Coming Soon: The Snug Team To Open a Relaxed Neighbourhood Bistro and Deli

Since it opened in early 2024, it seems everyone has fallen for Snug. The cafe’s Korean-inspired food, dialled-in coffee and photogenic design have made it a local hotspot, while its evening service – built around anju (Korean drinking food) – has attracted a following of its own.

If you’ve visited recently, you might have noticed some construction next door, in the former California Native site. That construction is thanks to Snug co-owners Leaham Claydon and Jianne Jeoung, who are preparing to launch Bar Cooper’s in the space this December. The name is a friendly riff on Coorparoo, the suburb the venues are in.

While Snug’s evening service has evolved into more of a serious affair, Bar Cooper’s will lean the other way. “Maybe we got a tad carried away with Snug,” Claydon says. “We found people weren’t popping in for a snack and wine, so we leant into a full-on dinner, where you might order six-to-eight plates and spend a few hours. We want [Bar Cooper’s] to be a place that’s a weekly stop-in, rather than once every two months.”

The menu will revolve around a large wood-fired oven, but don’t expect pizza. (Although there will be a garlic flatbread with green butter and grated parmesan.) Other dishes include pork hock terrine with agrodolce shallots; wood roasted fish with jalapeno, coriander and jus; chicken schnitzel with brown butter, anchovy and fried egg; and whisky crème caramel.

It reads like an elevated pub menu, and that’s no coincidence. “We really love pubs that care about what they are cooking,” Jeoung says. “While this is more a restaurant, we thought it would be cool to have some comforting [pub] food at a reasonable price.”

The couple built Snug themselves, but this time, they’re getting more help with the fit-out. The space will centre on an open kitchen, with plenty of stainless steel and brown tiles surrounding the oven. The kitchen and bar bench will also be tiled.

For drinks, there will be a Euro-leaning wine list, a contrast to Snug’s small Australian winemaker focus.

But that’s not all they’ve got planned. The former California Native site has been split in two, and the second space will hold Jane’s Deli. It’ll be a grab-and-go spot for smoothies and sandwiches, with a grocer section stocked with fresh produce, smallgoods and dry goods.

“We want people to come in and be able to cook a full meal,” Claydon says. “We’ll always have an experienced chef in there. I think that’s what a lot of places miss – being able to guide people through what they can do with the ingredients.”

Bar Cooper’s and Jane’s Deli will both open at 321 Chatsworth Road, Coorparoo in December.