Tim Johnson has had his sights set on Creek Street for years. Tim’s immensely popular pizza, antipasti and cocktail concept Corbett & Claude has been a staple of Brisbane City’s dining scene since opening at the base of Corbett Chambers in 2015, and – alongside Nodo’s Brisbane City locale – has helped lure inner-city wanderers towards the bustling pocket that connects Elizabeth Street, Creek Street and Eagle Street, otherwise known at the Golden Triangle. Around the same time Corbett & Claude arrived in the CBD, so too did Mr. Claude, a cosy laneway sibling that catered to the time-poor commuter crowd, serving grab-and-go goodies and takeaway coffee. Two years ago, when Dexus announced the development of The Annex at 12 Creek Street – right next door to Corbett Chambers – Tim wasted no time registering his interest in taking on the building’s ground-floor tenancies for an expansion. After a intensive negotiating period, Tim signed on to implement two of his hospitality concepts – South American-inspired bar and eatery Comuna Cantina (formerly located in Albert Lane) and a new-look Mr. Claude – to the building, with plans to activate the whole corner and create a foodie precinct much like Tim’s lauded Everton Plaza hub.
Today, Wednesday October 14, marks the launch of stage one of Tim’s expansion, with Mr. Claude opening an eye-catching kiosk on the corner of Creek and Elizabeth Street. Gone is the industrial aesthetic of the cafe’s previous iteration – Mr. Claude 2.0 boasts a slick and crisp look inspired by Tim’s travels to Milan, Rome, Naples and along the Amalfi Coast. The cosy coffee and food counter boasts a palette of white and sage green, with a green-marble countertop imported from northern Italy. Inspired by Italy’s lively central squares where locals gather for coffee in the day and Aperol spritz at night, Mr. Claude’s outdoor seating area is perfect for snacking, sipping and people watching. For the next few weeks, Mr. Claude will be offering a streamlined selection of takeaway goodies (think Black Forest chia parfaits, Reuben toasties, breakfast wraps, sourdough with toppings and cannolis courtesy of My Kitchen Rules stars Jake and Elle Harrison), as well as its own custom coffee post-blend using Guatemalan, Colombian and Sumatran beans. At night the kiosk will pivot to service a nighttime crowd with cocktails, beer, wine and Italian-inspired street-style bar snacks like focaccia, olives, prosciutto with fig and more. Also of note – Mr. Claude will launch a full sit-down breakfast menu later in December coinciding with Comuna Cantina’s arrival.
Mr. Claude is now open to the public. For operating hours and contact details, head to the Stumble Guide.
