Opening not one, but two new concepts in the midst of a global pandemic is a tall order. Thankfully for lovers of crispy fish and specialty coffee (not at the same time, but no shade if so), Peter Glouftis wasn’t deterred. Peter is the brains behind Potato Boy and Northside Coffee Brewers, a tasty tandem that officially opened on King Street on Wednesday July 1. Peter is a familiar figure on King Street, having brought Broadbeach favourite The Lamb Shop there in 2017 (he has since sold the business to new owners). When a space – formerly home to George’s Bistro and GG’s Espresso – became available underneath Kingsgate (next to Fat Dumpling and Il Verde), Peter jumped at the chance to take it on, putting the wheels in motion for separate coffee and fish-and-chip concepts that he had been tossing around in his brain for a while. Originally slated to open in March, Peter and his team were forced to hold off until the lockdown eased. Now that Brisbane’s hospitality scene is starting to emerge from hibernation, Potato Boy and Northside Coffee Brewers have finally opened!

Potato Boy is an old-school fish-and-chip shop, one inspired by the local joints Peter frequented while growing up in Melbourne’s western suburbs. The space is easy to spot – a glowing neon sign sits on the wall above the service counter, luring in street traffic like a baited hook attracts fish – except the bait in this instance is Potato Boy’s mouth-watering offering. Hand-cut chips doused in vinegar and perfectly battered fish are some of Peter’s life-long favourites, and he’s sought to imbue a bit of that same nostalgia (as well as a sprinkling of his Greek heritage) into Potato Boy’s curated menu of sustainable, seasonal and locally sourced eats. The superstar of the tight menu is the fish and chips, which is comprised of beer-battered sea perch (sourced from New Zealand waters) and triple-cooked hand-cut chips. Months of research and development has gone into perfecting the batter, which can also be tasted in the potato scallops (also called potato cakes, depending on where you’re from). Other menu items such as burgers (one boasting grass-fed beef and double-smoked bacon, and another stacked with buttermilk fried chicken), a Potato Boy chip butty, onion rings, salads and calamari (also sourced from New Zealand) are available as well, alongside a short list of boozy beverages.

Sitting adjacent in its own little nook is Northside Coffee Brewers, and while the two concepts share a common seating area they boast a completely different set of options. Here, coffee is king. Peter has linked up with his brother Mark at Black Sheep Coffee to source two house blends (one suited for milky coffee, another for black) for locals looking to perk up. Espresso-based coffee, batch brew and bottled cold-drip options are on deck for sipping, alongside freshly squeezed orange juice and Mayde Tea. In addition to the brew, Northside will also serve two kinds of bacon-and-egg roll – one with scrambled egg and caramelised onion, another with fried egg, double-smoked bacon and cheese – and pastries from Sprout Artisan Bakery.

Both Potato Boy and Northside Coffee Brewers are open to the public. Hit the Stumble Guide for opening hours and extra details!