Neighbourhood Store Juno & Sons Brings Hard-To-Find Ingredients and House-Made Cakes to a Bright Corner of Elizabeth Bay

Having spent 17 years working for Rockpool – starting as a waiter at the now-closed Rockpool in The Rocks then managing Rockpool Qantas, before becoming one of the directors of Rockpool Dining Group – Terry Higgins knows exactly where to go find the right ingredient (be it a Sichuan chilli oil made in Byron Bay or an Ora King salmon fillet smoked in Bellarine). The fruits of this knowledge and honed experience are now on shelves for all to see at Juno & Sons, her friendly neighbourhood store on a bright corner in Elizabeth Bay.

“Juno & Sons grew out of frustration,” Terry, who prefers to go by her first name and first opened the store as a two-month-long pop-up in Paddington in November 2021, tells Broadsheet. “I'm an avid cook, and I got tired of being unable to find the items I needed. I had a vision of opening a retail space, selling ingredients I think everyone would want.”

Casting an eye over the collection feels like peeking into a chef’s larder. Every corner holds an mosaic-like arrangement of hard – if not impossible – to find items from both here and abroad.

There’s a selection of Byron Bay-made sauces from Geokoji, a “micro shoyu and speciality seasoning brewery” – think a signature shoyu (similar to soy sauce) that’s been aged for 12 months and a vibrant rice bran oil infused with Sichuan peppers and gochugaru chillies. Ora King salmon, raised in New Zealand’s Marlborough Sounds then smoked in Victoria’s Bellarine, is sold as a fillet or decadent dip. Bread from Urban Ferment, a spot just up the road in Paddington from Gary Armstrong – one of Rockpool’s former head sommeliers – arrives hot each morning. There’s olive oil from Australia, Spain and Italy, each with their own distinct flavour profile. A central table displays fresh produce, ranging from “fantastic” Spanish garlic to unusual seasonal fruits, such as Adelaide Hills-grown Missiles – tiny, too-cute apples that are crisp and sweet.

Tying the curation together is the fact that Terry tasted every product before deeming it worthy of inclusion. “I love all types of cuisine – from Middle Eastern to Japanese,” she says. “But I don’t have much room, so I don’t want 10 sorts of the one item. It’s only the stuff I love to cook with. I’ve spent so much time around great ingredients – I won’t put in anything as a substitute.” Terry is on hand daily to chat about her picks and give shoppers tips and suggestions.

This chat can be done over coffee, thanks to the retro coffee machine on the counter. Little Marionette is poured till close, and there’s giant house-made biscuits, plus cake of the day by the slice. One day, it’ll be a blueberry, yuzu and yoghurt cake, the next a Basque cheesecake carrying a tangy sour cherry syrup. Some are made by Terry, who has evolved classic recipes over years of experimenting, others are made by “close pastry chef friends”.

At lunch, a handful of toasties – made with ingredients from the store – are on the go. The Everyone’s in Europe is filled with slices of manchego cheese and La Boqueria Morcon spicy salami topped with romesco sauce, dedicated to all those “left behind in Elizabeth Bay” while their friends are enjoying the delights of a Euro summer. Other favourites hero Chinese-style coriander-poached chicken, and then there’s the Ora King smoked salmon, which is layered with Meredith goat’s cheese and zucchini pickles from Melbourne’s Acide. Surprise dishes – from house-made lasagne to spanakopita – often make appearances, too.

Diners may pull up a stool inside or rest on the windowsill bench seat outside. On a clear day, it’s tempting to head to Rushcutters Bay Park, just two minutes’ walk away. Come spring, you’ll be able to pre-order picnic baskets laden with Terry’s top picks for a long afternoon lazing in the sun.

Juno & Sons
11 Roslyn Gardens, Elizabeth Bay

Hours
Tue to Sat 7am–4pm
Sun 8am–4pm

junoandsons.com
@junoandsons