Hola! HolyJala brings tacos, tapas and tequila to Coolangatta
A wise man (okay, it was Leonardo DiCaprio) once said, “be thankful for the hard times, for they have made you”. Before COVID-19, Andrea Muhlemann had a great job in hospitality and was about to secure a space of her own in Burleigh Heads. In the blink of an eye, everything changed and Andrea began driving for Uber to make ends meet. It was at this point that Andrea decided that she had two choices – she could grieve the things she had lost, or she could pick herself up and create something good from the chaos. Thankfully for the coast’s taco-loving populace, she opted for the latter and began to conceptualise her dream restaurant – a Mexican-style taqueria with Mediterranean influences and plenty of tequila. Coolangatta, say hola to HolyJala.
HolyJala (pronounced Holy-ha-la, as in short for jalapeno) draws upon Andrea’s Spanish heritage and ingrained love of tequila. Housed in the former Greenhouse Canteen and Bar space along Marine Parade, the venue boasts a bright and colourful new look with one-of-a-kind artwork adorning the walls and a newly created chill-out area out the front of the venue – the perfect setting for long, lingering lunches and afternoon sundowners that roll effortlessly into evenings. For those who are familiar with the space, you will be pleased to know the stunning glass ceiling (a hallmark of its predecessor) remains a feature in the back dining room, accentuated with colourful sombreros, plenty of hanging plants and pops of neon.
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