Pavement Whispers: Volume 516 July 15
From news of a new coffee and sandwich spot from the Butter Cafe crew to an authentic NYC-inspired pizza joint for The Valley, The Weekend Edition is always on the search for the latest food news in Brisbane, dedicated to ensuring its readers are in the know. When we put our ears to the pavement this week, this is what we found out …
Alby’s
The team behind Hawthorne brunch favourite Sister and sunny Gaythorne sandwich spot Butter Cafe is expanding its portfolio to Wavell Heights. New 30-seat cafe Alby’s – the brainchild of Daniel Bowles and Tiger Hsu – is taking over a vacant site on the corner of Bilsen Road and Goss Road (previously home to espresso bar Kalisto), transforming it into a cosy nosh spot similar in scale to Butter. Operating under the mantra of ‘messy hands, happy hearts’, Alby’s (which is named after Daniel’s son) will encourage guests to get hands-on with its tidy tucker offering, which will be reminiscent of its Gaythorne sibling. The cafe will serve a menu of light breakfast items (Butter’s famed sausage-and-egg breakfast muffin and banana bread with espresso butter will come across) alongside a new selection of drool-worthy toasties (including a beef-rendang toastie) and cups of silky Single O coffee. In terms of aesthetics, Daniel and Tiger are currently giving the space a cosmetic refresh, exchanging the venue’s existing dark colour scheme with a lighter palette and eye-catching murals. Much like Daniel and Tiger’s other cafes, the duo is eager to fill a gap in the local market and provide locals another option for quality coffee and eats. “We just like the idea of opening cafes that are community focused,” says Daniel. “We really want to bring specialty coffee and delicious food to this part of Wavell Heights – we want to be there for the community and be a place for everyone to come to.” Alby’s is set to open next month – keep your eyes peeled for more.
Sal’s Pizza
The recipes of a legendary pizza maker will soon find themselves a new home in Brisbane, with Sal’s Pizza set to open a brand-new NYC-inspired slice spot in Fortitude Valley this August. Founded in 2009 by US-born Ciaran McKeever and Auckland local Nick Turner, Sal’s Pizza is inspired by Salvatore Leo, owner of the famed New York pizza joint Sal’s Pizza of Little Neck. After learning the secrets to primo pizza making from Sal himself, Ciaran and Nick have built a pizzeria empire boasting 45 locations across New Zealand and Australia – including one in Broadbeach. The Fortitude Valley location (located next to Black Bear Lodge and Blute’s) will sling Sal’s signature menu of 18-inch pizza, sold by the slice or by the pie, with classic toppings including cupped pepperoni, meatball, sausage, chicken and cheese, plus some out-of-the-box options. All of Sal’s pizzas are made using slow-risen dough, sweet sauce (crafted with vine-ripened California tomatoes) and Wisconsin mozzarella. In addition to pizza, guests can also enjoy Buffalo chicken wings, mozzarella sticks, garlic knots and authentic New York zeppoles (deep-fried dough balls dusted in powdered sugar). Once open, Sal’s Pizza will cater to takeaway and dine-in custom. We’ll have more on this one in early August!
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Winnifred’s
One of the year’s most anticipated new venues has set its official opening date. Fortitude Valley new champagne maison Winnifred’s will open to the public on Saturday August 2, with the team behind the ambitious concept also launching bookings for the venue’s own French-inspired bistro. Once open, Winnifred’s will show off one of largest collections of champagne in the southern hemisphere, with a cellar of around 15,000 bottles and 363 cuvees showcasing drops sourced from Champagne’s independent Grower producers and renowned Grande Marque houses. In the kitchen, head chef Antoine Potier will serve a menu of creative French-inspired dishes made using local and seasonal ingredients. Want to be one of the first to visit Winnifred’s in August? Click here to make a reservation.
Antica’s pizza degustation
Three kings of dough will collaborate for a one-night-only dinner event that is a must-attend for any fan of pizza. World Pizza Champion Johnny Di Francesco (of Melbourne’s 400 Gradi), Daniel Semrani (of Gigi’s Balmain in Sydney) and Sicilian chef Paolo Gatto (owner of online marketplace Sydcily) will gather at award-winning Wilston restaurant Antica on Wednesday July 23 to craft a six-course pizza degustation. This top trio of pizzaiolos has been touring Australia in recent weeks, putting their talents together to craft menus that blend tradition with innovation, display their respective woodfired pizza techniques and showcase a smorgasbord of top-tier Italian ingredients. In addition to the pizzas, the shared-table experience will also feature matched wines imported from Italy by event sponsor Italiquore. Seats available now for $155 per person and are strictly limited – click here to secure your spot.
If you’ve heard something that’s worth mentioning in The Weekend Edition’s Pavement Whispers, email [email protected].