Harvest Cafe

Harvest Moon is one of Burleigh Head’s hidden gems – rustic whole food café Harvest by day and funky Brit style Moon Bar by night, found tucked away in the James St Arcade.

Harvest the cafe is a local fave for breakfast and lunch, thanks to its hearty wholesome food (just what the surfer ordered), the friendly tribe of staff, some of whom are ex-customers who liked the place so much they wanted to work there, and the laidback hand-crafted lounge setting.

The handcrafted vibe doesn’t end with the furniture and fittings (many of which were designed and made by the owner and friends) but carries over to the fresh locally sourced menu, with the delicious Big Breakfast featuring premise-smoked bacon, house-made beans and free-range pork sausages (made especially for Harvest) along with free range eggs.

Other highly recommended choices include Huevos Rancheros (house beans, pimento and onion with chorizo, baked egg and chipotle sauce, free range scrambled eggs with smoked salmon,Breakfast Burger (crispy bacon and free range eggs)  or the best Bircher Muesli on the south coast with the secret ingredient house-made honey labna.

Come lunchtime Harvest is renowned for its burgers  - try the grass fed free range beef burger or the Chicken with Jerk marinade – including a special GF bunless burger that comes in a cabbage and carrot casing with Japanese dressing.

Otherwise the salads pack a punch, especially the popular Nonya chicken salad of fresh smoked chicken slices, crispy green apple, walnut, dried cranberries and mild curry house dressing.

Coffee at Harvest is a well-brewed and lightly roasted affair to suit just about everyone (particularly espresso drinkers) and hails from Byron bay’s boutique Marvell St Coffee Roasters.

To round the drinks off, there’s also smoothies and a great range of freshly squeezed juice and vege combos.

Need to know: Harvest is open for light dinners on Friday & Saturday nights with a small menu of blackboard specials. Come sundown, the must visit Moon Bar ‘rises’ from the neighbouring room and spills out into the day café area.