Best coffee stops within five minutes of the trail

One of the great pleasures of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail is how often a good coffee is part of the journey.

You don’t need a long detour or a carefully timed plan. Along both the northern and southern sections of the trail, café stops sit just minutes away, often right where you need them. Some are at former railway stations. Others reward a short stroll into town. Here’s where great coffee and the rail trail come together, town by town.

Murwillumbah

Murwillumbah is hard to beat when it comes to pairing trail time with a proper café experience. Right at the Heritage Murwillumbah Railway Station precinct, The Platform Café is as close as it gets. It’s relaxed, welcoming and perfectly placed for trail users who want to stay within the rail corridor. If you feel like slowing things down, a short wander takes you to Apex Dining, ideal for a sit‑down sip and scone with a slightly fancy feel after a ride or walk.

From there, Murwillumbah town opens up easily on foot. Trail users often stroll to Old Quarter, Pasta Baah, or Keith’s, all offering delightful treats to go. These are great options if you want to grab something and enjoy it back on the trail or nearby.

Fresh handmade pasta varieties displayed in a refrigerated counter at a local Italian food store near the Northern Rivers Rail Trail. Interior of a local cafe with a curved glass display cabinet filled with pastries and baked goods near the Northern Rivers Rail Trail.

Murwillumbah suits:

Starting strong or finishing well
Long, social stops
Letting a ride turn into lunch

Burringbar

Burringbar delivers one of the most charming coffee detours on the trail. Right on the trail corridor, you can walk or roll straight into Station 22 Café, which backs onto the Burringbar Rainforest nursery. Surrounded by greenery, it feels calm, local and perfectly matched to rail trail pacing. From there, it’s a gentle roll into Burringbar village, where you’ll find a couple of extra options if you feel like extending your break or doing a little wandering.

Cafe counter with glass display cabinet, baked goods, and handwritten menu boards offering rolls, pastries, and drinks near the Northern Rivers Rail Trail.

Burringbar is a perfect pit stop for:

Gentle mid‑ride pauses
Riding with kids or family
Letting the surroundings set the pace

Uki

Uki might not be directly on the trail, but it’s firmly part of the Rail Trail experience for many locals and visitors to the region. On your way in or out, Bastion Lane is a much‑loved favourite and well worth the stop. It fits beautifully with Uki’s relaxed, creative village feel and often becomes the reward at the end of a longer ride.

Uki works well as:

A turnaround point
A meeting place
Somewhere a coffee stop turns into an afternoon

Stokers Siding

Stokers Siding offers a choice between quick and slow, depending on what your legs are asking for. Right at the Stokers Siding rest stop, you can peel into the general store for a fast, easy stop before continuing on. If you’re ready for a proper pause, a few hundred metres down the trail brings you to Hosanna Farmstay. Settle in, enjoy a moment of farm life, and grab a snack and hot drink from the café before you embark on your onward journey.

It’s an ideal pause that feels restorative without pulling you too far off the trail.

Children leading an alpaca across a grassy paddock at a farm experience near the Northern Rivers Rail Trail, surrounded by trees and open space.

Lismore

Lismore brings strong town energy to the trail experience, with cafés close enough to make stopping easy and worthwhile. Our pick in Lismore is a quick pit stop at Benchtop Espresso. It’s easy to reach from the trail, ideal for takeaway or a short breather, and a reliable favourite with locals who know their coffee. It’s the kind of stop that works perfectly mid‑ride or just after, when you want quality without over‑thinking it.

Lismore is great for:

Longer ride days
Pairing coffee with a wander through town

Casino

Casino offers a relaxed, no‑fuss finish to a southern section adventure. You can’t go past the Walker Street Café & Bar for a post‑adventure refuel. It’s an easy choice after a ride or walk, where the trail experience naturally rolls into something more relaxed. Whether it’s a coffee, a bite to eat or sitting back and soaking in the reward, it feels like the right kind of finish line.

Casino suits:

Early morning rides
Social rides with a clear destination
Easy, genuine town stops

Why coffee and rail trails just work

Rail trails encourage people to slow down and take notice. Coffee does the same. Together, they create a rhythm that suits the Northern Rivers. Move a little. Stop a little. Repeat. Choosing cafés close to the trail also supports the towns and businesses that make the rail trail experience richer and more connected.

Glass jars filled with cookies and baked treats on the counter at Station 22, a Northern Rivers Rail Trail Connect Partner cafe. Outdoor dining area with tables and umbrellas overlooking rolling hills and a river at Apex Dining, a Northern Rivers Rail Trail Connect Partner. Heritage shopfronts in the Austral Building with retail stores and awnings along a quiet main street near the Northern Rivers Rail Trail.

A gentle reminder

Cafés near the trail are shared community spaces. Lock bikes thoughtfully, keep entrances clear and be mindful during busy times. A little courtesy helps ensure trail users are always welcome.

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