What a quaint, quirky experience. Everything appeared topsy turvy at the Mad Hatterz Café, in Yungaburra; only 40min up the Gillies’ Range from Cairns.

We enjoyed a lunch with a difference. Hats of all sorts were all about on each chair. Those who dined for lunch donned a mad hat; of sorts. We heard giggling and squealing echoing from around the corner. On this occasion I took my sister with my two nieces. They were excited at being able to have some hat fun in such a quirky place.

Another set of family members also visited, which were my other four nieces who love dressing up. Here are my girls, doing what young girls do – having fun dressing up with hats. I think my brother will need to enlist them into drama classes. Their parents got into the Mad Hattering spirit also. I think they wanted an excuse to be a kid again.

The Vegan chocolate cake was absolutely delicious, amazing, to die for; some comments flying around. All homemade food by Annie Mad Hatteress, Queen of Hearts.

The little township of Yungaburra has grown and matured, making room for out-of-the-box thinking entrepreneurs. The Mad Hatterz Café is but one, and upon setting eyes on the giant purple hat stuck to the historical timber cottage, we knew we were in for a  weirdly wonderful time.

The meals which tickled our taste buds were the Roast Veggie slice (GF)with salad. We were eyeing off the Spanakopita, which was the spinach, roast pumpkin, fresh herbs and feta in filo pastry. The Pot Pies were chicken and roast veggies; and a beef burgundy, slow cooked with red wine and Guinness. They even had a Little Hatters Menu which offered toasties, nachos and mini pizzas. I have taken two sets of nieces for a visit and they took great pleasure in dressing up using the Mad Hatterz Café’s assortment of hats.

Then of course we had dessert which was delivered in a splash of colour, with a costumed young hatter dancing about. We enjoyed the homemade apricot pie and a gourmet Mad Hatter: shortbread base, sponge cake oozing raspberry cream. All the cheery hattery staff got us involved in the mood of being a mad hatterish guest; albeit for a short time.

The interior design was delightfully amusing, captivating and jovially fun. I loved the craziness of the space. The way pictures were tilted and hung. The froppery of teapots and cups stacked at odd angles. The odd collection of chairs made it so comfortable to sit and enjoy all the artisan’s display of ideas. I have always loved the old traditional tale of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. I’m sure many a child will enjoy venturing into this little rabbit hole.

And a topsy turvy time we did enjoy, including up high on the ceiling, where all was not as it appeared. There are many dining places in Yungaburra. It is well worth a visit to the Atherton Tablelands.