Canteen Kitchen & Coffee

The dual delights of Canteen Coffee and Kitchen are tucked into the laneway and courtyard garden between James Street and Park Avenue in Burleigh’s popular foodie precinct.

With Canteen Coffee recognised as one of Australia’s premier espresso bars serving freshly roasted signature espresso blend and house baked goods from dawn daily, complemented by the modern Middle-Eastern inspired menu of Canteen Kitchen, this duo serve some of the best espresso coffee and café food in Burleigh Heads.  

Canteen combines Melbourne laneway coffee-shop ambience with an open-plan breezy Burleigh feel, offering plush booth and bench home-style indoor seating and rustic timber and railway-inspired shaded outside settings. The outdoor area features a vertical garden and big brass and stone sink, handy for filling a bowl for your pooch to drink.

Canteen Coffee’s pride comes from sourcing in-season coffee beans with two offerings roasted fresh on demand.  Their Signature Espresso Blend offers syrupy full-bodied notes of dark chocolate, berries, toffee and spice, while their Single Origin beans are in season, premium and traceable coffees, with different selections sourced weekly. This café is well-known as a staple for excellent blends amongst the Gold Coast’s coffee-loving community.  If you’re seeking an alternative beverage, try the west African hot chocolate with Madagascar vanilla or their spiced chai or turmeric latte.  And of course, there’s a huge array of mid-Eastern inspired premium teas, including Chamellia iced teas and fermented teas.

Canteen Kitchen complements the superb coffee, serving early morning meals from afresh and modern menu influenced by traditional Middle Eastern flavours and produce. The Kitchen’s menu features Eastern twists on classics, such as avocado with pistachio dukkah on sourdough, caramelised banana with honey labneh, Cumin scramble with chilli smoked trout, and a locals’ favourite - egg benedict on za-atar Turkish bread with either lamb kofta or avocado. There is also a chef’s special and a selection of house-baked patisseries worth sampling.

With a ‘walk in’ seating policy no reservations are required, so if you’re grabbing a coffee and quick bite, or looking for a cosy corner to sit and enjoy a flavourful meal, it’s worth seeking out this best-kept Burleigh secret.

By Michaela Lyons