Sweet treats a big hit at Cairns’ newest dessert bar offering

A new Cairns city business is scooping the frozen dessert market with a product lovers of sweet treats can’t seem to get enough of.

Opening night at Yo-Phoria at the corner of Aplin and Abbott streets. Picture: Supplied

A new Cairns city business is scooping the frozen dessert market with a product lovers of

sweet treats can’t seem to get enough of.

Taking the place of Fishpoint restaurant, the new frozen yoghurt bar recently opened at the corner of Abbott and Aplin streets to huge crowds.

Yo-Phoria is the new venture of the Papagelou family, famous for Villa Romana and Yayas Hellenic Kitchen and Bar on the Esplanade.

George and Helen Papagelou’s son Steve said the new frozen yoghurt and açai bar was at the centre of an emerging dessert hub surrounded by gelato and ice cream shops.

Yo-Phoria staff member Alessandra Cecera serves up a bowl of mango yoghurt packed with delicious toppings. Picture: Brendan Radke

Though he always had confidence in the product, Mr Papagelou said he was still taken aback by how busy the shop had been since opening.

“I didn’t think it would have been as big as it has been. It’s flying,” the operations manager said.

“The idea came from wanting to bring something fun, fresh and a bit different to the area. “There’s been a real buzz around frozen yoghurt lately and we thought it was the perfect time to bring more of that to Cairns.

Yo-Phoria is a new food outlet at the corner of Abbott and Aplin streets, serving a variety of flavoured frozen yoghurts and a large choice of toppings. Picture: Brendan Radke

“We are a hospitality family and we love feeding people, that’s where I get joy.”

Seven rotating frozen yoghurt flavours include vanilla, pistachio and chocolate and can be paired with a range of 32 toppings.

Early favourites include mini mochi, kataifi or Dubai chocolate, baklava and sticky date pudding.

“People can really make it their own,” he said.

The new Yo-Phoria frozen yoghurt dessert bar is now open in the Cairns CBD. Picture: Supplied

“The vibe in-store is super fun, and we’ve even custom-built, by the legends at Inspired Signs, a giant frozen yoghurt cup you can actually sit in for photos. We call it the Yo-Throne.”

The corner tenancy has been in the hands of the Papagelou family since the shop was known as the Trilogy Medi Spa soon after the Mantra Trilogy towers went up in 2003.

Mr Papagelou said all kinds of dessert offerings were looked at in a transition away from the Fishpoint business before deciding to invest in the new frozen yoghurt shop.

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Originally published as Sweet treats a big hit at Cairns’ newest dessert bar offering