Inside Merlo Bowen Hills, where three decades of coffee-making come together
You’ve seen the blue cups at cafes across Brisbane, but did you know that Merlo does more than just coffee? At the roaster’s flagship torrefazione in Bowen Hills, locals can not only quaff cup after cup of specialty brew, but also devour Mediterranean-inspired brunch plates and bakery fresh pastries. This multifaceted cafe gives guests a taste of everything Merlo does best, all under one roof.
Before Merlo became a coffee-roasting powerhouse, it started as a small inner-city espresso bar. Seeking to give Brisbane locals a taste of the European-style coffee-drinking experience, founder Dean Merlo set the tone early, offering warm and attentive service alongside every shot pulled.
Since those early days, Merlo has expanded considerably. Now recognised as one of Australia’s leading independently owned and operated coffee roasters, Merlo beans can be seen on the shelves at more than 1500 cafes across the country.
But even as Merlo evolved into a country-spanning juggernaut, Dean and his team have stayed true to the brand’s personable origins. The Merlo portfolio includes 16 flagship cafes, ranging from quick-service drive-throughs to its torres – short for torrefaziones, or Italian roasting houses.
It’s at these bricks-and-mortar outposts that Dean Merlo’s original hospitality philosophy is maintained and expressed, with Merlo’s Bowen Hills flagship bringing all aspects of the business together.
Today, the Thompson Street outpost houses a roasting setup, a dine-in cafe, an early-morning service window and Merlo’s baking arm, Milano Bakehouse. Originally a hole-in-the-wall coffee shop fronting a warehouse operation, Merlo Bowen Hills has been upgraded in recent years, turning it into a one-stop shop for anyone looking to enjoy the complete Merlo experience.
“We see ourselves definitely as the diamond store of Merlo,” says Bowen Hills manager, Ben. “If you come to Merlo Bowen Hills, you’ll see what Merlo’s capable of. This is the most complete experience.”
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The Merlo experience, typically, starts with coffee. With the roastery visible from the cafe, guests can rest easy knowing the brew they enjoy is as fresh as can be. Merlo’s entire spectrum of coffees is available here, with cold brew cravers and latte lovers catered for.
“Bowen Hills carries everything that we roast in-house,” explains Ben. “Here you will get a great selection of our single-origins, our personally collected and produced blends and our rotating Bean of the Month.”
Beyond coffee, Merlo Bowen Hills also serves specialty beverages, including iced matcha, vanilla sweet cream-topped cold brew and cold-pressed juices. There’s also an alcohol menu, featuring French champagne, Australian whites, Italian reds and a Merlo coffee-infused espresso martini.
In the kitchen, head chef Matthew Knoll is applying his considerable talents (honed at Michelin-starred restaurants in New York and as a private chef for the likes of Madonna) to a Mediterranean-inspired menu that traverses breakfast and lunch staples.
“[Matt] brings an incredible knowledge of food, an incredible knowledge of dishes,” says Ben. “He’s found suppliers that bring in that higher quality sliced meats and fruit and veg product.”
Highlights on the Merlo Bowen Hills menu include three-egg omelettes with prawns, nduja and shallot served with vodka sauce, slow-cooked oats with poached apple, pistachio, crumble and Canadian maple syrup, and house-rolled ricotta cavatelli with roasted butternut squash, leek and sage, finished with brown butter sauce and pancetta crumb.
These dishes are backed by a selection of baked goods from Milano Bakehouse, a significant baking operation launched in 2025.
Led by French-born baker Thomas Meneau, Milano Bakehouse crafts 30 different sweet pastries and 25 breads for Merlo’s cafe operations, many of which can be sampled at the Bowen Hills cafe. In addition to hand-made buttery croissants and toasty cinnamon scrolls, Milano’s breads are used for the cafe’s sandwiches – ideal fare for those on the move.
All told, Merlo Bowen Hills isn’t simply an extension of the Merlo brand – it’s a community-focused destination that ticks all the boxes that a neighbourhood cafe should.
While the scale of the operation has changed considerably since Dean first opened his espresso bar, the fundamentals of the Merlo experience remain much the same: good coffee, quality food and a warm welcome.
“We want you to come to Merlo Bowen Hills and see what Merlo’s capable of,” says Ben.
This International Coffee Day on Thursday October 1, every Merlo-owned cafe will be offering a buy one get one free deal between 1:00–3:00 pm.
In addition to this, Merlo will also be selling bags of its new limited-release Brazil Geisha via its website. Boasting aromas of jasmine, hibiscus and coffee blossom, and flavour notes of grape, blueberry and dried fruits, the bright, medium-bodied brew features excellent balance. Bags are only available for a limited time, while stocks last. Head to the Merlo website for more info.
This article is written in partnership with our friends at Merlo.
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