Mr Badgers to open with tram car dining room

A new deli-cum-bar is opening in Brisbane’s south giving guests an experience off the beaten track.

Imagine dining inside a tram cart, inside a restaurant. Well that’s the fun and quirky new concept opening in Brisbane’s Woolloongabba this week.

From the owners of ’Gabba hospitality favourites Canvas Club, Electric Avenue and Mrs J. Rabbits Speakeasy, comes new all-day deli-cum-bar and eatery Mr Badgers at 24 Logan Rd.

Inspired by New York electrical engineer Joseph Stillman Badger, who moved to Brisbane in the late 1800s to electrify the city’s tram network, the historically themed venue will feature a replica of his tram car known as “Palace”. The life-size copy is decked out in red and white on the outside, while inside is set up as a full dining room for guests with four red, leather booths and curtains.

“I wanted a place for people who have just had kids to have a bit of a night out but not have to go to a pub – they can go to a nice place that’s a bit more family friendly,” said Dan Rodriguez, who owns the business with carpenter extraordinaire and man behind the tram replica Adam Pykett.

“That’s why we have the tram as well for kids because it gives them joy.”

To support that, a short children’s menu will be in play, but the real focus will be on the deli offering.

A glass cabinet at the front will burst with cheeses and cured meats, alongside the likes of olives, pate, sardines, breads, meatballs, anchovies and more, ready for purchase or to be plated up as an antipasto, charcuterie or cheese board for eating in-house.

Mr Badgers in Woolloongabba will serve up an array of deli treats from cheeses to cured meats, breads and olives when it opens on September 3.

New York-inspired bagels and sandwiches filled with great local produce will also be a star attraction during the day, such as a three-cheese toastie, classic Reuben, and South Philly cheesesteak. While Thursday to Saturday nights, the venue will switch to offering six pizzas that are a cross between a thick crust Detroit pie and a deep dish. And once the venue is up and running, family-style share plates will be introduced featuring the likes of roast chicken served with three sides.

Coffee will be from local roasters Black Sheep, alongside old-school milkshakes, juices and a concise alcoholic offering, running from international wines to Aussie craft beer, to bottled cocktails with fun, tram-referencing names, like the gin martini Stanley Street Station.

Mr Badgers will open Friday at 9am.