A Royal Affair with No Throne in Sight!
queen amann bakery
20 King Street, Bowen Hills, Brisbane, QLD 4006
Ph: N/A
Web: Queen Amann Bakery
'Out at Coffee' on
13th September 2025
This weekend Stephen and I were running in the Bridge to Brisbane fun run, so we took the opportunity to; ‘kill two birds with one stone!’, and suggested coffee with the guys on King Street. Which was just around the corner from the ‘race kit’ pickup point at the Ekka Showgrounds.
Now, using the well-known phrase; ‘kill two birds with one stone!’, just doesn’t feel right given our metaphorical affiliation to seagulls. So, after a quick internet search, I came up with a much better ‘feather friendly’ alternative; ‘Feed two birds with one scone!’ … which is oh so more apt, given our group’s inclination to swoop in on all things edible.
Lee, Pete, Coco the greyhound, and our good friend Steve, had arrived early, and they’d already done a reconnaissance of our options, choosing a regal coffee venue… the majestic sounding; Queen Amann bakery!
Queen Amann bakery had opened a few months earlier and it was receiving rave reviews for its wide range of tasty treats.
And it didn’t take too long for this flock of seagulls to start circling the cakes, delicious looking handmade sandwiches, and extensive selection of beverages.
It’s fitting that the Queen Amann bakery is found on King Street, although that’s where the noble connection ends.
The bakery named after its speciality, traditional, sweet buttery French pastry, called, kouign (cake) – amann (butter).
And for all the fact-lovers out there; the pastry is attributed to a Brittany based mid-19th century baker, called Yves-Rene` Scordia.
Legend suggests that one day he ran out of dessert options, so he had to improvise with leftover dough, and oodles of butter! And voila, the caramelised buttery pastry was created (Thanks Google!).
We quickly order coffees and, Lee and Pete, are once again in a sharing mood, buying a sticky chocolate and hazelnut babka, for us all to enjoy.
And as we all swoop in to devour the delicious pastry, Lee and Pete explained that a chocolate babka was a key feature in the ‘Dinner Party’ episode of long running American sitcom, Seinfeld (Episode 77) … and lucky for us, we didn’t need to opt for a “lesser, cinnamon babka!”
And as I reminisce, I realise that, ‘Feed two birds with one scone!’ just doesn’t fit the bill! A more appropriate phrase being; ‘Feed four birds with one babka!’
By the way, Steve knows all too well what the feeding frenzy can be like, so he strategically orders his own pastry to enjoy.
It was a beautiful, spring morning, and King Street slowly came alive with weekend coffee goers.
There’s plenty of dog walkers too, and Coco even found a new greyhound friend to have a good sniff with.
And as we shared stories about our week, the conversation is interjected with lots of good, light-hearted banter.
Our Queen Amann experience came to an abrupt end with Stephen’s sudden need for the toilet. And as he shot off down King Street in desperate need of a throne, we all head in the direction of the race kit pickup point.
Thankfully, Stephen’s bathroom search didn’t take too long, and he re-joined us to collect our race numbers.
It’s my 15th year of taking part in the fun run, and Stephen and I are excited about joining 25,000 other competitors in the morning, for what would be an exhausting, but rewarding event.
As I reflect on our royal coffee morning, I’m reminded of the importance of community. How being part of something bigger than yourself fosters a sense of belonging. Because it’s within this sacred space of mutual acceptance, that selfless giving happens. And I’m not talking just money here! I mean the bonds of friendship are strengthened through the sharing of stories, fun times, and laughter… and of course, yummy babkas!!
14th September Race Update - despite our pre-race training regime being hit with injury and illness, Stephen and I still finished the 10km Bridge to Brisbane fun run in; 1hr - 1min - 57secs… 2 minutes faster than last year… not bad for two aching quinquagenarians.
I love sharing our coffee escapades with you, so please help me share the joy of coffee and friendships. Like, follow and share the ‘Out at Coffee’ Facebook page. And if you have suggestions for a great coffee venue in or around Brisbane, please drop us a line via the Contact page, we’d love to add it to our caffeine calendar.
Allan