Breakfast, lunch, and something new every month.
Big plates, cakes baked fresh every morning, and a specials board that changes on the first. On Lake Street in Cairns since 2001 — across from the Private Hospital.
380 Google reviews · 287 of them five stars
Friendly service, spectacular coffee.
Clean, efficient, and a steady stream of people in and out — poached eggs, toast and a coffee for seventeen dollars.
Came back four times in one week in Cairns, and would return to the city just to eat here again. On the Big Breakfast Number 2 — the mushrooms are to die for.
Home-made food and generous portions in a no-frills room with friendly staff. The frittata, the soup and the orange almond cake all got singled out. One regret: I did not discover this cafe sooner.
The radiology team across the road sends people over for the coffee. We’re quietly pleased about that.
A proper Cairns cafe. Nothing reheated, nothing frozen.
Cakes, biscuits, quiches, scones and dressings — all made here in our kitchen. Nothing arrives in a box.
Cooked how you want it
Five Big Breakfasts, four Benedicts, ten three-egg omelettes. Turkish, rye and gluten free bread on the counter.
Never quite the same
Salads, burgers, focaccias and sandwiches on the regular menu — plus new dishes on the specials board every single month.
Baked this morning
Premium beans, a barista who knows what they’re doing, and a cabinet of cakes, slices and shortbread made in our kitchen.
Delivered to your office
Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea for Cairns offices and boardrooms. One day’s notice, and it turns up on time.
Order these first.
Big Breakfast No.2
The mushrooms have a following.
Three-egg omelettes
Golden outside. Big enough to share.
Poached egg, avo & toast
Add a coffee and it’s still under twenty.
Orange & almond cake
Gluten free, and it disappears fast. GF
New dishes on, first of every month.
The regular menu stays put. The specials board doesn’t — breakfast and lunch both get something on that wasn’t here last month. Ask what’s up today.
Classic Reuben sandwich
Hot corned beef, swiss cheese, sauerkraut, dill pickles and Russian dressing, grilled on crispy rye.
Mediterranean salmon salad
Pan seared herb crusted salmon on mixed greens with black olives, feta, capsicum, cherry tomato, onion, cucumber and a housemade vinaigrette.
Two braised beef tostadas
Crispy tortillas topped with slow-braised beef, black beans, corn and tomato pico de gallo, guacamole and sour cream.
Soup of the day
Our homemade soup, served with crispy rustic bread.
Board changes on the 1st. Call us on (07) 4041 2900 and we’ll tell you what’s on today.
Baked fresh, every morning.
Carrot cake, lemon cheesecake, macadamia shortbread, orange and almond cake, and the jam drop biscuits we’re named after. All made in our kitchen. Nothing arrives in a box.
Twenty-five years on Lake Street. Eggs cooked how you asked, plates that arrive full, and coffee worth the walk. There’s a verandah out front and a sea breeze most days.
Feed the whole meeting. We’ll be there before it starts.
Board meetings, staff training, all-day workshops, the Friday morning tea. We’ve been delivering to Cairns offices for twenty-five years. Everything on the platter is made in our kitchen that morning, and it arrives plated, napkins and all.
Classic Lunch
Team meetingAssorted classic sandwiches, seasonal fruit platter, napkins and servingware.
Deluxe Lunch
Client facingAssorted mixed breads, seasonal fruit platter, napkins and servingware.
Morning Tea
Staff shoutFresh muffins, house-baked sweets or scones with jam and cream, plus seasonal fruit.
Executive Meeting
Board levelExecutive mixed bread platter, seasonal fruit, mixed sweets platter, disposable plates and napkins. Delivery included in Cairns City for 15+ pax.
Lunch + Morning Tea
All dayDeluxe lunch selection plus mixed sweets, muffins or fresh scones for morning or afternoon tea.
Or pick it platter by platter.
Prices per person, GST included. Minimum ten people on platters.
Individual plattersMinimum 10 pax · priced per person
- Tortilla roll platter
- 15.50
- Turkish bread platter
- 15.50
- Crispy baguette platter
- 15.50
- Gourmet focaccia platter
- 15.50
- Executive mixed bread platter
- 15.50
- Classic sandwich platter
- 14.90
- Sausage roll platter
- 12.90
- Seasonal tropical fruit platter
- 8.50
Morning & afternoon teaMinimum 10 pax · priced per person
- Chocolate & hazelnut cake GF
- 10.50
- Carrot cake
- 10.50
- Cheesecake
- 10.50
- Fresh muffins
- 8.90
- Fresh scones with jam & cream
- 8.90
- Chocolate brownies
- 8.50
- Muesli slice
- 8.50
- Mixed sliced cakes platter
- 8.50
Breakfast & extras
- 2L juice & cups Each
- 20.00
- Bacon & egg sandwich
- 14.90
- Bacon & egg wrap
- 14.90
- Ham & cheese croissant
- 13.90
- Toasted ham, cheese & tomato
- 12.90
- Toasted ham & cheese
- 11.90
- Mini frittatas & yoghurt
- 9.50
Tell us what you need.
Send this through and we’ll come back with a price. We ask for 48 hours notice — if it’s sooner than that, call us and we’ll see what we can do.
The quiet end of Lake Street.
Look for the cream shopfront with the black Jamdrop sign, directly across from the Cairns Private Hospital. There’s a verandah out front if you want the breeze, and air conditioning inside if you don’t.
Street parking on Lake Street fills up by mid-morning. If you’re driving, come before 8am or try the side streets a block back — it’s a short walk and worth it. Or call ahead and we’ll have your order on the counter.
2/193 Lake Street
Cairns City QLD 4870
(07) 4041 2900 · jamdropcafe@yahoo.com
Opening hours
| Monday | 6:30am – 2:00pm |
| Tuesday | 6:30am – 2:00pm |
| Wednesday | 6:30am – 2:00pm |
| Thursday | 6:30am – 2:00pm |
| Friday | 6:30am – 2:00pm |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
Kitchen hours. Closed public holidays.