From wagyu cheeseburgers to creme brulee Basque cheesecake – Cafe Junie in Carrara launches Bar Junie
Some venues belong to the morning. Others make more sense once the day winds down. At Cafe Junie, they’ve decided to do both. From Thursday April 16, the team is introducing Bar Junie – a once-a-week evening service that shifts the space into something slower, a little darker and built for lingering. Here’s what we know …
When Cafe Junie opened in mid-2024, it didn’t take long to find its people, quickly becoming part of the local routine. Now, owners Brendan and Gabrielle Hill are adding to that rhythm with a weekly night service.
The menu comes from head chef Ryo Miyamoto, who has worked alongside the pair since their Refinery Coffee days in Currumbin. These are dishes he’s been carrying for a while – not necessarily designed to fit a specific theme, but to sit together naturally. There’s a subtle nod to his Japanese heritage, with French and Italian influences woven throughout.
Start with snacks like Turkish bread with whipped soy butter, pickled tomato with bonito flakes and fries with yuzu mayo, before moving into plates like burrata with cucumber and grapes, karaage-style fried chicken and tuna yukhoe with seaweed – with the option to add warm sushi rice if you’re settling in.
The wagyu cheeseburger and fries will no doubt get attention – at $15, it’s hard not to – but it’s the wagyu scotch fillet with teriyaki butter that Gabrielle is tipping as a must-order. Rich, savoury and deeply satisfying, she describes it as melt-in-your-mouth.
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Don’t skip dessert. The creme brulee Basque cheesecake with yuzu marmalade keeps things bright, while the creme brulee layer adds a hard, crackable top over that dense, soft centre.
Behind the bar, there’s a line-up of Japanese beers, a tight wine list curated by Rob Roy Deli & Drinks in Tweed Heads and a couple of house cocktails designed to match the menu.
Keeping the vibes high, there will also be a DJ vinyl set by Joey Pepperoni each week too – expect plenty of funk, soul and disco.
Bar Junie is set to run weekly, with the menu shifting over time as Ryo rotates in new ideas and seasonal additions. Reservations are strongly encouraged.
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