Pavement Whispers: Volume 575 September 15

Mesa Haus
While this may be old news to Paddington locals, pretty soon Latrobe Terrace will welcome a new coffee spot when Mesa Haus officially opens to the public this Friday September 18. The brainchild of  Mesa Collections founder Trishia Mariano, Mesa Haus is part retail space, part co-working nook and part cafe. Here, guests can peruse a rotating range of wares from Mesa Collections and other makers, sip specialty coffee from Code Black Coffee, knock back some eye-catching seasonal signature drinks (including vanilla sea salt cold brews and banana bread matcha) and chomp on gourmet pastries from Sprout Bakery. Meanwhile, the venue’s co-working aspect – The Mesa Residents – will look to foster bonds among the local creative community. Keep your eyes peeled for more!

Sonny’s Social
Clayfield residents, clear any plans you’ve made for the morning of Saturday September 19 – there’s a new cafe opening that needs a warm welcome. Sonny’s Social is making its debut on Sandgate Road, with owners Katie and Juan looking to make a great first impression with a menu of speciality coffee, toasties, light brekkie bites and pastries. Boasting a bright colour palette featuring yellow, white and blue, and a bubbly atmosphere, the 50-seater is envisioned as a spot where locals can linger and catch up with friends. Toby’s Estate is Sonny’s coffee of choice, available alongside matcha, cold brew and a signature red velvet latte with cream cheese cold foam. Pastries are sourced from Brasserie Bread, but those dining in can also enjoy eggs your way, avocado toast and brekkie rolls. To celebrate its official opening, Sonny’s will be hosting DJs and games, and will be slinging bacon-and-egg rolls for $5 a pop. See you there?

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Food & Drink

Jay Barratt is bringing chef-level chops to a new Gold Coast fish-and-chip shop

Food & Drink

The La Bodega team is going Greek with Chará, a new restaurant in Bulimba

friends of friends
One of Brisbane’s biggest restaurant groups has just enacted an exciting rebrand. Nick Woodward, David Flynn and Frank Li – the crew behind top-tier restaurants like Rick Shores, Central, Marlowe, Southside and Norté – are capping off a decade-long run, minting a new name for their culinary collective. Now operating as friends of friends, the name reflects the group’s belief that hospitality is a powerful agent for bringing people together, while also acknowledging the role friendships have played in fuelling and shaping the organisations evolution. A new website has been launched, giving diners a greater understanding of the threads connecting the friends of friends venues. You can check it out here.

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Food & Drink

Jay Barratt is bringing chef-level chops to a new Gold Coast fish-and-chip shop

Food & Drink

The La Bodega team is going Greek with Chará, a new restaurant in Bulimba

Chará
In case you missed the news last week, the All The Good Things Group (La Bodega, OLLI Italiano) has announced that it will open Chará in Bulimba, a Greek-inspired restaurant shaped by fond childhood memories spent holidaying across the Cyclades. Housed on Oxford Street (in the same hub as Darvella Patisserie and Melrose), Chará takes its name from the Greek word for “joy”, with the team promising an easygoing space filled with good food, warm hospitality and the kind of long, sun-drenched lunches that make you feel as though you’ve been whisked away to the Greek Islands. Think breads and dips, seafood and wood-fired meats, alongside Greek wines, beers, colourful cocktails and spritzes, all served across a bright, textural interior and a breezy courtyard made for ferry arrivals, lingering meals and catching up with friends. Click here for the full scoop.

Paradise Fish Shop
In sad news for Brisbane foodies, Jay Barratt has left his role of head chef at Supernormal Brisbane and Bar Miette. Our loss is the Gold Coast’s gain, though, because Jay has just announced plans to open 20-seat Paradise Fish Shop in Burleigh Heads later this month. Inspired by the Friday-night fish-and-chip runs of his childhood, the Hector’s Deli co-founder is putting his own spin on the humble fish-and-chip shop concept. Paradise Fish Shop will take a considered approach to the classics rather than reinventing them, serving hand-cut Gippsland potato chips, hand-battered fish, house-made dim sims, seasonal salads and crumbed whiting sandwiches, alongside rotating specials. Set beside Kostel Milk Bar on Deodar Drive, the shop will pair old-school charm with a coastal aesthetic and a few nostalgic touches – including old episodes of Home & Away on the television – creating the kind of easygoing local institution Jay hopes will feel both familiar and just a little bit special. Read all about it here.