For the last eight years, Wandering Cooks has been a comfortable hangout for foodies frequenting the open-air location on Fish Lane and Cordelia Streets in West End. It has also been instrumental in launching and supporting local food businesses in Brisbane. Since February 2021, however, the food and markets hive has been slowly transitioning into a new space nearby.
In the middle of the year, Wandering Cooks will be permanently settled at the Farm Gate on 63 Vulture Street. In fact, its weekly Urban Produce Market has already been taking place at the new site every Saturday between 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. More events and surprises will be revealed about this new location in the coming months.
Whilst the transition is ongoing, the food and bar corner at its old West End location will continue to trade and accept walk-ins. Large groups beyond 11 people will have to book a reservation in advance. As per usual, the restaurant will still deliver its sustainable food choices with a changing menu every week to highlight local growers and producers.
In June 2020, Wandering Cooks director Angela Hicks hinted about the transition amid the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Incubation will still be at the heart of what we do, and so will other food businesses, but stronger still will be our focus on making products ourselves,” she wrote.
“This will allow us to act directly on the opportunities for small farms we want to see proliferate in this post Covid world. Their successes will be our successes. We’ll employ chefs, we’ll partner with others, and we’ll nurture new food business dreamers, like Thilakshi Munasingha, by employing them, so that their food becomes our food. Together, the farmers and this team of Cooks, will bind our stories together.”
In line with its transition, the restaurant is also hiring more staff and team players. Interested individuals may email el@wanderingcooks.com.au about the job openings.