Located just a stone’s throw away from big-sister venue The Roastery Cafe, new espresso bar The Dugout on Ernest is luring in students and South Bank strollers thick and fast. After nabbing the tiny garage of a church precinct in South Brisbane, owner Brent Carrall underwent some serious renovations to get the space up to scratch. Brent and his team literally ‘dug out’ the earth beneath the building to allow for extra headroom, crafted a small deck, commissioned local legends Frank + Mimi to work their magic on the walls – and The Dugout on Ernest was born.

A condensed version of The Roastery’s menu is available at the new site, including the lemony fetta, avocado and house dukkah on toasted sourdough; honey-toasted Bircher muesli with fresh berries, CoYo and berry chia compote; and kale salad with roasted Mediterranean vegetables, sweet potato and a citrus balsamic dressing. A bright yellow custom-painted La Marzocco coffee machine pumps out Rouge Coffee favourites, including the Time Killer house blend roasted up the road and available exclusively at the new espresso bar. Four versions of the popular Artisan Cold Brew, as well as Phoenix Organics and Charlie’s cold drinks are on hand for sticky Brisbane days. Snaffle a ready-made bacon-and-egg roll, free-range chicken sandwich, vanilla chia pudding or a Miss Bliss protein ball to one of the few coveted stools or take your treats away to South Bank or nearby Musgrave Park. Rouge Coffee beans and homebrew paraphernalia are also available for purchase.

For contact information and trading hours, check out our Stumble Guide.