Doughnut doyenne Kate Williams has a knack for expanding to the right place at the right time. The evolution of Nodo’s Newstead headquarters from gluten-free doughnut dispensary into perennially popular weekend brunch spot helped spark a miniature boom in the suburb’s back streets, while the 2018 opening of Nodo Camp Hill coincided with the area’s ascendance as one of the city’s most popular foodie neighbourhoods. Chalk it up to coincidence or keen-eyed prognostication, a new Nodo location is always a big deal – even for locals living several suburbs away. The newest addition to Kate’s dine-in portfolio is Nodo Hawthorne – a cosy 50-seater nestled at the rear of the Two Sixty-Five micro-precinct on Hawthorne Road. The cafe, which officially opened just before the Easter long weekend, arrives as the area welcomes an influx of new eateries – Botanica, Ze Pickle and Paper Cup Coffee Co. also call Two Sixty-Five home, Sister Cafe sits just a couple of doors down, and Darvella Patisserie is spurring a resurgence around the corner on Bulimba’s Oxford Street strip. For Kate – a Hawthorne local – the opportunity to count Nodo amongst such company was a no-brainer decision. With systems, procedures and infrastructure already firmly in place, the process of expanding the Nodo footprint proved to be a relatively smooth process, too.
For its Hawthorne outpost, the Nodo team enlisted the services of architecture firm Cameron & Co. and construction and fit-out specialists Unita to create an identity that was distinctly Nodo, but boasted some aesthetic quirks that helped differentiate it from its sibling locales. Here, polished concrete is contrasted by warm tones, courtesy of American oak detailing, brown leather cushions, pink-marble tabletops, sky lights, limestone brick fixtures and greenery planters. When it comes to the culinary offering, Kate and her kitchen team have transferred the menu largely untouched (if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!), electing to implement tweaks in response to the seasonal changes or contemporary trends. The current menu has crowd favourites such as the house-made kimchi crumpet with free-range ham hock, smoked-butter hollandaise and poached eggs, and the ever-satisfying breakfast burger with free-range bacon, spinach, spring onion mayo and soft fried egg. That said, noteworthy newcomers include the pumpkin-spiced latte smoothie bowl with macadamia granola and the sambal crab omelette – though expect some autumnal additions to be added in the coming weeks. Cups of smooth specialty coffee, cold-pressed juices, shakes, a selection of Nodo-2-go items and pantry goods, gluten-free bread loaves and, of course, a full range of drool-worthy hand-dipped baked-not-fried doughnuts round out the offering – everything needed for a quintessential Nodo experience.
Nodo Hawthorne is officially open to the public. Head to the Stumble Guide for operating hours and contact details.