Eating Out: Central Cafe

111 Monaro Street
Queanbeyan NSW 2620
Ph: 02 6297 1335
Website

When I say I "lived" in Canberra, I spent at least half of that time actually living in Queanbeyan. Now, many will scoff, but Queanbe-hole does have its advantages - and the Central Cafe is definitely one of them. It was my place of choice for breakfasts (and also my brother's choice, when he visited), did a good lunch, and also put on a great dinner. They have a "light eater" menu, but also cater to those with a more bottomless stomach with "king size" meals - and they really are huge. But the breakfasts at this place are what I love.

Once upon a time I would happily tuck into the "small" bacon, eggs, and sausage breakfast. It was a big plate, with rashers of bacon, several sausages, eggs however you wanted them, tomato, mushrooms, hash browns on request... erg, so much food, but sooo good. And, once upon a time, I could polish off that whole plate - or have a damn good try at it. Sadly, that much pig-meat and grease would now leave me quite ill. But there's a whole range of fry-up brekkies, or omelettes, or other breakfast-type foods. A few months before I moved to Melbourne I'd started in on their omelette range, and ended up sticking to that almost exclusively.

But I digress - N and I rocked up one morning just after opening so I could have my first CC breakfast in a little over 3 years.

I was so worried that it wouldn't live up to my memories. Silly me.


N was craving something a little lighter, so ordered one of their open sandwiches, with fillings customised for her - ham, avocado, tomato, and cheese, served up with chunky fries (a staple at CC). Her verdict - yum.


I gave in to hankering for a ham and cheese omelette. Despite the kitchen having some small morning-reading problems (what first came out was ham and cheese toasted sandwich), I was quickly given my (correct) breakfast. Oooooohhhhh... so full of ham-y cheese-y goodness. I spied a fry-up plate go past our table, and it looks like that hasn't changed either. I had a quick look at the rest of the menu too - looks like little has changed since I was last there. But when you've got an extensive menu, and can do everything on it well, why change it?

Central Cafe isn't the type of place you go for fine dining, and it doesn't try to be. But for a good honest meal between 8am and 9.30pm, any day of the week, at a decent price, can you really ask for anything more?