The Gardens Club

Why it matters: tucked into the heritage Curators Cottage inside Brisbane’s City Botanic Gardens, this not-for-profit cafe is run by the Wise Foundation, whose hospitality program gives people from refugee and asylum-seeker backgrounds six months of paid training and work. Established in 2014, it channels its profits back into community programs, so a coffee here directly funds the mission. The setting is as much the draw as the food – a shady garden terrace, riverside greenery and a dog-friendly courtyard. Local tip: come mid-morning on a weekday for the quietest tables, then stroll the surrounding gardens afterward.