Popular Sydney cafe and artisan sourdough bakery, The Grumpy Baker, has ventured north for the first time and is opening at The Junction.
Follow your nose to the corner of Glebe Road and Watkins Street at The Junction tomorrow and you'll find the "grumpy baker" himself, Michael Cthurmer, baking sourdough and other aromatic delights in an oven that sits smack-bang in the middle of the cafe for all to see.
Recognise the building?
It was home to the Palozzi family's popular Arrivederci Restaurant for more than three decades.
The Grumpy Baker first opened its doors back in 2002 on Darlinghurst's Oxford Street. It wasn't long before the business outgrew the premises and multiplied. You can now find The Grumpy Baker at Vaucluse, Bellevue Hill, Bilpin, Marrickville, Coogee, Maroubra, Neutral Bay and Sydney's CBD.
The Grumpy Baker serves a Middle Eastern-inspired all-day menu, barista-made Single O coffee, gourmet sandwiches and salads as well as freshly baked goods and sourdough bread.
Artisan breads made on-site include: Sourdough Loaf; Sourdough Lite White; Traditional Rye Black Russian; Kibble Rye Sourdough; Spelt Rye & Malt Sourdough Loaf; Roast Garlic & Olive Sourdough Loaf; Potato & Rosemary Sourdough Loaf; Organic Carrot Sourdough; Olive Sourdough; Linseed, Soy & 7 Grains; and Walnut & Fig.
They also bake a range of baguettes, croissants and ciabatta.
The sourdough is made using Middle Eastern and European techniques and is, baker and owner Michael Cthurmer says, "softer, more moist and less chewy".
The cafe's signature baked shakshuka for two, falafel bowls and braised lamb leg on couscous have proven popular.
Hearty, rustic dishes tailor-made for the cooler months.
There are also homemade pantry staples available to purchase including fresh jams, honey, sourdough breadcrumbs and hand-poured candles.
It took Cthurmer and his wife Deborah Goodman, who is co-founder of The Grumpy Baker, seven years to find the perfect space in Newcastle.
Every Grumpy Baker is unique in terms of fit-out and character. At The Junction, the focus is on coastal living with a hint of country. The cafe has a laid-back Mediterranean feel with terrazzo tiled floors, handcrafted wooden tables contrasted against sleek marble bench tops, and 3.5-metre-high ceilings that welcome natural light.
A palette of hazelnut and pistachio is applied throughout, and cosy banquette seating opens up to a small courtyard.
"It is so much fun opening a new shop. My daughter Meshi designed this one and she's done a great job," the Israeli-born Cthurmer said.
"We've got a mural coming up from Mitch Revs on the side of the wall, too.
"We absolutely bloody love it in Newcastle. I'll be here every morning for the first month or so, baking, so come in and say hello.
"My wife is the grumpy one, I'm just the baker," he laughed.
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