Castaway Cafe
Jacobs Well
Castaway Café is a hidden gem found in the quaint fishing village of Jacobs Well, half way between Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
Located on Pimpama-Jacobs Well Road, after a short, scenic drive through fields of sugar cane, this cute, cottage café - with indoor and outdoor dining - features stunning murals by renowned Australian artist and local Donald James Waters.
Open six days a week for breakfast and lunch, Castaway is child and dog friendly. Customers can enjoy well-brewed coffee (roasted by Blackstar in the West End) while kids can sip scrumptious milkshakes made with house made syrup - salted caramel, chocolate peppermint, peanut butter and maple, strawberry jam, and blueberry and vanilla. Fresh juices, smoothies and frappes round out the drinks menu.
Popular breakfast fare includes homemade cinnamon crumpets with warm apple compote, maple syrup and walnut crumble, and sweet potato waffles with tomato salsa, avocado and poached egg; while hearty appetites can tuck into the Big Breakfast of crispy bacon, chorizo sausage, free range eggs, garlic field mushrooms, roasted tomato and bubble and squeak roastie.
Lunch options range from slow braised brisket burgers on brioche buns with bacon, cheddar cheese, horseradish aioli and caramelised onions and reuben sandwiches (corned beef, onion jam, pickled cabbage and Gruyere cheese on rye) to gourmet jaffles.
Or just enjoy a sweet treat, made by local baker Cakes and Things. There’s cupcakes - in heavenly flavours like salted caramel and white chocolate, cookies and cream, and lemon meringue – peanut butter brownies, orange syrup cake and gluten free dark cherry chocolate frangipane tart.
Afterwards, take a stroll along the esplanade, drop a fishing line off the jetty or have a dip at the small beach with enclosed swimming area.
By Deb Lidster
The menu may have changed since our visit.