Good news for coffee-loving locals in the western suburbs – soon you’ll have a new caffeine house to make the post-restriction adjustment period more bearable. Sweetshop Specialty Coffee is the name of the new eatery, which comes from the mind of Donald Lauder – a Brisbane-born hospitality veteran who has spent much of the past decade working in cafes locally and abroad in the UK and Canada. After returning home from his latest stint overseas, Donald decided to plant some roots and open a cafe of his own, one where he could share his passion for top-notch filter coffee. Donald, a Paddington local, snagged a cracking corner spot in the heart of neighbouring Bardon in late-2019 with plans originally targeting an April opening. While COVID-19 and the pandemic-related restrictions understandably caused a few delays, Sweetshop is back on track and is set to softly open in a grab-and-go capacity very soon.

The finishing touches are currently being placed on Sweetshop’s interior and kitchen, giving the airy 40-seater locale a modern aesthetic emphasising a foundation palette of light colours and wood. The coffee counter will naturally draw plenty of attention, with brand-new gear on deck for Sweetshop’s crucial caffeine component. Donald has secured Melbourne roaster Seven Seeds for the house roast, but is eager to showcase a rotating selection of blends and single origins from guest roasters as well. Filter coffee will be a focus, with attention paid to light roasts on the brighter and fruitier end of the spectrum. Sweetshop will be hawking gourmet goodies from Crust & Co. Artisan Baking upon opening, but once the kitchen is fully operational and restrictions have eased Donald is eager to launch a full breakfast and brunch service.

Sweetshop Specialty Coffee is tentatively slated to open in the next couple of weeks. Keep your eyes peeled for a closer look!