Nundah newcomer Chapel Park started life as a meeting of minds. After connecting over a shared vision for their ideal cafe, hospitality veteran Camilla Henriksen and chef Theodore Wray decided to pool their resources and open one together. Camilla had long had an eye on Nundah as a potential cafe location, having become enamoured with the suburb’s strong community vibe. Fortuitously, the duo’s dream spot became available on the corner of Sandgate Road and Chapel Street, directly underneath acclaimed watering hole Fitz & Potts. The corner space had great bones, including large windows and plenty of room to move, but was in need of some TLC. Camilla and Theo called in friends, family and favours and set about overhauling the space over a six-week period, extending and retiling the kitchen wall, exposing the tenancy’s original concrete floors and adding a pastel colour scheme that was easy on the eyes. A mural on the cafe’s exterior wall was also commissioned – helping to establish a homely feel that was equal parts comfortable and stylish.
The home-style vibe at Chapel Park continues across its menu, where Theo has incorporated his passion for fermented ingredients throughout the brunch and lunch spread. Although the menu is still being expanded, Camilla and Theo’s emphasis on promoting gut health, fresh flavours and colour is already fully evidenced across dishes such as avocado toast with marinated ricotta, quick pickle onion and harissa oil, the green bowl with kale, broccoli, freekeh, avocado, kraut and beetroot hummus, and the salmon bagel with cream cheese, pickled onions, cucumber and capers. Byron Bay-based roaster Moonshine supplies Chapel Park’s coffee (plenty of alternative milks are also on hand), with the cafe eyeing off an introduction of specialty brew methods in the near future. Thirsty diners can also sip on kombucha, pressed juice from Simple Juicery, healthy smoothies, organic loose-leaf tea and colourful turmeric, matcha and beetroot elixirs. Soon Chapel Park will offer dog-friendly seating outdoors and will convert a portion of the space to house a retail section to hawk locally made wares and the cafe’s own fermented ingredients.
For opening hours and contact information, head to Chapel Park’s entry in the Stumble Guide.
