Hapi Daze is coming soon to Semaphore
From the co-owner of Burro and previous co-owner of Coffee in Common comes Hapi Daze: a contemporary Australian-inspired brunch spot coming soon to Semaphore.
When Davide Cavuoto left Coffee in Common earlier this year he had no intention of coming back into hospitality.
But when his cousin, Jason Russo – who co-owns Burro and owns Commune 1 and Bodega – caught wind of his availability, he knew it was the beginning of something new.
“Jason’s been hounding me to do something with him for the last 10 to 13 years – however long I’ve been in hospitality,” Davide tells CityMag.
“I was probably one of his first employees at Commune 1, which was his first cafe, 13 to 14 years ago.
“So we’ve had a loose working relationship for a long period of time, and then when I opened Coffee in Common with Sean [Do], my previous business partner, he used our coffee. He was our first wholesale partner, which was really nice.”
Davide says it was Jason’s “infectious aura” and his “sense of drive” that he admired.
“The direction I see Adelaide hospo going in is very much Melbourne pre-COVID, where the focus is – and rightfully so, because it’s a big part of hospitality – just all about the fit-outs and people investing a lot of money into it.
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“And I understand the charm of it because that’s part of the romance of going into a cafe.”
Jason is “very much about networking and Adelaide”, which is similar to Davide’s business sense.
“He’ll tell you every bloody local business that he goes to… he’ll be able to tell you where he gets [produce] from and who supplied it,” Davide says.
“That’s a part of hospitality that I love, and I think about small business – I never lost a passion for small business. But, you know, I had a bit of a break, and now I’m back.”
Davide Cavuoto wanted to stay in the western suburbs, where he and his business partner Jason grew up.
Opening in early December on the corner of Semaphore Road and Montpelier Street, Hapi Daze is a “contemporary Australian brunch” spot with a focus on fresh produce.
“Simple, healthy, nutritious food I think has always been at the core of all of Jason’s menus that he’s designed… and I can definitely see that translating into this space,” Davide says.
Though the menu specifics aren’t finalised, Jason will be driving the kitchen operations whereas Davide will lead the front of house.
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Davide says the look they’re going for is something “very beachy” using a pink, cream and green palette.
“We’ve got a little warehouse space on the side, which will be the main dining and eating area,” Davide says.
“And then on the other side of the tenancy, there’s going to be the bar in the kitchen with a little sit-in if people want a quick bite or even just to sit while they drink their takeaway.”
They just want the space to feel a “bit light and fun”.
“Even with the name, Jason was pretty set on that from the start. I said to him ‘I don’t really care what the name is, you’ll come up with something cool’,” Davide says.
“I think Hapi Daze is definitely an interesting name and I like it.
“We’re definitely not going to all dress up as the Fonz or anything like that with a jukebox, but there’ll be happy days here.”
When the pair were looking for a space, they both knew they wanted to stay in the west as that’s where Davide and Jason had lived their entire lives. Davide even says he’s “taken [his] dog to the vet 100 metres up the road for the last 10 years”.
“I’ve got an emotional connection to this area,” Davide says.
“If you’ve ever had the experience of whether it’s buying a home or renting a space for your business, or where you live, sometimes, you step into a place and it feels like it’s just meant to be.
“Jason had shown me a couple of other properties… and we were both like ‘I don’t know’. Then with this one, we came here, straight after we were on the phone like ‘yep, I’m ready to sign wherever we have to sign. This is the place’.”
Hapi Daze is located at 172 Semaphore Road, Exeter and is set to open in December.