Venture down along Griffith Street and you’ll eventually stumble upon Rockleigh Cafe’s crisp white facade. A stark contrast to its surrounds, the new coastal farmhouse-inspired cafe popped up about eight weeks ago but has been propagating in Ben’s mind for far longer – about three years to be exact. His vision was to create a venue that brings something different yet comfortingly familiar to Coolangatta’s burgeoning breakfast scene and the end result does not disappoint. The sizzle of the eggs popping on the grill and the hiss of the coffee machine resonates throughout the narrow timber-clad establishment while Ben mans the coffee machine at the front, greeting regulars by name.

The modest menu is a reflection of Ben’s favourite dishes collected from his travels with some input from chef Mitch Hadi and offers a new twist on breakfast and lunch staples such as homemade crumpets drizzled with syrup and peanut butter instead of the traditional pancake option. The Nourish bowl with quinoa, kale, spinach, haloumi, two poached eggs and toasted pine nuts is also a popular choice. Testament to Ben’s country roots, the produce is sourced as locally as possible with the fruit and veg coming from the Tweed coast and the meat from the butcher down the road. Everything that can be made in-house is, including the jam and peanut butter. The menu will change seasonally so if you’re keen to hoe into some crumpets (and trust us when we say that you should definitely do that), we suggest you pay Rockleigh Cafe a visit sooner rather than later.

For opening hours and contact details, see our Stumble Guide.