In an industry where consistency is key, Fonzie Abbott – a renowned maker of consistently excellent coffee – has long been one of the most solid operators in the Brisbane specialty caffeine scene. That’s not to say that Fonzie Abbott has remained static. Since Dan Pappas founded the roaster in 2010, Fonzie Abbott has made well-received forays into craft-beer brewing and small-batch distilling, while its Albion headquarters is a hugely popular brunch spot in its own right. That said, Fonzie Abbott made its bones through coffee and it remains the foundational pillar of the business. Recent months have seen the team capitalise on opportunities to build a larger presence in the local cafe scene, first by opening a drive-through coffee slinger on Lutwyche Road in June and then, in July, following up with Vice Coffee House on Merthyr Road.

This 40-seater (previously the home of Little Loco) has been given a punchy makeover, with Fonzie’s signature black-and-white colour scheme applied across a cosy interior space and alfresco dining area. New Farm locals are no stranger’s to Fonzie Abbott – you’ll often see a line of caffeine seekers snaking away from the roaster’s rolling specialty cafe at Jan Powers Farmers Market at Brisbane Powerhouse every Saturday. Vice Coffee House is a spot for New Farm folk (and those living in neighbouring suburbs) to get their Fonzie fix during the week as well, be it through a grab-and-go brew before hopping on the bus or by nabbing beans to take home. “It’s somewhere on this side of town where people can get their beans ground to their liking,” says Dan. “There’s new offerings, single origins and seasonal blends. So there’s a coffee-bean retailing perspective and, obviously, good coffee in the morning. That’s mainly the concept – just a cool little space where you can enjoy a coffee and chill out.”

Vice’s coffee bar is dispensing Fonzie Abbott’s acclaimed Highside blend for its house espresso, served alongside rotating single origins (including a triple-pick brew from Aceh in Indonesia) and batch brews. Those seeking sustenance can settle in for a bite, with eats ranging from simple takeaway pastries and banana bread with espresso butter to the likes of Turkish eggs with herbed Greek yoghurt, chilli scrambled eggs with fried shallots and sriracha mayo, and sourdough French toast with maple syrup and mascarpone cream. At lunch, a range of wraps, toasties, bagels and a daily sando special also come into play. An on-site retail shelf is amply stocked with a bounty of Fonzie Abbott beans, at-home brewing apparatus and merch of all kinds. There’s more to come from Fonzie Abbott in the near future, too – the team is shifting (and expanding) its roastery operations to a spacious warehouse in Newstead, which will also boast its own coffee-centric cafe. We’ll have more on that soon!

Vice Coffee House is now open to the public seven days a week. Click over to the Stumble Guide for more information.