The history of the Old Empire Café harks back to the 1920s with the opening of the Empire Theatre. The café, which was attached to the theatre, was named the Empire Café and by the time the cinema closed in the 1980s, the café had changed names twice. The existing fuel bowsers were relocated to the side of the building and the premises converted into a service station. 

Amanda and Simon Walter, along with Amanda’s father, purchased the buildings and business in 2002. The business was leased out in 2017, just prior to Amanda’s father passing away. After two years,

Amanda and Simon made the decision to give up their careers and move back to Quilpie to re-build the business. The café, located inside the service station, re-opened in 2020 and named the Old Empire Café. Considered an essential service, the café was able to remain open during the 2020-2021 lockdowns. With the hard work and dedication of the Walter’s, they featured on ABC radio in 2021 as a success story, and the café is once again a popular spot for locals and visitors. 

Open from 6am to 6pm seven days a week (except for some public holidays), they serve an all-day breakfast for the breakfast lovers, tasty burgers, wraps, cakes and slices and amazing freshly brewed coffee.

For up-to-date information, whether it be new menu options, opening and closing hours or even road closures, you can visit their Facebook page at Old Empire Cafe.