Poppy's Basket

Poppy's Basket
166, Grey St, South Brisbane



I went to high school near Southbank so whether the faculty liked it or not, it was the local hang out for us growing up. After school, my girlfriends and I would frequent the artificial beach and accompanying stores. Favorites included the lolly shop, ice-cream store (NZ Natural anyone?) and the obligatory water-front fish and chips.

To this day, I have a soft spot for Southbank. It's the place where I learned to like coffee (I admit that I started by easing myself in with the addition of sugar and/or cocoa powder) and also the location of my first chocolate croissant.



One of my oldest friends for year 8 told me about chocolate croissants at Poppy's. When I revisited that cafe recently, I thought of her.


Poppies has 2 entrances, plus indoor and outdoor dining areas. There's a bakery part, a salad and sandwich bar and also gourmet groceries on offer.

Tempting as it was, I didn't get any pastries but instead was tossing up between a salad, yogurt or customized sandwich. As the laws of indecision would have it, I ended up choosing a chickpea and pumpkin patty with salad. My friend was in a milkbar mood and chose a pepper steak pie and a strawberry milkshake.

Pepper steak pie

I've lost the photo of the pie intact but this is a saucy inside shot. The verdict on the pie was mediocre mainly because the pastry was undercooked on the bottom and the filling was lukewarm. Apparently the taste was alright though (albeit very peppery).

Strawberry milkshake

The strawberry milkshake was well-received to the point that my friend even considered following up with another one.

Chickpea and pumpkin patty with rye toast and crunchy salad

I really liked the patty. It was soft and slightly crunchy on the outside. Very vegetably and flavorsome. The accompanying rye toast and vegetable salad were alright but unexciting. I liked the balsamic dressing though.

The best thing about Poppy's is the laid back, cheery and casual environment. Even without the added nostalgia of past experiences, you can't help but feel relaxed. It's a wonderful place for meeting up with friends or chilling out with your own cuppa.