Thirty-Seven Cafe
Bundamba
Thirty-Seven Café is an absolute jewel of an eatery in an historic Bundamba store that makes the perfect pitstop en route from Brisbane into Ipswich city.
For as long as anyone can remember the Bundamba newsagency occupied the old shop and now it has new life as a charming café with a Vietnamese flavour and an al fresco deck under an old fig tree.
Run by Anh, whose family also owns My Pho Bar in Jindalee, Thirty-Seven Cafe is a breath of fresh air, spotlessly clean and beautifully decked out with pine and white furniture, vases of flowers on tables, trays of fresh-baked goodies on the counter and, as back wall features, the shop’s original antique stove and a retro bicycle.
The menu here is an all-day breakfast and lunch combo, quirkily divided into sections according to origin of food: From the Grain, From the Chicken, From the Pig, From the Cow, From the Farm, From the Garden and From the Sea.
From the Grain, there’s a choice of Sour dough with spreads or fruit toast, From the Chicken - Eggs scrambled, with sour dough or Chicken Pho, From the Pig – Pulled Pork Sliders or Savoury Mince with baked eggs and beans, chilli, chorizo and sour dough and From the Cow – Beef Pho or Beef Stew (slow-cooked beef and carrot with sourdough).
Piece de Resistance would have to be ‘From the Farm’ – a staggeringly large breakfast platter for 2 or 3 (or, to our minds, 4) – a stack of country style bacon, potato cakes, fried eggs, chorizo, grilled haloumi and tomatoes, sautéed mushrooms, baked beans and sour dough.
For something lighter choose From the Garden – Vege Sliders, Avocado, rocket, lemon and feta on sour dough or the highly recommended Granola with vanilla yoghurt, lemon curd, seasonal fruit, honey and milk.
Otherwise, ‘From the Sea’ there’s Fish, Chips, Salad, lemon and tartare or one of Café Thirty-Seven’s delicious signatures – Soft Shell Crab Sliders with salad and aioli.
Just like the food at Thirty-Seven Cafe, the drinks are a work of art – try the Coconut Bay – fresh coconut with pineapple and lychee – or the Juice Shots – a colourful rack of all 6 cold pressed juices served in shot glasses.
Coffee here is well-brewed Merlo and there’s also Vietnamese Iced Coffee (black or white), Hot or Iced Lemon or Lychee tea, loose leaf teas and Smoothies such as peanut butter and banana.
In addition, there’s a selection of lighter options behind the counter: ham and cheese croissants, bacon & egg sandwiches and sweet daily baked stuff like chocolate brownies, Earl Grey Tea Cake and Banana Cake.
Nice to know – Thirty-Seven Café is super child-friendly, with high chairs, plenty of room for prams, and a Little Ones Menu of Ham & Cheese Toastie, Bacon and Egg with sour dough or Crumbed Fish with chips and salad. There’s also babycinos, mini cup cakes and sweet treats behind the counter and a hotel quality onsite toilet.
Need to know – Off-street parking is available at the rear of Thirty-Seven Cafe. Entry is via Braeside Rd (just off Brisbane Rd).
And, for more great things to see and do in Ipswich, visit Discover Ipswich HERE.
The menu may have changed since our visit.
