Tarragindi’s brunch scene has expanded with the official opening of Vaiola. The eatery is the brainchild of Emily and Soane, the duo behind widely beloved locale Umu Kitchen – a Denham Terrace cafe specialising in Pacific Island-inspired cuisine, with a focus on Tongan-style fare. In addition to sensational brunch, the Umu Kitchen team has dabbled in dinner, drinks and private events over its five years of operation. Unfortunately, a limited about of space prevented the Umu team from expanding its offering further without sacrificing its trademark finesse and quality control.

Enter the team from Tarragindi Bowls Club on Andrew Avenue, which approached the Umu crew to see if it would be interested in taking over its kitchen and cafe space. This is where you’ll find Vaiola. Meaning ‘water of life’, Vaiola boasts a nature-inspired fit-out, with sage-coloured walls, turquoise-green tiling, muted blue tub chairs, timber tables and plenty of greenery conjuring a nourishing island vibe. The all-day breakfast and lunch menu sees the Vaiola team expand upon Umu’s Pacific Island inspirations, offering some Umu favourites like the prawn omelette with papaya and lychee, and the big breakfast with spit-roasted pig, as well as some Vaiola exclusives like toasted coconut bread with fresh seasonal fruits, edible flowers, maple syrup and coconut chia yoghurt, and the Fun-Gi – a seasonal medley of garlic mushrooms with fresh greens, kumara mash and kale chips. A bar snack and dinner menu comes online from 2:00 pm, featuring a share plate and tapas-style offering (think arancini balls, sliders, pulled-pork tacos and pizzas), as well as a clutch of quintessential bowls club mains.