OUR BOOMING CAFE CULTURE
Insatiable fine food appetite forces innovation in tough market
DINERS and business owners are reaping the rewards from Toowoomba’s surging cafe and dining scene, with 17 food outlets opening their doors or expanding this year alone.
TAKE a look at the range of new cafes and restaurants, and those which have expanded operations, in Toowoomba so far this year.
WESTY’S PIZZA
ITS sudden closure shocked and saddened Westbrook residents but now Westy’s Pizza is back.
The shop shut in January when the previous owners couldn’t find a new operator to take over the business but, come April, the right people were found in current owners Luke and Stacey Schultz who re-opened the shop on May 9.
BEL CIBO
TOOWOOMBA’S strong growth in recent years earmarked it for the second location for Italian restaurant Bel Cibo.
The restaurant, which promises authentic flavours, opened in April.
ONS TOOWOOMBA
THE city seems to love its Italian cuisine.
ONS Toowoomba opened in March, fine tuning its promise of good quality, authentic dishes at affordable prices – and has quickly gained solid reviews online.
RED ROOSTER DELIVER
THE Wilsonton Red Rooster store started home delivery in January, following a nationwide move by the franchise to meet customer demands.
MENULOG OPERATES
ONLINE ordering and delivery platform Menulog started operations in Toowoomba in January, giving restaurants a new way to meet customer demand.
BEIRUT GRILL
OPENING at Northpoint Shopping Centre in January, Beirut Grill and Kebab offered Lebanese and Mediterranean cuisine to diners on the north side of town.
KAJOKU RE-OPENS
QUIRKY Japanese and Korean eatery Kajoku closed for refurbishment earlier this year and delighted customers when it re-opened in March with a changed menu.
DUO BAKERY
DUO Bakery, beloved in Toowoomba for its variety of fresh products, opened a second store with an expanded menu in Highfields in March.
BAKER’S DUCK
THE Baker’s Duck opened its Campbell St store last weekend in direct demand of patrons wanting its baked goods for longer. It’s now open 6.30am to 1pm from Wednesday to Sunday.
THE DOUGHNUT SHOP
FORMER painter Wayne Rattray opened his store, The Doughnut Shop, which specialises in artisan doughnuts, opened earlier this month and trades Tuesday to Saturday.
UBER EATS
AFTER months of speculation, Uber Eats confirmed it will launch on June 20.
BAVARIAN BIERGARTEN
THE Bavarian Biergarten in April opened in the Walton Stores precinct which is a microcosm of foodie delights in its own right.
SUGAR MAPLES
SUGAR Maples took on a new twist when it re-opened in Highfields last month with a broadened menu incorporating both Canadian and Japanese food.
THE FINCH
THE Finch now offers dinner to complement its existing breakfast and lunch trade hours in order to meet customer demand.
CENTRO
TOOWOOMBA Central Plaza Apartment Hotel brought back the bar and restaurant at its lobby and opened Centro in April.
FLANNERYS
FLANNERYS Organic and Wholefood Market took over Wray Organic when went into liquidation earlier this year.
MINGLE
ASH and Drew Craymer opened Mingle in February at the corner of Russell and Ruthven Sts, bringing Cocowhip and other delights to the CBD dining scene.