La Stradina opens in Coolangatta, bringing a European edge to a familiar laneway
The once-bustling Coolangatta laneway that was home to Clay Cantina has quietly come back to life. The cosy site has been reimagined as an intimate bar and kitchen where oysters, share plates and cocktails inspired by far-flung places set the tone for something a little more refined. La Stradina is bringing a taste of Europe to the southern strip – here’s what you need to know …
La Stradina is the latest offering from chef Marcondes Neto, who also owns Black Dingo Cafe and Cooly Breeze. Originally, Marco took over the space as a prep kitchen for his venues, but once he was in, the idea for something more began to take shape – a venue grounded in his background and personal influences.
“I always wanted to have a European wine bar,” he tells us.
The name itself reflects that vision. La Stradina translates to ‘the little street’, a fitting nod to its tucked-away location and the sense of stepping somewhere else entirely. Marco describes the concept as a reflection of his upbringing and time spent across Europe.
Rather than centring on a single cuisine, drawing from Marco’s Italian roots alongside influences from Spain, Portugal and beyond – with a strong focus on seafood and share-style dining.
Oysters play a leading role to start, from classic natural to more layered takes like yuzu with black caviar, pomegranate mignonette and a bloody mary oyster shot. It’s a menu that feels familiar, but never predictable.
Across the smaller plates, the offering is concise and deliberate. Baos stuffed with soft-shell crab, honey thyme pork belly and tempura oyster mushroom sit alongside tuna tartare, truffle arancini and croquettes. Seafood continues to anchor the menu, with king prawns paired with fermented pineapple and chilli, Moreton Bay bug skewers and blue fin tuna rice cakes finished with citrus and ponzu.
A similar approach carries through to the larger plates. Wagyu rump is served with parmesan truffle fries and red wine jus, market fish comes with cauliflower puree and garlic prawns, and a rigatoni with stracciatella and Napoli sauce offers something simple and comforting.
Behind the bar, the cocktail list follows suit. Each drink is named after a city – Barcelona, Paris, Lisbon, Rome – with ingredients tied back to place.
“You can drink your way around Europe,” he tells us.
Subscribe for updatesWine has also been thoughtfully selected, with a focus on European producers to complement the food and overall direction of the venue.
With live blues and jazz on weekends and vinyl spinning in the background, La Stradina is already carving out its own identity within the iconic laneway space.
Head to The Directory for opening times.
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