Fun fact: Soho – the Manhattan neighbourhood, not the London one – is a portmanteau for South of Houston Street, one of the major streets in New York City. (Fun fact number two: that Houston isn’t pronounced like the Texas city, but rather “how-stun”.) And this month, Trindy Adler and Matt Miller want to bring a little Big Apple DNA to Mount Lawley when they open Soho Lane, a 60-person cafe inspired by the 12 years they spent living in New York.

It’s the second venue for the husband-and-wife team – they opened Little Soho (another NYC-inspired cafe) in the CBD in August 2019. Although the couple’s sophomore effort can seat twice as many guests, they hope Little Soho’s warm welcome and sense of community carries over to Mount Lawley.

“I’d really love it to become a larger extension of Little Soho,” says Miller. “I want people to come in there [Soho Lane] and we get to know their name, what they do and their coffee order. It sounds cliché, but we really just want to be part of the community.”

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Designed by Tiffany Keal Creative Studio, Soho Lane’s airy, colourful interior features pink and terracotta played off against a terrazzo feature wall and a forest-green coffee bar. Operations manager Josh Lofstrom and his team of baristas will be working with a custom blend from Micrology Coffee Roasters.

Food-wise, chef Benjamin Ronaldson – who’s clocked time at busy cafe kitchens such as Mary Street Bakery, Hylin and Greenhouse – is sticking to the New York brief with riffs on American diner favourites, alongside cafe classics such as granola and avocado toast. There'll be a fried chicken sandwich in a smoked potato bun and a Reuben bagel freighting ox-tongue pastrami, house pickles, sauerkraut and mustard. The offer of house-made bacon, miso peanut butter and vegemite (“Sohomite”) speak to a strong DIY and green-thinking ethos.

"We have a super emphasis on local produce, sustainability and waste reduction," says Ronaldson. "I'm making my own tongue pastrami, cold cuts for sandwiches, jams, pickles and kimchi. If we can buy it, we can make it. Eventually we will look to have a full baking program when we have a bigger facility."

For now, local bakers Bread in Common and Miller & Baker will be supplying the bread while a takeaway cabinet will offer sandwiches, pastries and other pre-made items.

SoHo Lane is one of the new tenants in the new Alexander Buildings expansion. The recently completed $4 million project has added new office, retail and community spaces to the historic, 1929-built Art Deco building.

Soho Lane opens on Monday November 23.

Soho Lane
13/647 Beaufort Street, Mount Lawley
Hours:
Daily 7am–3pm

soholane.com.au