Pavement Whispers: Volume 479 October 8
From news of the Crowbar team taking over The Zoo to a new bakehouse and cafe for Dutton Park, The Weekend Edition is always on the search for the latest food news in Brisbane, dedicated to ensuring its readers are in the know. When we put our ears to the pavement this week, this is what we found out …
Crowbar Brisbane
When Fortitude Valley institution The Zoo closed in July after 32 years of operation, Brisbane music lovers were left crestfallen. The long-running venue was the beating heart of Brisbane’s live-music scene – a breeding ground for local talent that also hosted countless tours from domestic and international artists. In news that will put a pep back in the step of gig-going punters, Trad Nathan and Tyla Dombroski of renowned indie venue Crowbar are taking over the site, turning it into the new home of Crowbar Brisbane. For the uninitiated, Crowbar first opened in Brisbane in 2012 and quickly earned a reputation for championing alternative, punk and heavy music. While the original location closed in 2020 in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Trad and Tyla jumped at the chance to revive Crowbar in The Zoo’s storied Ann Street space, preserving The Zoo’s rich history while invigorating the venue with Crowbar’s crackling energy, artist-driven ethos and inclusivity values. Melbourne artist Callum Preston is leading a rebrand effort across Crowbar Brisbane and Sydney (which opened in 2018), instilling a refreshed visual identity across both locations. The Zoo’s on-site kitchen will house Crowbar’s own American-inspired restaurant Ultimate Pig, which will dispense a menu of smash burgers, barbecued morsels, fried chicken and vegan- and vegetarian-friendly eats. While no opening date has been announced, rest assured we’ll have more info for you as soon as it is revealed.
Thai Boi Wynnum
Since opening in East Brisbane back in December, Thai Boi has evolved into a treasure of Brisbane’s Thai food scene. The spunky restaurant has evolved a lot since its launch, with owner Joe Kittiphat Nunyoi adding a new bar section with its own signature menu and drinks list anchored by beers from neighbouring craft-beer maker Future Magic Brewery. Later this month, Joe will push Thai Boi further, opening a brand-new location in the bayside suburb of Wynnum. Thai Boi Wynnum will open on Bay Terrace and will be the older brother of its playful East Brisbane sibling, with a design scheme imbued with a retro vibe (including a colour palette of greens, browns and cream). Fans of Joe’s family recipes will be thrilled to hear that Thai Boi’s menu will be transferred across (including signature dishes like the Kanlaya paneang curry, Queen Barra salad and Samui duck curry), while Wynnum-exclusive dishes (like deep-fried insects and tempura prawn salad) are expected to feature. While Thai Boi Wynnum awaits the approval of its liquor licence, the restaurant will be offering BYO wine. Thai Boi Wynnum is looking to open in the second half of October – stay tuned for a close-up look inside soon!
NOS. Bakehouse & Cafe
A new brunch and pastry spot in Dutton Park is set to trigger some serious nostalgia when it opens in November. NOS. Bakehouse & Cafe is taking over the Annerley Road space previously home to Penny Coffee Co., transforming it into a haven for those looking to take their taste buds on a walk down memory lane with a menu encompassing house-made pastries and desserts, a menu of savoury dishes and sustainably sourced coffee. A renovation process is currently underway, with the NOS. team imprinting a timber-heavy vintage-inspired aesthetic on the cosy space. Once open, the team will serve brunch and sweets, with signature items like twice-baked chocolate cake with Speculoos (a Biscoff-style biscuit made in Belgium), ube burnt cheesecake, house-baked pretzel bagels with caramel dip, and its fried dossant (a doughnut croissant hybrid). NOS. Bakehouse & Cafe is currently aiming for an early-to-mid November opening. The team is posting regular build updates on its Instagram page, so be sure to follow along.
And, in case you missed the news last week …
Hai Hai West End
Crowded House Hospitality, the crew behind beloved venues such as Remy’s, Ham on Rye and Superfly Pizza, is set to open a second location for its uber-popular ramen concept, Hai Hai. In January 2025, the team will cut the ribbon on the new outpost, which will be located on Boundary Street in the site most recently home to Chop Chop Chang’s. With more room to work with, the Hai Hai team will be relishing the chance to build on its killer menu, with a core selection of ramen and sides bolstered with the addition of more izakaya-style snacks, substantial mains and a range of rotating specials. The site will also boast a bigger bar, which means Hai Hai’s beverage offering will also be expanded – we’ve been told to expect plenty of shochu highballs, Japanese-inspired cocktails and beers. Get the full scoop on Hai Hai’s expansion here.
The Junk Bar
Long-running Ashgrove bar The Junk Bar is on the move. Later this month, the cocktail haunt and live-music venue will shutter its Waterworks Road location in late-October before reopening the following month in New Farm. The Junk Bar team has secured a killer two-level space on Brunswick Street (the former home of The Alibi Room), with work underway rearranging the floor plans on both levels. Upstairs will be the main bar, which will equipped with six taps and will also dispense wines and cocktails. An on-site kitchen will be overseen by the team behind Bill’s Burgers and El Corazón, with the likes of cheeseburger spring rolls, chicken wings and birria tacos expected for feature on the menu. Downstairs will be The Junk Bar’s new-look gig space, the Skukum Lounge, which will boast a North American-style log cabin feel, its own bar and a suite of top-notch stage amenities. Want to know more? Be sure to read our deep-dive piece over here.
If you’ve heard something that’s worth mentioning in The Weekend Edition’s Pavement Whispers, email [email protected].
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