Pure class: The Queensland eateries primed to buck cost of living hardships

They are Queensland’s dining institutions that have stood the test of time. But how did they do it? These are the secrets to our longest surviving restaurants. SEE THE LIST

Anooska Tucker-Evans

5 min read

March 6, 2023 - 12:00AM

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Queensland restaurants, cafes and coffee shops are set to be in for a rough year with more than a third of Australians claiming they won’t be able to eat out as cost of living pressures hit hard.

While 40 per cent of Aussies say they would like to eat out more, 37 per cent say they will no longer be able to afford it, according to a survey by commerce platform Lightspeed.

Tim Kummerfeld from hospitality development business Foodie Coaches said eateries had enjoyed a honeymoon period off the back of Covid as people had more disposable income to splash on dining out, but all that was set to slow down.

“Over the next 12 months as rates rise and people start coming off fixed interest loans into variable rate loans we’re going to see a squeeze on discretionary spending and you’ll see a tightening on what people are willing to spend,” Mr Kummerfeld said.

“They might get their morning coffee, but they won’t buy a croissant and they won’t buy their lunch, so I think that’s where we’ll see the massive changes.”

With a Restaurant & Catering Association survey in 2021 showing that almost one in four eateries were not turning a profit, and another 8.6 per cent were only just breaking even, Mr Kummerfeld said it meant dire times ahead for some venues.

Chef Javier Codina and Francois Le Savant, own Moda restaurant which has been around for 24 years in Brisbane and has the experience to weather the cost of living storm. Picture: Steve Pohlner

“The people who are in the industry who decided to get into it because they liked a cafe or they decided they could run one or wanted to own a bar, who don’t understand their numbers and don’t know how to lead a team and they struggle with customer service, are the ones who are going to feel the pinch the hardest,” he said, believing that staff shortages, higher food, energy and insurance costs, and rising interest rates had created the perfect storm for trouble.

The expert believed consistently good operators would survive and thrive, while those facing hardship would need to focus on creating a good community, a great team, a consistent product and margins if they were to succeed.

Chef Javier Codina has been running his restaurant Moda Tapas Brasa Bar in Brisbane’s Petrie Terrace with partner Francois Le Savéant since 1999 and said restaurateurs need to be able to evolve, adapt and anticipate customer needs to be successful.

“My advice would be to remain true to your roots and maintain honesty with both you and your customers,” he said. “Consistent hard work is also essential.”

QUEENSLAND INSTITUTIONS TIPPED TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE

IN A PICKLE, CAMP HILL

A dish from In A Pickle in Camp Hill.

Esther and Tim Downie started thriving neighbourhood cafe In a Pickle in Camp Hill 20 years ago as a tribute to Esther’s mother who loved food and cooking.

After initially beginning as a catering company, it quickly morphed into a cafe, starting with two side tables and some stools out the front, to now a pumping space for locals chasing classic, home-style meals.

“I really believe our secret to longevity has been that we have retained our essence from the day we opened,” Esther said.

“We are a family business that I liken to coming home to your mum’s, like a warm, safe haven where you are known by name and you can still get your favourite sandwich that is made to the same recipe after all these years.”

In a Pickle has catered to countless baby and bridal showers, engagements, weddings and birthdays over the years, with generations of customers continuing to come through, and the plan is to continue for at least another decade.

MODA TAPAS BRASA BAR, PETRIE TERRACE

Javier Codina, co-owner of Moda, one of Queensland's longest running restaurants. Photo Steve Pohlner

Spanish restaurant Moda first opened its doors in 1999 in Brisbane CBD’s Edward St as a fine diner, attracting everyone from the corporate set to couples looking for a romantic dinner in the fairy light-lit front garden.

After almost 20 years in the heart of the city, owners Javier Codina and Francois Le Saveant decided a refresh was in order, moving down the road to The Barracks in Petrie Terrace in 2018 and ditching the up-market culinary approach for a more casual offering built around tapas with value for money at the forefront.

The move has paid off with the venue regularly booked out, and long-time customers returning for birthdays, anniversaries, christenings and everything in between.

“We have remained committed to delivering great, consistent food while upholding my philosophy as a chef,” Mr Codina said.

BELLA VENEZIA, MOOLOOLABA

Kristine and Todd Young from Bella Venezia in Mooloolaba.

Now a Mooloolaba institution, cosy Italian restaurant Bella Venezia first opened its doors 40 years ago with the Gentile Family at the helm.

The clan grew a loyal following of regulars with its homely pasta dishes and popular pizzas until 2005, when it was taken over by Kristine and Todd Young. The couple transformed the venue into a more formal affair, which has seen it win a swag of accolades from best Italian restaurant on the Sunshine Coast to No. 1 restaurant in Australia on TripAdvisor, while attracting an incredible 75,000 customers in the past year.

Mrs Young said the challenges of inflation, rising costs and labour shortages had made running restaurants more difficult, but she believed they had developed a successful formula that would see the business continue for another 40 years.

“The recipe for success is hard work, determination, perseverance, adaptability, strategy, self-belief and a love and passion for what you do,” she said.

ENCORES AT THE EMPIRE, TOOWOOMBA

Encores restaurant at the Empire has survived and thrived.

Encores at the Empire is one of Toowoomba’s oldest restaurants, having opened in 1997 inside the Empire Theatre when it was redeveloped.

The up-market, boutique venue is the work of Mark Rawlings, who believes his focus on consistency across food, service and setting has been the key to the restaurant’s longevity.

“I started in ’97 offering quality produce with good service in a small boutique restaurant and have stayed focused on that plan still today and for me it has been successful,” Mr Rawlings said.

DUNDEE’S, CAIRNS

Dundee’s manager Jacob Low and co-owners Tina and James Wort at the restaurant at the Cairns Aquarium. Picture: Anna Rogers

Serving everything from kangaroo and crocodile to fresh seafood and Aussie beef, Dundee’s in Cairns has been welcoming diners for almost 40 years.

Perched on the waterfront, its diverse menu has made it a hit with tourists chasing an “authentic” Aussie experience, as well as locals who crave the familiar.

It’s popularity has even seen the restaurant expand, launching a second venue at the Cairns Aquarium.

The owners have credited the business’s success to good staff and consistency of product.

OTHER QUEENSLAND DINING INSTITUTIONS