The details
Elizabeth and Sam first struck up a friendship while working together at inner-city hideaway Felix for Goodness. With a shared appreciation for vibrant and wholesome foods and a desire to bring their ideas to a suburban setting, it seemed preordained that the duo would combine their talents for something special. After Elizabeth returned from a stint overseas, the wheels were put in motion for a small deli concept that foregrounded Sam’s love of cultured, fermented and pickled goods, but once the pair were shown a stunning sunlit location in Camp Hill (the former home of Cafe Grenadine), Elizabeth and Sam couldn’t resist the opportunity to incorporate a dining element into their plans. The resulting eatery Florence is a delightful cafe where diners can sample modern breakfast and lunch fare, alongside artisan staples through a curated larder offering.
The space
Although initially keen to inhabit the space as is, Elizabeth and Sam were swayed to update the interior after glimpsing the designs by architect Peter Kuhnell. The fit-out has added a peach terrazzo coffee bench, backed by a stunning curved display wall and minimalist furnishings fashioned by Talty Sargent. Opening up the space is a new coffee hatch for takeaways and sliding windows along the Martha Street side, while a back wall was removed to facilitate the installation of Florence’s retail portion, with shelves and a fridge brimming with freshly made products.
The food and drink
Sam and Elizabeth’s approach to the menu sought to imbue classic dishes with cultured and fermented products while keeping the fare approachable and accessible. The all-day breakfast and lunch menus offer a balanced take on vegetable and meat-forward options, with the likes of Florence’s breakfast roll with scrambled eggs, bacon, silverbeet and kasundi, cauliflower bhaji fritters with millet dosa and pineapple and tamarind chutney, and three-grain porridge with nut milk, cultured butter and rhubarb in rose syrup proving to be early favourites. Keeping things local, Florence has partnered with Parallel Roasters for its coffee supply, bolstered with artisan handmade drinks including plant-based dairy-free smoothies, kombucha and turmeric lattes. The deli/larder portion is where you’ll find some incredible house-made products to take home, encompassing everything from sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles, preserves and jams, to cultured butter, cashew cheese, marinated fetta, labneh and nut milk, plus sourdough from Danny’s Bread and milk and cheese from local producers.
Florence is open to the public for breakfast and lunch, with plans to implement fermenting and pickling workshops in the future. For contact details and opening hours, look up Florence in the Stumble Guide.
