Burleigh Social to reopen as a new community cafe ‘by the people, for the people’

Many were left reeling by the sudden closure of the Burleigh Social, but all is not lost — something bigger and better is coming in its place. We take the first look at the new Burleigh icon.

Burleigh Co-op is the new cafe taking over the closed Burleigh Social. Co owners Luke Ridden, Jessica Hartley, Dennis Duncanson, Jessie Jones, Nick Atkins and Darran Franks ready to get things moving again. Picture Glenn Hampson

BURLEIGH Social’s sudden closure left a void in the southern foodie scene. The casual cafe was more than somewhere to eat or drink — it was a meeting place for the community.

So those left forlorn by its mysterious demise last month will be excited to know it’s reopening as a new cafe, building on its reputation as a hang out for locals, visitors, creators and collaborators.

Named Burleigh Co-op, co-owner Dennis Duncanson says its reinvention is a collective effort from nearby businesses that were left reeling by the Social’s unexpected end.

“The old Burleigh Social was a great little hot spot, an iconic Burleigh cafe,” he says.

“A couple of months ago things were changing down there, it was changing staff and hands, it was losing that bit of wow factor. It was all a bit random (how it closed).

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Burleigh Co-op food will be simple and delicious, experimenting with locally-soured ingredients for classic staples like its avocado on toast.

“The guys from Grandad Jacks (Craft Distillery, Miami) started the push to get this cafe back on the map, back being a great little local spot, as opposed to it sitting there and going through the motions and failing.”

Along with Granddad Jacks, the teams behind Hotel Miami, Ellki Blu Jewellery and Lost Boys Barbershop, as well as the owners of the site, pitched in to relaunch the cafe.

“It doesn’t feel too scary going into this project when there’s a great team behind it,” Dennis says.

“When us bunch got the chance to jump in and do something, we thought, ‘Let’s not reinvent the wheel, it’s a great spot, let’s tweak it’.”

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A bacon and egg burger could feature the eggs from a nearby backyard chicken roost.

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With a long career in hospitality and his own catering business, Fingers and Bones, Dennis rightly appointed himself head chef and took the reins on the menu.

He says the food offerings will be modest with some classic breakfast dishes and a handful of lunch options highlighting locally grown produce and backyard green thumbs.

“We want to do some of the classics people know about it — house-baked granola, seasonal fruit, acai bowls,” Dennis says.

“We’ll do a little play on avocado on toast. We want to do some bowls as well — glass noodles and smoked tofu, shredded lamb, smoked salmon. Keep it light and fresh.

“We’re using a local coffee supplier, Social Espresso, local butchers, fruit and veg.

“We want to push heavily about coming to share produce that we can swap.

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Chef Dennis wants to offer a handful of healthy bowls at lunch time including a glass noodles and tofu dish.

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“You bring us your bunch of rosemary, we’ll shout you coffee. A dozen eggs? We’ll shout you breakfast. If it’s John’s honey down the road, we want to scream and shout that it’s John’s honey on toast on a sign.

“The person supplying it is going to feel loved. It’s a great way of sharing and keeping it in the community.”

The interior will maintain its industrial charm with the famous tin roof, garden beds and serving window, but will feature a new concrete floor, fresh white paint job and more space for indoor seating.

Dennis hopes locals return in droves to the new Burleigh Co-op to experience the passion and teamwork that went in to resurrecting the site.

It takes a village: Burleigh Co-op is owned and run by a special team of local business owners including people from Hotel Miami, The Lost Boys Barber Shop, Fingers and Bones Catering and Grandad Jack’s Whiskey Distillery. Picture Glenn Hampson

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“Burleigh Social, they were doing their thing, now it’s a new challenge and fresh ideas behind everything.

“We hope the locals that came before come again to see what they think.

“We all think it’s such a great space and location, we didn’t want anyone to feel that it couldn’t turn into a fantastic space again.”

The Burleigh Co-op opens February 25 at 2 Hibiscus Haven, Burleigh Heads.