You want brunch near Jacana without driving half the north-west for eggs and coffee. Start with 24 emus if you want the local pick, then use the rest of this list when Broadmeadows, Glenroy or Gladstone Park makes more sense.
The Verdict
24 emus is the Jacana brunch pick because it is actually in Jacana, has a perfect 5/5 rating from 34 Google reviews, and sits on Emu Parade rather than making you cross into the next suburb for a cafe that only counts as “Jacana” on a search map. If you only read one block, that is the answer: go local first, then widen the circle if you need a bigger menu, more reviews, or a dessert-heavy backup.
The best alternative is Coffeebaby on Ridgeway Avenue in Glenroy, which also has a 5/5 rating and slightly more review weight at 40 reviews. If you want the safer crowd-tested option, Koffy in Gladstone Park has the strongest review base among the top-ranked cafes here: 4.9/5 from 411 reviews, with a mid-range price tag. For a cheaper listed option, Twenty One Days Later in Glenroy is marked affordable and has a serious 455-review base at 4.7/5. The obvious trap is picking only by rating: The Common Bean Cafe - DPV and The Common Bean Cafe - Kangan both show perfect 5/5 scores, but with 4 and 3 reviews respectively, so treat them as promising, not proven. Don’t make Indulge Waffles and Desserts your standard brunch move unless you actually want waffles and sweets; with 863 reviews it is popular, but it is a different mission from coffee-and-breakfast.
Local Reality
Jacana brunch is really a small-radius decision across Jacana, Glenroy, Broadmeadows, Dallas and Gladstone Park. 24 emus on Emu Parade is the cleanest local answer. Coffeebaby on Ridgeway Avenue and Creating Wellbeing Melbourne on Chapman Avenue pull you toward Glenroy. The Common Bean Cafe - DPV on Coleraine Street, The Common Bean Cafe - Kangan on Pearcedale Parade, Kraft Cafe on Kraft Court, Babylon Shisha Cafe on Belfast Street, Yummiest cafe and juice bar Broadmeadows on Pascoe Vale Road, Jungle Lab Broadmeadows, Mr Shawarma and Indulge Waffles and Desserts all push you toward Broadmeadows.
That matters because the best brunch for a Jacana reader is not always the highest rating; it is the place that fits the trip. If you are near Emu Parade, 24 emus should beat a longer drive. If you are already around Pascoe Vale Road, Broadmeadows gives you more choice in one run, including Yummiest cafe and juice bar Broadmeadows, Jungle Lab Broadmeadows and Mr Shawarma near the 1100 Pascoe Vale Road cluster. If you are closer to Carrick Drive, Koffy is the sensible Gladstone Park option, while Gladdy Pizza & Pasta is nearby but reads more like a lunch or dinner fallback than a brunch-first pick. Skip this list if you need a polished inner-north cafe strip experience; this is a practical local shortlist. If you are west of Carrick Drive, Gladstone Park probably makes more sense than forcing a Jacana stop.
Who This Suits
If you are a Jacana local who wants the shortest sensible brunch trip, pick 24 emus. If you are a ratings-first person who still wants a nearby cafe, pick Coffeebaby. If you are the person organising for a group and want the most review-backed choice, pick Koffy. If you want affordable and established, pick Twenty One Days Later. If the outing is really about sweets, pick Indulge Waffles and Desserts rather than pretending you are going for a classic brunch.
Cost-wise, the only explicit price signals in the current venue data are Koffy as mid-range and Twenty One Days Later as affordable. For the rest, assume you should check the latest menu before you go, especially where the venue type leans away from a straight cafe. Babylon Shisha Cafe, Mr Shawarma, Gladdy Pizza & Pasta and Indulge Waffles and Desserts may still solve a food craving, but they are not interchangeable with a standard eggs-toast-coffee cafe stop.
Time of day matters here because the geography is spread out. For a quick morning, stay closest: 24 emus in Jacana, Coffeebaby in Glenroy, or Koffy in Gladstone Park depending on your side of the suburb. Later in the day, Broadmeadows becomes more useful because you can stack errands around Pascoe Vale Road and still have multiple food options nearby. For weekends, check current opening hours before leaving; the original venue data was refreshed on 2026-03-31, but cafe hours change faster than ratings.
What to Do Next
Start with 24 emus on Emu Parade, then widen to Coffeebaby or Koffy only if the drive suits your day better. For the suburb context around the food run, read the Jacana suburb guide.
Verified Venue Data
| Venue | Rating | Reviews | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coffeebaby | 5/5 | 40 | — |
| 24 emus | 5/5 | 34 | — |
| The Common Bean Cafe - DPV | 5/5 | 4 | — |
| The Common Bean Cafe - Kangan | 5/5 | 3 | — |
| Koffy | 4.9/5 | 411 | $$ |
| Kraft Cafe | 4.9/5 | 65 | — |
| Gate House Cafe | 4.9/5 | 32 | — |
| Creating Wellbeing Melbourne | 4.9/5 | 29 | — |
Full Venue List
Coffeebaby — 1 Ridgeway Avenue, Glenroy. Rating: 5/5 from 40 reviews.
24 emus — 24 Emu Parade, Jacana. Rating: 5/5 from 34 reviews.
The Common Bean Cafe - DPV — 42 Coleraine Street, Broadmeadows. Rating: 5/5 from 4 reviews.
The Common Bean Cafe - Kangan — 59-69 Pearcedale Parade, Broadmeadows. Rating: 5/5 from 3 reviews.
Koffy — Unit 2/282 Carrick Drive, Gladstone Park. Rating: 4.9/5 from 411 reviews. Price: Mid-range.
Kraft Cafe — 7A Kraft Court, Broadmeadows. Rating: 4.9/5 from 65 reviews.
Gate House Cafe — 60 Riggall Street, Dallas. Rating: 4.9/5 from 32 reviews.
Creating Wellbeing Melbourne — Chapman Avenue, Glenroy. Rating: 4.9/5 from 29 reviews.
Babylon Shisha Cafe — 39 Belfast Street, Broadmeadows. Rating: 4.8/5 from 296 reviews.
Yummiest cafe and juice bar Broadmeadows — 1100 Pascoe Vale Road, Broadmeadows. Rating: 4.8/5 from 25 reviews.
Indulge Waffles and Desserts — 2/36 King William Street, Broadmeadows. Rating: 4.7/5 from 863 reviews.
Twenty One Days Later — 10 Post Office Place, Glenroy. Rating: 4.7/5 from 455 reviews. Price: Affordable.
Jungle Lab Broadmeadows — 1099/1169 Pascoe Vale Road, Broadmeadows. Rating: 4.7/5 from 393 reviews.
Mr Shawarma — 9/1100 Pascoe Vale Road, Broadmeadows. Rating: 4.7/5 from 231 reviews.
Gladdy Pizza & Pasta — 193A Carrick Drive, Gladstone Park. Rating: 4.7/5 from 166 reviews.
About This Guide
Every venue in this guide is a verified, currently operating business sourced from Google Places API. Data last refreshed: 2026-03-31. If a venue has closed or moved, let us know.
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