The Stand
Fortitude Valley’s California Lane has officially been revealed, with many of Brunswick Street’s much-loved eateries already spilling out into the colourful laneway with new sun-kissed alfresco areas. A collection of new tenants will also be joining the line-up in the coming months, including new juice, cocktail and dessert bar The Stand. The Stand will sit at California Lane’s McLachlan Street entry, welcoming visitors with its vibrant neon-lit interiors. Custom-built tables resembling dripping pink icing will frame the entrance of the cafe, leading you into a sweet-tooth’s wonderland. In the morning, The Stand will serve up fresh juices and pastries, followed by colourful cocktails and decadent desserts until late in the evening. You’ll find everything from traditional sticky-date pudding and tiramisu, to deconstructed black-forest cheesecake and ambrosia salad. There will be a cocktail on the list to match each dessert, as well as a selection of old favourites. The Stand is due to open at the end of October – stand by for details.

CJ’s Pasta
After 22 delicious years, CJ’s Pasta has changed hands. The Spaghetti House Trattoria owner Claire Parviz and business partner Tania Bailey took over the pasta providore a little over a week ago, with plans to take the business to exciting new heights. For the time being, CJ’s will remain at its Horan Street location in West End and operate business as usual, continuing to wholesale to its collection of retailers and restaurants (including The Spaghetti House) around town. The coming months, however, will see CJ’s move to a new home in a nearby location, featuring an open kitchen (so you can watch your pasta being freshly made), a cooking school and an on-site cafe, restaurant and bar. Claire and Tania are hoping to create a breezy outdoor terrace area at the new location, allowing cooking school students to learn to make pasta, then sit outside on long dining tables to enjoy their handmade feast. For now the CJ’s menu will remain as is, but we have a feeling we can expect some exciting changes in the future. We’ll keep you posted!

Two Tables Cafe
Charming Albion hideaway Two Tables Cafe has blossomed in recent months, drawing in hosts of diners with its inventive predominantly plant-based fare. The eatery has recently expanded its service to include evenings from Wednesday through to Sunday, pleasing palates with its menu of vegetarian burgers, vegan pizzas and salads. Oh, and Two Tables Cafe is also BYO, so diners are more than welcome to bring their favourite wine to dinner.

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