Bar Soma to open in Scarness, Hervey Bay with late-night food and cocktails

A talented chef and bartender have joined forces to open a boutique bar along Hervey Bay’s Esplanade where they will have a constantly evolving food and cocktail menu.

A boutique “neighbourhood bar” focused on offering quality drinks and late-night food is opening in Hervey Bay.

Bar Soma will open in coming weeks at 346 the Esplanade in Scarness next door to the Bay’s new Italian restaurant La Bella Italia Pizzeria.

Owners Timo van Hest and Neil Yates said the idea was inspired by “gaps in the market” for a small, neighbourhood bar.

The cosy, 26-seat bar offers an extensive range of spirits and wine, including local drops from the Matilda Distilling Company and Spirit Collective.

“Probably 50 per cent of our spirits range is Australian,” Mr van Hest said.

Owners of Bar Soma Timo van Hest and Neil Yates.

Mr van Hest moved to Hervey Bay from Brisbane about two-and-a-half years ago, bringing with him 11 years of experience working in bars.

He was also voted the region’s favourite bartender by Fraser Coast Chronicle readers in 2021.

Mr Yates has worked as a head chef in fine-dining restaurants in Melbourne and Hervey Bay.

The extensive spirits and wine selection at Bar Soma in Hervey Bay.

The business owners said Bar Soma will focus on serving “late-night food” and “quality drinks” with good service.

“Our first metric for using a product will always be quality,” Mr van Hest said.

Bar Soma has quirky design details like a Tiger statue behind the bar. Photo: Contributed.

Mr van Hest said the bar’s cocktail and food menus would change every five to eight weeks.

“It’s a way for us to keep challenging ourselves and keep our patronage interested in what’s next,” he said.

Bar Soma is opening at 346 the Esplanade in Scarness in the coming weeks.

The food menu will also feature produce sourced from the Fraser Coast.

Mr Yates said the bar received positive feedback in recent weeks during its soft launch.

“If that’s the feedback already, we know it’s going to get better,” he said.

Bar Soma will open in the coming weeks, from 2pm to 11pm from Wednesday to Saturday, and Sundays from midday until sunset.