Patrick’s Bakery
The best thing about the city’s bakery boom is that previously under-serviced pockets of Brisbane and its surrounds are now scoring carb kiosks of their own. A brand-new bakery concept is currently taking shape out in Regents Park, with Patrick’s Bakery soon to open at the Village Fair Shopping Centre. From a chic nook boasting checkered tile and an eye-catching green-and-white colour scheme (designed by Allo Creative and Clui Design, and constructed by Lowry Group), Patrick’s Bakery will serve a selection of traditional options and gluten-free alternatives – think artisanal loaves like sourdough and ciabatta, pies, sausage rolls, croissants and doughnuts. There will also be a cake offering and sandwiches for the lunchtime crowd, not to mention specialty coffee from Bellissimo. Patrick’s Bakery is targeting an early-March opening date – carb lovers are encouraged to check in frequently for updates on the bakery’s arrival.

Rise Bakery
From one bakery to another. Last week we revealed that popular Sanctuary Cove boulangerie and salon de thé (tea room) Rise Bakery would be heading to Brisbane, opening a new artisan patisserie bakery at Portside Wharf. The precinct, which is undergoing a $20-million facelift, is upgrading its food and drink offering in the process by attracting established players (including the Tassis Group, which is currently constructing Fosh at the Hamilton hub) to set up shop. Rise Bakery, which is owned by chefs Adrien Marcinowski and Maxime Bournazel, will be recreating an authentic boulangerie experience via it’s French-style aesthetic, boasting hues of dreamy whites, soft pinks and accents of gold throughout the indoor and outdoor dining spaces. Guests will be able to devour traditional French classics made fresh daily, including flaky croissants, pain au chocolat, fruit-topped danishes and salmon, prosciutto crudo and ham-filled baguettes – all available alongside a cup of Tavalon tea or a caffeinated sip from Bear Bones Coffee. That’s not all. Rise Bakery will also house an impressive champagne bar, where guests will be able to enjoy a crisp glass of champagne with their meal. Bakery visits don’t get more luxurious than this – rest assured that we’ll be one of the first in line to check out Rise Bakery when it opens this April.

Ovello Bar & Kitchen
If you’ve been itching for a Mediterranean holiday but are waiting for European summer to kick in, here’s something that might sate your desire for the sun-soaked vibes of the Amalfi Coast. Ovello Bar & Kitchen is a chic eatery set to open at the base of Mantra South Bank in early February. Boasting a bar, two dining rooms and plenty of alfresco seating – all imbued with a bright and bubbly aesthetic – Ovello seeks to add some new-found energy to South Bank’s major thoroughfare. If you love Italian, you’re going to flip for Ovello’s menu of eats, which will include fresh calamari fritti, gooey burrata, spaghetti vongole made with hand-collected South Australian clams, olive-oil cake drenched in lemon syrup and stone-baked fresh pizza made with a 37-year-old mother dough. One aspect that could potentially distract diners from the food is Ovello’s 14-strong spritz menu, which will feature zippy concoctions like the lychee spritz made with pink gin, sparkling rosé, lychee fruit and topped with edible pink glitter. If you are looking to push the boat out on an extravagant experience, order The Duchess – a decadent sip (and a pricey one – it’ll set you back $299) is made with rose liqueur and Dom Pérignon champagne, and is topped with locally made Turkish delight glazed in a gold lustre and served in a special glass that guests can take home. While that level of expenditure isn’t for everyone, Ovello certainly has something for most tastes and price brackets. We’ll give you the lowdown when Ovello officially opens next month.

Other news …
While Pavement Whispers is mostly dedicated to sharing news of soon-to-open bars, cafes and restaurants, closures of dearly beloved establishments are worth a mention, too. Recent weeks have seen a handful of long-running concepts close, including iconic laneway bar Super Whatnot, Paddington’s casual cool cafe Kettle & Tin, Fortitude Valley’s Louisiana Redclaw (which will hopefully be reopening in a new location) and chic Newstead eatery Drum Dining. Last week the team behind NUG. General Store in Bakery Lane – Sarah Baldwin of Joy. Restaurant, Jarrod Applebee and Shane Phillips – announced that they’d made the tough call to say goodbye as the concept’s current owners. NUG. General Store, which made several of our best-of lists in its short lifespan, will be closed until new owners of the business can take over. Here’s hoping we’ll be able to enjoy NUG.’s sandwiches, deli goods and homewares again in the near future.

If you’ve heard something that’s worth mentioning in The Weekend Edition’s Pavement Whispers, email [email protected].