The first time David Lin saw the to-be Coffee Iconic venue six years ago, he immediately knew it was unique space.
“Compared to other cities, Brisbane is a little bit slower in the coffee scene and this laneway café with a huge garden space out back just instantly reminded me of Melbourne. Right away I knew we could make it work,” says David.
“My wife was drawn to it as well, and with my business partner Abel, we’ve created a café that appeals to all audiences.”
Being situated in the heart of the Brisbane CBD, David says the café will typically see an influx of business people in the morning and attract an older crowd mid-morning.
“Then around lunch we get a mix of university students and people dining out. A lot of them come here for the Instagrammable latte art and food,” says David. “This is thanks to my wife who redesigned the food menu to create a fusion of Western and Asian inspired dishes.”
Favourites include the Umami Mushrooms with shiitake mushrooms, dried shallots, parmesan cheese, sherry vinegar, and umami mayo spread on organic sourdough toast, or the Bulgogi Beef Burger with Bulgori beef, diced kimchi, garden salad, tomato, pickled carrot, and house-made bulgogi mayo in a milk bun.
Beside the food, Coffee Iconic serves a range of coffee blends from brands including Padre and Almanac, and offers its own Coffee Iconic bend.
“We roast our beans using a local Brisbane roaster called Cavalier, and so far, our brand includes two varieties: a flower blend and a house blend. Our house blend has chocolatey, sweet notes with a smooth body,” says David.
Choosing a milk — especially an alternative milk — to complement these carefully curated flavours is equally as important as the coffee itself, which is why David uses The Alternative Dairy Co.
“The taste of The Alternative Dairy Co’s milk is so smooth yet allows the taste of the coffee to shine through, which after trialling previous dairy alternatives, is very rare to find,” says David.
“The brand’s packaging is also really attractive, and the colours look really good aesthetically. Brad, the sales rep for Alternative Dairy Co is also super supportive of us.”
In 2022, David plans to open a second venture on the other side of Brisbane’s city district, continuing to contribute to the city’s growing coffee scene.
Coffee Iconic
340 George Street,
Brisbane, Queensland, 4000
Open Monday to Friday 7am – 2:30pm, Saturday 8am to 1pm.
This article appears in the February 2022 edition of BeanScene. Subscribe HERE.