As you leave the plane in Cairns, you’re immediately struck by the fact that you’re somewhere tropical. Rolling hills surround the airport covered in verdant greenery and the trudge to the baggage carousel offers the first hints of heat and humidity. Years ago, we coffee lovers would be preparing ourselves for the first pangs of withdrawal as we hit Cairns, knowing that the last good espresso was hundreds of kilometers behind us and all we were likely to find was stiff mountainous peaks of milk froth wobbling atop a thin, astringent dribble of espresso…
No longer however! Increasingly, we’re seeing amazing cafés, espresso bars and restaurants spring up in regional locations, bringing sweet, nuanced espresso extractions and dense microfoam to their public. Tosca Trattoria Bar in Cairns is a prime example of this change in the coffee landscape in far flung destinations.
Established in 1996, Tosca is based in the bustling hub of Cairns Central. Surrounded by must have air-conditioning in this tropical region, it has established a name for itself with fresh, hearty food, great service and excellent coffee.
Owner Paul Gibson has had an ongoing struggle in dealing with the needs of managing the business (juggling staff rosters, ordering goods and managing chefs) versus the addictive bite of the coffee bug. It’s not uncommon to see Paul behind the machine at Tosca, playing on his Synesso Hydra (a fairly rare sight in northern QLD!) and fine tuning his latte art skills.
In an exciting new step on his coffee journey, Paul has teamed up with Tosca’s key barista, Louis Pittiglio, to open a second site in the Stockland Center. Tosca’s Espresso opened just prior to Christmas 2011, and steps up the presence of specialty coffee in Cairns with a Generation 2 Synesso Hydra, a house blend and rotating single origins. Pairing this hefty setup with an Über Grinder, Louis and Paul are keen to launch a tasty brewed coffee offering and provide an opportunity for some further coffee education to the coffee lovers of the town.
While coffee is certainly a passion at Tosca, food has not been left behind. Equipped with a full kitchen, the Trattoria is turning out delicious fresh cooked meals ranging from pizzas to seared Atlantic salmon. Tosca’s Espresso has a wide range of cakes and pastries prepared daily in house — the Chocolate Mousse Tart is a huge crowd favourite!
Knowing that this haven of great coffee is waiting for you in Cairns, you can now safely recharge in between trips to the coffee growing plateau nearby, the Great Barrier Reef or the endless stretches of white sand along the coast.
Tosca Trattoria Pizzeria Bar
Shop 145, Cairns Central Shopping Centre
1 McLeods Street
Cairns, QLD, 4870
Toscas Espresso
Shop 125 Stockland
Cairns, 536 Mulgrave Rd
Earlville, QLD, 4870
Opeing hours
Monday — Sunday 8:00am — 5:30pm
Tosca Trattoria Pizzeria Bar: facebook.com/pages/Toscas-Cairns-Central
Toscas Espresso: facebook.com/toscasespresso
