A new café is coming soon to the old Cooks Pantry location
Expect brunch classics with a Brazilian twist and a wine bar at Bora, set to open at the end of this month.
“Bora means ‘let’s go’ in Portuguese,” owner David William tells CityMag as we sit on makeshift chairs inside the construction site.
David says Bora, which will open inside the old Cooks Pantry location in Grange at the end of this month, is inspired by his hospitality experiences in Australia and back home in Brazil.
“I’m really passionate about food and coffee – I’ve been working the industry for over 10 years now in Australia. I came to Australia 10 years ago [originally to learn English],” David says.
“I started working in hospitality back home in Brazil for a few years, [then] I decided to come to Australia just to gain some experience. I worked hospitality back home for three years – at a bar, a café, for Subway as well.
“I love traveling as well. Every year I go overseas for four weeks at least and I observe places, how people work and try to bring new things to innovate.”
David says, as a former Grange local, he was always looking for a spot in the beachside area.
“And then this place came up… we got the keys here in November and then we got the builder in to redo the place and everything,” he says.
You might like
Bora is slated to open at the end of this month
Bora will be a casual breakfast spot, offering up the regular brunch classics with a Brazilian touch.
“We’re not going to be a Brazilian cafe, but I’m going to do a twist – like a little bit here and there, some Brazilian specials,” David says.
“I really love to show our culture as well to people around and people get very excited whenever they come past.”
Although David hasn’t finalised the exact menu items, he assures us smashed avo, scrambled eggs and the regular “Australian breakfast” staples will feature on the menu.
David has decided to change the layout of the café to a “funky, casual, beachy style”.
“Nothing very fancy, but like a cool casual place for you to come barefoot… if you’re wearing your bikinis or whatever, everyone is welcome,” he says.
David says “Grange needs a night place” and plans to open Bora as a wine bar over the weekends.
Subscribe for updates
“I lived local for five years and there is no place that you go at night time whenever you’re finished at the beach [and say] ‘I want to have a nice cocktail’,” David says.
“Even people that walk past… they’re always coming [and saying] ‘what’s happening? Are you guys opening night time?’
“They get very excited whenever we tell them that we have a full liquor license. [They say] ‘Grange needs a place like this’… there’s a lot of opportunities in the area.”
The nighttime menu will be a different offering, serving up a range of cocktails and snacks like small burgers, tacos, fish and chips, seafood.
“[The idea is] if you are at the beach, you want to have something and then go back and watch the sunset. You can come [to Bora] to come get a quick one,” David says.
“We’re planning on having live music as well on the weekends which all depends on the council.”
David William
David says he “really wants to push community things here” and plans to introduce different social events to the Grange area.
“The place is open for people to work together and bring new things for the community,” he says.
“I know we have in Henley Salty Sips on Wednesdays. We want to do something like that on the days that they don’t have it in Henley.
“We want to start a Bora run club… just for people to talk and meet new people.
“A lot of people that come here, they’re lost. They don’t know what to do. They don’t know where to go.
“I’ll be here pretty much seven days a week. I want this place for people to come here and think I’m lost – sometimes you just need someone to talk to. I felt like that so many times when I came [to Australia] and didn’t know anybody. So, this place is open for everyone.”
Bora is located at 6-8 Jetty Street, Grange and is slated to open at the end of the month.
Connect with the business on Instagram for more.