The vibes (and the coffees) are on point at Fraser’s, Newstead’s fresh new caffeine spot
When Fraser Rubens ditched a career in sports marketing to dip his toes back into hospitality, he envisioned it as being a bit of a sabbatical – a palate cleanser, if you will. It was peak COVID and things had changed in the media and comms landscape. He figured some time away from the job would help him rediscover his passion for marketing but, instead, it reignited his affinity for customer service or, more specifically, his love of connecting with people face to face.
Since making the switch in 2020, Fraser has pulled shots at some of Newstead and Teneriffe’s finest, including Salt Coffee Roasters, Sippy Tom and Drip. Now, as of August, he’s slinging brews at his own coffee spot, which is appropriately named Fraser’s. One part cafe and one part extension of Fraser’s being, the cafe spawned from a deep-seated desire to create a space that felt comfortable – non-pretentious, lived in and worn. While Fraser’s search for a home for his dream cafe took him to Paddington and West End, the universe pointed Fraser back to Newstead, where a plug-and-play cafe space (previously home to Cabin and, before that, Base Camp South) sat waiting on Stratton Street.
“If I had to describe a cafe that feels like me, we’re sitting in it,” Fraser tells us when we visit. “Getting to come into a place where all I had to do was put in the equipment and not have to worry about fit-out or colour scheme … I’m still pinching myself.” A lodge-inspired, timber-heavy aesthetic lends the space an earthy feel, with a small amount of seating inside and out keeping vibes intimate. On the coffee counter sits a matte-black San Remo F18 2 Group coffee machine, while a pastry cabinet sits opposite.
Fraser’s is dispensing a custom blend (formulated and roasted at Coffee Alliance in Bowen Hills) for its milk-based coffees, with a flavour profile that Fraser describes as “very Milo-y, very malted, very chocolate-y and very smooth.” This blend is available alongside rotating single-origins for espresso and filter brew, while Fraser is also eager to start showcasing small guest roasters from along Australia’s east coast. Beyond coffee, Fraser’s is also serving on-trend specialty drinks (the viral blueberry matcha is currently available for a limited time) and smoothies.
On the food front, Fraser is keeping it simple, approachable and tasty. Guests can get a slab of homemade banana bread, assorted pastries and sweet and savoury bagels (served with jam or schmear), or pick something from the toastie menu. This tight list of deli-style sambos are filled with the likes of shaved turkey, Swiss cheese and cranberry mayo, and shaved ham, cheese, tomato and jalapeno mayo.
“I come from a Jewish background,” explains Fraser. “I wanted to offer a good classic deli sandwich, a good Jewish bagel and all of that stuff you feel like when you’re at home.”
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While the coffee and chow is on point, perhaps the biggest drawcard of Fraser’s is Fraser himself. Even when on the tools pouring brews or making bagels, Fraser makes time to chat. To date, early customers include a healthy mix of newcomers and those who have followed Fraser from his previous postings. The operator believes that rapport building is a crucial part of the cafe-owning experience – especially when the quality of coffee in the area is so high.
“Around here you’d be hard-pressed to find shit coffee – everywhere is at least half-decent,” says Fraser. “My mum always said that I could talk under wet cement – I could talk to anyone about anything. Meeting new people and talking to new people is more important to me than the coffee. Being able to talk to 400 people a day for 30 seconds each is more important than latte art. It’s also about calibrating what kind of experience people want – if you want to have a gab, I can give you a gab. If you just want to order a coffee and be left alone, I can leave you alone.”
It’s been four years since Fraser swapped writing press releases for pouring brews and he hasn’t looked back once. Now at the helm of his own caffeine joint, Fraser says he feels more authentically in his skin than ever before and, even though it’s still early days, he tells us the satisfaction levels are already incredibly high.
“[In marketing] I never got to see the direct results of my work on someone else’s day,” says Fraser. “Here, I can directly see the impact that a good coffee has on someone’s day. That first sip followed by that squint and nod that people do when they know it’s good … that feeds me more than any single day that I ever had working in marketing.”