Ground Up Espresso Bar

Atmosphere is nice for a toowoomba café but the espresso is often served below an appropriate temperature with resulting lack of flavour.

While up in Toowoomba for a wedding we were in need for good coffee and breakfast. Tucked down a little laneway was Ground Up Espresso Bar, complete with graffiti turned into street art. They have kept their style to suit the street and it looks really inviting and lovely.
While busy, we managed to grab and table and go and order coffees and breakfast. Coffees (Toby’s Estate) came out almost straight away which was excellent and delicious; plus they have a window for take aways which probably reduced the pressure for dine in orders.
The food came out as it was cooked which was fine. I had the falafel roll that was AMAZING! Pumpkin, haloumi, avo and hummus! The rest of the meals were fresh, tasty and good serving sizes. Will be back if I’m up this way again.

Wow… What a find! We found this place through google and I backed it up with Unilocal reviews. This place is spot on… Probably the best Eggs Benedict I’ve ever had and I undoubtedly one of the best Latte’s ever.
Great job guys…
My only complaint is they do not have a bathroom for customers. I was directed down the street to a hotel.
Next time I’m in town, I’ll definitely revisit.

lovely shop lovely atmosphere, I had a brownie which was moist and full of flavor and my cappuccino was splendid would recommend 10 out of 10!

New fit out looks incredible, lots of extra space and fresh-​made food. Tick
Cold press coffee is perfectly delicious. Tick
Lots of new staff but also the same familiar faces. Could be good? We’ll wait and see
My only gripe: ITS A DIFFERENT BROWNIE. They’re making them in store now, which is good I guess, but the old brownies were sent from the heavens and I don’t know how I will live without them.
Other than that, keep on keeping on, team!

For many, coffee comes in a standard size with an expected flavour, strength and culture. Unfortunately, coffee is never satisfied with being kept in a box. Coffee is an evolving and fickle creature, seeking to delight the senses of those who exercise patience to unfold its hidden secrets.
Such comments can be afforded Ground Up Espresso Bar. It’s not a place where one can simply offer a review first time around. To understand its culture and appreciate what it has to offer, one needs to give it patience and understanding.
The coffee is good. It’s not great, but treated with respect by the barista gives a smooth and sweet flavour to delight the tastebuds. It might not satisfy those wanting their next caffeine high, but it will endure those who slow down and enjoy the sights, sounds and smells around.
Although the food is not substantial, it shouldn’t necessarily be so, it’s a coffee spot, not a foodie haven. Basic sandwiches made each day suffice for a quick hit-​and-​run, and tasty croissants for those who want something a little different. The must-​have, however, is the brownie. A whole brownie may be over-​indulgent, but a bite-​sized piece might be just right.
In closing, those who take the time to truly appreciate the various characteristics of coffee will find something here to suit them in the small, niche that is Ground Up.

on my way seeking Panini coffee shop I stumbled upon a cute little Melbourne-​esque laneway coffee shop with Tobys Estate signage so could not resist a cheeky piccollo on my way through.
All of Toowoomba’s hipsters were at the outdoor tables, it’s mainly pastries no breakfast type food my single origin soy pic was great. And a four buck bargain!

So, after a repeat visit expecting another weak coffee, I was pleasantly surprised to have a fab caffeine fix. They’ve definitely switched up the brew or the strength.
They’ve reduced the price of the croissant sandwiches (still don’t really appeal to me), but not as dear.
It’s getting quite popular, due to the late afternoon sun in the lane way, and the fab location in the CBD. I have to admit, it’s growing on me… Still pretentious, but at least the coffee is decent now!

Like I said, it was going to take more than one fleeting visit to get the feel for this café and not being a local, it’s been a long time in between visits. Fighting a bone-​chillingingly cold and wet morning we ventured to Ground Up and found comfort in their heated nook. It’s tiny, it works, let’s leave it at that. The coffee was good — caramel and milky. Decent. But what did it for me and won me over was their Guilty Pleasure croissant. Fresh baked. Warm. Nutella and fresh strawberries. Together. Bam. Yep, feel free to conclude that I’m easily bought. But when your body is slowly freezing and your levels of hanger are growing, well who wouldn’t eat up such a delicious morsel.

As a Melburnian, laneway cafes are like home to me — I mean, don’t you sometimes look at a café and think, «What the hell are you doing out in the open streetfront like that? Have you no shame? Get thee to a laneway!» (Even worse for bars — obviously if you can find them too easily they’re not worth going to, amirite, Melbourne peeps?)
Given my predilection for cafes of the laneway variety, Ground Up Espresso was already on my radar before I set foot in Toowoomba so that I knew I could have a little piece of home with me in some small way. I think the vibe of the café is spot-​on — the hole-​in-​the-​wall feel, the crates (with blankies out for the cooler weather, which I thought was a nice touch) and the cool tunes. I also found the service über-​friendly — I get the sense that the guys running it are so damned chuffed to have their own café, and I think that’s adorable.
As for the coffee, I would have to agree with the other reviews that it is on the weak side. The flavour was fine, but I did want more of a hit so I’ll try a double shot next time. They did, however, treat my soy well, which is not something one can say of all baristas. The sandwiches didn’t look all that appealing, but I did eye off the brownie bites and other sweet things for quite some time before mentally slapping myself on the wrist.
Essentially, I want to give Ground Up a metaphorical pat on the head. It needs a little more tweaking, especially on getting their roast to pack a little more punch, but its heart is in the right place.