House of Bungalow is getting ready to open in Surry Hills, bringing a café, restaurant and basement cocktail lounge to a single multi-level Foveaux Street address. The project comes from Bungalow Collective, the independent hospitality group behind Bungalow Petersham and has been designed as a proper day-to-night play: coffee in the morning, lunch when the day allows it, dinner when the inbox can wait, and cocktails when nobody is quite ready to go home. Leading the charge is Bungalow Collective Founder and Director Binura Jayasuriya, who has spent more than a decade travelling, building brands and collecting ideas from hospitality venues around the world. “House of Bungalow was always the plan. I’ve spent years collecting ideas, learning from different industries and travelling the world. This is where all of those experiences come together,” he said. The cafe The Cafe has already been operating on the ground floor since May, serving freshly baked pastries, sandwiches and coffee made using The Grounds beans. This is where the customer journey is intended to begin. Guests are able to sit inside or alfresco, with the café open Monday to Saturday from 7 am to 3 pm. The restaurant The Restaurant will be led by award-winning chef Gianni Moretto, whose career has moved through some big hospitality moments. Moretto launched Uma in Perth, created Western Australia’s first fine-dining plant-based restaurant at Ten Acre Block, and most recently led the kitchen at Morena inside Sydney’s historic GPO Building. At House of Bungalow, he will head up the 80-seat restaurant, opening Tuesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner. The menu is being pitched as elevated but approachable, with a hook-to-plate philosophy and modern Spanish-inspired food shaped by Asian and Latin American influences. That global mix is not just menu fluff either. Moretto’s Chilean and Italian heritage, time living in Spain and Australia, and travels through Mexico, Peru, Malaysia, Indonesia and Japan all feed into the way he cooks. “Coming from Chile with Italian heritage, then living in Spain and Australia while travelling through Mexico, Peru, Malaysia, Indonesia and Japan, every place has influenced the way I cook,” said Moretto. “That multicultural background fits House of Bungalow perfectly.” Hero dishes include Smoked Eel Gilda, Peking Duck Canelons and Mochi de Turrón, giving a first look at the restaurant’s Spanish-meets-global direction. The wine list is going big too, with a pairing-led program spanning Spain’s sherry houses and regions across France, Italy, Australia and New Zealand. It will move from approachable by-the-glass pours through to collector wines including Penfolds Grange, Pétrus and Château d’Yquem. Front of house will be led by Veronica Prieto, who has risen through Bungalow Collective after previously managing sister venue Bungalow Petersham. The basement Downstairs, The Basement is where House of Bungalow switches to night mode. The cocktail lounge will open Wednesday to Sunday with a bespoke cocktail list, VIP bottle service and a five-night music program. The space is being positioned as a late-night destination for Sydney, with Nightlife and Entertainment Manager Julieana “Julz” Togiaono leading the team after working across major venues and entertainment operators including The Star. “The Basement will bring back the energy of Sydney’s nightlife that people once knew and loved, and become the late-night destination in Sydney,” said Togiaono. “Service touchpoints like the VIP bottle service bring that international level of entertainment and hospitality in a way Sydney has never seen before. Every guest will feel like a VIP.” The design House of Bungalow is taking shape inside the former Schweppes Building, giving the team a bit of history to work with before the first cocktail is even poured. The fit-out will keep heritage details including brickwork, sandstone façade detailing and original timber elements, worked into a more contemporary hospitality setting. M Studios has led the design, using layered lighting, textural finishes, and distinct moods across the venue while keeping the café, restaurant, and basement lounge connected under a single identity. “We worked with the incredible M Studios to bring our vision to life,” said Jayasuriya. “Their brief was to create a design-led hospitality precinct that balances the building’s heritage character with contemporary interiors, using lighting, materials and atmosphere to create distinct moods across each space while maintaining one cohesive identity. They absolutely delivered on that vision.” The $2 million-plus hospitality project will take over 65–67 Foveaux Street, with the full venue set to launch in early October 2026. Source: Curated Agency Find more dining out updates on Crumb Wire.

Comedian Lizzy Hoo’s Melbourne “restaurant” has officially closed, mostly because it was never actually a restaurant. On July 28, 362 Little Collins Street was revealed as a CP Authentic Asia pop-up, ending weeks of speculation that the comedian and self-confessed noodle enthusiast was making a move into hospitality. The stunt pulled hundreds of people through the doors, with close to 1,000 samples served across the activation. It also managed to convince fans, media and radio hosts that Hoo might genuinely be opening a restaurant. The reveal capped off a campaign that put Hoo on national radio, including Will & Woody on July 22 and The Joel Creasey Show on July 27, with Carrie & Tommy still to come on July 30. Andrew Turner, Director at Charoen Pokphand Foods Australia, said the response to the activation reflected what the brand set out to prove. “Hundreds of people turned up expecting a restaurant that didn’t exist, and left knowing exactly which aisle to find us in at Woolworths and Costco; that’s exactly the kind of attention we wanted on this range,” said Turner. “We gave away nearly 1,000 samples in a single afternoon, which tells you people are genuinely hungry for better options in the freezer aisle.” At the pop-up, guests sampled three products from the CP Authentic Asia range, all available now at Woolworths stores nationwide and at Costco. CP Authentic Asia Prawn Wonton Soup Ramen & Asian Veg CP Authentic Asia Prawn Wonton Tom Kha Soup Ramen & Asian Veg CP Authentic Asia Thai Spicy Prawn Wonton Kee Mao Noodles The range sits around $7 a bowl and is built around the campaign platform “Ditch The Passport, your shortcut to authentic Asian flavour,” positioning the freezer aisle as the shortcut for restaurant-style Asian meals at home. “We wanted to create something that sits in the sweet spot between instant noodles, dumplings and takeaway,” said Turner. “Lizzy’s stunt got people questioning what was real. Now we’re hoping it gets them into the freezer aisle to see for themselves.” For anyone who missed the Little Collins Street queue, the CP Authentic Asia range is available now at Woolworths and Costco nationwide. Find more food retail updates on Crumb Wire.

Dipti Karnad grew up cooking alongside her grandmother in Mumbai and has spent the years since working her way through some of Sydney’s most respected kitchens. In this Crumb Wire profile, the new head chef at Arms Length talks native ingredients, fermentation and what it still takes to carve out space in a male-dominated industry. What first sparked your love for food, and how did you get your start in the industry? Growing up in Mumbai, my life revolved around food. My grandmother was an exceptional cook, and I grew up watching her and later helping her prepare elaborate feasts for the family. By age 15, I knew I wanted to be a chef. That drive led me to apply to India’s most prestigious culinary and hospitality college, the Institute of Hotel Management in Mumbai. I loved every moment of expanding my knowledge of cuisine, and it was during this time that I decided to apply to Le Cordon Bleu in Sydney. What’s been your journey so far – from your first job to where you are now? After graduating, my first role was as a commis chef at Three Blue Ducks in Bronte, and later at Rosebery. I spent a major part of my career there, learning a lot about woodfired cooking and native ingredients. I moved through every section of the kitchen, and by the end of five years I was a sous chef. I have since worked at Chophouse and Clove Lane. My most recent roles were at The Waratah, where I stepped into my first head chef position, working closely with hyper-local producers like Nathan from Naway Yila Buradja to create an elevated food offering before moving on to Arms Length. What have been some of your greatest achievements and challenges along the way? Establishing a strong foothold in a male-dominated industry and progressing through sheer hard work and perseverance has been both an achievement and a challenge; and there is still a long way to go. Most recently, stepping into my current role as head chef at Arms Length has been gratifying, especially working alongside the owners to help shape a new direction for the venue, and creating a food offering that lets guests experience elevated food that is still familiar and approachable. Outside your property/properties, what are your current favourite food joints? I really enjoy the food at Ante and King Clarence. Mamak in Haymarket is a local favourite.  Which chefs and cuisines inspire you most – past or present? Chefs that really inspire me are Josh Niland and Gordon Ramsay, to name a few. My culinary foundation is French cuisine and I love Japanese cooking techniques and apply both in the food that I try to create. Indian cuisine is my all-time inspiration. How do you think Australia’s food culture has evolved in recent years? The focus has moved from strictly fine dining to more relaxed, casual but elevated dining experiences. Excellent food can also be had at a wine bar, with a number of traditionally trained chefs wanting to experiment and showcase technique, Australian produce and seafood with no frills. Any exciting food trends you’ve tried at home – or snuck onto the menu? I love using fermentation, smoking and wood or charcoal-fired cooking, although these techniques have been used for centuries. I try to incorporate them onto my menus as much as possible. And finally, what do you love doing when you’re not in the kitchen/at the venue? On my days off, I enjoy trying out new cafes and bakeries, gardening and plotting which restaurants I want to experience next. Find more food and drink features on Crumb Wire.

Cheers to 20 years: Burleigh Brewing is marking two decades in business, making the Gold Coast independent older than a fair chunk of Australia’s current craft beer scene. The brewery poured its first lager in 2006, when founders Peta and Brennan Fielding took a punt on a newly built complex in the Burleigh Heads industrial precinct. At the time, the idea of a dedicated production brewery on the Gold Coast was still a bit of a head-scratcher. Peta Fielding said the milestone was not something they could fully picture when they first started the business. “20 years, wow; honestly, we came into this with a very long term view but two decades into the future wasn’t something we could picture – we’re extremely grateful to everyone who’s ever sipped and savoured a Burleigh Brewing beer during that time,” said Fielding. “And our team, we seriously couldn’t have done it without them. “It’s wild to think the Q1 had only just opened and the Titans still weren’t in the NRL when we started Burleigh Brewing in 2006; and Facebook still hadn’t made it beyond university dorm rooms. “At the time, the idea of an independent production brewery on the Gold Coast was perplexing to most people – we knew going in, it was a gamble. “But Brennan and I always believed that the Gold Coast was full of potential and adding quality, independent brewing to its long list of qualities was just what was needed. “We’re stoked that the people of the Gold Coast, and Australia, came to believe in that too.” Two decades later, Burleigh Brewing is the Gold Coast’s largest independent beer maker, southeast Queensland’s oldest independent beer company, and still operating out of the region it helped put on the beer map. The brand is known for its Bighead range, tropical pale ale Twisted Palm, and Czech Mates, an Australian-first international collaboration with the world-famous Budvar Brewery. Over the past 20 years, Burleigh Brewing has produced enough beer to fill more than 250,000 bathtubs, employed around 200 people, and paid more than $50 million in excise back into the Australian economy. There has also been a royal cameo along the way. Brennan Fielding was once asked to brew a special batch of Duke Premium Lager for Princess Anne, King Charles’ sister, which led to an invitation to have lunch with her in Brisbane. The anniversary lands at a hard time for independent brewing in Australia, with several well-known breweries entering administration over the past two years and smaller operators continuing to face pressure from rising costs, tax and consolidation. Fielding said the early years came with plenty of hurdles. “I remember when we were in those early stages, banks struggled to understand the scope of what we were doing and the local council’s planning rules hadn’t been tested on a project like ours yet,” said Fielding. “It’s been a huge honour to become part of the fabric of the Gold Coast – we’re not here because it’s been easy. “It’s a tough industry for independent players in Australia and we’ve watched good, independent breweries fall over; and we don’t take a single schooner of it for granted.” On the Gold Coast alone, around 20 beer brands have appeared over the past two decades. Some have since sold to global alcohol companies, but Burleigh Brewing remains independent. For the brewery, the 20-year mark is not just a birthday. It is a reminder that staying independent in beer takes more than a good taproom and a few shiny tanks. It takes people who keep choosing the beer, the place and the story behind it. “It’s something we’re very proud of – it’s cliche, but I think we’ve got soul,” said Fielding. “The Gold Coast is our home, and we plan to be here for another 20 years at least. “There’s some other great beer makers coming out of the area now, so I like to think we helped blaze a bit of a trail. “What’s the trick to lasting 20 years in the beer business? You have to love it – and I’m not just talking about a pint. “Our original KPIs had nothing to do with spreadsheets or bottom lines – it was a win if we simply saw someone rock up to a house party with a six-pack of Burleigh Brewing Twenty years later, we’re still proud to be the beer people are proud to bring along.” Source: Wolf PR Find more food and drink news on Crumb Wire.