One of the better places to grab coffee if you work in the city, Mingle also offers great muffic flavours (choc honeycomb... need I say more?).

A favorite of several government departments nearby, the lines are long in the mornings. However, the staff are really good at getting you from order to out the door in record time.

Pro tip: take your own coffee cup and you get a 50c discount! The 'frequent drinker' card will also result in a free coffee for every 6 you buy!

This is the epitome of a hipster cafe... but, if you can handle ordering a "coffee with milk" instead of a "flat white" (same effect, but you get an explanation of the relative benefits of particular levels of foam for different coffee beans/roasts) then you are in for a treat with your food! Or you can just order food and I guarantee it will improve your day. My favorite is the heirloom tomato and quinoa salad, but the steak sandwich is equally delicious (and SUPER filling).

A little expensive, but a lovely place for the ocacsional luxury catch up!

Koko Black is an indulgent break that you will absolutely not regret. The cafe is very professionally run, with exquisite desserts and drinks... plus a few times my friends and I have receieved a free taster chocolate as we waited for our food/drink. Sometimes it gets quite busy, but the staff are generally good at making sure you are served quickly and in a friendly manner. This is also where I go to pick up little gifts for friends or colleagues... the 'pick your own' truffle selection is AMAZING.

The staff is pretty friendly, and the food isn't bad, but the real allure of Cafe Essen is its wide range of coffees. Not types of drinks (they do all the regulars!), but actual types of coffee! I went years without realising this, so now I'm trying to make up for lost time- try a different coffee every time you're there! I recommend the Ethiopian blend!

A Canberra classic- you haven't experienced the real Canberra until you've waited for anywhere between 30 minutes and 1.5 hours for this delicious, gourmet burger! Not a place to go for a quick bite- the lines are crazy long, but that has practically become part of the experience. Now at the Canberra Glassworks, the atmosphere is a bit different from the old caravan in the park, but the burgers haven't suffered from the move and are just as mouth wateringly delicious as ever!

We got takeaway and it was ready very quickly, delicious and very filling! I'd probably skip the entree next time and just go with mains- getting a few dishes to share. We couldn't finish everything, and were completely satisfied at the end of our meal.

This is a fairly reliable hairdressing option when the desired cut isn't too complicated or a pretty innovative style. It's best to bring in a picture of what you're looking for. If you're going in for a radical change of style I would probably go elsewhere and pay a bit more, but Brennan's does an affordable and reliable trim.

The Suite makes great coffee and has a wonderful range of wines. The decor is trendy in a funky way and offers an eclectic range of seating options. The food used to be better on the old menu, but that might just be my taste.

It's a little off the beaten path of cafes, nestled in a residential area of Shenton Park- but aren't all the best spots that way?

This Southwestern themed restaurant is the closest thing the Western Suburbs have to an authentic Mexican food restaurant. Tuesdays are a great day to swing by for $2 Tacos... which is probably an appropriate price given that the tacos shells are pre-packaged ones. They also have 2-for-1 margarita deals, so check the website for when those are because they make them pretty well.

This is a recent addition to the Canberra bar scene and it's amazing! It has a wonderful European vibe with seats spilling out onto the sidewalk. A great range of wines and beers, plus an affordable range of well-made snacks (hot dogs, tacos, etc). The decor inside is great and there are often exhibitions of local artwork.

Wonderful place to grab a drink after work and chill out.