Driving down Crown Street at 9pm on a Wednesday, you’d be forgiven for rubbernecking at the horde of people gathered outside a brightly lit venue. What’s going on? Flash new club? Everyone’s chattering excitedly, there’s a queue, a disco ball’s spinning, club music’s playing. Ah. It’s a Yo-Chi.
In the last month, Bondi and Double Bay welcomed stores, but this December Yo-Chi’s crown jewel arrives: a flagship in Barangaroo, in the former Cirrus space. Brooke Rodger is COO of the Melbourne-born froyo chain, which opened in 2012 but has been rapidly expanding across Sydney (and the country) of late – making it onto the AFR’s Fast List in 2022.
While we respect the hype for the frosty swirls, it’s pretty major when a respected hospitality group like Bentley (Monopole, Bentley, King Clarence, Yellow, Brasserie 1930 and now-closed Cirrus) makes way for a chain.
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SIGN UP“It’s always sad when an iconic restaurant like Cirrus has to close its doors,” Rodger tells Broadsheet. “It’s a privilege to be taking over this space in and making it our own. We’re fortunate to be surrounded by some amazing neighbours in Barangaroo, and the views are pretty spectacular.”
The space will be Yo-Chi’s “largest and most impressive” to date. How could it not be? In January 2016, chef Rene Redzepi – of Noma, the three-Michelin-starred Copenhagen restaurant and five-time world’s best restaurant according to World’s 50 Best – relocated his whole staff to Sydney for a 10-week pop-up in that very space.
“It’s perfect because it reminds me so much of the restaurant in Copenhagen,” Redzepi said at the time. “It’s 10 metres to the water, we’re right on the quay in Copenhagen. In many ways it is like home, but in the south of the world. We fell in love with that straight away.”
Post pop-up, Cirrus moved in, with the Bentley team transforming the fishbowl-like space into a seafood-focused bistro.
So, how’s Yo-Chi design director Claudia Marro putting her spin on the lofty space? The fit-out’s guided by the building’s “fluid curves”, with warm lighting throughout. There’s a two-sided toppings bar, aimed at battling queues, and a wall of twelve flavour taps. With room for 90 inside and another 75 outside, it’s the most dine-in space the chain’s ever had.
“Every new venue we open is an evolution from the last one, no two Yo-Chi venues are identical,” Rodger says. “Obviously this is a really luxurious dining precinct, so we’re elevating every aspect of the venue’s design and experience so that it fits seamlessly.”
Chocolate, salted caramel and classic yoghurt join swirls of acai. The fruit’s prepped in house, and none of the flavours are powdered.
There’s no doubt the Aussie brand is leading the froyo resurgence. But why’s it back now? The “little treat” economy, maybe? When we still want our dine-out fix but budgets are tighter.
“We know that our customers love being able to catch up with family and friends in a relaxed environment. It’s a different experience where people can fully customise, to be as healthy or indulgent as they want, to spend as much or little as they want, and to stay for as long as they want … it’s the amazing teams we’ve got working in our venues, it’s the music, it’s the mirror balls. It’s a vibe.”
Yo-Chi is expected to open its flagship at Shop 10/23 Barangaroo Ave, Barangaroo, in December 2024.