labour of love as it is a comfortable, casual and laid-back eatery that is very chilled. It gets the best aspects of both Melbourne and the Gold Coast for eating out. Quality is something that can't be compensated for, but the key difference is that in this part of the world, there is not a whole lot of rushing going on, therefore it is much more laid back and relaxed. You can just waltz on in here, and feel right at home.

I was down the coast staying with my parents for a few days, which coincided with it including Australia Day. and that was all at short notice (beginning of the week, I had no idea I would be here). During the time there, often there are walks outside to avoid getting cabin fever. While it was Australia Day, it was time to walk to the Strand and see what was open, and what was happening. What that included was getting a coffee out, which more or less was what was open by default. This was one of them, so first come first served basically. Also, this was going to be my shout as well.

It must have been a bit of a slow day, since there were not that many clientele in the cafe at the time - more did come in later on during the visit - and the waitress there was quite attentive. She was a friendly lass, and definitely was able to know her stuff when it came to customer service. There was the smiles, the welcoming demeanour, and attention to detail to boot.

For decor, the whole area is not very big. Also, there is not much ostentatious design about it either, opting for maybe one or two touches here and there, but for the most part it goes for the atmosphere above the aesthetics and works out well enough. The front door and front window are wide open during the opening hours to ensure a good sea breeze, plus that small touch also adds to a communal feeling that turns it from standard to a candidate to be "the local". The way the tables are set up, it is communal and anyone sits anywhere. Going around the perimeter wall is one long booth. Jars of sugar adorn each table, and a few plants add a bit of freshness to it.

The menu here is a bit standard, or more of a collection of standards from cafes nowadays. It probably has changed from time to time, but a general idea of what you could get is as follows: sandwiches, brunch items (mostly the same old stuff), there is "bread or bowl" which is presumably either a salad or a sandwich, bar snacks, and a range of sweet treats in the cabinet. When it comes to the drinks, you have the usual coffee, plus teas, and a range of milkshakes flavours, plus lagers and ales, then most of the general sodas. For what it is, and somewhere to appease the kids, this is definitely way better than other alternatives.

So getting to the most important aspect first, that was the coffee. The blend that they use comes from Melbourne - much like the owners - and it is called "Blackboard". I might have tried that coffee down in Melbourne at one point, and if I did it is not one that I was paying much attention to. Over time I might be able to develop an opinion, and from this coffee, it was not too bad. Something about the Melbourne-based coffee blends seems less about putting the jolt all out in the drink, and more about getting the flavour first, then it has a slight bit of strength to it. The coffee here was well extracted, had a decent crema, and was a good temperature.

My parents got a muffin to share, and it was orange-almond from memory. As for me, it was none other than a chocolate brownie. Both of these were tasty. First off, with the muffin, it was soft and had a great flavour in the cake part of it. The texture was moist, the flavour was apparent and it was not quite sweet either - part of why my parents often go for this flavour above others. The brownie was also good, though maybe a bit overcooked in parts. Still, it had a rich taste, there was heaps of chocolate in it, plus the finish with icing sugar is a nice touch. What can't be denied with either is the serving size, which is more than generous to go alongside a cup of tea or coffee. That makes quite the degree of difference, and it is definitely a recommendation if that is what you are feeling like to eat.

So, this was more or less just for a coffee and cake than anything else. Both of those were good quality, and the service was another gold star for further recommending Griffith Street Larder. This is more of the same, albeit at a high level of quality, but nothing too much to distinguish it beyond being capable on its own merits. For that reason, the 4.0 rating is the one that is standing here. I am sure that the breakfasts are fantastic, and that Griffith Street Larder has its own fan base. For me, while that is understandable, there are plenty more options around the place.

TL;DR: Griffith Street Larder simply is another one in a long line of eateries, that while it is technically quite a good cafe, there is not that much I can see to put it away from the others. You have the usual breakfast and brunch options from most cafes, perhaps a little trendier, and it is not without some strengths including the service and the set-up. This is made to attract the local clientele, and it has the homely atmosphere to it that adds a bit more towards the whole experience. From a non-biased perspective, it does well enough and will certainly find its audience.

Kylie and Dennis Bastos'...purchase of the already successful Larder has brought a renewed sense of enthusiasm to the casual sidewalk café located on the ground floor of The Strand, Coolangatta... the team has made some important changes to the menu, especially in the ‘All-Day Breakfast’ section, broadening it and adding new items. While the Smashed Avo and Hash Bene are still there, locals appreciate the increased range of mainstream breakfasts, from Bircher Meusli to the Hearty Breakfast Bowl. “Queenslanders are embracing fresh, clean and healthy food. They’re also looking for and enjoying new concepts in food, which is great. But besides being healthy, people want to mix up what they eat,” Kylie tells us. “A lot of goodness and some naughty treats as well.”

Went here for lunch after the movies at around 2pm. Pulled Pork on Turkish Bread was nice. Coffees need to just be that little bit warmer so they last for a chat and bite to eat, maybe mention this when ordering. Hot Chips are yummo. Husband had the chicken/avo on Turkish and this was really nice also.

Coffee Quality. This casual cafe eatery has an airy and modern feel with high ceilings as well as indoor and outdoor seating. If you are indoor, you need to appreciate the ever present music to stay for something to eat. Ordering just coffee, I noted the cafe uses Blackboard Coffee from nearby Varsity Lakes. Our short black and long blacks were served with a fine crema, indicating quality and priced such at $4. The coffee initially had a citrus acidity on the palate that was balanced later by rich caramel/molasses flavours and a smooth finish. Other menu items look interesting on the sweet side with the signature caramel infused (via syringe) doughnuts and a range of sandwiches and salads. Breakfast is served all day and the cafe is open 7am-5pm. Other drinks include craft beers, tea and fruit drinks. My return visit will involve eating so, for my ears, I will take and order from an outdoor seat.