New café and restaurants for Lane Cove

High tea anyone?

Lane Cove is spoilt for choice when it comes to deciding on your favourite spot for a cup of coffee.

But what about for a cup of tea?

A new entrant to the local café scene has discovered an untapped niche and is aiming to bring something different to the Lane Cove community.

The High Tea Garden will open in mid-July on Longueville Road, in the site previously occupied by Ziera Shoes.

Suzy and her sister Sarah are the women behind this new café which will offer over 50 blends of leaf tea accompanied by freshly made scones with jam and cream; a selection of finger sandwiches served with substantial fillings; cakes, and other savoury items. Sandwiches can also be ordered to take away.

“We will be offering 5-star service with real leaf teas and fluffy, light scones served on Royal Albert fine china,” says Suzy.

“I will be baking scones on site all day - blueberry, raspberry, chocolate, traditional and other flavours using fresh fruit. This is our signature at the High Tea Garden - everything is delicious, but our scones are the star of the show.”

Suzy says that customers can choose from 58 blends of tea, including green, oolong, white, herbal, health and chai varieties. The leaf teas will be served in a fine bone china tea pot which can be refilled at no extra charge.

The shop is currently undergoing extensive fit out, with stunning floral murals on the walls and marble benchtops adding to the atmosphere. A range of giftware will be available including soaps, candles and hand creams.

Initially the café will be open each day from 10.30 – 6pm, extending to breakfast and early evening depending on customer interest.

Artist's impression of the restaurant area in The Alcott, which opens in July.

The Alcott comes to town

Lane Cove is set to welcome The Alcott, a multipurpose dining and social space opening in July.

Previously the site of the Lane Cove Club, the space was designed by Pony Design Co whose previous work includes The Fernery Mosman, The Greens North Sydney, and acre eatery Camperdown.

The name ‘The Alcott’ means ‘old cottage’ and along with the overall design, is a tribute to the heritage of the existing site, which had been built on the foundation of a sandstone cottage.

“We used the mid-century vibe of the existing building as a muse for the venue’s personality. We adopted bold feature colours that have nostalgic undercurrents to create a warm and textured design that is welcoming and symbolic of The Alcott name,” said Pony Design Co’s Director Natalie Krafczyk.

The Alcott will seat 250 people and includes a modern Mediterranean inspired eatery, a spritz bar serving up seasonal cocktails, and an outdoor dining terrace. Two new event rooms will be located on the top floor of the venue.

Richard Slarp has been appointed as Head Chef and has previously worked in various notable venues including Sake, Aria Catering, Est, and Slip Inn, as well as winning the 2005 Merivale Chef on the Year award.

“I am excited to bring Lane Cove a new dining experience that will feature delicious Mediterranean food made with sustainable, local ingredients. The food will be fresh and wholesome and will incorporate a variety of flavours and complementary textures,” said Richard.

Louisiane to open in the Plaza

The former site of The Lodge café will re-open as Louisiane in late June.

The vision for this new café is to offer a contemporary, relaxed environment for families and groups to enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The man behind Louisiane is Peter Phan. Peter has a strong hospitality background, having worked in restaurants around Sydney for the past 10 years.

“Lane Cove likes to taste and try new things. I really love this area and I’m excited to be opening this new restaurant.”

Peter says that the food will be American grill mixed with Asian fusion. The venue is fully licensed and Peter is in the process of building a strong team to deliver great food, coffee and customer service.

The café is currently undergoing a tasteful fit out and Peter says that they are hoping to replicate Glebe’s Tramshed look and feel.