Foodie Guide – Top Ipswich Must-Eat Places To Experience

It is always hard to find all the right spots when you visit a new place, but our foodie guide to Ipswich, Australia has that sorted. This great guide explains why many people get duped into booking the wrong accommodation or eating out in the wrong restaurants. However, this doesn’t have to be the case for you since we have created a detailed list of all the must-eat places you should experience while in Ipswich.

Hope this helps you find your way around this city that has slowly become a foodie destination.

The Foodie Guide to Ipswich, Australia is in no particular order

La Parilla  

Colombian cuisine is spicy, zesty & definitely hearty. There is definite use of rice and meat in their dishes, with a major focus on comfort food. You’ll never leave the table hungry.
Plus, there are dishes for vegetarians, gluten-free, and hearty meat-eaters.
The atmosphere at La Parilla is vibrant, and the service is friendly, and the best bit – the serves are generous!
So – when will you be experiencing this for yourself?

The Retro Diner

A must visit is to experience an authentic retro diner which gives the best of Australia’s dining experience. We had a wonderful experience here. Our cappuccino, which came in an Elvis mug, had the bold and robust flavour that we longed for. Of course our dog Oscar (Exploradog) was also well cared for as he got a bowl of fresh meat before getting another bowl of water to wash it all in – what a dog-friendly place! I love the fact that Retro Diner also has a special menu for kids: How about you get them some waffles served withice cream? All in all, we enjoyed every scoop, sip, and bite of our generously served breakfast.  

Dancing Bean Cafe

The Dancing Bean Café’s award-winning coffee is so refreshing and will leave you feeling alive. Here, the coffee is freshly roasted on-site, giving it a very beautiful aroma. You probably won’t find it anywhere else since this happens to be the only roastery in Ipswich. So, pop in and get yourself some freshly made breakfast. Enjoy your meal indoors as you appreciate the beautiful rustic interior or have it served on the patio in case you need some outdoor vibes. Meeting the manager, we found her to be very hospitable and we really our breakfast. I also loved the fact that this is a dog-friendly place and a definite place to add to ‘The Foodie Guide to Ipswich, Australia’. 

Sourdough Crust Co

Australia’s best sourdough crust pizza has arrived. Of course, you’ll find it at this newly launched Italian restaurant, the Sourdough Crust Co. Hope you are ready to awaken your taste buds with the fresh pizza served here. It has a unique sourdough crust that is impossible to achieve in modern ovens. Loved its smoky flavour and rich aroma. I recommend you get a take-home box and try baking your own sourdough crust pizza at home. We hope you get it right since these pizzas need to be woodfired to get the exact taste and flavour found here. All in all, we had a great experience at this restaurant. 

The Rusty Nail

The Rusty Nail bar has a very beautiful rustic industrial-style interior. A few steps downstairs ushers you into an underground wine barthat offers more space to customers. I loved how they’ve made everything fit beautifully inside this seemingly compact space. There is a larger sitting area outside to accommodate for the limited space inside the bar. So glad we booked a table inside and had a serving of their tapas, which was very delicious. We were privileged to make a new friend who was kind enough to take a photo of us at our request. 

Elderflower Café

The Elderflower Café has the type of ambience that most food lovers long for. It has some beautiful plants all around which I found to be very calming as I enjoyed my plate of scrumptious vegetarian breakfast. If visiting with children, then you will appreciate the blackboard and coloring supplies made available for them. Hope they have fun colouring their drawings. I enjoyed my cappuccino.

Jets Leagues Club

We had our traditional roast dinner at this awesome historic club, and loved every scoop of it. Our food was served near a fireplace, which made it a magical experience at Jets Leagues Club. The club’s full-bodied Pepper Jack Shiraz was well appreciated. You might want to consider applying for club membership to enjoy the discounts given to its members. I recommend you try the melt-in-your-mouth pavlova served after dinner. It is very nice. Loved it.

Tranquil Tea House – High Tea

If you love tea, then Dona, the owner of this tea house, will make you love it even more. She gets her tea from the rich tea estates of Sri Lanka and blends them right here in Ipswich. her tea is very rich in flavor and comes in different varieties. We enjoy our tea-tasting experience while here and had a chance to purchase some for home use. This tea house has a spacious indoor dining area with enough seats for up to 20 people. So come with as many people as you can for this wonderful experience. Please note that you’ll have to book your visit prior to the d-day. Hope you enjoy your visit with Tranquil Tea House. 

Barkley & Pips

A unique treasure to many dog owners, and a place I go to regularly. We appreciate the convenience of having our meals at the café as our Cavoodle gets groomed next door. I love how the café has a special dog menu that includes an interesting “puppaccino” diet that Oscar, the Exploradog, really loves. Definitely appreciate the doggy ball pen they provide as it gives the dog a chance to enjoy himself while here. I believe you will enjoy your time here at Barkley & Pips. And did I say how much we love their having their coffee, smoothies, and cake? Yum!

There you have it – 9 perfect spots for foodies in Ipswich.

Hope you enjoy your meals just as we’ve always enjoyed ours.

The best of Ipswich awaits you – enjoy The Foodie Guide to Ipswich, Australia and bookmark it to use as a great resource tool next time you visit..  

So, which would your favourite place to dine?