Brisbane southside’s best cafe: The Gift Shop wins reader poll
In just three years, what started as a tiny hole-in-the-wall espresso bar has become a Brisbane southside institution known for its friendly service.
Southeast
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An Upper Mount Gravatt cafe which began life three years’ ago as a hole-in-the-wall espresso bar and grown to become a beloved brunch stalwart has beaten off some 30 challengers to win the Southern Star and South-East Advertiser’s reader poll for Best Cafe on Brisbane’s southside.
The Gift Shop owner Jordan Iovenitti said when first opened in June 2018, The Gift Shop was an espresso style bar with simple eats focusing on bringing a combination of coffee care, highlighting black coffee drinking, and fun great service delivery.”
However, the following year’s takeover of the adjoining lease at Gift Shop’s home on Newnham Rd kicked the cafe up a notch, placing more of a focus on food to match its already stellar coffee reputation.
“Today, it’s a fully fledged seven-day day venue, focusing on all the things you
really need: coffee, food, drinks and great times,” Mr Iovenitti said.
“We want to create a space that welcomes all and feels like home.
“Everyone we treat like friends and coincidently end up becoming so.
“We have two coffee roasters on at any one time, offering rotational singles origins and filters for black coffee drinking and have the always brilliant Bohemian Blend from
Rosso Roasting for all milk based coffee.
“Our food menu is dietary conscious, having some very tasty items for everyone.
“We offer rotational wines with a natural leans and a small range of summer
friendly cocktails.
“We draw inspiration from what we like.
“People deserve the best and that’s what we put forward in a fun way.”
Mr Iovenitti declared a Gift Shop goal of becoming a “day-venue institution” and revealed the cafe is going to undergo a facelift in the first half of 2021.
“We’ve got a few things in the tank,” he said.
“Stay tuned for a range of different style venues in the future.”
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