The Botanica team is breaking into Red Hill’s caffeine scene with Brolly Coffee
Thirteen years after transforming Brisbane’s salad scene with Botanica, Alison and Brett Hutley are circling back to where it all began. The husband-and-wife duo are adding a new chapter to their Red Hill story with Brolly Coffee – a serene little spot that pairs top-tier caffeine with calm, community-focused energy.
Alison and Brett Hutley revolutionised Brisbane lunches, dinner parties and barbecues 13 years ago when they opened their boutique quick-service salad bar concept Botanica on Enoggera Terrace in Red Hill. Since then, the couple’s empire has expanded considerably, encompassing satellite locations in Teneriffe, Albion, Hawthorne and Camp Hill.
But Botanica’s Red Hill flagship outlet has remained Alison and Brett’s sentimental favourite. It’s the place where everything began – the place that feels most like home. This is why the duo didn’t hesitate when an opportunity arose to take over the old Couverture & Co. space a few doors down. Later this month, they’ll reopen the site as bright grab-and-go caffeine dispensary Brolly Coffee.
“Enoggera Terrace holds a really special place for us, obviously with the flagship Botanica here,” says Alison. “It has always been quite a significant location for us, so to have the opportunity to offer something else back to the community was really special for us.
“We knew that if we didn’t jump on it then, potentially, someone else might and we wanted it to be something really special for this particular strip.”
The Hutleys are no strangers to the coffee game – in 2017 they opened Greenhaus Coffee (now owned and operated by Declan Gamack) near their Teneriffe outlet. Brolly Coffee will be cut from a similar cloth – express eats and coffee to go, but with a peaceful atmosphere that offers visitors a respite from the daily grind.
“[Brolly] is definitely going to be a grab-and-go and takeaway coffee spot,” reveals Alison. “That’s a model that we have had success with and we really think right now it’s tapping into what people are looking for insofar as still having a special treat without blowing the entire budget.”
Work is underway converting the former chocolate shop into a coffee nook, with the team putting finishing touches on an interior featuring a terracotta-tiled service counter, rendered concrete walls and timber furnishings. The blinds covering the windows have been removed to let in more light, while the big solid black door has been exchanged in favour of a glass one. There will only be a few seats available for those eager to take a load off.
“We just wanted it to be fresh and really calm – even though it’s grab-and-go we wanted it to feel like a different environment where you can just have a bit of peace in your day,” says Alison.
When it comes to Brolly Coffee’s offering, expect a concise but curated range of goodies. Food will be limited to breakfast cups, chia puddings, overnight oats, house-made cinnamon rolls, biscuits and pastries. As for the all-important caffeine, Alison and Brett have linked up with a top-tier roaster for their supplier.
“We’ll be offering Single O coffee and also, coming into summer, leaning into the specialty iced drinks as well,” explains Alison. “We’ll have beautiful ceremonial-grade matcha and drinks for the kiddos as well.”
Brolly Coffee is targeting a late-November opening – stay tuned for more.