Overview
Brisbane's newest all-day eatery comes with some serious interstate credibility, with Sydney favourite Devon opening its doors at Mount Gravatt. Setting up shop at Garden City shopping centre, the cafe's new digs mark its first venture into Queensland — and first outside of Sydney, too, where its three locations have built up a devoted following.
Visitors to Devon's 80-seater Brissie spot will soon find out why. While views of the shopping centre's water feature, a bleached timber and concrete fit-out, and communal tables and banquette seating all await in the city's south, it's Devon's menu that keeps attracting devotees much further down south. The cafe hasn't brought its multiple types of katsu with it; however, it is slinging plenty of other signature dishes that have proven a hit in Sydney.
Among the highlights: the Croissant St Denis, an omelette with blue swimmer crab and salmon, bisque beurre blanc, caviar and finely chopped herbs, all served in a fresh croissant; plus Breakfast with the Sakumas, which features miso-marinated king salmon, an eel croquette, a 63-degree egg, kewpie mayo and furikake. Other daytime standouts include brioche French toast with mango and frosted corn flakes, a 'yakuza' burger with either a chargrilled beef patty or fried chicken, and baked eggs with yellow lentil dhal, broccolini, cauliflower, kale, curry leaves and grated haloumi.
After a two-hour aperitivo selection each afternoon — think marinated olives, whipped roe and calamari with green nahm jim — the dinner range features the likes of crispy pork hocks with steamed bao, slow-roasted lamb neck on the bone, and squid ink angel hair pasta with mussels, crab and mentaiko cream sauce. Executive chef Zacharay Tan is also keen to incorporate Queensland seafood and produce, and to offer up Queensland-exclusive dishes, such as the grilled Hervey Bay scallops with kombu butter, potatoes and caviar.
Drinks-wise, as well as getting caffeinated from Devon's house-blend coffee, customers can sip matcha lattes, iced teas, bubble teas with cheese foam, freshly squeezed juices and milkshakes. Or, with the venue slinging alcohol all day, to peruse the beer, wine and cocktail list. And as for dessert, the cafe's soft serve has quite the reputation, including for its sweet-and-savoury combo with hot chips.
Find Devon Cafe at Westfield Garden City, 2049 Logan Road, Upper Mt Gravatt. Its's open Monday–Tuesday 7am–4pm, Wednesday–Saturday 8am–10pm and Sunday 8am–4pm.