The Gallery Soho

Best coffee and bacon-​and-​egg sandwiches in the area.

Great place for a quick break in a busy section of town.

Though looking nothing at all like London’s Soho, or anywhere near as pricey, the coffees here are pretty darn nice.
Perched right on the edge of the busy Old Cleveland Road, it’s hardly a relaxing environment, despite the hard work of potted plants and rustic wooden benches which attempt to bring you back to nature. Personally, I would’ve preferred the bench to bring me back to the table, as I felt I nearly had to stand to reach my knife and fork to my tomato bruschetta. Ambience aside, the food & coffees are pretty nice.
The bruschetta ($ 12) was a substantial size (despite featuring on the «snacks» part of the menu) and was delivered to my table promptly. Service is friendly enough, though a smile wouldn’t go amiss. Many places can’t balance the flavours of a bruschetta well — but this place has got it down pat — with a minimal amount of Spanish onions; lots of basil and diced tomatoes; balsamic glaze and several dollops of buffalo mozzarella, served up on olive sourdough.
For you keeno breakfast heads, there’s an all day breakfast menu, though I’d take full advantage of the «all day» part, as sitting beside this road during rush hour would not be a pleasant experience. Car fumes mixed with poached eggs doesn’t sound quite like a winning combination.

The shops along this stretch of Old Cleveland Road surprise me. At one end you have the tacky Busway Markets that are struggling to stay alive; at the other, you have this chic, metropolitan café that could easily be situated in one of Brisbane’s trendier suburbs like Paddington or New Farm. It’s refreshing to find it here in Coorparoo and based on the crowds it attracts, it’s local residents think so too.
Being situated on busy Old Cleveland Road could be seen as a shortcoming, but The Gallery Soho combats the car noise with its urban garden, built into the wooden footpath seating. The car noise can still be a bit intrusive at times throughout the day, but at least you’re sitting amidst the greenery, sniffing the delicious smells emanating from the interior of the café.
I haven’t tried the food, but the coffee is good and at $ 3.50 for a flat white, not badly priced. If you live nearby, wander on down, it’s a great spot.