It’s been a case of create it and they will come for Emma and Kevin Gatti, the husband-and-wife duo behind Hope Island’s Santa Barbara Specialty Coffee. The perceptive pair noticed a gap in the immediate area for top-notch brews and decided then and there that this was an itch they needed to scratch. Tucked away in the corner of a small roadside complex, it would be easy to drive past Santa Barbara Specialty Coffee none the wiser. The constant stream of happy faces in and out, however, is your first indication that you’ve come to the right place. Overlooking the Santa Barbara Boat Ramp, the new neighbourhood noshery has quickly found a following of folk who share Emma and Kevin’s penchant for quality coffee. Accentuated by pops of greenery, the white-washed space features a scattering of tables on the open-air deck alongside a clutch of smaller settings inside. If the sun is shining, grab your order to-go and roll out a rug in the park across the road.

Peckish? Keep it light and bright with a selection from the cabinet that is brimming with freshly baked pastries from Currumbin’s Fuel Bakehouse, a granola bowl that’s loaded with goodness or a sourdough crumpet with roast macadamia honeycomb butter. Those in the mood for something a little more substantial will gravitate towards the newly expanded toastie selection, which now includes five seriously loaded sandos that are guaranteed to annihilate any pesky pangs. The chicken pesto with succulent chicken breast, roasted capsicum and a generous slice of gooey cheddar on thick-cut sourdough is undoubtedly a crowd-pleaser, alongside the Reuben, which is served with Thousand Island dipping sauce for a little added hint of sweetness. Meat-free mates will also be pleased to know there’s a pulled-barbecue shiitake mushroom toastie on offer. As for the caffeinated brews, Kevin takes this side of the business pretty seriously. Having spent the last seven years manning coffee machines from Brisbane to Burleigh Heads, he knows a thing or two about excellent coffee. After extensive taste tests, Kevin and Emma partnered up with one of the originals of the specialty coffee scene, Coffee Supreme. The brew bar is using a couple of Coffee Supreme’s signature blends for their black and milk-based coffee offering, but if you’re really keen to take your sipping experience to the next level, try the rotating single origin. For non-coffee folk, there’s a selection of tea, chai and fresh juices on offer.

Santa Barbara Specialty Coffee is open for breakfast and brunch seven days. Check out our Stumble Guide for address and times.