The hidden gems are always the best ones, and Gramercy Coffee is at the forefront of Brisbane’s cafe scene. Tucked away on a side entrance to the Wintergarden shopping centre, it can be easily overlooked as just a takeaway coffee outlet but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Gramercy’s sleek open frontage hides a small kitchen with a backdrop of shelving filled with house-made preserves in front of a cute tiled wall. A slanting ceiling on one end from a neighbouring staircase adds a cupboard-under-the-stairs vibe. Seating is very deceiving with just a handful of tables out the front of the cafe proper, the bulk of the tables are further up the arcade along with a recently constructed filter coffee bar.
The food menu is ever changing with a modest handful of breakfast and lunch options. Bacon was previously on the menu however some recent controversy has led to the substitution of some just as tasty cured jamon. On this visit I had a pulled pork ciabatta roll with pickled pineapple, jalapeños, mojo sauce, sour cream and butter lettuce with added jamon. Staff mentioned they hadn’t tried adding jamon to it before and were intrigued at the resulting flavour combination, and flavour combination it was. An eclectic, well balanced mix of sweet, sour and spice. The added jamon complimented the pulled pork, intensifying the flavours just that little bit more.
Coffee from Sydney’s Reuben Hills was on point for both the flat white and filter that I had ordered.
If anything, the service was a little hit and miss due to the arrangement of the seating with respect to the cafe proper. It sometimes took a short while for waitstaff to come by, but for a relaxing chill out afternoon this wasn’t a noticeable factor.
Gramercy Coffee is well on top of its game from its location, opening hours and experimental food style and is a must visit in Brisbane.