GROUND Alchemy

GROUND Alchemy is a café on Merthyr Road in New Farm, Brisbane, built around good coffee, wholesome food and a slower kind of everyday visit. Its menu brings together specialty coffee, breakfast and brunch favourites, seasonal bowls, cabinet food, cakes, slices, smoothies, teas and wellness-focused drinks. There are also gluten-free and vegetarian choices, with food available to enjoy in or take away. A retail shelf adds a considered selection of wellness goods for those wanting to pick up something beyond the café menu.

The space is designed for different kinds of visits. You can call in for a morning coffee, settle into the garden lounge, grab something nourishing between errands or meet friends on the weekend. The café includes a long timber service bar, polished wood tables, bench seating and forest-green velvet chairs, with an alfresco-inspired area beyond the double doors. High ceilings, fresh air, earthy tones and European-style tiles give it a calm, leafy feel without making it feel overly formal.

There is a clear community and wellness thread running through the venue. Ground Alchemy was created by Britt Ayling and launched in 2022 as a reimagining of a New Farm specialist coffee café that had operated for five years. Her background in design, hospitality and business shaped a space intended to support health, happiness and connection. The café’s story also highlights an Espresso Elixir Bar, an organic wholefood menu, health and wellness retail, and soulful music events, reflecting an interest in food, creativity and community collaboration.

With seating for quiet moments as well as catch-ups, GROUND Alchemy suits solo visitors, friends, families and people looking for somewhere to work for a while. The website also describes families, friends and furry companions spending time in the alfresco area. It is open daily, with weekday and Saturday service from 6.30am to 2pm and Sunday service from 7am to 1pm. The venue has a 4.4 Google rating from 201 reviews, offering an established local option for coffee, brunch and nourishing café fare in New Farm.