Forrest Specialty Coffee

Forrest Specialty Coffee is a café on Level 1 of Westfield Belconnen, next to Priceline, bringing all-day breakfast, lunch and specialty coffee together in a relaxed setting. The menu is built around seasonal and locally sourced ingredients, with food prepared under the direction of Chef Jewel, a former executive and head chef at internationally recognised hatted restaurants. That background shows in a menu that goes beyond standard café fare, while still offering familiar choices for an easy breakfast or lunch.

Breakfast includes eggs on sourdough, the Forrest Roll, avocado toast and a French-style omelette, alongside more distinctive options such as the Forrest Canopy Granola Bowl, crème brûlée French toast and artisanal zucchini, corn and potato fritters. Lunch covers burgers, pasta, salads and substantial bowls, including the Forrest Harvest Bowl and pumpkin and fetta salad. There is also a children’s menu with pasta, a bacon and egg roll, cheeseburger, nuggets and pancakes, making the café a practical option for families as well as solo diners and catch-ups.

Coffee is a central part of the offering, with beans from Canberra-based Ona Coffee prepared by the café’s baristas. The drinks menu also includes options such as cold-pressed juice and matcha, while the front counter has a changing selection of pastries, sweets, sandwiches, pies and other daily items. Regular specials add further variety, although the café advises customers to check what is available on the day.

The venue describes its atmosphere as warm and welcoming, suited to meeting friends or family, taking a quiet break alone, or settling in for a meal while shopping at Westfield Belconnen. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free choices are marked on the menu, but the café notes that gluten-free dishes are prepared in a shared kitchen and are not suitable for people with coeliac disease. Forrest is open seven days, with slightly shorter hours on Sunday.