Nearly 20 Years On, Cibi’s Owner Reflects on the Rise and Rise of Collingwood

Meg Tanaka isn’t surprised to realise she’s lived and worked in Collingwood for almost two decades now. Beyond the suburb’s obvious appeal (the artist-led Collingwood Yards, cafes housed in repurposed textile factories, the myriad businesses and venues along Smith Street), she’s drawn to the people who live in the cool, industrial neighbourhood. “The community here isn’t overly loud or obvious, but there’s a quiet connection between people. I think that’s what makes it feel grounded,” she says.

When Tanaka and her husband Zenta opened Cibi in 2008, they wanted their Japanese cafe and design store to land within Collingwood’s cohort of independent creatives “doing things their own way and [reinventing] how they use spaces.” While Cibi still serves wholesome Japanese-inspired meals in a sunlit warehouse today, it’s also sprouted an artisanal grocer and Japanese homeware offering.

You’ll find locals tucking into crowd-favourite Ora King salmon breakfast plates or eggs baked with miso eggplant, before wandering between displays of Japanese and European pantry staples, ceramic dinnerware and wabi-sabi home decor. Come lunchtime, busy people grab bento boxes and seasonal salads from the grocer as soul-warming vegetable curries and soboro chicken rice bowls hit the dine-in menu.

Although she and her husband recently moved slightly further north with their three children and fur baby Momo, Tanaka still returns to Collingwood every day. After years of watching the neighbourhood evolve, she shares her favourite local spots with Broadsheet.

For a business owner who’s already sipping her first coffee and greeting Cibi customers by 7am, a daily mind-body reset is essential. When she’s not booked into a reformer Pilates or yoga class at Good Vibes Yoga, Tanaka enjoys early morning strolls around McNamara Reserve Playground (a small local park on Keele Street) before the rest of the suburb stirs.

Days off call for a stop at Sense of Self, a leafy, brutalist bathhouse where the sauna and steam room provide much-needed tension release in winter. Gallery-hopping is another must-do in Collingwood. Tanaka recently bought large oyster vessels from Szilvassy, a ceramic studio where artist Shari Lowndes displays her creations: organic-looking earthenware inspired by the bush. “They’re currently sitting beautifully in my sunroom with plants, looking very happy.”

Country loaves from Falco Bakery are a staple in Tanaka’s household, and she uses the sourdough to make summery breakfast bruschetta or a kid-friendly scramble on toast. But if she’s hosting, a supply run to Ocean Made is necessary for her two go-to party dishes: fresh oysters with a welcome drink and salt-grilled snapper with sekihan (sticky rice with azuki red beans).

A night out usually begins at Greek newcomer Pontian Club, where Tanaka recommends salads, dips and anything kissed by the grill, plus the baklava for dessert. Then it’s a toss-up between a few bars, depending on the mood of the night. With its natural wines and tight vinyl sets, Hope St Radio is an easy default. Molly Rose is the go for casual pints, where the beer selection is plentiful and sometimes brewed on-site. And for wine nights, The Moon pairs great pours with small plates like cheesy mushroom rotolo (Italian pasta roulade) and citrusy yellowfin tuna crudo.

Although more apartment buildings and chain shops spring up in the neighbourhood every year, Tanaka insists the artsy area hasn’t lost its soul. “Collingwood has managed to keep a certain independence. That balance between change and staying true to itself is what makes it interesting.”

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Square.