ALL DAY — Restaurant in Brisbane City

I'd like to personally thank the Visionary plant-based food innovators and entrepreneurs at Grown for the amazing catering services they provided to support Forest Lake State High School's BIONAUTS STEM expedition this year.

BIONAUTS is a program to link students with scientists in an effort to understand and protect the biodiversity of our planet. Participation in this initiative allows students to apply their STEM knowledge and expertise in a real-world capacity to address the alarming global issue of declining species biodiversity in a significant and meaningful way. The project affords students the unique opportunity to engage collaboratively with scientists who are specialists in the disciplines of Entomology, Genomics and Bioinformatics, to collect, classify and analyse the DNA of specimens found in the field. As over 86% of terrestrial organisms have not as yet been taxonomically classified to the species level, it is hoped that the BIONAUTS endeavour will assist in closing this knowledge gap. The importance of this project is further highlighted by scientific estimates that suggest that we are losing up to 200 species every day, many of which may not even be known to exist in the first instance.

Thanks to Grown, the BIONAUTS project now allows students to not only assist in the potential discovery and protection of novel species, but also significantly decrease their impact on the environment. 50+ students, teachers, entomologists, dietitian/accredited nutritionist (Kiah Paetz) & "The Mad Tones" Band were lucky enough to indulge in a wonderful and delicious cuisine that not only delights the senses, but also helps to fight climate change & protect biodiversity.

During the course of the three expedition days at Maleny's Bellthorpe State Forest, the Grown catering team literally worked from sunrise to sunset preparing breakfast, lunch and dinner from the freshest, sustainable & locally-sourced produce. They somehow succeeded in transporting the entirety of their magical West End Cafe dining experience to the Maleny Wedding Retreat rainforest venue, a logistically challenging and impressive feat in its own right. I highly recommend that plant-based food neophytes embark on a culinary journey of a lifetime at one of Grown's exquisite Pop-Up Degustations when such an opportunity next presents itself. Early bookings are advised as these events are quickly sold out, especially when collaborations with the highly acclaimed Chef Alejandro Cancino are involved. :)

The majority of participants on the BIONAUTS expedition were omnivores, who had never tried a plant-based diet before. Initial survey feedback suggests that the healthy, nutritious and delicious Grown menu engendered a significant attitudinal shift as far as adolescent dietary habits are concerned. Students were greatly impressed by the quality and quantity of the food, and are now happy to try different plant based foods which are better for the environment than meat and dairy foods (less CO2 footprint).

Initial data analysis suggests that the Grown plant-based diet-fueled expedition team helped save: 470,100 L of water, 1050 kgs of CO2 emissions, 300 square metres of forest, 2050 kgs of grain & 100 animal lives.

The amazing gluten free pancakes, homemade ice cream and delectable hash browns were definite crowd favourites! "Really delicious", says our Year 10 Dux :)

To summarise, the inspiring plant-based food creations developed by Grown resulted in the whole expedition learning community resonating with the metaphysical sentiments displayed so prominently on their West End Cafe menu (i.e., "Food is more than a commodity. It's also a community. What you eat literally becomes you. Every bite connects you to the whole World" -...

A Brisbane cafe worth quietly celebrating.

It’s rare these days to stumble across a spot that feels like a true hidden gem, but that’s exactly what Grown in West End is. In a city where new cafes seem to pop up daily — often chasing trends and quick attention — Grown stands apart in the best way: with genuinely great food, thoughtful coffee, and a calm confidence that doesn’t need to shout to be noticed.

Their new seasonal menu highlights local produce and native Australian ingredients, and you can feel that care in every dish. I had the slow-cooked beef taco bowl, while my partner (who is plant-based) ordered the zucchini corn fritters — and we both loved every single bite. It’s rare to find a place where the quality of the food speaks so clearly across different tastes and diets.

The coffee is also a standout, made with beans roasted locally by St Ali, who work directly with farmers in coffee-growing regions. It’s details like these that show how much thought has gone into every part of the experience.

Grown is the kind of place you find once, return to again (even if it’s a 30+ minute drive), and quietly hope stays just as it is. It absolutely deserves a top spot on any “must-visit” list for Brisbane — for foodies, non-foodies, and anyone who just appreciates genuinely good food,...

Dine in experience was very terribly disappointing! Terrible service, long wait time and multiple mess ups. No staff checking in, even after multiple mess ups with orders and service. We were told to sit anywhere. Tables were dirty and no one came to clear/ clean. We had to ask for own water and cutlery/ go get own because weren’t given knives or napkins or water. Food took over half an hour (they weren’t busy) then was given the wrong order bacon on vegan meal and had to wait longer. We were given two salts (salt in a pepper shaker, so over salted food). Had to go get own replacements. My second plate was cold and There was also a human hair on it!!! Did not bother telling staff as it didn’t seem like they were going to bother much with tending/ fixing things anyway. One of the waitstaff seemed like she was in slow motion in own world and didn’t check in or apologise at all for any of the poor service. It also stunk of chemicals from the nail salon next door which further hindered eating experience. It was cold and we’re told someone would come out heater on this never happened. Food was ok, experience was not. Will not go back...