From Thebarton’s, The Deli to Eire Café in Clapham and now Hibernia, it’s probably safe to say we might need to lend a closer eye to Adelaide power couple Stephen Lowery and Zoi Kokoti. The pair have just revealed their cafe inside the $1.5m developers upgrade to the 113-year-old Magill Institute building. The building will now house office and café space in addition to accommodation to help the building regain its timely glory.
With a distinctly Scandinavian vibe, Hibernia café exudes sophistication and comfort. Its minimalist charm lies in the 25-foot high ceilings and stylish succulents lining the windows overlooking Magill Road. In the midst of frantic designing and last-minute decisions prior to the launch, Zoi told Glam that Hibernia’s food will be ‘a bit different, it’ll be unique’ and ‘we’ll be sticking with freshly made food and local produce.’ Stephen’s a classically French trained chef, has experience in 5 star hotels and has worked with some of the best chefs in Ireland, and the menu delivers upon his vast experience.
Gorgonzola, ginger and quince cheesecake, crispy polenta with tarragon, hazelnut and wild porcini mushrooms as well as smoked mackerel with baby cos, apple, braised fennel and dill yoghurt dressing all caught our eye, and it seems the pair are not afraid to experiment with flavor pairings that are an absolute foodies delight! Zoi and Steve are even stocking their very own national award-winning frozen Eire Pies for take away. It seems the menu is still set for some tweaks and further refinement in the coming months, so we’re sure some more delicious additions are soon to be revealed.
True to her word, Zoi’s design has stayed clear from ‘anything that looks very commercial’ with homely touches scattered around the space. It is evident from the first few steps inside this aesthetic haven that a great deal of care and warmth has gone into the planning and design of Hibernia Café.
As Zoi said to Glam prior to opening “A lot of people actually think it’s quite a romantic idea to open your own café, but for us it’s 18-hour days and a lot of hard work. But it’s beautiful seeing your creation come to life.” Do Zoi and Stephen’s culinary empire a favour by poking your head into their new place and stopping by for a coffee, a chat or a delicious afternoon meal. This looks set to become a real destination in the area.
Hibernia Café is located at 609 Magill Road and officially opens to the public this Thursday, 7.30am until 4.30pm. Check their Facebook for more details.