Meet Evra Marketplace, a boutique bodega with a farm-to-table ethos now open in Newstead
Last week, Newstead locals awoke to a surprise gift. Evra Marketplace, a coastal- and rural-inspired grocer and deli, quietly opened at Long Island Brisbane. Here, ethical sourcing and sustainability is championed, with a state-of-the-art rooftop farm producing organic fruits and vegetables for Evra’s larder. In addition to fresh produce, Evra Marketplace is serving everything from hot and cold food, gourmet sandwiches, luxe smoothies and specialty coffee, to primo pantry essentials, flowers, ethically sourced meats and much more. Take a peek inside …
At the core of Evra Marketplace is an easy-to-remember ethos – ‘eat easy’. You might be thinking that eating is one of the easiest things in the world, but the Evra team isn’t talking about the simple act of noshing. Here, it’s all about eating in a holistic way that helps us live longer, healthier lives – and also making it easy to do so.
The brand-new concept, located on Longland Street at the base of Cavcorp’s Long Island Brisbane, isn’t your run-of-the-mill grocer and deli. It’s a one-stop-shop for everything one needs to sustain, nourish and delight. Described by the team as a coastal- and rural- inspired farm-to-table bodega, Evra Marketplace is akin to hugely popular upscale markets like Erewhon in the United States, but specially designed to offer goods from small, independent producers, native ingredients, and 0-km fresh produce.
It’s fair to ask, ‘What do you mean by 0-km produce?’ Well, Evra Marketplace is drawing a much of its chemical-, pesticide- and preservative-free fruits, vegetables and herbs from its own rooftop farm, which even has its own chickens and bees. By reducing transport time from garden to shelves, Evra is delivering absolute freshness (something even the most ardent farm-to-table stalwart can’t match) and ensuring what’s good for our stomachs is also good for the planet.
“At Evra, we believe gut-health is critical to living a long and healthy lifestyle, and adding life to our years,” says Evra’s co-director Adam Coates, formerly of The Roadhouse and High Life in Byron Bay. “We need to unlearn what we’ve been taught about food and re-learn ancient farming techniques. We’ve created a space where the community can come together to enjoy fresh, sustainable food while supporting local farmers and producers.”
Evra’s kitchen team is funnelling this seasonal produce, as well as ethically sourced meats, into a rotating menu of select hot and cold foods. Visitors can curate their own combo meal from an array of proteins, salads and sides prepared in house, with a price-by-weight system offering complete flexibility. Folks can go large on juicy hunks of rotisserie chicken, Christmas ham or succulent meatballs, flanked by serves of buffalo cauliflower, pesto pasta, mac ’n’ cheese and roasted Brussels sprouts, or opt for one of the pre-made grain bowls, sandwiches or wraps. Evra is also serving specialty coffee from Byron Bay roaster Marvel Street, cold-pressed and freshly squeezed juices, hot and cold elixirs, and flavoursome longevity smoothies packed with carefully selected nutrient-dense ingredients.
The rest of Evra Marketplace’s interior is given over to shelves of premium, locally sourced goods. Pantry fillers, dinner party enhancers, flowers and indulgent treats – there isn’t much that Evra lacks. You’ll spy gourmet cheeses from Woombye, Will Studd and Saint Agur, terrines from City Larder, probiotic blends from Extremely Alive, blueberry super powder from Mt. Wilder Berries, condiments from Church Farm General Store, Turkish delight from Divan, functional spritzers from Dayse, and much more. There’s even a wine fridge with a small selection of top-notch vino to take home.
While Evra Marketplace is a top takeaway option, there’s plenty of seating – either along the footpath or a clutch of high tables inside – for folks to kick back and enjoy lunch or simply a coffee. Boasting a rustic yet modern aesthetic, Evra Marketplace draws influence from the natural and raw beauty of both coastal and rural landscapes – think terracotta tones, rough stone and plenty of timber.
Anyone that has rubbernecked Evra’s Long Island home will know that there’s more to come in the form of a restaurant, which will be opening between Evra Marketplace and Baker D. Chirico in the new year. In the meantime, more info on Evra Marketplace can be found in The Directory.