Gold Coast Cafes And Restaurants Building Boutique Food Empires

BOUTIQUE Gold Coast restaurants and cafes are following the path paved by food giants McDonald’s and Starbucks and building mini empires.

A number of the city’s better known foodie brands are using their success to open spin-off ventures.

Daniel and Ruggie Ridgeway have five BiN restaurants on their plate while Broadbeach’s Gemelli Italian has influenced the opening of a food truck and two eateries in Nobby Beach and Sorrento.

This week, Background Barista opened at Mermaid Beach, the second cafe inspired by Barefoot Barista’s success at Palm Beach.

Cafe royalty Ursula Watts, the brains behind Bam Bam Bakehouse, Paddock Bakery and Neptune Kiosk, will expand her foodie empire to NSW with a new venue, Cubby Bakehouse, slated to open at Chinderah in a few months.

Ms Watts said the success of Paddock and Bam Bam allowed her and partner Ben to look at additional ventures.

“We definitely owe thanks to Instagram’s boundless virtual playground with people sharing our story through images,” she said.

“And although we work on bricks and mortar stores, our online presence has doubled in 12 months.

“Bam Bam pastry is sold online and due to the crazy high demand we are selling out online before the day has begun so people can secure stock. This is a new world to us.”

Ms Watts said the “constant treadmill of wanting to stay at the top” kept Gold Coast restaurateurs thinking creatively.

“Ben and I don’t copy or try to be something we’re not. We do our own thing and try to create an experience,” she said.

“It’s been a challenge to create separate brands, keep their integrity and identity and run them all simultaneously. But it’s important to us to keep creating because it’s what we love to do.”

Liz Ennis, owner of Barefoot, Borough and now Background Barista, said the expansion of smaller “local” cafes was driven by savvy Gold Coasters wanting quality fare.

“Expansion is a reaction to what the consumers are asking for,” she said.

“They want to find a space that’s their ‘local’, where they become return customers (and) it gives us as business owners the confidence to grow.

“Gold Coasters expect high-quality food everywhere they go now and I think that’s really difficult for a major chain to deliver.”

The popularity of healthy cafe Social Brew at Burleigh Heads led Mike Dowling to open a second location on the other side of the city.

“Like anything, you need to get the name out there,” Mr Dowling said.

“It’s all about the brand and no matter what you do, you have to look after your brand.

“We’ve served more than 24,000 people since opening in August … a lot of people had heard of us before from Burleigh.”

GOLD COAST’S BIGGEST FOODIE EMPIRES
DANIEL AND RUGGIE RIDGEWAY

BiN 232, Pacific Fair

BiN 12, Burleigh Heads

BiN 89, Broadbeach

BiN 72, Coolangatta

BiN 931, Brisbane

Rivea, Pacific Fair

Little Truffle, Mermaid Beach

PAUL, JAMES AND ALEC CARNEY

Gemelli, Broadbeach

Gemellini, Nobby Beach

Papa Rollys Food Truck

Gemelli Sorrento, Bundall

PATRICK GENARRI

Koi Dining and Lounge Bar, Broadbeach,

Glass Dining and Lounge Bar, Main Beach

The Loose Moose, Broadbeach

NERISSA AND MITCH MCCLUSKEY

Etsu Izakaya, Mermaid Beach

Commune Cafe, Burleigh

Aloha Bar & Dining, Broadbeach

ANDREW WHITING

Elk Espresso, Broadbeach

Sparrow Eating House, Nobby Beach

SCOTT IMLACH

Hideaway Kitchen & Bar, Broadbeach

Bine Bar & Dining, Nobby Beach

URSULA AND BEN WATTS

Paddock Bakery, Miami

Neptune Kiosk, Tallebudgera

Cubby Bakehouse, Northern NSW

Bam Bam Bakehouse, Mermaid Beach

JP DUITSCH

Moo Moo The Wine Bar + Grill, Broadbeach

Mamasan Kitchen & Bar, Broadbeach

TY YTURRALDE

California Tacos, Burleigh

California Cantina, Isle of Capri

SACHA, DAN AND BEN KANAGHINES

Nonna’s Italian Cuisine, Biggera Waters

House of Brews, Surfers Paradise

CHERYL BENCH

Taste, Chirn Park

Daily Squeeze, Chirn Park

Cafe Uno, Biggera Waters

Lola’s, Broadbeach

Chevron Social, Chevron Island

Source: Gold Coast Bulletin 4 January 2018

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