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Restaurant

Carolina Cafe & Bar

11 Nicholson St, Brunswick East VIC 3057, Australia

Recommended by 29 people

Updated

Find Carolina Cafe & Bar

11 Nicholson St, Brunswick East VIC 3057, Australia

Directions ↗
+61 405 348 618
HoursMonday: 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM Tuesday: 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM Wednesday: 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM Thursday: 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM Friday: 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM, 5:00 – 10:00 PM Saturday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM, 5:00 – 10:00 PM Sunday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM

*Opening hours may differ during holidays.

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About Carolina Cafe & Bar

Brunswick East’s Carolina Cafe & Bar pairs queer community energy with sunny daytime brunch in a leafy rear courtyard. Patrons flock here for weekend drag shows, bottomless drink packages, and well-pulled espresso away from Nicholson Street’s traffic hum. The kitchen turns out hearty plates like slow-cooked beef brisket eggs Benedict over house-made rostis alongside fresh nourish bowls. Midweek visits bring a quieter daytime pace with signature cocktails and golden hashbrowns in the garden.

  • Queer Events & Drag Shows: High-energy drag brunches and evening drag trivia hosted in a dedicated LGBTQ+-friendly space.
  • Secluded Garden Courtyard: A leafy outdoor sanctuary out back offering quiet seating away from street noise.
  • Weekday & Weekend Bottomless Brunch: Daytime packages running Wednesday through Saturday with signature cocktails and hearty brunch dishes.
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What's On at Carolina Cafe & Bar

Upcoming events, special menus and other reasons to plan a visit.

No events or specials listed right now.

Why Choose Carolina Cafe & Bar

Discover why locals choose Carolina Cafe & Bar for daytime celebrations and quiet escapes

  • Queer-Centered Drag Entertainment

    Carolina Cafe & Bar hosts regular drag brunches and themed daytime community events that celebrate local performers in an inclusive setting.

    Huge shoutout to the staff and venue who have created a great atmosphere and progressive and queer friendly space

    J W

  • Community-Focused Social Gatherings

    Drag-led trivia nights and weekend gatherings offer guests an energetic, affirming space to connect with friends and community.

    Such a great queer bar, really fun drag shows and lovely staff!

    Rose O Sullivan

  • Secluded Rear Garden Courtyard

    Tucked behind the venue, the rear outdoor garden provides an open-air retreat insulated from street and city commotion.

    Upon entry we made our way to the incredible courtyard, tucked away from the sounds of the city.

    Genevieve Cox

  • Peaceful Open-Air Atmosphere

    Ample outdoor backyard seating offers a spacious, tranquil environment to enjoy morning coffee and brunch in Brunswick East.

    Heaps of space out back too in the cute courtyard.

    Hyperion

  • Cocktail-Fueled Bottomless Brunch

    Multi-day bottomless brunch sessions from Wednesday through Saturday pair inventive signature cocktails with daytime dining.

    The drink choices were great, we got to try their signature cocktails & the staff were very attentive.

    Millie Cleary

  • Celebratory Daytime Dining Packages

    Hearty, creative brunch dishes like beef brisket eggs benedict and nourish bowls elevate celebratory daytime outings.

    Food and services were amazing! We really enjoyed our bottomless brunch.

    Crystal H

Customer favorites and daytime brunch staples

  • Beef brisket eggs benedict

    The Beef Brisket Eggs Benedict was delicious. The slow-cooked beef brisket was cooked to perfection and served on house-made rostis, yum!

    Kristen

  • Nourish bowl

    My friend had the nourish bowl which was super filling & tasty despite seeming to be the lightest option.

    Millie Cleary

  • Chicken toastie

    The chicken toastie was so awesome, it's too bad I'm not from the area because I'm gonna be craving that

    Tess Ferguson

  • Chilli scramble

    Chilli scramble was amazing.

    Hyperion

Other favorites

Specialty drinks and sides to complete your visit

  • Bratcha latte

    The bratcha was very nice and very on-trend.

    Kristen

  • Mimosa

    the bartender went out of his way and made me a mimosa with fresh juice even though it wasn’t on the menu for the day, which was very appreciated.

    RJ

  • Hashbrown

    the hashbrown, no word of a lie, was one of the best i’ve had.

    Genevieve Cox

  • Schnitzel

    the schnitzel was yum

    Bernie The hungry

Beyond the menu

Thoughtful touches and community-driven details that make visits memorable

  • Custom Fish Latte Art

    Baristas take extra creative care with beverage presentation, serving coffee accented with custom fish latte art.

  • Off-Menu Custom Mimosas

    Staff happily go beyond the printed drink list to handcraft custom off-menu mimosas using fresh juice upon request.

  • Resident Drag Entertainment

    The venue hosts dedicated drag brunches featuring live performances from local drag artists like Xena Ghost and Barbi Ganoush.

  • Themed Brat Brunch & Matcha Specials

    The team organizes creative pop-culture themed daytime programming, such as Brat matcha latte specials paired with themed brunches.

Frequently Asked Questions

Visit Midweek for a Quieter Bottomless Brunch

Bottomless brunch runs Wednesday through Saturday between 10am and 3pm, with Thursday afternoons offering a notably calmer, less crowded dining pace.

Head to the Rear Courtyard for Secluded Seating

Head straight out back upon arrival to snag a table in the garden courtyard, which provides a secluded setting away from street noise with both sunny and shaded spots.

Explore Vegan and Flexible Bowl Options

The venue caters to various diets with vegan items, filling nourish bowls, and optional add-on proteins like chicken.

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