Sydney Eat Street: 10 things to try in Beecroft

IT’S known more as a village than a northern Sydney suburb, thanks in part to the leafy streets lined with independent shops and family-owned eateries. Why not take a bite out of Beecroft?

Chicken and Fishhead owners Scott Bollington and Sarah Cannon.

IT’S known more as a village than a northern Sydney suburb, thanks in part to the leafy streets lined with independent shops and family-owned eateries. Why not take a bite out of Beecroft?

Take a tour of the suburb’s best eateries right here with The Sunday Telegraph’s Eat Street.

Are you hungry for more inspiration? Follow us on Instagram

CHICKEN & FISHHEAD

It’s a rather unconventional concept but for husband and wife team Scott Bollington and Sarah Cannon opening a kids’ clothing shop that includes a cafe is a reality — and it’s one that’s worked. Affectionately known as ‘chicken’, Sarah’s styling and design background paired well with the retail and cafe experience that Scott, nicknamed ‘Fishhead’ for being a Pisces, brought to the table. Ten years on, they’ve made modifications to the business such as expanding the cafe section and including tables in the ‘shop’ space. The glass cases at the coffee counter feature homemade gingerbreads, cupcakes and savoury pies, while the popular breakfast and lunch dishes such as French toast, smashed avo with poached eggs, and waffles with maple bacon, reflect a menu that shies away from trends, embraces nostalgia but is willing to evolve with contemporary tastes.

— Ground Floor, 3 Wongala Crescent

Homemade cupcakes at Chicken and Fishhead.

Smashed avocado on toast with poached eggs. Picture: Jenifer Jagielski

BEECROFT VILLAGE DELICATESSEN

The meticulously-lined shelves are filled with products that reflect the personalities of not just the owners, Brad and Katina Bogue, but Beecroft as a whole. In Brad’s case, having spent part of his childhood growing up in the US, he favours a few things Americana — hot sauces and hot rods. The cars stay outside but inside there’s a good selection of BBQ sauces. Katina on the other hand has taken over the business from her father, Con, who started it 28 years ago. She still uses her mother’s recipe for their famous quiches, which with a generous amount of added ingredients, pretty much guarantee they sell out by early afternoon. There’s also an abundance of olives, peppers and artichokes, all of which they marinate in-house. And for the varieties they don’t make themselves, they seem to have a steady stream of friends and customers that supplement the stock with homemade products ranging from almond biscuits to almond-stuffed olives, all of which Brad and Katina give a fair go.

— Shop 4, 5 Wongala Crescent

Delicatessen owners Katina and Brad Bogue.

Marinated olives galore. Picture: Jenifer Jagielski

POSITANO

After nearly 15 years, Beecroft’s spot for authentic Italian dining, Ravello Wine Bar Ristorante is getting a new address. It was a tough decision leaving the heritage building they’d tended to for so long, but owners Antonio and Narcies Abassi decided to “slow down a bit and enjoy the bigger things in life”. Not that they’re giving it all up though, as they’re merely moving their imported wood-fire pizza oven and gelato refrigerator across the street, to the Abassis’ second eatery that opened just before Ravello — Positano Café Pizzeria. He’s done a bit of refurbishments, carrying through the dark wood floors and clean lines, and altering the menu to make it more of an antipasto bar with finger foods and pizza but of course maintaining ‘the same standard of quality as Ravello’.

- 14 Hannah St

Positano selection of antipasto and pizza. Pictures: Jenifer Jagielski

Mouth-watering fare at Positano.

BEECROFT ORGANIC HEALTH FOODS

Set aside your visions of wind chimes and bland granola, and you just might find something pleasing to the palette inside this village street shop. Take note of the Beecroft Honey then work your way along the aisle till you hit the completely bewildering jars of coconut and bacon flakes from Extra-Ordinary Foods’ ‘Pimp My Salad’ range. Of course, they’re not really meat but this Byron Bay-based business shows how with some clever use of spices, tastes can be deceiving. And as a small-business owner and certified naturopath Rachel Troia knows that it’s by recognising each customer’s unique questions and health concerns that she’ll win them over one jar of freshly-ground organic peanut butter at a time.

— Shop 1, 5B Hannah St

Try the coconut and bacon flakes.

THE BEECROFT CLUB — LAWN BOWLING

As Beecroft grows, the village vibe is alive and well at the bowls. “The Beecroft Club holds one of the few remaining green spaces in the area,” says club member Noelene Davis adding, “we want to encourage locals to see it as an extension of their back yard” — barbecue and all. If you’re up for some friendly competition, Saturdays are the way to go starting with afternoon tea, followed by “a short, sharp game of bowls”. Afterwards, the BBQ gets fired up, pizzas get ordered and stories of victory and defeat get swapped at the club’s on-site bar. Very neighbourly.

— 128 Copeland Rd

Club member Ashleigh Wisniewski has both hands full.

LONGSHOT CAFE

Long Shot Cafe in Beecroft

Go ahead and apologise to your fellow diners now as the dishes coming out of the kitchen are just so pretty they practically begged to be photographed. Fortunately, they taste even better so you’ll surely be forgiven for the wait. Must Try’s are the grain salad with wood-smoked salmon and the popular chicken salad. — Shop 18, 6-8 Hannah St.

When in Beecroft, you must try ...

CHILLI PEANUT BUTTER

Motivated by a desire to eat healthier, Dave cut processed foods from his diet, replacing them with natural ingredients, starting with the stock standard peanut butter. By sourcing, roasting then blending his own peanuts, Dave developed formulas for smooth, chunky and chilli variations, which he went on to sell at local markets and eventually independent food retailers. Try the chilli version on its own or as a satay base.

— Chucky Dave’s Peanut Butter, www.chunkydave.com for stockist

Chunky Dave’s peanut butter.

RACK OF VEAL

The tapas offerings that once dominated the menu here have slowly given way to more fine dining options in this elegant and intimate Italian restaurant. Leaving the nibbles to its adjacent sister restaurant, Positano, here you’ll dine on such dishes as rack of veal while savouring a selection from their impressive wine list.

— Sevardi, 1/12 Hannah St

Rack of veal at Sevardi.

GLUTEN FREE PASTRIES

Sourcing the latest (and tastiest) gluten-free pastries isn’t easy but using a relatively new food service (FoodByUs) that connects local cooks looking to sell their homemade foods with local businesses has helped Kevin Park, owner of this little shop, to buy one-off products such as the selection of baked GF doughnuts.

— Espresso Recipe, Shop 28, 6-8 Hannah St

Very tasty gluten-free options. Picture: Jenifer Jagielski

WAFFLE MADNESS

Starting as a roastery in Kingsgrove, this Java-centric cafe, located in the new retail and residential destination, Beecroft Place, has brought with it a reputation for excellent coffee and tasty foods that range from Creole-seasoned fried chicken burgers to the decadent Belgian Waffle with berry compote and ice cream.

— Macchina Espresso, Shop 10 / 18 Hannah St

Make room for dessert.

STEAMED BARRAMUNDI

This busy local Thai restaurant is a popular choice for a night out or a group dinner where guests can choose between a la carte and a banquet menu. Try the wild Barramundi fillet which is steamed with ginger, shallots and baby bokchoy. Save room for dessert — an architectural three-layered pyramid made with fig, honey and pistachio ice cream.

— Chalio’s Thai, Shop 3, 19 Wongala Crescent

Steamed barramundi.