Pippa’s Pantry
Sharpen your sweet tooth, cake fans, as a rising star of Brisbane’s baking scene is taking the next step in her culinary journey. Pippa Blatch, the visionary behind vegan cake, cupcake and cookie business Pippa’s Pantry is set to open her own bricks-and-mortar store in Camp Hill soon. The entrepreneurial baker – who started Pippa’s Pantry in 2017 when she was just 18 – has been amassing a huge following thanks to her range of egg- and dairy-free products, which are just as good as their non-vegan counterparts. Until now, Pippa’s products have only been available at local markets and the odd pop-up, but soon a shopfront on Old Cleveland Road will be transformed into a vividly colourful grab-and-go dispensary. In addition to Pippa’s signature cupcakes, sugar cookies, jars of edible cookie dough and celebration cakes, the baker is looking to expand her offering with the likes of vegan croissants and doughnuts. While Pippa’s Pantry will be more of a takeaway-oriented business, a limited amount of seats will be available for those eager to devour their sweet delights then and there. Pippa’s Pantry doesn’t have an official opening date set, but Pippa promises she’ll be plastering it all over social media once a date is confirmed.

Mama Taco at WET Deck
When the sun is out and the temps are high, there are few things we crave more than tacos and margaritas. WET Deck is shaping up to be the place to get both throughout February, as W Brisbane’s poolside bar and terrace is hosting the team from West End eatery Mama Taco for a month-long takeover in celebration of Margarita Month. Over the next few weeks, the Mama Taco team will be dishing up a selection of its signature menu items, headlined by its nori kimchi Peking duck taco (with toasted seaweed, daikon kimchi, corn mousse and guacamole), cumin eggplant hardshell taco (with salsa roja, salsa verde, guacamole, chipotle mayonnaise, onion and slaw) and cheese jalapeno nachos. On the drinks front, the bar will be pouring margaritas boasting a mix of Herradura Plata tequila, corn liqueur, tomato water, lime and jalapeno. Mama Taco’s WET DECK pop-up is operating from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm Sunday to Thursday, and from 11:00 am to late on Fridays and Saturdays.

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Everton Park Hotel
This week, cherished northside pub Everton Park Hotel unveiled the results of a substantial transformation, giving locals a peek at a host of new amenities. A lengthy renovation process has resulted in the addition of a brand-new beer garden, complete with its own bar, picnic-style tables, festoon lights, a kids’ playground and big screens for televised sports. The works have also given Everton Park Hotel’s sports bar and deck a facelift, while the pub’s in-house bistro (and its menu) has also been retooled. Guests popping in for a family feed, quick mid-week lunch or a catch-up with friends can enjoy the likes of share plates, traditional pub classics, woodfired pizzas and a kids’ menu, with new additions like grilled Queensland prawns with lemon butter, avocado puree and watercress, and smoky barbecue pork ribs with peach sauce, charred corn on the cob and chips expected to be beloved stand-outs. Everton Park Hotel has launched a new calendar of weekly events, from trivia nights and retro video game nights to barbecue and meat tray raffles, and vinyl DJ sets in the beer garden on Sundays.

Newnham Hotel
On the other side of town, another community pillar lifted the lid on its own grand revitalisation. Yesterday, Mount Gravatt pub Newnham Hotel debuted its new-look bistro, refreshed outdoor deck and kids’ playground, a modernised sports bar and updated functions spaces. The 176-seat bistro, now boasting an earthy aesthetic of rich greens and soft burnt oranges, is the place to savour head chef Kimberly Joyce Suva’s diverse menu, which is headlined by the likes of cauliflower popcorn, porchetta with kipfler potatoes and four different Queensland steaks, all served with chips, salad and your choice of sauce or butter. To celebrate its new look, Newnham Hotel will be hosting a Locals Welcome Weekend from February 21–23, with three days of entertainment, giveaways, live music, raffles on the cards.

Allonda
In devastating news for fans of Longland Street dining destination Allonda, the team behind the Newstead restaurant has announced its forthcoming closure. In a post published on the restaurant’s social media pages last week, the Allonda team revealed that the laneway venue would shutter after its last service on Friday February 14. That means you only have a few days left to pop in for a bite of the restaurant’s Mediterranean-leaning fare, including its signature risotto all’onda. Though sad tidings for Brisbane’s inner-north food scene, there’s a silver lining. Allonda’s post hints at exciting things to come, with new operators expected to take over the Longland Street space in the near future. Stay tuned for more …

Detour
While one restaurant closes, another gears up to make a triumphant return. Last week, Damon Amos of beloved Woolloongabba restaurant Detour revealed that the long-running restaurant will soon be resurrected as a three-month pop-up. The restaurant closed its Woolloongabba home just before before Christmas last year, with secret plans to relocate to new permanent digs later in 2025. While its new site is being finalised, Damon and his team will be taking over the old Kid Curry space on East Street in Fortitude Valley, kicking off its residency on Friday February 14. Detour will open for dinner from Wednesday to Saturday and for Saturday lunch, with the kitchen turning out a five-course set menu offering both omnivore and herbivore options. The menu will change each month, with Detour’s famous dishes taking the spotlight throughout the first month. Bookings are being snatched up quickly – head to the Detour website to secure a spot.

If you’ve heard something that’s worth mentioning in The Weekend Edition’s Pavement Whispers, email [email protected].