Coming Soon: Sydney Sanga Shop Kosta’s To Open This Weekend (and Adam Wolfers Is on Board)

Kosta’s Takeaway opened in 2021 in co-owner Benjamin Terkalas’s dad’s smash-repair workshop in Rockdale, NSW. It had a “no bullshit” approach and a crew of chefs with restaurant pedigree. Quickly, it expanded, opening three more Sydney venues: in Rosebery, the CBD, and Circular Quay.

On Saturday, it opens its first interstate outpost at Gasworks Plaza.

Terkalas says he’s been looking to open in Brisbane for the past year and a half, but things clicked into place when he was approached by the Gasworks team.

“Brisbane has a very fresh energy about it. There’s a lot of good hospitality venues here, but it’s not oversaturated like Sydney and Melbourne … And the weather’s amazing 24/7,” says Terkalas.

In the same way the Sydney outposts have tapped fine-dining talent like  Ester’s Jono Fisher, Tim Cassimatis (ex-Barzaari), Zach Livingstone and Will Bond (both ex-Firedoor, Gildas) – Terkalas is courting top-tier Brisbane talent.

Adam Wolfers (formerly group chef for Anyday Hospitality) has come on board. “He’s overlooking all the food and he’s helped us rewrite the Brisbane menu,” says Terkalas. Wolfers is said to be working in a consulting capacity but is also expected to be on the tools in Newstead.

Wolfers’s influence has led to two Brisbane exclusives: a breakfast yiros and a chicken shawarma flatbread.

“The chicken shawarma is going to be like a white sesame tzatziki, a white sesame flatbread, chicken, house pickled turnips, and harissa mayo, whereas the yiros with egg, cheese and bifteki will be cooked on the bread “kinda like a kofta.”

The bulk of the menu will draw on Kosta’s classics, like the schnitty bun, fish burger, tuna melt and the Supa Deli with scacciata, salami, ham, mortadella, rocket, peperonata and stracciatella. There will also be two salads – one with barley, kale, falafel and avo; and a take on a Greek salad with added shawarma chicken and fried bread.

The team is looking to going back to basics for the Newstead store. “It’s going to be very exciting for Brisbane, because they’re going to get a ‘Rockdale stage one’ version, which is just all about the food.”

That’s not to say there won’t be a bit of fanfare. Kosta’s Brisbane is opening on the weekend with “a mini festival”. On Saturday, the first 100 guests can pick up a free sandwich. On Sunday, the team is giving away 150 doughnuts made in collaboration with Bread Social. And on Monday, coffee will be free all day, thanks to Ona.

Kosta’s Takeaway Brisbane will open at Gasworks Plaza, Newstead on Saturday at 7am.

@kostastakeaway