Il Bacco, Roots, and more Mackay cafes opening, closing, or up for sale
If you’ve been wondering where to get your next great meal or cup of coffee, check out the newest places to get a fix and find out what’s happening with your old favourites.
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Il Bacco Italian Dining has been put on the market after four years in Mackay, one of myriad changes across the region’s cafe and dining scene.
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Owner Giuseppe Butticè moved to Mackay a decade ago, and made a name for himself as a talented chef and restaurant manager, but he said it’s time to move on.
He said Covid costs and staff shortages had placed more responsibility on his shoulders, but the business would be a cinch for any prospective buyer with “two or three people that they can trust”.
“It’ll be the easiest job in their life,” Mr Butticè said.
“The business pays for itself, if I close the doors tomorrow, I wouldn't owe anything to anyone.
“It's not a fancy place by my standards, but by Mackay standards it can be considered a finer space.
“We’re still doing full table service, helping you pick your wine, helping you pick your food, and that’s the difference between a restaurant and what are now a lot of glorified pubs.”
Mr Butticè previously ran The Church Cafe at Pinnacle before taking over the former Claudies venue for Il Bacco, but is a marketing manager by training and hopes to find work in that arena.
He said the decision to sell had “nothing to do with the business itself”, but trying to find a better work-life balance instead – something his wife, geologist Genny Mazzoni, is “definitely happy about”.
While it will be the end of an era for Il Bacco, Mr Butticè said he was grateful for his time running restaurants in Mackay.
“The most value I got from my restaurant is that when I moved to Australia 10 years ago, I was no one,” he said.
“Now I’ve had two businesses in Mackay, people know me.
“A lot of customers know me by name (and) some have already offered me a job.”
If you’re interested in running the boutique Italian restaurant, check out the Seek Business listing here.
From farewelling our old favourites to welcoming the newest cafes, there’s a lot more going on in the Mackay region’s mess halls.
The Farm Cafe & Providore Sarina
Sarina’s newest cafe and caterer opened on March 8, offering grazing boxes, breakfast, and lunch.
Having moved from its previous location at Sarina Bowls Club to 21 Central Street, The Farm Cafe & Providore is located behind Grand Central Hotel and across from Third Ground cafe.
If you’re looking for anything from a coffee to a DIY picnic set for two, check out their Facebook page here.
Roots Collective
Opening its doors on February 10, Roots Collective is the long anticipated venture from former Third Ground managers and siblings Wes Bailey, Skye Bailey, and Jana Temple.
Renovating a former mechanical warehouse at 46 Broad Street in Sarina, Roots offers cafe fare as well as a fine dining experience with a restaurant, wine bar and bakehouse.
Ms Temple told the Daily Mercury in January the team “put a lot of thought into the new venue to ensure it will be a beautiful, vibrant and family-friendly space.”
Roots are hosting their first Summer Cocktail Party this Friday, March 17. Check it out here.
Euro Fusion Cafe Bowen
Bowen has a brand new waterside eatery, with the opening of Euro Fusion Cafe on February 15.
Looking out at the Pacific Ocean from their perch at 1 Starboard Drive, locals and visitors can have a beverage over a homemade tiramisu, vanilla slice, and much more.
Find out the hours for Euro Fusion Cafe at the Bowen Marina here.
Ampol Moranbah
Ampol Moranbah is a fuel station, car wash, and discount store which recently expanded to be a 24-hour retro cafe.
Its Facebook shows it now offers Melitta Espresso coffee and a range of meals from a “Miner’s Breakfast” to pancakes to packed lunches.
Red and white retro diner seats are available for locals and visitors to check out their full breakfast menu.
24 Seven Mackay
Paget commuters may have noticed the empty venue next to the Shell City Gates, where 24 Seven Cafe closed several weeks ago.
The business confirmed it was permanently closed on Google Maps, with the chain seeming to pivot towards new outlets in NSW.
The Mackay outlet at 1-3 Broadsound Road opened in February 2019, but after two years the site is available for a new opportunity.
Oscars Cafe & Bar
Mackay favourite Oscars Cafe & Bar has been temporarily closed for at least nine months, reportedly because of staff shortages.
The popular venue at the corner of Sydney Street and Gordon Street has sat empty since the doors closed in June 2022 with a sign saying “We have plenty of food and coffee, just no staff …”.
A date for reopening, or the future of Oscars, remains unknown.
Third Ground Coffee House
Eight years after Third Ground Coffee House opened, one of Sarina’s favourite cafes has changed hands.
Phil and Alexes Marshman handed over the keys to new owners Grant Nicholas and Haylee Perschel at the cafe’s Autumn Feat Night on March 4, where their Facebook page said they would be “introducing themselves and sharing their plans for the space”.
Third Ground has closed for renovations as the new owners set up the venue at 28 Central Street.
Debbie’s Seafood and Fish Cafe
The founders of beloved fish and chip Debbie’s Seafood have put the business on the market, with the eponymous Debbie Ahern saying she would “cry and cry” when the sale went through.
Their iconic venue at David Muir Street in Slade Point grew from a small food truck in the 1990s.
Ms Ahern said it would be “business as usual” until a buyer contacts them and the transition process begins, but was certain Debbie’s Seafood would continue as a Mackay icon for years to come.
Sorbello’s Express Pasta
Sorbello’s Express Pasta has been dishing up takeaway meals for 22 years with the current owners running it for 14 years.
Located at 12/78 Celeber Dr, Andergrove, this little express store can be yours for $140,000.
For more information, contact agent Phil Dodds on 0428 674 486.
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